Effect of domoic acid on brain amino acid levels.

The administration of Domoic Acid (Dom) in a 0.2 mg/kg i.p.

Predictors of condom acquisition after an STD clinic visit.

Data from a survey of 691 men and women who made patient visits to an inner-city, sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic and were given coupons to redeem for condoms at a neighborhood pharmacy show that only 22% of the sample did so. Gender, ethnicity, marital status and education were not significant predictors of whether study participants redeemed their coupons. Factors that significantly predicted coupon redemption included the extent of acculturation and age, with those who were older and less acculturated more likely to do so.

Domoic acid induces neurotoxicity and ip3 mobilization in cultured cells of embryonic chick retina.

Domoic acid (DOM), 1 to 50 microM, a glutamate agonist responsible for several neurological effects such as loss of memory and confusion, induced the death of cultured neurons of chick embryonic retina, in a concentration- and Ca(2+)-dependent manner. This effect was blocked by 100 microM CNQX, a competitive antagonist of the non-NMDA receptor, but not by 10 microM MK-801, a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor. DOM also induced inositol triphosphate (ip3) accumulation 4 to 7 times above basal levels.

Fasciculin inhibition of acetylcholinesterase is prevented by chemical modification of the enzyme at a peripheral site.

Fasciculin 2 (FAS) is a 61 amino acid peptide present in Dendroaspis angusticeps snake venom, with a selective and potent inhibitory activity towards acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The specific interaction of FAS with peripheral sites present in Electrophorus electricus AChE (Ki = 0.04 nM FAS) was investigated by chemical modification with N,N-dimethyl-2-phenylaziridinium (DPA) in the presence of active or peripheral anionic site protective agents.

Site of fasciculin interaction with acetylcholinesterase.

Fasciculin, a 6750-Da peptide from the venom of Dendroaspis, is known to inhibit reversibly mammalian and fish acetylcholinesterases at picomolar concentrations, but is a relatively weak inhibitor of avian, reptile, and insect acetylcholinesterases and mammalian butyryl-cholinesterases. An examination of fasciculin association with several mutant forms of recombinant DNA-derived acetylcholinesterase from mouse shows that it interacts with a cluster of residues near the rim of the gorge on the enzyme. The aromatic residues, Trp286, Tyr72, and Tyr124, have the most marked influence on fasciculin binding, whereas Asp74, a charged residue in the vicinity of the binding site that affects the binding of low molecular weight inhibitors, has little influence on fasciculin binding.

Domoic acid induced release of [3H]GABA in cultured chick retina cells.

The effect of the neurotoxin domoic acid (DOM), a structural analogue of kainic acid, on the release of [3H]gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and on the [Ca2+]i was studied in cultured chick retina cells. DOM stimulated dose-dependently the release of [3H]GABA with an EC50 of 2.5 microM.

Ethanol-induced alterations in gonadotrophins secretion during the estrous cycle of rats.

The effects of ethanol administration during a preovulatory period on both serum and pituitary gonadotrophin concentrations were studied in female rats. The animals were injected with 2 g/kg of ethanol (30% v/v, in saline solution) at 18:00 hr of diestrous 2. Hormonal levels were measured by RIA at different times during the estrous cycle, especially during the proestrus day.

A study of the lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme patterns in the adenoma--carcinoma sequence of the colon.

In order to determine whether the LDH isoenzyme pattern, measuring the percentages of LDH4-5 (M monomer), might be a marker in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, 103 adenomas, 8 adenomas with proven malignant degeneration and 27 adenocarcinomas of the large intestine, as well as 12 biopsy samples of colonic mucosa from normal controls, were studied histologically and histochemically. The proportion of M polypeptide was significantly increased in adenomas of larger size (diameter > 2 cm), in adenomas with a larger villous component, and in those with severe dysplasia. The largest proportion of M polypeptide was found in villous adenomas and colloid adenocarcinomas, and might reflect a common origin.

Characterization of nitrile hydratase genes cloned by DNA screening from Rhodococcus erythropolis.

Southern hybridization analysis using the genes encoding the alpha- and beta-subunits of nitrile hydratase (NHase) from Rhodococcus sp. N-774 as probe suggested that two R. erythropolis strains, JCM6823 and JCM2892, among 31 strains mainly from Japan Culture of Microorganisms (JCM) have NHase genes.

[Renal abscess in patients diagnosed with AIDS and disseminated tuberculosis].

Presentation of two cases of renal abscess formation in patients with stage IV C-1 AIDS and active associated tuberculosis. The microorganism isolated in the first case was S. aureus.

Family characteristics and preschool abilities of children of substance abusers.

Intercorrelations among subtest scores of 39 children on the subtests of the Denver Developmental Screening Test II and their 39 parents' scores on the three subscales of the Family Relationship Dimension of the Family Environment Scale ranged from -.09 to .18.

Hepatitis C virus antibodies and liver disease in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda.

The recent identification of the hepatitis C virus and development of assays to detect antibodies to hepatitis C virus has allowed assessment of the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with a variety of liver and other diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies and severity of liver injury in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda. Sixty-two patients were studied.

In vitro effect of ethanol on LH and FSH secretion by pituitary glands of female rats.

The effect of ethanol (EtOH) on LH and FSH release in vitro has been studied in order to determine whether the effect of alcohol observed in vivo could be mediated by a direct action at the level of the anterior pituitary. Pituitary glands were incubated for 4 hours in TC-199 medium with or with 100 mM ethanol. Basal gonadotrophin release was examined as well as secretion stimulated by luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) in the presence or absence of cycloheximide.

Isolation of promoter sequences from Brevibacterium sp. R312.

Promoter sequences recognized by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase were isolated from Brevibacterium sp. R312, a coryneform strain producing nitrile hydratase and amidase. Ten Escherichia coli clones containing promoter sequences were selected for their ability to grow with chloramphenicol concentrations of up to 1500 micrograms/ml.

Is leishmaniasis ever cured?

The persistence of parasites in mice cured of Leishmania mexicana infection was investigated by using immunosuppressive drugs and checking for the reappearance of lesions. BALB/c (susceptible) and C57BL/6 (partially resistant) mice infected with 10(4) amastigotes were treated with either thermotherapy or meglumine antimonate and subsequently immunosuppressed with either cyclophosphamide or hydrocortisone. Immunosuppression by either method caused lesions to reappear in both strains of mice regardless of the treatment used to produce clinical cure.

A biotinidase Km variant causing late onset bilateral optic neuropathy.

A patient with a newly recognised variant of biotinidase deficiency presented with acute loss of vision at the age of 10 years. Progressive bilateral optic neuropathy, spastic paraparesis, and a predominantly motor type neuropathy developed over the next five years. Metabolic investigations revealed biotin depletion causing multiple carboxylase deficiency.

Construction of a new shuttle vector for Lactobacillus.

To clone the malolactic enzyme gene from Lactobacillus sp. 89, construction of a shuttle vector able to express itself in Lactobacillus sp. 89 and Escherichia coli was undertaken.

The N-terminal amino acid sequences of Brevibacterium sp. R312 nitrile hydratase.

Nitrile hydratase from Brevibacterium sp. R312 was purified to homogeneity. The isoelectric point was 5.

N-terminal amino acid sequence of Brevibacterium sp. R312 wide-spectrum amidase.

A wide-spectrum amidase from Brevibacterium sp. R312 was partially purified. The enzyme subunit was purified by reversed phase HPLC and the N-terminal amino acid sequence was found to be identical to that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa aliphatic amidase.

Cloning vectors and antibiotic-resistance markers for Brevibacterium sp. R312.

Replication of several cryptic plasmids from coryneform strains was investigated in Brevibacterium sp. R312. Only the Corynebacterium glutamicum pSR1 replicon was found to be suitable for establishing a host-vector system.

[Pilomatrix carcinoma. A new case].

We present a new case of Pilomatrix Carcinoma after having review the 22 cases previously published. The tumor arisen in a 74 years old male, in the left preauricular region. The lesion was excised with wide margins.

[Ewing's sarcoma in childhood: the therapeutic results].

We evaluated 27 patients with localized Ewing's sarcoma diagnosed in our hospital. In 9 cases the lesion was centroaxial and in 18 it was located in the limbs. The treatment consisted of: 1) chemotherapy with 6 drugs (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, bleomycin, actinomycin D and adriamycin) during one year in all patients, and 2) radiotherapy in 24 patients with a dose of 30-40 Gy in the involved bone with a 10-15 Gy superimpression on the tumor area.