A prospective study of simplified omeprazole suspension for the prophylaxis of stress-related mucosal damage.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy, safety, and cost of simplified omeprazole suspension in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients who have at least one additional risk factor for stress-related mucosal damage.

Design: Prospective, open-label study.

Setting: Surgical intensive care and burn unit at a university tertiary care center.

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B), nuclear factor interleukin-6 (NFIL-6 or C/EBP beta) and nuclear factor interleukin-6 beta (NFIL6-beta or C/EBP delta) are not sufficient to activate the endogenous interleukin-6 gene in the human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7. Comparative analysis with MDA-MB-231 cells, an interleukin-6-expressing human breast carcinoma cell line.

A comparative study of the molecular mechanism of interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene induction on two breast-carcinoma-derived cell lines has been performed. MDA-MB-231 cells produce constitutive detectable levels of both secreted IL-6 and mRNA which, as expected, are dramatically enhanced following induction by either IL-1 beta or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The levels of both secreted IL-6 and IL-6 mRNA are significantly higher in response to IL-1 beta in spite of the fact that stimulation by TNF-alpha alone enhances the half life of IL-6 mRNA.

Efficient flotation of yeast cells grown in batch culture.

A fast flotation assay was used to select new floating yeast strains. The flotation ability did not seem to be directly correlated to total extracellular protein concentration of the culture. However, the hydrophobicity of the cell was definitely correlated to the flotation capacity.

Sugar nucleotide concentrations in red blood cells of patients on protein- and lactose-limited diets: effect of galactose supplementation.

Uridine diphosphate (UDP) galactose, a pivotal compound in the metabolism of galactose, is the obligate donor of galactose in the formation of complex glycoconjugates. The cellular UDPgalactose concentration has been thought to be maintained by the interconversion of UDPglucose and UDPgalactose by UDPgalactose-4-epimerase. However, recent findings of lower average red blood cell (RBC) UDPgalactose concentrations in galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase-deficient patients suggest that other factors play a role in determining its concentration.

Distinguishing forms of generalized epilepsy using magnetic brain stimulation.

In this study, we have used paired transcranial stimulation of the motor cortex to test the hypothesis that cortical inhibition is decreased in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). The double shock technique was adopted here because it offers a means for highlighting abnormal inhibitory mechanisms. From previous experiments performed on healthy subjects, it is known that a magnetic conditioning stimulus, of subthreshold intensity, suppresses the MEP in response to a subsequent suprathreshold stimulus delivered after 1-4 msec.

Molecular evolution of genes encoding ribonucleases in ruminant species.

Phylogenetic analysis, based on the primary structures of mammalian pancreatic-type ribonucleases, indicated that gene duplication events, which occurred during the evolution of ancestral ruminants, gave rise to the three paralogous enzymes present in the bovine species. Herein we report data that demonstrate the existence of the orthologues of the bovine pancreatic, seminal, and cerebral ribonucleases coding sequences in the genomes of giraffe and sheep. The "seminal" sequence is a pseudogene in both species.

p125FAK tyrosine phosphorylation and focal adhesion assembly: studies with phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitors.

p125FAK is a major tyrosine kinase phosphorylated in response to integrin-dependent adhesion. In this study we use vanadate and phenylarsine oxide (PAO), known inhibitors of phosphotyrosine phosphatases (PTPases), as a tool to artificially modulate p125FAK phosphorylation in human endothelial and in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Vanadate treatment strongly upregulates in a dose-dependent manner the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins in adherent cells.

Effect of glucose and galactose loading in normal subjects on red and white blood cell uridine diphosphate sugars.

In order to test the assumption that red blood cell (RBC) uridine diphosphate galactose content is regulated in part by dietary galactose and to help comprehend factors influencing RBC and white blood cell (WBC) uridine diphosphate hexose concentrations in vivo, oral loading studies were performed with 50 g of galactose or 75 g of glucose in normal adults. While elevations of blood glucose did not influence RBC or WBC UDPhexose levels, increased blood galactose concentrations caused transient increases in both RBC and WBC UDPgalactose. In both RBC and WBC, the UDPgalactose-4-epimerase was rate limiting.

Comparison of erythrocyte uridine sugar nucleotide levels in normals, classic galactosemics, and patients with other metabolic disorders.

By limiting galactosylation mechanisms, a cellular deficiency of the uridine sugar nucleotide, UDPgalactose, has been implicated as a cause of the long-term complications seen in patients with classic galactosemia despite dietary treatment. As a result, great interest has been generated in the accurate assessment of UDPgalactose, as well as UDPglucose, from which UDPgalactose may be derived by the function of a ubiquitous, active UDPgalactose-4-epimerase. Since several series of values for the concentration of these compounds in red blood cells (RBCs) of galactosemics have been flawed by the use of methods subsequently shown to be unsuitable, we have quantified erythrocyte UDPgalactose and UDPglucose levels by an accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay in 116 normals, 76 galactosemics, and 39 patients with other metabolic disorders.

Uridine diphosphate hexoses in leukocytes and fibroblasts of classic galactosemics and patients with other metabolic diseases.

To examine uridine diphosphate hexose (UDPhexose) content of cells that have more complete metabolic patterns than erythrocytes, which have been commonly used in the study of galactosemia, the concentrations of uridine diphosphate galactose (UDPgalactose) and uridine diphosphate glucose (UDPglucose) were determined in white blood cells (WBC) and fibroblasts cultured from skin biopsies. Leukocyte UDPgalactose and UDPglucose values were determined in 60 normal individuals, 14 classic galactosemics, and 18 patients with other metabolic diseases on protein-restricted and low-lactose diets. There was no difference in the average concentration of these compounds between any of these groups.

Adhesion molecules and lymphocyte recruitment in lymphocytic thyroiditis, thyroid papillary carcinoma and parotid adenolymphoma.

Lymphocytic infiltrates are usually present in chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, thyroid papillary carcinoma and parotid adenolymphoma. We selected these conditions to investigate the mechanisms of recruitment and organization of lymphocytic infiltrates in extranodal tissues. MoAbs in immunoperoxidase were used to identify the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on endothelial cells (EC), and of their ligands LFA-1 and VLA-4 on lymphocytes and accessory cells.

Renal brush border membrane lipid composition in Basenji dogs with spontaneous idiopathic Fanconi syndrome.

To comprehend the renal defect underlying idiopathic Fanconi syndrome in the Basenji dog, we have focused on delineating the lipid profiles of renal brush border membranes isolated from affected and normal Basenji dogs to establish any physical or compositional changes underlying previously observed transport and membrane-fluidity changes. The lipid composition was studied with respect to total lipid, cholesterol, and phospholipid content, cholesterol to phospholipid ratio, distribution of the major phospholipid classes, and fatty acid composition. Total phospholipid of the isolated renal brush border membranes from Fanconi syndrome dogs analyzed by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance showed no difference compared with that of normal dogs.

Cytokine production and expression of adhesion molecules and integrins in tumor infiltrating lymphomononuclear cells of non-small cell carcinomas of the lung.

Localization of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and of their ligands, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 and very late activation antigen-4, was determined in non-small cell lung carcinomas and tumor-free lung. Messenger RNA expression for interleukins (IL) IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, transforming growth factor-beta, interferon-gamma, granulocyte-macrophages colony stimulating factor, and human perforin-1 was assessed by in situ hybridization on the same tissues. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was expressed in all blood vessels, whereas only a low number of vessels displayed vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 immunoreactivity.

Insulin-receptor tyrosine kinase activity is decreased in erythrocytes from non-obese patients with NIDDM.

We have examined insulin binding, and insulin receptor associated tyrosine kinase activity in detergent solubilized and Ricin II-agarose purified receptor preparations from erythrocytes of obese and non-obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance and non-obese patients with NIDDM. Insulin receptor activity, as assessed by [125I Tyr A14] insulin binding, was significantly lower in erythrocyte preparations from the obese group when compared with similar preparations from non-obese subjects, with either normal glucose tolerance or NIDDM. The affinity of the receptor for insulin, however, was reduced in both obese subjects and patients with NIDDM as compared to non-obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

Mast cell phenotypic changes in skin of mice during benzoyl peroxide-induced tumor promotion.

The behavior of the mast cell population was analyzed during the sequential changes that normal mice skin undergoes during experimental two-stage carcinogenesis. Our study reveals that the number of mast cells increased during the promotion period but that this alteration is confined to the 30-microns-wide strip below the epidermis. A different mast cell phenotype appeared in this area, compatible with an MMC-like phenotype.

Uridine diphosphoglucose content of human erythrocytes: assessment by conversion to uridine diphosphoglucuronate.

To settle the ongoing controversy regarding differential uridine diphosphoglucose (UDPG) and uridine diphosphogalactose (UDPGal) content of erythrocytes, which may be important in evaluating the metabolic abnormality in patients with galactosemia, we derived a combined enzymatic-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. Uridine diphosphoglucuronate (UDPGA), the unique product of UDPG dehydrogenase activity, was separated and quantified by HPLC in extracts of human erythrocytes. The quantity of UDPGA produced in cell filtrates incubated with the enzyme corresponds to the amount of UDPG directly determined by HPLC.

31P NMR spectra of intact red blood cells: quantitation of UDPGlucose and UDPGalactose.

The combined levels of uridine diphosphogalactose (UDPGal) and uridine diphosphoglucose (UDPGlu) were measured directly by 31P NMR spectroscopy in intact fully oxygenated erythrocytes. Quantitative analysis was obtained using a sealed capillary of methylene diphosphonate (MDP) calibrated with standard solutions of UDPGlu and UDPGal of known concentration prepared in KRB/BSA. The combined peaks of UDPGlu and UDPGal were integrated after subtraction of the underlying broad component originating from membrane phospholipids.

Sequences related to the ox pancreatic ribonuclease coding region in the genomic DNA of mammalian species.

Mammalian pancreatic ribonucleases form a family of homologous proteins that has been extensively investigated. The primary structures of these enzymes were used to derive phylogenetic trees. These analyses indicate that the presence of three strictly homologous enzymes in the bovine species (the pancreatic, seminal, and cerebral ribonucleases) is due to gene duplication events which occurred during the evolution of ancestral ruminants.

Inhibition of benzoyl peroxide-induced tumor promotion and progression by copper(II)(3,5-diisopropylsalicylate)2.

The ability of a biomimetic superoxide dismutase agent, copper(II)(3,5-diisopropylsalicylate)2 (CuDIPS), to modulate benzoyl peroxide (BzPo)-induced tumor promotion and progression in mouse skin multistage carcinogenesis was evaluated. The results showed a significant inhibition of tumor incidence by CuDIPS pretreatment during promotion-progression. Different types of tumors were developed: papillomas, keratoacanthomas and squamous cell carcinomas.

The effect of dietary fruits and vegetables on urinary galactitol excretion in galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase deficiency.

Even on a lactose-restricted diet, urinary galactitol excretion and erythrocyte galactose-1-phosphate levels are persistently elevated in patients with galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase deficiency. In order to determine the contribution of galactose in dietary fruits and vegetables to this phenomenon, (1) the content of galactose in a lactose-free diet was directly measured when a galactosaemic patient's diet was specifically enriched in those fruits and vegetables which contain relatively large amounts of free galactose and (2) galactitol excretion was determined during ingestion of this diet for 3 weeks and while on a synthetic diet for 1 week that provided < 8 mg galactose/day. For comparison the effect of a 3-week supplementation of 200 mg galactose/day was determined.

Concentration of white blood cell UDPgalactose and UDPglucose determined by high performance liquid chromatography.

We have applied a HPLC method to separate and quantitate UDPgalactose (UDPGal) and UDPglucose (UDPGlu) in human white blood cells (WBCs). Trichloroacetic acid-treated, protein-free filtrates were chromatographed on an anion-exchange column (Dionex CarboPac PA-1) using a gradient of 20-40% potassium phosphate buffer (pH 4.5).

Protein-DNA interactions in the 5'-flanking region of the bovine pancreatic ribonuclease gene.

In the 5'-flanking region of the bovine pancreatic ribonuclease gene a sequence has been identified which specifically binds one or more factors present in nuclear protein extracts prepared from bovine pancreas. The binding site, as delineated by footprinting analysis, is located in a region extending from positions -113 to -146 relative to the transcription initiation site of the ribonuclease gene. This region contains consensus sequences for known control transcriptional elements.

[The clinical and prognostic significance of symptomatic and silent ischemia on the exercise test in patients with a prior myocardial infarct].

The aim of the study was to assess clinical/prognostic significance of exercise-induced ischemia in patients with healed myocardial infarction. From May 1988 to January 1991, 777 consecutive patients underwent a symptom-limited (Bruce protocol) treadmill test at least 1 year after myocardial infarction. Clinical and ergometric data were entered in a prospective way in our data base.