A transcript exhibiting homology to endogenous rat retroviral-like elements is regulated by p53.

Rat embryo fibroblasts transformed with HPV-16 E7 and the Ha-ras oncogene (ER clones) fall into two distinct groups based on their endogenous p53 status, wild-type or mutant. We have taken advantage of such clones in order to study the p53 target genes by the differential display method of RNA fingerprinting. We have identified a cDNA clone, clone 16, that recognises a large transcript on Northern blots.

Cyclophosphamide in the treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis.

A patient with non-small cell lung carcinoma and recent radiotherapy for brain metastases developed toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) shortly after therapy with phenytoin was initiated for a seizure. Exfoliation progressed to involve 90% of her body surface despite treatment with high-dose corticosteroids for 5 days, but sloughing and systemic toxicity ceased within 2 days of initiating therapy with intravenous cyclophosphamide (300 mg/day). Reepithelialization rapidly followed.

A longitudinal study of biological changes with age among the Brahmins of Calcutta.

In this paper, the individual biological sequence of change with age in a sample taken in metropolitan city, Calcutta, West Bengal, is discussed. The study comprises a few anthropometric measurements (stature, weight, biacromial breadth, nasal length, nasal breadth, upper facial height) taken on the same population at an interval of five years (first in the year 1982 and again in the year 1987). The study reveals that the amount of increment or decrement of some characters (the above mentioned traits) are different for different chronological age; and these differences can only be identified with the help of a longitudinal study which is free from the effect of secular change in the younger generations.

Frequency-modulation spectroscopy with transform-limited nanosecond laser pulses.

We demonstrate high-quality FM spectra with nanosecond laser pulses. Transform-limited pulses with FM sidebands are produced by pulsed amplification of a phase-modulated cw laser. The pulses can be shifted to the UV by nonlinear mixing.

Immunomodulation and 'Ia' variability in dendritic lymph cells: a radiobinding immunoassay versus immune response study.

A radiobinding immunoassay technique has been employed to determine the 'Ia' antigens localised on the surface of the following immunocompetent cells: Dendritic lymph cells from peripheral intestinal lymph, peritoneal macrophages and thymocytes all gathered from sheep red blood cell treated animals, and the irradiated cell controls. A corresponding popliteal lymph node assay was performed following the administration of the same cells into the foot pad of allogeneic rats to determine the comparative immunogenic responsiveness. Dendritic lymph cells in free flowing lymph of sensitised, irradiated and control animals showed a significantly higher 'Ia' content and consequently greater immunogenicity as measured by the popliteal lymph node assay.

Dystrophin in frameshift deletion patients with Becker muscular dystrophy.

In a previous study we identified 14 cases with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or its milder variant, Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), with a deletion of exons 3-7, a deletion that would be expected to shift the translational reading frame of the mRNA and give a severe phenotype. We have examined dystrophin and its mRNA from muscle biopsies of seven cases with either mild or intermediate phenotypes. In all cases we detected slightly lower-molecular-weight dystrophin in 12%-15% abudance relative to the normal.

Optical structure factor measurements of soot particles in a prmixed flame.

We have measured the scattered-light intensity as a function of the scattering angle for light scattered from soot particles in a premixed methane/oxygen flame. This yields the optical structure factor for the soot particles. We find that the structure factor shows the soot particles to have a morphology consistent with a fractal interpretation with a fractal dimension in the 1.

Point mutation in the human dystrophin gene: identification through western blot analysis.

Using antibodies directed against the amino-terminus of dystrophin, we identified a truncated protein in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient. Antibodies directed against the carboxy-terminus failed to identify any cross-reactive material, a result consistent with premature termination of dystrophin translation. The estimated molecular mass of 126 kDa predicted the approximate location of the mutation in the mRNA and in the gene.

Molecular and functional analysis of the muscle-specific promoter region of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene transcripts are most abundant in normal skeletal and cardiac muscle and accumulate as normal myoblasts differentiate into multinucleated myotubes. In this report we describe our initial studies aimed at defining the cis-acting sequences and trans-acting factors involved in the myogenic regulation of DMD gene transcription. A cosmid clone containing the first exon of the DMD gene has been isolated, and sequences lying upstream of exon 1 were analyzed for homologies to other muscle-specific gene promoters and for their ability to direct muscle-specific transcription of chimeric chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene constructs.

Subsidy policies with capital accumulation: maintaining employment levels.

The authors study a dual economy model of growth and unemployment in the presence of Harris-Todaro type labor migration. The model is a discrete time model of economic growth with a given population but endogenous migration of labor. The economy tries to reach development in the quickest possible time while not allowing unemployment to rise above a socially acceptable level.

Extraction and spectrophotometric determination of ruthenium and osmium with thiobenzhydrazide.

Ruthenium forms a pink complex with thiobenzhydrazide in hot 1.0-4.5M hydrochloric acid medium, which can be extracted with chloroform, and the extract shows maximal absorbance at 520 nm.