Arrangement of repetitive sequences in the genome of herpesvirus Sylvilagus.

Herpesvirus sylvilagus is a lymphotropic (type gamma) herpesvirus of cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus). Analysis of virion DNA of herpesvirus sylvilagus has revealed that the genome consists of one stretch of about 120 kilobase pairs of internal, unique DNA flanked by a variable number of 553-base-pair tandem repeats. The G + C content of the repetitive DNA is extremely high (83%), as determined by sequencing.

Dialysis in the management of pregnant patients with renal insufficiency.

Successful pregnancy in patients on dialysis is uncommon because of a high rate of infertility and complications. The use of hemodialysis to manage pregnant patients needing dialysis has been well reported. However, to our knowledge, only 2 previous cases of pregnant patients using chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) have been reported.

Thrombosis following desmopressin for uremic bleeding.

An elderly patient with evidence of atherosclerosis and uremic bleeding diathesis developed two foci of cerebral thrombosis immediately after an infusion of desmopressin (DDAVP). Because large molecular weight multimers of von Willebrand factor (vWF) have been demonstrated to cause platelet aggregation under conditions of elevated fluid shear stress as occurs in atherosclerotic vessels, we investigated his plasma vWF at the time of the event and compared it to baseline values obtained 2 weeks later. Unusually large vWF multimers induced by the DDAVP infusion were present and likely contributed to the thrombotic process.

Pseudohyperphosphatemia and dysproteinemia.

We report the case of a patient with IgG multiple myeloma and pseudohyperphosphatemia, and the case of another patient in whom unexplained hyperphosphatemia led to the diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy. The pseudohyperphosphatemia was due to the interference of monoclonal immunoglobulins with the phosphomolybdate colorimetric assay for phosphorus determination widely in use with some automated systems. Ultrafiltration of these patients' serum samples resulted in normalization of the elevated phosphorus values.

Identification of DNA polymerase delta in CV-1 cells: studies implicating both DNA polymerase delta and DNA polymerase alpha in DNA replication.

DNA polymerases delta and alpha were purified from CV-1 cells, and their sensitivities to the inhibitors aphidicolin, (p-n-butylphenyl)deoxyguanosine triphosphate (BuPdGTP), and monoclonal antibodies directed against DNA polymerase alpha were determined. The effects of these inhibitors on DNA replication in permeabilized CV-1 cells were studied to investigate the potential roles of polymerases delta and alpha in DNA replication. Aphidicolin was shown to be a more potent inhibitor of DNA replication than of DNA polymerase alpha or delta activity.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome: evolving concepts of pathogenesis and therapy.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) are caused by platelet thrombi in the microcirculation (i.e. arterioles and capillaries) throughout the body (TTP) or predominantly in the kidneys (HUS).

Aortic root abscess. Initial experience using magnetic resonance imaging.

The detection of aortic root abscess by magnetic resonance imaging has not been described previously. We report a patient with an aortic root abscess that was successfully diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography. Computed tomography failed to detect the abscess.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura subsequent to acute myelogenous leukemia chemotherapy.

A woman in complete remission from acute myeloblastic leukemia developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) subsequent to the third intensive consolidation cycle of cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin chemotherapy. The constellation of clinical manifestations indicative of TTP were recognized only in retrospect, as they were initially attributed to more usual complications of bone marrow-ablative chemotherapy. The manifestations, probably fueled by numerous red cell and platelet transfusions, increased at the time of recovery of hematopoiesis.

Differential inhibitors of DNA polymerases alpha and delta.

DNA polymerases alpha and delta from bone marrow are similar in many respects, the major known difference being the exonuclease activity of delta. Differential inhibitors of alpha and delta have been sought to assist in their functional and physical separation. Butylphenyl deoxyguanosine triphosphate is one.

Erythema nodosum heralding recurrent Hodgkin's disease.

The association of erythema nodosum with Hodgkin's disease is acknowledged, although not well-documented in the literature. Two patients with long remissions of their Hodgkin's disease manifested persistent erythema nodosum beginning 7 and 6 months, respectively, before relapse was clinically evident. The skin lesions in both patients partially responded to treatment with indomethacin, but did not resolve completely until chemotherapy was instituted.

Effects of fresh-frozen plasma and its cryosupernatant fraction on von Willebrand factor multimeric forms in chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Remission plasma samples of some patients with chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) contain unusually large von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimers similar to those produced by normal human endothelial cells in culture. The infusion of the cryosupernatant fraction of normal plasma is as effective as normal fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) in the treatment or prevention of TTP episodes in patients with the chronic relapsing form of TTP. Three patients with chronic relapsing TTP during remission have unusually large vWF multimers present in their plasma.

Abnormal VIII: von Willebrand factor patterns in the plasma of patients with the hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

Plasma VIII:von Willebrand factor antigen (VIII:vWF) levels were elevated approximately two- to eightfold in seven patients (three adults and four children) during acute episodes of thrombocytopenia, renal failure, and hemolytic anemia (the hemolytic-uremic syndrome, HUS). In all seven patients, there was an alteration in plasma VIII:vWF patterns during these acute HUS episodes, so that the largest VIII:vWF forms were relatively decreased. Plasma VIII:vWF multimer patterns returned to normal, or nearly to normal, as platelet counts returned to preexisting levels, even in the patients whose recovery of renal function was incomplete and whose plasma VIII:vWF antigen level remained above normal.

Two successful pregnancies in a woman with chronic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura treated by plasma infusion.

A 21-year-old primigravida in her 20th week of pregnancy developed TTP. She was managed with weekly or semiweekly plasma infusions and delivered a healthy 1.6 kg baby 2 weeks prior to the expected date of delivery.

Structural and functional properties of DNA polymerase delta from rabbit bone marrow.

DNA polymerase delta, the most recently described class of eukaryotic DNA polymerase, has been purified to apparent homogeneity from rabbit bone marrow. Unlike the previously known eukaryotic DNA polymerases, delta has a 3' to 5' exonuclease as an integral component of its 122 000 molecular weight, single polypeptide structure. Similar to the function with prokaryotic DNA polymerases, the 3' to 5' exonuclease assists DNA polymerase delta in maintaining the fidelity of DNA synthesis by excising misincorporated nucleotides.

Evidence for thiocyanate-sensitive peroxidase activity in human saliva.

A procedure was developed for determining the relative levels of lactoperoxidase, leukocyte myeloperoxidase, and thiocyanate-sensitive peroxidase in human saliva. With this procedure, most of the peroxidase activity in whole saliva from normal (those without cancer) subjects was found to be associated with lactoperoxidase and thiocyanate-sensitive peroxidase, with only a minor contribution from leukocyte myeloperoxidase. In contrast, thiocyanate-sensitive peroxidase and leukocyte myeloperoxidase were the major peroxidase activities present in the residual salivary secretion obtainable from two xerostomic patients examined, and these enzymes were present at concentrations much higher than those normally occurring in human saliva.

Treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

ITP is a common disease that is sorely in need of better management. Treatment strategy requires consideration of both long-term benefits and long-term hazards of each available therapeutic option. This discussion reviews conventional therapy as well as newer approaches to refractory ITP, including immunosuppressants, vinca alkaloids, colchicine, androgens, tamoxifen, and plasmapheresis.

Treatment of autoimmune hemolytic anemia with Vinca-loaded platelets.

We worked with a new strategy for the treatment of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) of the warm antibody type. Platelets were loaded with Vinca alkaloids and reacted with antiplatelet antibodies to facilitate their phagocytosis by macrophages, resulting in a measure of selective delivery of the drugs to the cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system, which destroy RBCs in AIHA. Four patients were studied.

Cellular specificity of the cure for neonatal osteopetrosis in the ia rat.

Osteopetrosis in the ia/ia rat is known to be the result of reduced bone resorption due to abnormal osteoclasts. Studies in this mutant have shown that mononuclear cells from normal littermates could cure the skeletal sclerosis and result in the formation of normal osteoclasts when transplanted into ia/ia rats. This investigation was pursued in an attempt to determine the cellular source of this cure by transplanting various populations of cells from 21-day-old normal rats to unrelated newborn ia/ia recipients.

Isolation of the catalytic core of DNA polymerase alpha from rabbit bone marrow.

Modification of the purification procedures for rabbit bone marrow DNA polymerase [Byrnes, J.J., & Black, V.

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy: a case with unusual skin involvement and a therapeutic response to vinblastine-loaded platelets.

A patient with sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy had unusual skin lesions and progressive internal involvement. Both aspects responded dramatically to the administration of vinblastine-loaded platelets. Vinblastine-loaded, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura antibody-coated platelets are a rationale therapy for a disease characterized by the presence of actively phagocytosing histiocytes.

DNA polymerase delta: one polypeptide, two activities.

DNA polymerase delta from rabbit bone marrow has an associated 3'-5'-exonuclease. Previous studies demonstrated a Stokes radius of 45.5 A by gel filtration and a sedimentation coefficient of 6.

Hazard of platelet transfusion in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

A patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) showed for the first time catastrophic signs and symptoms of CNS involvement immediately after infusion of platelets. Postmortem examination revealed extensive deposits of platelet aggregates within the small blood vessels of the brain, whereas lesions elsewhere in the body consisted of platelets as well as fibrin and were associated with endothelial proliferation and microaneurysm formation. These findings are consistent with the view that the initial event in TTP may be platelet aggregation.