Molecular analysis of HLA class II genes in primary Sjögren's syndrome. A study of Israeli Jewish and Greek non-Jewish patients.

In an attempt to define the role of HLA class II genes in predisposition to primary Sjögren's syndrome, patients of two different ethnic groups (Israeli Jews and Greeks of non-Jewish origin) suffering from this disorder were studied. Oligonucleotide genotyping revealed the majority in both groups to carry either DRB1*1101 or DRB1*1104, alleles that are in linkage disequilibrium with DQB1*0301 and DQA1*0501. The high frequency of the two alleles in these SS patients is in contrast with the accepted association of primary SS with HLA-DR3 in Italian and American individuals.

Hypoxia inhibits rhodopsin regeneration in the excised mouse eye.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of oxygen deprivation on rhodopsin regeneration in the excised mouse eye.

Methods: A new preparation for studying rhodopsin regeneration with a superfused excised albino mouse eye was developed. The preparation exhibits multiple regenerations after moderate bleaches (15%-20%) and is sensitive to the composition of the perfusate, allowing reversible testing of conditions.

Nuclear localization and hepatic zonation of rat "spot 14" protein: immunohistochemical investigation employing anti-fusion protein antibodies.

S14 protein and mRNA levels are rapidly regulated by hormones and diet. We have purified a 45-Kd fusion protein from lysates of transformed E. coli that includes the entire S14 polypeptide.

Extracellular glucose dependence of rhodopsin regeneration in the excised mouse eye.

To study the process of rhodopsin regeneration a superfused excised whole eye preparation of the albino mouse was developed. With this preparation, complete regeneration could be observed after each of the first two illuminations (bleaching 15-20%), and incomplete regeneration after a third illumination. Regeneration was minimal at extracellular glucose concentrations of 0 or 1 mM with improved regenerations at higher concentrations.

Neuronal cell cultures as a model for assessing neurotoxicity induced by encephalitic viruses.

Primary dispersed and organotypic cultures were prepared from selected brain areas and spinal cords of rat (Sprague-Dawley) and mouse (SJL/OLA(F) Ness-Ziona) fetuses and neonates. Following fiber regeneration, synapse formation and myelination, cultures were infected with one of the following viruses: Rabies CVS-21 strain, Sindbis Alphavirus, West-Nile Flavivirus and Theiler Murine Encephalomyelitis virus. Light and electron microscopical studies showed clear differences in the target cells for virus infection; time of viral replication and in the intensity and specificity of the cytopathic effects induced by these viruses.

Evidence for vasopressin production in the human gastrointestinal system.

In the present study we performed immunohistochemical examination of segments from the human gastrointestinal system for the presence of cells containing vasopressin (VP) and vasopressin-associated human neurophysin (VP-HNP). VP immunoreactivity was found in crypt cells of the stomach and small intestine, and in mononuclear cells within the lamina propria and submucosa. VP-HNP was demonstrated in the crypt and lamina propria regions of the small intestine, and was colocalized with vasopressin in crypt cells.

Functional analysis of the Streptomyces ambofaciens element pSAM2.

pSAM2 is an 11-kb element integrated in the Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 genome and found additionally as a free replicon present at several copies per chromosome in strain JI3212, the derivative of ATCC23877 isolated after uv irradiation. In spite of its small size, this element specifies numerous functions including maintenance, site-specific integration, self-transmissibility, pock formation, and mobilization of chromosomal markers. After transfer of the free form of pSAM2 to Streptomyces lividans, the free and the integrated forms coexist.

[Effect of the calcium antagonist nisoldipine on coronary circulation and myocardial ischemia in temporary coronary occlusion].

Sixteen patients undergoing PTCA of a significant lesion of the left anterior descending coronary artery received either 0.3 mg nisoldipine or placebo intravenously. Immediately before and during balloon inflation the following parameters were measured: aortic pressure, post-stenotic pressure, coronary occlusion pressure, diastolic pulmonary artery pressure, coronary sinus flow (thermodilution), and intracoronary ECG.

West Nile virions aligned along myelin lamellae in organotypic spinal cord cultures.

Organotypic spinal cord cultures infected with West Nile Virus (WNV) exhibited a remarkable arrangement of virions among lamellae of the myelin sheath. Virions were first observed in neurons and only at day 4 after infection appeared within the myelin lamellae. Virions were observed only in the central myelin, aligned along the interperiod lines and therefore attached to the outer side of the oligodendrocyte membrane.

Detection of Shigella in feces using DNA amplification.

A rapid diagnostic method employing a polymerase chain reaction procedure (PCR) was used to identify Shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli. This procedure amplified a region of the invasive-associated locus (ial) from a crude DNA extract of feces. A synthetic 21-base oligonucleotide corresponding to the ial gene sequence was shown to specifically hybridize only with enteroinvasive E.

(TG)n uncovers a sex-specific hybridization pattern in cattle.

Screening of a bovine genomic library with the human minisatellite 33.6 probe uncovered a family of clones that, when used to probe Southern blots of bovine genomic DNA digested with the restriction enzyme HaeIII or MboI, revealed sexually dimorphic, but otherwise virtually monomorphic, patterns among the larger DNA fragments to which they hybridized. Characterization of one of these clones revealed that it contains different minisatellite sequences.

Smooth pursuit eye movements in schizophrenia: influences of neuroleptic treatment and the question of specificity.

The authors investigated smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEMs) in 66 schizophrenic and 40 major affective patients and 39 healthy controls. The results showed significant differences of both patient groups as compared to the controls. Schizophrenics with neuroleptic treatment in the preceding 2 years were significantly more disturbed than the controls, the affective patients and the untreated schizophrenics.

[Treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia with neuroleptics].

Different concepts of negative symptoms in schizophrenia are reviewed. The beneficial effects of neuroleptics are discussed. The results of a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study with Amisulpride in healthy volunteers are reported.

The integrated conjugative plasmid pSAM2 of Streptomyces ambofaciens is related to temperate bacteriophages.

Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 and derivatives contain the 11-kb element pSAM2 present in an integrated state or as a free and integrated plasmid. This element, able to integrate site-specifically in the genome of different Streptomyces species, is conjugative and mobilizes chromosomal markers. Besides these plasmid functions, we have shown that the site-specific recombination system of pSAM2 presents strong similarities with that of several temperate phages.

Fine structural defects in a case of congenital microcoria.

A case of congenital miosis associated with myopia and cataract is described. Tissue obtained at iridectomy was examined with the electron microscope and compared with a specimen of normal iris. The miotic iris was found to be hypoplastic and to display differences in the cellular density of the stroma.

Structural analysis of loci involved in pSAM2 site-specific integration in Streptomyces.

pSAM2 is an 11-kb plasmid integrated in the Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 and ATCC15154 genomes and found additionally as a free replicon in an uv derivative. After transfer into S. ambofaciens DSM40697 (devoid of pSAM2) or into Streptomyces lividans, specific integration of pSAM2 occurred very efficiently.

[Coronary arteriography with a plasma-isotonic roentgen contrast medium: effects on ECG, blood pressure and coronary circulation].

The nonionic-dimeric compound lotrolan (0.27 osmol/kg, 280 mg J/ml) is the first contrast medium with plasma-isotonic osmolality and sufficient iodine content for intravascular use. In 15 patients with coronary heart disease, the cardiac side effects of 1) lotrolan, 2) nonionic-monomeric lopromide (0.

HLA class II allelic variation and susceptibility to pemphigus vulgaris.

The autoimmune dermatologic disease pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is associated with the HLA serotypes DR4 and DRw6. Susceptibility to PV could be conferred either by sequences shared between the DR4 and DRw6 haplotypes or by different sequences in these haplotypes. We have examined the distribution of DR and DQ beta-chain and DQ alpha-chain alleles in PV patients and in control subjects by hybridization with oligonucleotide probes and sequence analysis of in vitro amplified DNA.

A newly characterized HLA DQ beta allele associated with pemphigus vulgaris.

The inheritance of particular alleles of major histocompatibility complex class II genes increases the risk for various human autoimmune diseases; however, only a small percentage of individuals having an allele associated with susceptibility develop disease. The identification of allelic variants more precisely correlated with disease susceptibility would greatly facilitate clinical screening and diagnosis. Oligonucleotide-primed gene amplification in vitro was used to determine the nucleotide sequence of a class II variant found almost exclusively in patients with the autoimmune skin disease pemphigus vulgaris.

Narcolepsy-cataplexy in Israeli Jews is associated exclusively with the HLA DR2 haplotype. A study at the serological and genomic level.

Narcolepsy is a very rare disease among Israeli Jews with a frequency of 7/3 X 10(6). An investigation of the association of narcolepsy with the human leukocyte antigen system was conducted in Israeli Jews at the serologic and genomic levels. The human leukocyte antigen class I and class II antigen typing of 7 clinically diagnosed narcoleptics, 3 individuals suffering from sleep disorders other than narcolepsy, and 11 healthy matched controls revealed that all narcoleptic patients (100%) investigated in the present study carried the HLA-DR2 haplotype, whereas patients with other sleep disorders did not.

Synthesis of long viral complementary DNA from 7.5 Kb poly A+ RNA templates.

The poly A+ RNA of the WW and GDVII virus isolates, belonging to the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus group, were used as templates for cDNA synthesis. Since several secondary structures were present along these viral RNAs the reverse transcriptase was prematurely displaced from the RNA templates and only short cDNA molecules could be synthesized. Therefore a reliable and reproducible procedure for the synthesis of long cDNA transcripts, that can be directly used for cloning into respective plasmid or phage vectors, was developed.

Fractionation of Theiler's virus-infected BHK21 cell homogenates: isolation of virus-induced membranes.

A purified fraction containing unique membranes entrapping virions was isolated from homogenates of cells infected with the DA strain of Theiler's virus, after high-speed centrifugation through a sucrose gradient. This fraction, sedimented at 45-50% sucrose, was only found in cells infected with the DA strain but not in cells infected with the GDVII strain of Theiler's virus or in mock-infected cells. Immunogold staining of the membranes entrapping virions, using antivirus IgG antibodies, revealed that the membranes entrapping virions did not incorporate viral capsid antigens.