Mechanisms of specific and nonspecific binding of architectural proteins in prokaryotic gene regulation.

IHF and HU are small basic proteins of eubacteria that bind as homodimers to double-stranded DNA and bend the duplex to promote architectures required for gene regulation. These architectural proteins share a common alpha/beta fold but exhibit different nucleic acid binding surfaces and distinct functional roles. With respect to DNA-binding specificity, for example, IHF is sequence specific, while HU is not.

Systemic 5-fluorouracil producing an inflammatory response in porokeratosis.

Topical 5-fluorouracil has been used as an effective treatment for porokeratosis. Upon its treatment, an inflammatory effect occurs with the topical 5-fluorouracil. We report a case of a patient with disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis displaying a comparable inflammatory process following therapy with systemic 5-fluorouracil used to manage a metastatic breast cancer.

Asbestos-associated diseases in a cohort of cigarette-filter workers.

To estimate the effects on health of occupational exposure to crocidolite, a highly toxic form of asbestos, we studied a cohort of 33 men who worked in 1953 in a Massachusetts factory that manufactured cigarette filters containing crocidolite fibers from 1951 to 1957. Twenty-eight of the men have died, as compared with 8.3 deaths expected.