Identification of a muscle-specific enhancer within the 5'-flanking region of the human myoglobin gene.

A 2-kilobase fragment from the 5'-flanking region of the human myoglobin gene extending from -2038 to +7 relative to the cap site regulates expression of a heterologous reporter gene in a cell-specific and developmentally regulated manner. Functional analyses of 5' and internal deletions indicate that sequences located between -261 and -205 are essential for muscle-specific expression in cooperation with the myoglobin core promoter. A 167-base pair fragment containing these sequences (-371 to -205) enhances expression from myoglobin core promoter elements in a manner that is independent of its orientation and position relative to the cap site.

Interactions between sustained contractile activity and beta-adrenergic receptors in regulation of gene expression in skeletal muscles.

Continuous electrical stimulation for 10-21 days of the motor nerve innervating the anterior compartment muscles of adult rabbits increased both the density of beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-AR) and tissue concentrations of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) by two to threefold. Changes in cAMP and in beta-AR occurred in parallel with stimulation-induced adaptations in the specific activity of mitochondrial enzymes (2- to 6-fold increases) and with changes in steady-state concentrations of mitochondrial RNA, beta-F1ATPase mRNA, and myoglobin mRNA (2- to 11-fold increases). These increases in muscle cAMP, in beta-AR, and in expression of protein and mRNA products of genes encoding proteins of oxidative metabolism occurred even in animals receiving high doses of propranolol during the period of electrical stimulation.

Characterization of three choline transport activities in Rhizobium meliloti: modulation by choline and osmotic stress.

Choline has both a nutritional and osmoregulatory role in Rhizobium meliloti (T. Bernard, J. A.

Further explorations of common-sense representations of common illnesses.

A simple method is presented for measuring people's illness cognitions--their common-sense representations of common illnesses. Data were collected from 1,628 different respondents who described a recent illness form 1 to 3 separate times over a 17-month period. A free-clustering task performed by a set of naive participants confirmed that these cognitions fall into the five components that have been previously noted: identity, time line, consequences, cause, and cure.

Osmotic control of glycine betaine biosynthesis and degradation in Rhizobium meliloti.

Intracellular accumulation of glycine betaine has been shown to confer an enhanced level of osmotic stress tolerance in Rhizobium meliloti. In this study, we used a physiological approach to investigate the mechanism by which glycine betaine is accumulated in osmotically stressed R. meliloti.

[Restoration, by glycine betaine, of growth and enzyme activities of Escherichia coli Lac-mutants].

Lac- mutants of Escherichia coli which presented a growth triggered by adding glycine betaine to the medium were isolated and characterized. Glycine betaine restores beta-galactosidase (strain AM 12) and lactose permease (strain AT42) activities. It is suggested that the right and active conformation of these enzymes, lost during mutagenesis, is restored, in vivo, in presence of this betaine.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy and myeloradiculopathy. Anterior decompression and stabilization with autogenous fibula strut graft.

Operative treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy and myeloradiculopathy by anterior decompression produced functional improvement of one grade (Nurick's rating system) in 16 of 21 patients evaluated at 32 months average follow-up period. The best results occurred in patients with symptoms for less than one year and classified as grades I-III. The anterior approach for decompression is preferred because it is directed toward the degenerative structures responsible for cord and root compression.

Recognizing specific characteristics of nonspecific low back pain.

A retrospective review of 1293 cases of low back pain treated over a 12-year period revealed that sacroiliac joint syndrome and posterior joint syndromes were the most common referred-pain syndromes, whereas herniated nucleus pulposus and lateral spinal stenosis were the most common nerve root compression lesions. Referred pain syndromes occur nearly twice as often and frequently mimic the clinical presentation of nerve root compression syndromes. Combined lesions occurred in 33.

Congenital spine deformities. A review of 47 cases.

Forty-two cases of congenital scoliosis, four cases of congenital kyphosis and one case of congenital lordosis were reviewed retrospectively from 1975 through 1982, with an average follow-up of 5.09 years. Associated anomalies occurred in 62.

Osmoregulation in Klebsiella pneumoniae: enhancement of anaerobic growth and nitrogen fixation under stress by proline betaine, gamma-butyrobetaine, and other related compounds.

Exogenous proline betaine ( stachydrine or N- dimethylproline ) or gamma-butyrobetaine (gamma-trimethylaminobutyrate), at a concentration as low as 1 mM, were found to stimulate the growth rate of Klebsiella pneumoniae, wild type M5A1 , in media of inhibitory osmotic strength (0.8 M NaC1). Simultaneously, nitrogen fixation by whole cells, a process particularly sensitive to osmotic stress, was strongly enhanced by these compounds.

Segmental spinal instrumentation in the management of fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

Eleven cases of fracture of the thoracic and lumbar spine were treated with segmental spinal instrumentation (Luque rods). The majority of these injuries occurred in motor vehicular accidents or falls from a height and were usually associated with multisystem trauma. This method of instrumentation provided immediate rigid internal fixation, which obviated the need for postoperative orthoses, allowed easier nursing care and early ambulation, and facilitated rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury.

Fractured coracoid process in acromioclavicular dislocations. Report of four cases and review of the literature.

Acromioclavicular (AC) dislocation with a concomitant coracoid process fracture occurs infrequently. This fracture should be suspected with all AC dislocations occurring in the first three decades of life. An axillary lateral radiograph or tomogram often is needed to detect the fracture.

Third-generation beta-lactam antibiotics for treatment of orthopedic infections.

Third-generation beta-lactam antibiotics are effective against a wider range of microorganisms than are older antibiotics. Cefotaxime, moxalactam, cefoperazone, ceftizoxime, ceftazidime, cefsulodin, and ceftriaxone were used to treat 102 patients hospitalized with orthopedic infections. Sensitivity of the pathogens to the antibiotic used was established in all cases.

Modeling carbon monoxide uptake during work.

Acute carbon monoxide poisoning is the result of a diminished capacity of the blood to transport oxygen and sustain a level of metabolic activity. The diminished capacity is expressed in terms of the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level in the blood which is dependent upon the concentration of CO in the inhaled air. The rate of CO uptake or elimination is dependent upon the concentration of CO in the air as well as pulmonary diffusion capacity and alveolar ventilation which change with different metabolic rates.

Evaluation of Federal man tests for self-contained breathing apparatus.

The transient pulmonary responses to four short duration man tests used in the Federal approval of breathing apparatus were measured. The pulmonary ventilation dropped 30 percent in the first thirty seconds in the periods assigned for samples and readings which were immediately preceded by work. A physiological deficit was incurred during the short duration man tests which meant that less O2 and ventilation were required when compared to steady state responses shown on approval tests.

Aspects of on-line digital integration of pulmonary gas transfer.

Digital computers are often used in work physiology to find pulmonary gas transfer on a breath-by-breath basis. A measurement procedure was simulated to determine the effects of sample rate, signal noise levels, and numerical filters on the digital calculations. The results indicated that a trapezoidal rule integration at a sample rate of 30 Hz with no numerical filter can provide satisfactory data.

Steady state respiratory responses to tasks used in Federal testing of self-contained breathing apparatus.

A portion of Title 30, Part II, CFR calls for a Man Test, which is a series of regimens performed with a breathing apparatus. The respiratory responses to the tasks in the Man Test were established on coal miners and students. Based on these responses, the minimal metabolic requirements were derived for the use of breathing apparatuses with a service life of 30 minutes or more.