Epitope mapping and immunoinactivation of human gastric lipase using five monoclonal antibodies.

Five monoclonal antibodies (mAb) directed against human gastric lipase (HGL) have been produced by hybridization of myeloma cells with spleen cells of BALB/c immunized mice. All these mAb belong to the IgG1 class with a kappa light chain. The effects of these mAb on the enzymic activity of HGL were studied and used to define three classes of antibodies, depending upon their immunoinactivation properties.

Inhibition of nucleation and crystal growth of calcium carbonate by human lithostathine.

Pancreatic juice is naturally supersaturated in calcium and bicarbonate ions. A mechanism controlling CaCO3 crystal formation and growth is therefore necessary to prevent duct clogging. The present study shows that lithostathine, a glycoprotein present in human pancreatic juice at a concentration in the range of 10 mumol/L, could be involved in such a control.

New computational approach for the simultaneous photometric determination of catalysts and activators.

A new method for the simultaneous kinetic determination of catalysts and activators was developed on the basis of a mathematical model. The parameters and variables are optimized from experimental data obtained by application of a multiple standard-addition method and use of the Gauss-Newton and Simplex method, both of which provide identical results. The proposed method was applied to the simultaneous photometric determination of Mn(II) and Pb(II) on the basis of their catalytic and activating effects, respectively, on the oxidation of Tiron by hydrogen peroxide.

Identification of a CD21 receptor-deficient, non-Ig-secreting peripheral B lymphocyte subset in HIV-seropositive drug abusers.

We have studied 61 HIV-seropositive heroin addicts (18 asymptomatic, 20 ARC, and 23 AIDS cases), 26 HIV-seronegative heroin addicts, and 45 healthy blood donors, matching the groups each other for age and sex. We have focused on the phenotypic characteristics of B subpopulations in the peripheral blood of HIV-seropositive and -seronegative drug abusers, paying particular attention to the consistence of the "CD20+" B cell subset, which poorly expresses the CD21 membrane receptor for the C3d and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (referred to as "CD20 + CD21-" subset). In healthy blood donors, the ratio CD20 + CD21-/CD20+ x 100 is extremely low (mean +/- SEM = 8.

Immunoreactive forms of pancreatic stone protein in six mammalian species.

Secretory forms of the pancreatic stone protein (PSP S, Mr 17, 500-22,000) have been purified from human pancreatic juice. PSP S are inhibitors of CaCO3 crystal growth. The presence of similar proteins in bovine, canine, monkey, porcine, and rat pancreatic secretion was investigated in terms of biological role and immunological relationship.

[Late data in pediatric oncology].

This work reviews the most frequent late effects seen in long-term survivors and how they relate to individual therapeutic modalities: a) Growth: severe growth retardation is seen in patients treated by radiation therapy, related to dose, anatomical site and age of patient, along with bony abnormalities (scoliosis, atrophy or hypoplasia, osteoporosis). b) Fertility: chemotherapy, in particular alkylating agents and the methylhydrazine procarbazine, can interfere with gonadal function, especially when administered with abdomen and pelvic irradiation. This effect is often seen in Hodgkin disease.

A fully automatic system for acid-base coulometric titrations.

An automatic system for acid-base titrations by electrogeneration of H(+) and OH(-) ions, with potentiometric end-point detection, was developed. The system includes a PC-compatible computer for instrumental control, data acquisition and processing, which allows up to 13 samples to be analysed sequentially with no human intervention.The system performance was tested on the titration of standard solutions, which it carried out with low errors and RSD.

Minor surgery clinics: audit.

The validity of the use of time, skills and resources in minor surgery clinics can only be properly assessed by reviewing one's work and results, and ultimately by auditing oneself against accepted standards of practice, outcomes and costs.

Minor surgery clinics: how to run one.

In the second of three articles on minor operations in general practice, considerations on the day to day running of the clinic are discussed and practical points on patient selection, consent, sterile procedure and instrument choice are given.

[Cadmium in the total diet of the typical Italian collective].

An inquiry, by the "Duplicate Portion" technique, has been made to estimate the daily assimilation of cadmium in various collectivities of Rome, representative of different economical-social and sanitary realities. At this regard, 132 complete meals, coming from a hospital canteen, a nursing home for old people, a big company, a community of students and an agricultural firm, have been examined. The sample has been mineralized to white ashes and analyzed in spectrophotometry at A.

N-terminal sequence extension in the glycosylated forms of human pancreatic stone protein. The 5-oxoproline N-terminal chain is O-glycosylated on the 5th amino acid residue.

The pancreatic stone protein isolated from human calculi (PSP) derives from the immunoreactive protein forms detected in human pancreatic juice (PSP S2-5) through the tryptic cleavage of the Arg-11-Ile-12 bond. Among the eleven amino acids of the PSP S2-5 N-terminal extension Z-E-A-Q-T-E-L-P-Q-A-R, the first residue is an oxoproline and the fifth, a threonine, bears the single carbohydrate chain of the protein molecules. Variations in the glycan chain composition account for the differences in the Mr of PSP S2-5.

School-related behavior in children with cancer.

Ninety-one children with cancer (thirty-seven with leukemia and fifty-four with solid tumors)--school aged (elementary and middle school), residing in Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy), and receiving treatment at the Department of Pediatrics (III), University of Bologna, from August 1973 to April 1987--took part in a study of school behavior as perceived by the teacher. The research was carried out through a 29-item forced-choice questionnaire based on the questionnaire proposed by Deasy-Spinetta for a similar study in the U.S.

Characterization in rat pancreatic juice of a protein homologous to the human pancreatic stone protein.

1. The pancreatic stone protein (PSP, Mr 15,000) which has been discovered in human calculi derives from the native glycosylated forms of the protein (Mrs 17,500-22,000) which are present in human pancreatic juice through tryptic cleavage of the Arg 11-Ile 12 bond. 2.

Double-stranded RNA excess in hematologic diseases: clinical implications.

Evaluation of double-stranded RNA by flow cytometric analysis is an important parameter for discriminating quantitatively between human tumoral and normal cells. We studied double-stranded RNA (ds-RNA) measurements using propidium-iodide after DNase treatment in bone marrow and in peripheral blood cells from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma. The highest incidence of ds-RNA excess (greater than 30%) was observed in patients with acute leukemia (75%), while those displaying it in complete remission phase were 20-25% and in relapse about 80%.

The human pancreatic stone protein.

Chronic calcifying pancreatitis (CCP) is characterized by the presence of stones in pancreatic ducts. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is the main constituent of stones, to which is associated an organic matrix consisting primarily of one protein of Mr 14,000, the pancreatic stone protein or PSP. PSP is not present as such in pancreatic juice, but in polymorphic forms with higher molecular weights.

The disulfide bridges of the immunoreactive forms of human pancreatic stone protein isolated from pancreatic juice.

Following the complete sequence elucidation of human pancreatic stone protein (immunoreactive form PSP S1 isolated from pancreatic juice) [(1987) Eur. J. Biochem.

Organic matrix of pancreatic stones associated with nutritional pancreatitis.

In recent studies performed on pancreatic stones from patients with alcoholic pancreatitis, a novel secretory protein was identified: the pancreatic stone protein (PSP Mr 14,000). This protein suppresses CaCO3 precipitation, and could therefore stabilize normally supersaturated pancreatic juice. Crystallographic analysis of stones from patients with nutritional pancreatitis (NP), as well as alcoholic pancreatitis (AP), revealed that the main constituent was calcite (CaCO3).