A novel basis of capsid stabilization by antiviral compounds.

Picornaviruses are inactivated by a family of hydrophobic drugs that bind at an internal site in the viral capsid and inhibit viral uncoating. A basis for the capsid stabilization previously unrecognized is revealed by molecular dynamics simulations of the antiviral drug WIN52084s bound to a hydrophobic pocket of solvated human rhinovirus 14. Isothermal compressibilities of the complex and human rhinovirus 14 without the antiviral drug calculated from density fluctuations show that the presence of WIN52084s increases the compressibility of the viral capsid near the antiviral drug.

School-age follow-up of a single-dose prophylactic surfactant cohort.

This study reports the school-age developmental and health status of a preventilatory surfactant cohort. The sample consisted of 39 surviving subjects (21 experimental and 18 controls) born at 25 to 29 weeks gestation who were studied at 6 and 12 months and 5 to 7 years of age. At 6- and 12-month follow-ups, the cohort was functioning close to the population normative mean.

TNF-alpha induces peroxynitrite-mediated depletion of lung endothelial glutathione via protein kinase C.

We tested the hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) induces a peroxynitrite (ONOO-)-mediated depletion of glutathione via a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism in pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers (PAEM). PAEM were incubated with TNF (1,000 U/ml) for 6 and 18 h. The PAEM were assayed for ONOO(-)-dependent changes in the concentration of luminol, free glutathione [Gfree; i.

The effect of estrus synchronization scheme, injection protocol and large ovarian follicle on response to superovulation in beef heifers.

Two trials were conducted to examine the effects of estrus synchronization scheme, gonadotropin injection protocol and presence of a large ovarian follicle on response to superstimulation of follicular development and the ensuing superovulation. Estrus was synchronized with either a progestin compound (MGA) or by the use of a luteolytic agent (PGF). Superstimulation was induced with 280 mg equivalents of pFSH administered either by a single subcutaneous injection or by a series of 8 intramuscular injections over 4 d.

Narrowing of the drinking repertoire criterion: should it have been dropped from ICD-10?

Objective: To present data on the reliability of the narrowing of the drinking repertoire criterion in the ICD-10 substance use disorder nomenclature and possible justification for its exclusion from ICD-10. This criterion has been one of the hallmarks of the Edwards and Gross dependence concept.

Method: The sample of 318 consisted of 175 substance users from St.

Retinopathy of prematurity.

Retinopathy of prematurity is a common disorder among extremely low-birthweight preterm infants and may cause total vision loss in as many as 2% to 4% of those weighing less than 2 pounds at birth. Regular examinations begun in the neonatal intensive care unit permit early detection and treatment of progressive ROP and allow a reduction in visual impairment. Infants whose ROP has regressed should continue to receive regular ophthalmologic follow-up for the detection and treatment of myopia and strabismus and, if they have cicatricial sequelae, late retinal detachments as teens or adults.

Effect of acute-phase retinopathy of prematurity on grating acuity development in the very low birth weight infant. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

Purpose: To examine the development of grating acuity in four groups of eyes in the Multicenter Study of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity (CRYO-ROP): eyes with no ROP; eyes with less-than-prethreshold ROP; eyes with prethreshold ROP; and eyes with threshold ROP that were randomized to serve as controls (not treated with cryotherapy).

Methods: Subjects were 1398 children with birth weights < 1251 g whose acute-phase ROP was documented as part of the CRYO-ROP study. Monocular grating acuity was measured using the Teller acuity card procedure when children reached 1, 2, 3 1/2, and 4 1/2 years of age.

Surfactant protein A stimulation of inflammatory cytokine and immunoglobulin production.

Pulmonary surfactant plays a variety of roles related to the regulation of immune function in the lung. Of particular interest in this regard is surfactant protein A (SP-A), a calcium-dependent lectin. We have reported previously that SP-A enhances concanavalin A-induced proliferation, and in this study we examined the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukins 1 alpha, 1 beta, and 6, and interferon-gamma by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Effects of surfactant protein A and surfactant lipids on lymphocyte proliferation in vitro.

We studied the effects of dipalmitoyl L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), Survanta, surfactant protein A (SP-A), and mixtures of these substances on mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation using concanavalin A as a mitogen. A concentration-dependent suppression of proliferation was observed with 50-250 micrograms/ml of DPPC or Survanta. However, when SP-A was added to cultures, proliferation was stimulated.

Meconium analysis for improved identification of infants exposed to cocaine in utero.

We screened anonymously all mothers and infants born during a 3 1/2-month period to determine the prevalence of intrapartum cocaine use, test the maternal characteristics that are specific predictors of intrauterine cocaine exposure (IUCE), and compare the sensitivity of infant urine versus meconium samples for identification of IUCE. Of 1237 live births during the study period, a sample was obtained from 1201 mother-infant pairs. The overall prevalence of documented intrapartum cocaine exposure was 66 (5.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha decreases pulmonary artery endothelial nitrovasodilator via protein kinase C.

We postulated that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) decreases endothelium-derived nitrovasodilator(s) via a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathway. Calf pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers (PAEM) were treated with TNF (10, 100, and 1,000 U/ml) for 15 min or 18 h during an 18-h incubation. At the end of the incubation, the cell lysate and supernatant were harvested.

Ultrastructure of lung in surfactant protein B deficiency.

Congenital alveolar proteinosis (CAP), a cause of respiratory failure in fill-term newborns, often leads to death in infancy despite medical therapy. We recently described an inherited deficiency of surfactant protein B (SP-B) (N. Engl.

Two doses of early intravenous dexamethasone for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in babies with respiratory distress syndrome.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is an important complication of ventilation in babies for which treatment with steroids has been advocated. We report the results of a phase I study of early i.v.

Tissue-specific differences in accumulation of stress proteins in Mytilus edulis exposed to a range of copper concentrations.

This study examines the expression and accumulation of two major stress proteins, stress70 and chaperonin60 (cpn60), in the gill and mantle of blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, which were exposed to a range of Cu concentrations for 7 days. Scope-for-growth (SFG), mortality, and Cu accumulation in gill and mantle tissue were also measured to monitor the physiological effects of Cu exposure in the organisms. In general Cu accumulated to a greater extent in gill relative to mantle tissue.

Comparable dose-response functions for the effects of glucose and fructose on memory.

A passive avoidance-to-active avoidance negative transfer paradigm was used to investigate in rats the effects of glucose and fructose on recently acquired memories. Immediate post-passive avoidance conditioning injections of glucose, fructose, or saline were followed 48 h later by active avoidance conditioning. Equimolar 10, 32, 100, and 2000 mg/kg sc doses of the two sugars significantly impaired acquisition of the reversal task, whereas 3.

The "88% saturation test": a simple lung function test for young children.

Objective: The 88% saturation test (88%-SAT) was developed as an alternative to standard spirometry for those young children unable to perform standard forced expiratory maneuvers. In adults, this test revealed rapid desaturation in those persons with a history of asthma when compared with healthy control subjects. Similar findings in children were tested.

Quantitative longitudinal fluid saturation profiles with a slice-selected CPMG sequence.

A technique for obtaining quantitative longitudinal saturation/porosity profiles of rock cores which are longer than the NMR coil has been developed. The slice-selected experiment uses a prefocused pulse in conjunction with a magnetic field gradient for the localization and a CPMG sequence to sample the data. A variety of rock core samples has been studied ranging from limestones to shaly sandstones.

Strategies for overcoming linewidth limitations in quantitative petrophysical NMR measurements.

The simple pulse-acquire experiment has been used to evaluate the level of accuracy and precision achievable in NMR fluid saturation measurements for a range of rock core samples saturated with either brine or hydrocarbons. For a set of more than 70 cores measured at 0.66 T the mean error in the NMR measurement is only 0.

3D autocorrelation for the determination of large pore sizes.

A data analysis methodology is used to process 3D NMR image data acquired for porous systems. The method extracts the mean size of those repeating elements in the image data which are largely compared with the image voxel dimensions. In this work we extend the two-dimensional (2D) image analysis method described by others to three spatial dimensions (3D).

Pore geometry information via pulsed field gradient NMR.

Studies of echo attenuation at long diffusion times in pulsed field gradient NMR experiments on a variety of rock core samples are interpreted in the light of recent theoretical analysis of the effect of pore geometry and surface relaxation. This study is motivated by the need to test the applicability of that theory to real rock systems.

Secretion of surfactant protein A from rat type II pneumocytes.

Secretion of surfactant phosphatidylcholine has been extensively studied and there is evidence that it is a regulated process that can be influenced by a variety of physiological factors and pharmacological agents. In contrast, secretion of the major surfactant protein, surfactant protein A (SP-A), has been investigated to much lesser extent. It is not known whether SP-A secretion is constitutive or regulated and, if regulated, whether its regulation is similar to that of phosphatidylcholine.

Retinopathy of prematurity.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) remains a nonpreventable disorder associated with extreme prematurity. Recent advances in establishing the International Classification of ROP have facilitated both clinical care and research, highlighted by the demonstration of the effectiveness of cryoablative therapy for vision-threatening ROP. For those individuals who have ROP, early and life-long ophthalmic follow-up is critical.

Immunogold localization of SP-A in lungs of infants dying from respiratory distress syndrome.

Prematurely born infants can develop the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) because of a deficiency of pulmonary surfactant. This lipoprotein complex synthesized by type II pneumocytes has different ultrastructural forms--intra- and extracellular lamellar bodies, which within the alveoli are transformed into tubular myelin, and this in turn gives rise to the surface monolayer, the functionally active form of surfactant. We have previously shown that at autopsy RDS lungs lack tubular myelin and have decreased immunoreactivity for antisera to surfactant protein A (SP-A), an important component of tubular myelin.

Surfactant prophylaxis and retinopathy of prematurity.

Objective: The use of exogenous surfactant has led to a decrease in mortality of low-birth-weight infants. In some instances, use of this drug has also led to a reduction in neonatal morbidity, such as respiratory distress syndrome. This study was undertaken to determine whether prophylactic surfactant therapy has an effect on the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity.