Adenovirus E1A coding sequences that enable ras and pmt oncogenes to transform cultured primary cells.

Plasmids expressing partial adenovirus early region 1A (E1A) coding sequences were tested for activities which facilitate in vitro establishment (immortalization) of primary baby rat kidney cells and which enable the T24 Harvey ras-related oncogene and the polyomavirus middle T antigen (pmt) gene to transform primary baby rat kidney cells. E1A cDNAs expressing the 289- and 243-amino acid proteins expressed both E1A transforming functions. Mutant hrA, which encodes a 140-amino acid protein derived from the amino-terminal domain shared by the 289- and 243-amino acid proteins, enabled ras (but not pmt) to transform and facilitated in vitro establishment to a low, but detectable, extent.

B-scan echo-amplitude measurement in patients with diffuse infiltrative liver disease.

B-scan echo-amplitude measurements of the liver were recorded in a prospective clinical trial involving 56 persons--28 normal volunteers and 28 patients with Gaucher disease. The nonspecular liver parenchymal echoes were found to be abnormally elevated in Gaucher patients despite relatively normal liver biochemical values and absence of symptomatic liver disease. Echo amplitude corresponded directly to the amount and histologic distribution of abnormal glycolipid accumulation within the liver.