Conjoint high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol across generations. Analysis of proband hypertriglyceridemia and lipid/lipoprotein disorders in first-degree family members.

Background: To discern whether hypertriglyceridemia (hyper-TG, TG > 95th percentile) and hypoalphalipoporteinemia (hypoalpha, high-density lipoprotein [HDL-C] < or = 10th percentile) are jointly transmitted in families, we studied 385 probands with marked elevations in TG or cholesterol levels (TG or cholesterol > 99th percentile in a previous visit) and their 2072-first-degree relatives in the Lipid Research Clinics' Family Study. Repeat TG measurement, with exclusion criterion of TG < or = 95th percentile, resulted in 162 probands with hyper-TG.

Methods And Results: When the proband demonstrated the conjoint trait (CT; ie, TG > 95th percentile, HDL-C < or = 10th percentile, n = 82), an average of 10.

Possible imbalance of the immuno-hormonal axis in multiple myeloma.

A comparative study of some immunologic aspects and hormonal balance was performed on 49 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and 29 healthy persons. Functional immunoregulatory imbalances were evident in the majority of patients with MM, as demonstrated by a significant reduction in the mitogenic response of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to phytohemagglutinin, increased mean stimulation indices of PBL to pisum sativatum agglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and dextran sulphate. Our results appear to provide important evidence in support of the existence of hormonal imbalance in MM: increased cortisol levels, augmented concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and 17 beta-estradiol and an increased estrogen to androgen ratio in male patients; decreased estrogen values and estrogen to androgen ratios were evident in female patients.

Increased in vitro thyrotropic activity of partially sialated human chorionic gonadotropin extracted from hydatidiform moles of patients with hyperthyroidism.

The intrinsic thyrotropic activity of hCG purified from normal pregnancy urine has been demonstrated in several laboratories. hCG has a specific thyrotropic potency of about 0.04-0.

Implications of a non-lamellar lipid phase for the tight junction stability. Part I: Influence of basic amino acids, pH and protamine on the bilayer-hexagonal II phase behaviour of PS-containing PE membranes.

Inverted lipid micelles have been proposed, among other biological functions, to constitute the structural basis of the so-called tight junctions, a special cell cell contact found in epithelia and endothelial, which act as a barrier for the paracellular solute passage. As a model system for the opening and closing of this gate, we investigated the formation of the inverted hexagonal phase (HII phase) in lipid bilayer systems consisting of egg phosphatidylethanolamine (egg PE) and mixed egg PE/bovine brain phosphatidylserine (BBPS) membranes. The formation of the HII phase was modulated by Ca2+ ions, pH, basic amino acids and protamine.

Implications of a non-lamellar lipid phase for the tight junction stability. Part II: Reversible modulation of transepithelial resistance in high and low resistance MDCK-cells by basic amino acids, Ca2+, protamine and protons.

The transepithelial resistance of confluent epithelial cell monolayers was monitored to investigate the influence of basic amino acids, Ca2+, protamine and protons on tight junction electrical resistance. In an accompanying paper we investigated the effect of these substances on the lamellar/hexagonal II phase transition in reconstituted phospholipid membranes containing phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine. We conclude that the permeability of tight junctions may be described by a lipid phase equilibrium where the lamellar phase corresponds to an open state and the hexagonal lipid phase to the closed state of the cell contact.

Evaluation of immunoglobulins from plant cells.

Expression of cDNA constructs encoding full-length mouse immunoglobulin chains with their native leader sequences or fusion constructs substituting the native leader with a pre-pro sequence derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yielded blocked N-termini on the gamma chain or the correct amino terminal sequence on the mature kappa chain. Lectin binding assays revealed that assembled immunoglobulin complexes contained a glycosylated heavy chain. The attached glycan was resistant to digestion by endoglycosidase H and its lectin binding pattern was distinguishable from that of the mammalian glycan.

Inactivation of auxin in tobacco transformed with the indoleacetic acid-lysine synthetase gene of Pseudomonas savastanoi.

The iaaL gene of Pseudomonas syringae, subspecies savastanoi, encodes an indoleacetic acid (IAA)-lysine synthetase. To determine the effects of converting IAA to IAA-lysine in whole plants, the iaaL gene was fused to a constitutive plant promoter and introduced into tobacco plants. Biochemical analyses show that endogenous IAA is reduced by up to 19-fold in iaaL plants.

Review: thyroid function in psychiatric illness.

The development of highly sensitive immunometric assays for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) has provided increased understanding of thyroid hormone regulation but, paradoxically, has contributed to a kaleidoscopic complexity of thyroid function test variability in hospitalized patients with nonthyroidal illness (NTI). In primary hypothyroidism, an elevated TSH is the most sensitive chemical index available, although early cases may show a hyperresponse of TSH to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation when the TSH is still within the normal range. The ability of the new TSH assays to discriminate between normal and low levels now allows the diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis to be confirmed by a suppressed TSH in the presence of elevated serum thyroxine (T4) and/or triiodothyronine (T3).

Pentagastrin stimulation of calcitonin in pheochromocytoma does not always indicate multiple endocrine neoplasia type II.

The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in a 48-year-old man was confirmed by elevated catecholamine secretion and a left adrenal mass on computerized tomography. Because of a plausible family history for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type II, a calcitonin level was determined which was elevated, and pentagastrin stimulation caused a 235% increase. These findings normalized following surgical removal of the single adrenal tumor.

Endogenous Abscisic Acid and Indole-3-Acetic Acid and Somatic Embryogenesis in Cultured Leaf Explants of Pennisetum purpureum Schum. : Effects in Vivo and in Vitro of Glyphosate, Fluridone, and Paclobutrazol.

Effects of application in vivo of glyphosate, fluridone, and paclobutrazol to glasshouse-grown donor plants of Pennisetum purpureum Schum. on endogenous levels of abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in young leaves and on somatic embryogenesis in cultured leaf explants were studied. Treatment of plants with glyphosate (100 milligrams per liter) resulted in elevated levels of endogenous ABA and IAA in young leaves.

Culture of soybean mesophyll protoplasts in alginate beads.

Mesophyll protoplasts were isolated from leaves of 10 day old aseptically grown soybean seedlings, or from surface disinfested leaves of 3 week old plants grown in environmental chambers. The protoplasts were encapsulated in 2mm diameter Ca alginate beads. Immobilized protoplasts were induced to divide by culturing in shaker flasks containing an actively growing soybean cell suspension.

Accumulation of C-radiolabel in leaves and fruits after injection of [C]tryptophan into seeds of soybean.

Injection of [(14)C]tryptophan into one seed in a soybean fruit resulted in recovery of radiolabel in a fraction that cochromatographed with indoleacetic acid (IAA) through three successive high performance liquid chromatography separations. Label was found in the putative IAA fraction in all of the fruit tissues sampled and in the blade of the leaf subtending the pod into which the radiolabeled tryptophan had been injected. This suggested that IAA or an IAA precursor was transported from seeds to other parts of the fruit and to subtending leaves.

Evaluation of immunosorbents for the analysis of small molecules. Isolation and purification of cytokinins.

This paper describes the preparation and evaluation of immunosorbents for the isolation of cytokinins. The nature of both the solid support and the linkage chemistry affected the non-specific adsorption of sample contaminants and the characteristics of the immobilized antibody. All the immunosorbents investigated provided sufficient purification of cytokinins for high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis with no further clean-up.

Effects of pod removal on the transport and accumulation of abscisic Acid and indole-3-acetic Acid in soybean leaves.

Concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the second most recently expanded trifoliolate leaf were determined during reproductive development of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr cv ;Chippewa 64'). The concentration of ABA in leaves was constant during most of the seed filling period until the seeds began to dry.

Concentrations of Abscisic Acid and Indole-3-Acetic Acid in Soybean Seeds during Development.

Concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in seed parts were determined during reproductive development of soybean plants (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv ;Chippewa 64').

Abscisic Acid metabolism by source and sink tissues of sugar beet.

The fate of exogenously applied, labeled abscisic acid (+/-)-(ABA) was followed in source leaves and taproot sink tissues of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris cv AH-11). The objective was to determine if differential pathways for ABA metabolism exist in source and sink tissues. Tissue discs were incubated for up to 13 hours in a medium containing 1 micromolar labeled ABA.

[Inability to work in gastrointestinal diseases].

11.7% of all cases with inability to work, 11.3% of all days with inability to work, and 13.