N-acetylation of serotonin, octopamine and dopamine by adult Brugia pahangi.

The metabolism of biogenic amines by the filarial worm, Brugia pahangi, was investigated by incubating cut worms with radio-labelled amine substrates. Two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography and analysis on two high-performance liquid chromatography systems showed that [14C]5-hydroxytryptamine was metabolised to a less polar compound that was identified as N-acetyl 5-hydroxytryptamine. N-Acetyloctopamine and N-acetyldopamine were also formed when cut B.

Reduction in morbidity in the surgery of the third molar removal.

No single regime has proved to be totally successful in reducing the pain and swelling that frequently follow extraction of wisdom teeth. In this review the author examines the regimes that are currently used, assesses the evidence for their efficacy, and makes some practical recommendations.

Immunocytochemistry of cytoskeletal proteins in adult Schistosoma mansoni.

Antisera to vertebrate actin and actin-binding proteins were used to characterize the cytoskeleton of adult Schistosoma mansoni. Actin, alpha-actinin and tropomyosin immunoreactivities were detected in the cytoplasm of the apical tegument. Antiserum to alpha-actinin bound to the tegumental spines and this protein may be involved in cross-linking of spine actin filaments.

Isolation and characterisation of a surface membrane glycoprotein from adult Schistosoma mansoni.

A peanut agglutinin-binding glycoprotein in adult Schistosoma mansoni was shown to be absent from pre-liver worms, but could be detected on the worm surface in large amounts at four weeks post-infection. Four-week parasites incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-peanut agglutinin showed a general surface fluorescence. The molecule did not incorporate methionine or palmitate.

Education in prosthodontics: Britain, South Africa, and Australia.

The consultant in restorative density, Great Britain's closest equivalent to the prosthodontist in the United States, has a broad base of specialist training that includes periodontology, conservative dentistry, and prosthodontics. The dentist specialising only in prosthodontics is rare. British dental education has developed a curriculum that educates a dental provider to serve the needs of the British Health Service and as such has not emphasized prosthodontics as a separate discipline in either the undergraduate or graduate level.

A gnathodynanometer as an objective means of pain assessment following wisdom tooth removal.

There appears to be no information concerning changes in bite strength following wisdom tooth removal. A gnathodynanometer was constructed, calibrated and then tested on 20 normal subjects. Sixty five patients scheduled for third molar surgery were assessed by this device immediately before operation and on the seventh post-operative day.

Isolation and characterisation of discoid granules from the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni.

Discoid granules were isolated from the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni by differential centrifugation of freeze-thaw extracts. Comparison of proteins and glycoproteins from discoid granules, surface membranes and the soluble fraction implied that discoid granules and the surface membrane were functionally linked. The results are discussed in terms of discoid granule function and surface membrane organisation.

Eating behavior after gastric bypass surgery for obesity.

We studied eating behavior in two non-overlapping cohorts of consecutive patients electing gastric bypass surgery for obesity: 100 patients one year after operation and 60 patients three years afterward. Information was obtained through structured interviews and from office charts. Eating behavior was compared with previously collected data on 232 morbidly obese adults and 174 adults of normal weight.

Gastric bypass surgery for obesity: weight loss, psychosocial outcome, and morbidity one and three years later.

In two nonoverlapping cohorts of consecutive patients receiving gastric bypass for obesity, we interviewed 100 patients one year after operation and 60 patients at three years. Weight loss among patients in both cohorts averaged 45 kg; all had improved physical and emotional health, had stable marriages, and had made satisfactory eating adjustments. Factors contributing to successful outcome include the technical skill and experience of the surgical team, adequate preoperative patient preparation, extensive postoperative instruction, medical and dietary follow-up, and patient support groups.

The lateral diffusion of lipid probes in the surface membrane of Schistosoma mansoni.

The technique of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching was used to measure the lateral diffusion of fluorescent lipid analogues in the surface membrane of Schistosoma mansoni. Our data reveal that although some lipids could diffuse freely others exhibited restricted lateral diffusion. Quenching of lipid fluorescence by a non-permeant quencher, trypan blue, showed that there was an asymmetric distribution of lipids across the double bilayer of mature parasites.

The effect of a single large dose of amoxycillin on oral streptococci.

Salivary samples were examined for a period three weeks before, and three weeks after the administration of 3 g of amoxycillin in ten volunteers. There was a marked drop in the concentration of streptococci in all subjects in the first 4 h but most had substantially recovered within 48 h. All had recovered at seven days.

Increased resistance to penicillin of oral viridans streptococci in dental students.

Salivary samples were taken annually in October from 48 dental students as they progressed from pre-clinical studies to final year. The MICs of penicillin for the viridans streptococci were determined. Over the three years these organisms became progressively more resistant but not to a level of clinical significance.

Lectin binding to glycoproteins in the surface membrane of Schistosoma mansoni.

A number of lectins were assessed for their ability to bind to glycoproteins in the surface membrane of Schistosoma mansoni. The membrane polypeptides were separated by SDS-PAGE and the glycoproteins visualised by incubating the gel with radio-iodinated lectin followed by autoradiography. Most of the individual lectins bound to a variety of glycoproteins but peanut agglutinin and Dolichos biflorus agglutinin bound preferentially to a single glycoprotein of apparent molecular weight 170 000.

Detection of hepatitis A virus and antibody by solid-phase radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with monoclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies (K3-2F2 and K3-4C8) raised against hepatitis A virus were used to develop a solid-phase radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of hepatitis A virus and antibody. Assays with this pair of monoclonal antibodies were compared in parallel with similarly constructed solid-phase radioimmunoassays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in which human polyclonal serum was used. The monoclonal antibody assay proved to be more sensitive for the detection of hepatitis A virus from fecal specimens as well as for anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM in sera.

Duplex scanning of the thyroid.

High resolution ultrasound scanners are used to image nodular thyroid glands and in the study of thyroid malignancy. There are no specific ultrasonic characteristics of malignant lesions to distinguish them from benign conditions. Preliminary results using a Duplex ultrasound scanner shows that the detection of a high frequency Doppler-shift signal from the superior thyroid artery is indicative of an overactive thyroid.