Abundant expression of cytokeratin 7 in fibrolamellar carcinoma of the liver.

Two cases of fibrolamellar carcinoma of the liver, one with lymph node metastasis are reported. Using immunohistochemistry as well as one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Western blotting, tumour cells of both primary lesions and of the metastasis were found to express cytokeratin polypeptides 8 and 18 and, surprisingly, cytokeratin 7. A small number of cells also expressed cytokeratin 19.

Reducing sleep disruptions in young children: evaluation of therapist-guided and written information approaches: a brief report.

Regular night waking of young children is one of the most common problems encountered by parents. This study compared a standardized night waking programme that involved organized bedtime routines, procedures for settling the child and for the handling of crying, calling out and getting out of bed, with a group which received written information only and a waiting list control group. The children receiving the standard programme and those receiving written information only showed significant improvement over children in the waiting list group.

AIDS in two African infants born in Belgium.

Two African infants born in Belgium, dying from the acquired immune deficiency syndrome are reported. The first patient was a premature baby girl born to healthy parents. However, her asymptomatic mother was found to have polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia, a reversed T-helper/T-suppressor ratio and a decreased lymphocyte response to mitogens.

Treatment of childhood prednisone-resistant nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with intravenous methylprednisolone and oral alkylating agents.

Patients with prednisone-resistant nephrotic syndrome and biopsy-proven focal segmental glomerulosclerosis were treated with intravenous methylprednisone. After the first 2 weeks of therapy, the average urine protein excretion decreased from 247 to 96 mg/m2/h (p less than 0.04).

Functional activity of the triplicated alpha alpha alpha 4.2/gene rearrangement.

Function of the triplicated alpha alpha alpha 4.2/gene rearrangement was assessed by measurement of Hb Bart's and hematological phenotype including alpha/beta biosynthesis ratio. Increased output of alpha globin chains in alpha alpha alpha 4.

Effects of exercise-heat acclimation on fluid, electrolyte, and endocrine responses during tilt and +Gz acceleration in women and men.

Plasma fluid, electrolyte, protein, renin, and vasoactive hormone (epinephrine, norepinephrine, vasopressin) responses were measured in six women (21-23 yr) and four men (21-38 yr) before and immediately following an orthostatic tolerance test (70 degrees head-up tilt) and a +Gz (head-to-foot) acceleration tolerance test (0.5 G X min-1 linear ramp to grayout). These tests were conducted before and after 12 consecutive days of exercise-heat acclimation when the subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer at a relative oxygen uptake of 44% to 49% peak oxygen uptake in a hot environment (Ta = 40 degrees C, 42% rh).

Effect of physical training in cool and hot environments on +Gz acceleration tolerance in women.

Rectal temperature (Tre), sweat rate, plasma volume (PV), peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2), and relaxed +Gz acceleration tolerance (0.5 G X min-1 linear to grayout) were measured in 15 healthy women 21-41 years old before and after submaximal isotonic exercise training for 2 h X d-1 on a cycle ergometer. The women had 2 weeks of acceleration runs and Vo2 testing, followed by 8 d of exercise training, post-training acceleration runs on day 9, and peak Vo2 tests on day 10.

The molecular and hematological heterogeneity of alpha thalassemia.

A study of genotypes in alpha thalassemia and their corresponding hematological phenotypes has shown that alpha(+) thalassemia is the most frequent type encountered in a Sydney population. Phenotypes of heterozygous alpha(+) thalassemia (alpha alpha/-alpha) in adults or children differ little from normal and so the disorder is difficult to identify. In contrast, Hb Bart's (gamma 4) is a useful marker for alpha alpha/-alpha in cord blood samples.

Diagnosis of alpha thalassemia in the newborn. Cord blood survey utilizing gene mapping.

Application of the technique of gene mapping has made possible accurate assessment of the alpha thalassemia defect in cord blood samples obtained in a Sydney teaching hospital. Results showed a 5.2% incidence of the alpha+ thalassemia haplotype in the population being tested.

Radioimmunometric assay for a monoclonal antibody-defined tumor marker, CA 19-9.

We describe a solid-phase radioimmunometric sandwich assay for a new tumor marker defined by a monoclonal antibody (19-9). This antibody reacts with a carbohydrate antigenic determinant (CA 19-9) found at low concentrations in sera from healthy individuals but frequently increased in sera from patients with adenocarcinomas. The assay is sensitive and simple to perform.

Photoaffinity labeling of the indole sites on the Escherichia coli tryptophan synthase alpha-subunit.

The alpha subunit of the Escherichia coli tryptophan synthase catalyzes the reversible aldolytic reaction: Indole-3-glycerol phosphate in equilibrium indole + glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. The use of 5-azidoindole as a photoaffinity label has made the generation of a number of enzyme-substrate complexes possible, each with a given degree of saturation of the two postulated indole sites. When assayed in the reverse reaction (indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthesis), samples of alpha subunit treated at concentrations of 5-azidoindole less than or equal to 2 mM show a progressive 30-40% activation.

Exercise training hypotension: implications for plasma volume, renin, and vasopressin.

To determine the function of changes in plasma volume (PV), plasma renin activity (PRA), and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the mechanism of the reduction of resting blood pressure during exercise training, resting supine, sitting, and standing systolic (SBP) and 5th-phase diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were measured in 10 men (19-24 yr) before and after an 8-day (2 h/day) training period on a cycle ergometer. The control group (5 men) exercised at 1.4 1/min [44% peak O2 uptake (VO2 max)] at 23.

Fluid-electrolyte shifts and thermoregulation: Rest and work in heat with head cooling.

Plasma volume and thermoregulatory responses were measured, during head and neck cooling with a liquid-cooled neoprene headgear, in four men (21-43 years old) during 60 min of rest, 60 min of ergometer exercise (45% VO2 max), and 30 min of recovery in the supine position at 40.1 degrees C DBT and 40% rh. Compared with control (noncooling) responses, cooling decreased thigh sweating and increased mean skin temperature (Tsk) at rest, and attenuated the increases in thigh sweating by 0.

Na+ and Ca2+ ingestion: plasma volume-electrolyte distribution at rest and exercise.

Plasma volume (PV), protein, and electrolyte shifts were measured in two groups of five men in the supine position during rest, exercise (40-47% VO2max), and recovery in cool (Ta = 26.5 degrees C) and hot (Ta = 39.4 degrees C) environments.