Role of aldehyde oxidase in the hepatic in vitro metabolism of 3-methylindole in pigs.

The metabolism of 3-hydroxy-3-methylindolenine (HMI), a recently discovered metabolite of 3-methylindole (3MI, skatole) produced by porcine liver microsomes, was investigated in vitro using porcine liver cytosol. HMI was rapidly metabolized to a single product, 3-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole (HMOI), by porcine cytosol. By the use of the selective inhibitors menadione and quinacrine, it was shown that the enzyme responsible for the oxidation of HMI into HMOI was aldehyde oxidase (AO; aldehyde:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.

Effect of dexamethasone on lymphocyte subpopulations in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: This study was designed to determine the effect of dexamethasone treatment on peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and subpopulations in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Study Design: Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in 12 premature infants with BPD were analyzed before treatment with a 6-week course of dexamethasone (day 0), on days 3 and 10 of treatment, and 2 weeks after discontinuing dexamethasone therapy (day 56). Lymphocyte immunophenotypes were determined using direct two-color immunofluorescent staining followed by flow cytometry.

The use of selected plasma enzyme activities for the diagnosis of fatty liver-hemorrhagic syndrome in laying hens.

Profiles of plasma enzymes were compared in two strains of single comb white leghorn laying hens, a normal commercial strain and strain UCD-003, which is highly susceptible to fatty liver-hemorrhagic syndrome. Plasma activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and creatine kinase (CK) averaged 194 +/- 27, 4.0 +/- 2.

Identification of phase I metabolites of 3-methylindole produced by pig liver microsomes.

A study was conducted to investigate qualitative and quantitative aspects of the phase I metabolism of 3-methylindole (3MI) by porcine liver microsomes. Microsomal suspensions were prepared from the liver of 30 intact (uncastrated) male pigs. Metabolites produced in microsomal incubations were identified and quantitated with HPLC-UV, HPLC-fluorescence, and UV-spectral analysis; liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and NMR were used for the identification of a metabolite for which a reference compound was not available.

Modification of pleural fluid pH by local anesthesia.

Background: It is a common practice to anesthetize patients before performing a thoracentesis. We postulated that this technique may cause a clinically significant difference in the pH of the pleural fluid.

Methods: We compared two methods of determining pleural fluid pH.

Mutations in a new gene encoding a thiamine transporter cause thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia syndrome.

Thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia syndrome (TRMA; MIM 249270) is an autosomal recessive disorder with features that include megaloblastic anaemia, mild thrombocytopenia and leucopenia, sensorineural deafness and diabetes mellitus. Treatment with pharmacologic doses of thiamine ameliorates the megaloblastic anaemia and diabetes mellitus. A defect in the plasma membrane transport of thiamine has been demonstrated in erythrocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts from TRMA patients.

Sanjad-Sakati and autosomal recessive Kenny-Caffey syndromes are allelic: evidence for an ancestral founder mutation and locus refinement.

The Sanjad-Sakati syndrome (SSS; MIM241410), an autosomal recessive trait characterized by congenital hypoparathyroidism, growth and mental retardation, seizures, and a characteristic physiognomy, was recently linked to chromosome area 1q42-q43. SSS resembles the autosomal recessive form of Kenny-Caffey syndrome (KCS; MIM244460), with similar manifestations but lacking osteosclerosis. Since KCS was recently linked to the region 1q42-q43, the possibility that this disorder is allelic with SSS was considered.

Char syndrome, an inherited disorder with patent ductus arteriosus, maps to chromosome 6p12-p21.

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a relatively common form of congenital heart disease. Although polygenic inheritance has been implicated, no specific gene defects causing PDA have been identified to date. Thus, a positional cloning strategy was undertaken to determine the gene responsible for the Char syndrome, an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by PDA, facial dysmorphism, and hand anomalies.

Subcellular heterogeneity of mitochondrial membrane potential: relationship with organelle distribution and intercellular contacts in normal, hypoxic and apoptotic cells.

The subcellular heterogeneity of mitochondrial membrane potential (mDelta psi) was investigated in confluent and sub-confluent cultures of four cell types (human astrocytes, HEp-2, MDCK and Vero cells) in normal growth conditions, hypoxia and apoptosis. The distribution of high-polarized mitochondria, detected by the potential-sensitive probe JC-1, was found to depend on: (1) the proximity to the cell edge; (2) the local absence of cell-cell contacts; and (3) the local absence of acidic vesicles. Both hypoxia and apoptosis produced a general mDelta psi increase with different redistributions of high-polarized mitochondria.

Localization of the thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia syndrome locus to a 1.4-cM region of 1q23.

Thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia (TRMA) is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by megaloblastic anemia, deafness, and diabetes mellitus. A genome scan previously established linkage of this disorder to 1q23 and haplotype analysis defined a 16-cM critical region. Molecular genetic analyses of four unrelated multiplex Iranian families inheriting TRMA confirmed linkage to the same region and identified recombinant chromosomes which permitted refinement of the critical region to a narrow 1.

[Prevalence of Flavivirus antibodies in young voluntary recruits to military service in the province of Formosa, Argentina].

The aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence to Flavivirus, in young people living in risk areas. We analyzed 189 human sera from 3 towns in the Province of Formosa. This area corresponds to the border that limits Brasil and Paraguay and the aim was to search for a possible introduction of Dengue and Yellow Fever from these countries.

Sources of Vibrio mimicus contamination of turtle eggs.

Vibrio mimicus contamination of sand increased significantly during the arrival of the olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) at Ostional anidation beach, Costa Rica. Statistical analysis supports that eggs are contaminated with V. mimicus by contact with the sand nest.

The autosomal recessive Kenny-Caffey syndrome locus maps to chromosome 1q42-q43.

Kenny-Caffey syndrome (KCS) is an osteosclerotic bone dysplasia with associated hypocalcemia and ocular abnormalities. Both autosomal dominant (MIM127000) and autosomal recessive (MIM244460) inheritance patterns have been described. Using eight consanguineous Kuwaiti kindreds, a genome-wide search for linkage to the gene causing the autosomal recessive form of KCS was performed with polymorphic short tandem repeat markers.

Generalized background qEEG abnormalities in localized symptomatic epilepsy.

Spectral features of EEG background activity were studied in patients with localized symptomatic epilepsy (LSE), with origin in the frontal or temporal lobes. Z-values of high resolution spectra and measures of the parametric (xi alpha) model of the EEG were obtained for all 10/20 System leads and were compared with those obtained in a control group. Comparisons were performed between syndromic variants of LSE and between subgroups of patients with or without paroxysmal activity in their digital EEGs (dEEG).

Serological markers of hepatitis A, B and C in first year student nurses.

Objective: To know the prevalence of serological markers of hepatitis A, B and C virus in first year student nurses.

Setting: A transversal study of prevalence.

Subjects And Methods: 81 first year student nurses, mean age 20.

Appetite suppression and weight loss after the cannabinoid antagonist SR 141716.

The effect of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, SR 141716, on food intake and body weight was assessed in adult, non-obese Wistar rats. The daily administration of SR 141716 (2.5 and 10 mg/kg; i.

HLA-DPbeta residue 69 plays a crucial role in allorecognition.

To investigate the contribution to allorecognition of the individual polymorphic positions Glu 69 and Val 36 from the DPB1*02012 allele, DPB1*02012 cDNA was subjected to site-directed mutagenesis and alleles expressing Lys at 69 and Ala at 36 were generated. The lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) 45.EM1, a previously generated mutant B-LCL which expresses normal levels of DPA mRNA but is not able to transcribe DPB, was transfected with wild-type or mutant DPB1*02012 cDNAs.

Longitudinal split of the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis tendons with disruption of the superior peroneal retinaculum.

Longitudinal split and subluxation of the peroneus brevis tendon have been reported in surgery literature, but few publications report on longitudinal tears of the peroneus longus tendon. The most likely proposed mechanism is a mechanical one. This report discusses the ultrasonographic appearance of peroneus longus and peroneus brevis tendon splits and the mechanism of injury.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid intake in ethanol-preferring sP and -nonpreferring sNP rats.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and ethanol share several pharmacological similarities, suggesting that GHB may exert ethanol-like effects in the central nervous system. The present study was designed to test whether selectively bred ethanol-preferring rats would, unlike ethanol-nonpreferring ones, self-administer GHB, consistent with their higher preference for ethanol. Male ethanol-naive Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats were used.

Incidence and levels of fumonisin contamination in Colombian corn and corn products.

A survey was conducted to determine the levels of fumonisins B1 and B2 in corn and corn-based products available in Colombia for human and animal consumption. A total of 120 samples were analyzed by acetonitrile-water extraction, cleanup with a strong-anion-exchange column, and liquid chromatography with o-phthaldialdehyde-2-mercaptoethanol derivatization and fluorescence detection. The samples of corn and corn-based products for animal intake were taken at different feed manufacturing plants, whereas the samples used for human foods where purchased from local retail stores.

Tamoxifen does not improve survival of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

To discover whether tamoxifen is able to extend the survival of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, we included 80 patients with cirrhosis and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in order to analyze the influence of treatment with tamoxifen on survival. The patients were randomized to receive tamoxifen, 40 mg/day (group 1), or placebo (group 2). Both groups were similar in age, sex, etiology of cirrhosis, biochemical, hematologic and hormonal parameters, morphology of the tumor (nodular vs multinodular or massive), Child-Pugh's score, and Okuda's stage.

Biotin deficiency induces changes in subpopulations of spleen lymphocytes in mice.

Biotin deficiency is known to affect immune function in both humans and experimental animals. In this study, we determined the effect of biotin deficiency on 4-wk-old Balb/cAnN mice during 20 wk of experimentation. The growth rate of mice slowed significantly during the first 6 wk of consumption of a diet designed to induce biotin deficiency; thereafter, from weeks 7 to 20 there was progressive weight loss in the mice receiving the biotin-deficient diet.

Contribution of HRTEM to the characterization of silica-incorporated copper-oxide catalysts prepared by the sol-gel technique.

The aim of the present work is a structural characterization study of silica-incorporated copper-oxide (CuO-SiO2) catalysts using HRTEM. The catalysts were prepared by the sol-gel synthetic route. Two calcined catalysts (at 400 degrees C and 800 degrees C, respectively) were analyzed before and after the "NOx + H2" catalytic reaction.