Aortic rupture as a result of a sporting injury.

Blunt abdominal aortic rupture is a rare and almost invariably fatal injury that usually occurs as a consequence of motor vehicle accidents. The case of a patient who sustained a nonfatal abdominal aortic rupture while playing soccer is reported. This is the third nonfatal case to be described and the first as the result of a sporting injury.

DNA relatedness among strains of the sweet potato pathogen Streptomyces ipomoea (Person and Martin 1940) Waksman and Henrici 1948.

DNA relatedness among 28 putative strains of Streptomyces ipomoea from geographically diverse locations and the type strain, NRRL B-12321, was determined spectrophotometrically. The data confirm that these 28 strains are not closely related genetically to the plant-pathogenic species Streptomyces scabies (39% DNA relatedness) or Streptomyces acidiscabies (17% DNA relatedness) or any other major blue-spored Streptomyces species (less than 30% DNA relatedness). Of the 29 strains examined, 4 could be clearly distinguished from S.

Simultaneous analysis of immunophenotype and apoptosis of murine thymocytes by single laser flow cytometry.

The study of the role of apoptosis in thymocyte development has been hampered by the lack of a means of directly immunophenotyping cells undergoing the early phase of apoptosis. This restriction has been overcome by single laser flow cytometry in which apoptosis is detected by Ethidium Bromide (EBr) staining and cell phenotype by binding of FITC-labelled antibody. The initial phase of apoptosis is observed as a cell population that stains faintly with EBr preceding the characteristically bright EBr-staining normally associated with cell death.

Discrete subpopulations, defined by CD45 isoforms, coexist within the leukaemic cells of B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients.

The expression of CD45 isoforms by B-CLL leukaemic lymphocytes has been analysed by 2 colour flow cytometry and vectorial iodination. The cytometry has demonstrated the presence of cells with different CD45 phenotypes which vary in the relative expression of the CD45RA and CD45RO determinants. Discrete populations have been detected which can coexist within an individual patient.

Human interleukin-3 inhibits the binding of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-5 to basophils and strongly enhances their functional activity.

The human T cell-derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and IL-5 were examined for their ability to bind specifically to human basophils and to regulate their function. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding studies showed that IL-3 and GM-CSF, bound to basophils with apparent dissociation constants (KD) = 8 x 10(-11) M and 3.9 x 10(-11) M, respectively.

Site-specific attachment to recombinant antibodies via introduced surface cysteine residues.

Many diagnostic and therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies require the covalent linking of effector or reporter molecules to the immunoglobulin polypeptides. Existing methods generally involve the non-selective modification of amino acid side chains, producing one or more randomly distributed attachment sites. This results in heterogeneous labelling of the antibody molecules and often to a decrease in antigen-binding due to the modification of residues close to the antigen-binding site.

Ascertainment and natural history of treated acromegaly in Northern Ireland.

The prevalence of known cases of acromegaly in Northern Ireland in 1984 was 6.3 per 100,000 population. The incidence of newly-diagnosed cases over the preceding 25 years was 5.

An investigation into the effect of traumatically produced cerebrospinal fluid fistulae on the passage of Augmentin across the blood-brain barrier.

In the management of cerebrospinal fluid (csf) fistulae, associated with head and facial injury, prophylactic antimicrobial drugs are employed commonly to prevent the occurrence of bacterial meningitis. Under normal circumstances, penicillins achieve a low csf/plasma concentration ratio, but trauma may reduce the efficacy of the blood-brain barrier and permit increased amounts of penicillins to enter the csf. To test this hypothesis, with respect to Augmentin (amoxycillin and clavulanic acid), an animal study was undertaken.

Specific binding of human interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to human basophils.

The human T cell-derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were examined for their ability to bind to human basophils. Basophils were obtained from the peripheral blood of a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia undergoing basophilic differentiation after purification on a density gradient of metrizamide. Binding studies with 125I-labeled IL-3 and 125I-labeled GM-CSF demonstrated that basophils express a single class of high-affinity receptors for each of these molecules.

Human myeloid differentiation antigens identified by monoclonal antibodies to the myelomonocytic leukemia cell line RC-2A.

Murine monoclonal antibodies to human myeloid cell surface differentiation antigens were prepared using the myelomonocytic leukemia cell line RC-2A as immunogen. Using a highly sensitive colorimetric assay, antibodies were selected as myeloid-associated based on their binding to RC-2A cells, but not to cells of the autologous EBV-transformed* B cell line Cess-B. Antibodies to five distinct cell surface antigens were extensively characterized for their binding to normal and leukemic hemopoietic cells, and to tissue sections.

The effect of recombinant cytokines on the proliferative potential and phenotype of cells of the human myelomonocytic leukaemia line, RC-2A.

Cells of the human myelomonocytic line RC-2A can be induced to differentiate towards mature monocytes by culture in the presence of phytohaemagglutinin-treated lymphocyte conditioned medium (Lyons and Ashman, Leukemia Res. 11, 797, 1987). We have now examined the effect on RC-2A cells of some (recombinant) cytokines which might be present in conditioned medium.

A monoclonal antibody to a human mast cell/myeloid leukaemia-specific antigen binds to normal haemopoietic progenitor cells and inhibits colony formation in vitro.

An antigen identified by murine monoclonal antibody YB5.B8 has previously been detected only on acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia (ANLL) cells and tissue mast cells. We now report that the YB5.

Molecular cloning of a human gastric lipase and expression of the enzyme in yeast.

The molecular cloning of a cDNA coding for human gastric lipase and its expression in yeast is described. A lipase present in human gastric aspirates was purified and its N-terminal amino-acid sequence was determined. This was found to be homologous with the N-terminal sequence of rat lingual lipase.

Characterization of primary amino acid sequence of human complement control protein factor I from an analysis of cDNA clones.

A cDNA clone of the mRNA coding for the human complement system control protein Factor I has been isolated. The predicted amino acid sequence obtained from the DNA sequence demonstrates a protein consisting of a heavy chain (Mr 35,400) linked to a light chain (Mr 27,600), both of which contain three sites for N-linked glycosylation. The light chain has clear homology with other serine proteinases, most notably in the region of the catalytically active and structurally important amino acids and shares some of the features characteristic of the plasminogen activators.

Sequence analysis of a cDNA clone encoding the C-terminal end of human complement factor H.

Peptide sequencing of the complement system regulatory protein, factor H, permitted the synthesis of a mixed sequence oligonucleotide probe. Human liver cDNA libraries were screened and factor H-specific clones selected. No full-length clone was obtained, but the largest available clone, R2a, was found to encode the C-terminal 657 amino acids of factor H.

Studies on the differentiation of the human myelomonocytic cell line RC-2A in response to lymphocyte-derived factors.

Cells of the human myelomonocytic line RC-2A were induced to differentiate toward macrophages by culturing for up to 12 days in the presence of supernatant from phytohaemagglutinin stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PHA-LCM). The process of differentiation was monitored by changes in expression of two-macrophage related enzymes (alpha-naphthol butyrate esterase and acid phosphatase), the changes in expression of the monocyte-macrophage cell surface markers detected by the monoclonal antibodies anti-Mo1 and anti-Mo2, HLA class 2 antigen detected by FMC-14, and alteration in cell morphology. Maturation induced by PHA-LCM was accompanied by a marked decrease in the proliferative potential of the cell population, and a reduced ability to form colonies in semi-solid medium.

Comparison of human stromelysin and collagenase by cloning and sequence analysis.

A comparison of the cDNA-derived amino acid sequences of human stromelysin and collagenase with the N-terminal sequences of purified enzymes reveals that these metalloproteinases are highly conserved and that they are secreted as proenzymes. A putative zinc-binding site was identified by its homology with the zinc-chelating sequence of thermolysin. These sequences permitted the identification of: transin, a protein induced in rat fibroblasts either exposed to growth factors or transformed by oncogenic viruses, as the rat homologue of stromelysin, and XHF1, a protein induced in human fibroblasts after treatment with tumourigenic agents, as collagenase.

Nutritional practices and outcome of extremely premature infants.

We analyzed the records of 182 newborns with birth weights under 1000 g, who survived longer than seven days, to determine risk factors for subacute mortality and morbidity. Statistical analysis using logarithm-linear modeling was used to identify complex interactions and to minimize confounding. Nosocomial infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, male gender, and chronic lung disease (CLD) were identified as independent risk factors for subacute mortality.

The cloning and nucleotide sequence of cDNA for an amplified glutamine synthetase gene from the Chinese hamster.

The nucleotide sequence for a glutamine synthetase (GS) mRNA from gene-amplified Chinese hamster (CHO) cells was determined from recombinant cDNA clones obtained from both pBR322 and lambda gt10 libraries and by primer extension. The sequence obtained contains about 1400 bp corresponding to a minor species of mRNA terminated by a poly A sequence. The mRNA contains 146 nucleotides of 5'-noncoding region, 1119 bp of coding sequence, and 108 bp of 3'-noncoding sequence with a 32 bp poly(A) tail.