Characterization of Satellite DNA Sequences from the Commercially Important Marine Rotifers Brachionus rotundiformis and Brachionus plicatilis.

This study was initiated to search for species-specific and strain-specific satellite DNA sequences for which oligonucleotide primers could be designed to differentiate between various commercially important strains of the marine monogonont rotifers Brachionus rotundiformis and Brachionus plicatilis. Two unrelated, highly reiterated satellite sequences were cloned and characterized. The eight sequenced monomers from B.

The stabilizing sling for the long head of the biceps tendon in the rotator cuff interval. A histoanatomic study.

A histoanatomic study of the rotator cuff interval was done in 13 cadaveric specimens to investigate the relation of its ligamentous structures to the long head of the biceps tendon, with a special focus on revealing a stabilizing function. After macroscopic evaluation, the lateral half of the rotator cuff interval capsule was cut into three sections: medial, middle, and lateral. These sections were embedded in methacrylate, and then serial sections were made and stained for polarized light microscopy.

Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring: early neonatal outcomes associated with normal rate, fetal stress, and fetal distress.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the ability of a clearly defined classification system for electronic fetal heart rate monitoring to predict early neonatal outcome.

Study Design: All labors of women with singleton pregnancies > or = 32 weeks' gestation electronically monitored at 2 institutions were examined. Tracings in the final hour before delivery were defined as normal, fetal stress, or fetal distress.

Disease-modifying activity of SB 242235, a selective inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of SB 242235, a potent and selective inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, on joint integrity in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA).

Methods: Male Lewis rats with AIA were orally treated either prophylactically (days 0-20) or therapeutically (days 10-20) with SB 242235. Efficacy was determined by measurements of paw inflammation, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for bone-mineral density (BMD), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), microcomputed tomography (CT), and histologic evaluation.

Single-tube multiplex-PCR screen for common deletional determinants of alpha-thalassemia.

Alpha-thalassemia is very common throughout all tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean regions, compound heterozygotes and homozygotes may have anemia that is mild to severe (hemoglobin [Hb] H disease) or lethal (Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis). We have developed a reliable, single-tube multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the 6 most frequently observed determinants of alpha-thalassemia.

HGBASE: a database of SNPs and other variations in and around human genes.

Human genome polymorphism is expected to play a key role in defining the etiologic basis of phenotypic differences between individuals in aspects such as drug responses and common disease predisposition. Relevant functional DNA changes will probably be located in or near to transcribed sequences, and include many single nucleotide polymorphisms. To aid the future analysis of such genome variation, HGBASE (Human Genic Bi-Allelic SEquences) was constructed as a means to gather human gene-linked polymorphisms from all possible public sources, and show these as a non-redundant set of records in a standardized and user-friendly database endowed with text and sequence based search facilities.

Design and synthesis of thiol containing inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases.

A series of thiol containing derivatives was prepared. Several of these compounds were found to inhibit matrix metalloproteinases 1, 3, and 9 with selectivity towards 3 and 9. Compounds 15, 20, and 22 were administered to rats orally at 75 mumol/kg.

The clinical significance of intermittent sinusoidal fetal heart rate.

Sinusoidal fetal heart rate may have a spectrum of occurrence that indicates degree of fetal morbidity. Twelve cases of intermittent sinusoidal fetal heart rate were reviewed for fetal outcome. Findings of anemia, low umbilical cord pH, and large base excess support that intermittent sinusoidal fetal heart rate may be an early indicator of impending fetal compromise.

Calls to teen line: representative concerns of adolescents.

The concerns of teenagers calling a peer listening phone service have previously been documented (Boehm & Campbell, 1995; Boehm, Chessare, Valko, & Sager, 1991; Boehm, Schondel, Marlowe, & Rose, 1995). The purpose of the present study was to determine if those calls were representative of the concerns of teenagers in the area served. Calls to Teen Line from September 1933 to May 1994 were compared with responses to selected questions from the 1994 Chemical Abuse Reduced through Education and Services (C.

ATP stimulates sympathetic transmitter release via presynaptic P2X purinoceptors.

ATP is a fast transmitter in sympathetic ganglia and at the sympathoeffector junction. In primary cultures of dissociated rat superior cervical ganglion neurons, ATP elicits noradrenaline release in an entirely Ca2+-dependent manner. Nevertheless, ATP-evoked noradrenaline release was only partially reduced (by approximately 50%) when either Na+ or Ca2+ channels were blocked, which indicates that ATP receptors themselves mediated transmembrane Ca2+ entry.

Management of cutaneous lupus erythematosus with low-dose methotrexate: indication for modulation of inflammatory mechanisms.

There is no consensus about an effective and safe treatment for patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE) who are refractory to antimalarials and/or low-dose oral glucocorticosteroids. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and laboratory findings of 12 patients who received weekly administrations of 10-25 mg methotrexate (MTX). Previous treatment with antimalarials and/or glucocorticosteroids was not effective or had to be withdrawn because of side effects.

[Erythroderma with immunoglobulin deposits along the basal membrane. Pemphigoid erythroderma?].

Introduction: There are many clinical forms of bullous pemphigoid. Nodular, localised, vegetating, vesicular and dysidrosiform variants have been described. The appartenance to the spectrum of pemphigoid was confirmed by the demonstration of antibodies directed against the 230 and 180 kDa BP antigens.

Postnatal development of urea synthesis capacity in preterm infants with intrauterine growth retardation.

The postnatal development of the urea-synthesizing capacity was studied in 21 preterm infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and compared with results found in 12 infants without IUGR as controls. The urea-synthesizing capacity was estimated by the ratio Q of 15N abundance of ammonia and urea in 6-hour urine samples collected after enteral administration of 3 mg [15N]H4Cl/kg body weight. The measurements were performed on the first day when a protein intake of 3.

Overexpression and structural characterization of the phage T4 protein DsbA.

The double strand binding protein A (DsbA) of bacteriophage T4 is one of several viral gene products participating in transcriptional regulation. These proteins interact or associate with the host RNA polymerase core enzyme, enabling the enzyme to successively initiate transcription at different classes of viral promoters: early, middle and late. This leads to a temporally controlled expression of the T4 gene products.

Endostatin: an endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis and tumor growth.

We previously identified the angiogenesis inhibitor angiostatin. Using a similar strategy, we have identified endostatin, an angiogenesis inhibitor produced by hemangioendothelioma. Endostatin is a 20 kDa C-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII.

Cross-Polarized Magic-Angle Spinning (sup13)C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Characterization of Soil Organic Matter Relative to Culturable Bacterial Species Composition and Sustained Biological Control of Pythium Root Rot.

We report the use of a model system that examines the dynamics of biological energy availability in organic matter in a sphagnum peat potting mix critical to sustenance of microorganism-mediated biological control of pythium root rot, a soilborne plant disease caused by Pythium ultimum. The concentration of readily degradable carbohydrate in the peat, mostly present as cellulose, was characterized by cross-polarized magic-angle spinning (sup13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A decrease in the carbohydrate concentration in the mix was observed during the initial 10 weeks after potting as the rate of hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate declined below a critical threshold level required for biological control of pythium root rot.

[Chloroquine-induced achromotrichia. An ultrastructural study].

Background: Electron microscopy examination of scalp biopsies from a patient with chloroquine achromotrichia gave elements concerning the pathogenesis of chloroquine-induced achromotrichia.

Case Report: A 21-year old light brown-haired patient developed achromotrichia after four months of treatment with chloroquine for subacute lupus erythematosus. Hair bleaching completely regressed 5 months after discontinuing chloroquine despite replacement with hydroxychloroquine.

Docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid absorption in preterm infants fed LCP-free or LCP-supplemented formula in comparison to infants fed fortified breast milk.

The absorption of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) with particular respect to docosahexaenoic (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) has been studied in 39 very-low-birth-weight infants appropriate for gestational age after a 10-day feeding period. The infants were fed either a LCP-supplemented formula (n = 11), or a LCP-free formula (n = 11) or breast milk fortified with protein and carbohydrates to have similar protein and energy intakes as in the formula-fed infants (n = 17). Total fat content and fatty acid profile were measured in the human milk, the two formulas, and in the stool samples.

Characterization of mouse and human nude genes.

The differentiation of primitive epithelial precursor cells in the thymic primordium into subcapsular, cortical, and medullary epithelial cells of the mature thymus requires the activity of the nude gene product Whn. Whn is also required for proper keratinization of the hair shaft. We determined the nucleotide sequence of a 58 kilobase region on mouse chromosome 11 that encompasses the mouse nude gene and part of the two neighboring genes, encoding a sodium/dicarboxylate co-transporter and the retinal protein 4.

Cellular responses to interferon-gamma.

Interferons are cytokines that play a complex and central role in the resistance of mammalian hosts to pathogens. Type I interferon (IFN-alpha and IFN-beta) is secreted by virus-infected cells. Immune, type II, or gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) is secreted by thymus-derived (T) cells under certain conditions of activation and by natural killer (NK) cells.

Bile acid concentrations in serum and duodenal aspirates of healthy preterm infants: effects of gestational and postnatal age.

In 41 healthy human-milk-fed preterm infants the preprandial total bile acid (BA) concentrations in serum and duodenal juice were simultaneous measured during the first 60 days of life. The infants were subdivided into four groups according to their gestational age: 6 infants with a gestational age of 27 and 28 weeks, 7 infants with a gestational age of 29 and 30 weeks, 21 infants with a gestational age of 31 and 32 weeks and 7 infants with a gestational age of 33 and 34 weeks. The BA levels were enzymatically determined using 3-alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

Comparison of the potency and therapeutic efficacy of the anti-CD7 immunotoxin HB2-saporin constructed with one or two saporin moieties per immunotoxin molecule.

Immunotoxins that carry two toxin molecules to the target cell should in theory have a greater anti-tumour effect than those that carry just one. We have investigated the therapeutic efficacy of two anti-CD7-saporin immunotoxins constructed with one saporin (HB2-Sap 1-mer) or two saporin molecules (HB2-Sap 2-mer) per immunotoxin molecule. In vitro, the 2-mer immunotoxin was 5.