Polysomnography Reference Values in Healthy Newborns.

Study Objectives: Polysomnography (PSG) is increasingly used in the assessment of infants. Newborn PSG reference values based on recent standardization are not available. This study provides reference values for PSG variables in healthy newborn infants.

Combinatorial delivery of small interfering RNAs reduces RNAi efficacy by selective incorporation into RISC.

Despite the great potential of RNAi, ectopic expression of shRNA or siRNAs holds the inherent risk of competition for critical RNAi components, thus altering the regulatory functions of some cellular microRNAs. In addition, specific siRNA sequences can potentially hinder incorporation of other siRNAs when used in a combinatorial approach. We show that both synthetic siRNAs and expressed shRNAs compete against each other and with the endogenous microRNAs for transport and for incorporation into the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC).

Estimation of central pressure augmentation using automated radial artery tonometry.

Background: Peripheral wave reflection augments central blood pressure and contributes to cardiac load. This pressure augmentation is not quantifiable from brachial cuff pressure but can be determined from carotid pulsations using the augmentation index (AI). However, carotid tonometry is technically challenging and difficult to standardize in practice.

Real-time PCR assay for quantitative mismatch detection.

We describe here a quantitative real-time PCR assay for the detection of single-base-pair differences that does not require fluorescently labeled gene-specific probes or complicated primer combinations. Following PCR or RT-PCR of a gene segment that may contain allele-specific differences, 100 pg amplified product are used for a real-time PCR with allele-specific primers and SYBR Green. The use of HEPES buffer at a pH of 6.

Mammalian expression and hollow fiber bioreactor production of recombinant anti-CEA diabody and minibody for clinical applications.

Genetically engineered radiolabeled antibody fragments have shown great promise for the radioimmunoscintigraphy of cancer. Retaining the exquisite specificity of monoclonal antibodies yet smaller in molecular size, antibody fragments display rapid tumor targeting and blood clearance, a more uniform distribution in the tumor, and present a lower potential to elicit an immune response. However, one of the factors that has limited clinical evaluation of these antibody-derived proteins has been the difficulty in expressing and purifying the quantities necessary for clinical trials.

A chimeric anti-CEA antibody with heavy interchain disulfide bonds deleted: molecular characterization and biodistributions in normal and tumor bearing mice.

We have deleted the interchain disulfide bonds in a chimeric anti-CEA antibody (chT84.66) by mutating two cysteines in the heavy chain to glycine residues. The resulting antibody delta SSchT84.

Minibody: A novel engineered anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody fragment (single-chain Fv-CH3) which exhibits rapid, high-level targeting of xenografts.

A novel engineered antibody fragment (VL-VH-CH3, or "minibody") with bivalent binding to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was produced by genetic fusion of a T84.66 (anti-CEA) single-chain antibody (scFv) to the human IgG1 CH3 domain. Two designs for the connecting peptide were evaluated.

Cloning of the genes for T84.66, an antibody that has a high specificity and affinity for carcinoembryonic antigen, and expression of chimeric human/mouse T84.66 genes in myeloma and Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is one of the best characterized tumor-associated antigens and is extensively used in the in vitro immunodiagnosis of human colon adenocarcinomas. Among a number of anti-CEA monoclonal antibodies, the murine monoclonal antibody T84.66 shows the highest specificity and affinity for CEA and has been used successfully for in vivo tumor imaging in mice and humans.

Molecular cloning of a cDNA coding biliary glycoprotein I: primary structure of a glycoprotein immunologically crossreactive with carcinoembryonic antigen.

We have isolated and sequenced four overlapping cDNA clones from a normal adult human colon library, which together gave the entire nucleotide sequence for biliary glycoprotein I (BGP I). BGP I is a member of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene family, which is a subfamily in the immunoglobulin gene superfamily. The deduced amino acid sequence of the combined clones for BGP I revealed a 34-residue leader sequence followed by a 108-residue N-terminal domain, a 178-residue immunoglobulin-like domain, a 108-residue region specific to BGP I, a 24-residue transmembrane domain, and a 35-residue cytoplasmic domain.

Characterization of a cDNA clone for the nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA) and a comparison of NCA and carcinoembryonic antigen.

NCA (nonspecific cross-reacting antigen), a glycoprotein found in normal lung and spleen, is immunologically related to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which is found in over 95% of colon adenocarcinomas. From a human genomic library, we previously cloned part of an NCA gene and showed that the amino-terminal region has extensive sequence homology to CEA (Thompson, J. A.

Molecular cloning of a gene belonging to the carcinoembryonic antigen gene family and discussion of a domain model.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein important as a tumor marker for colonic cancer. Immunological and biochemical studies have shown it to be closely related to a number of other glycoproteins, which together make up a gene family. We have cloned a member of this gene family by using long oligonucleotide probes (42-54 nucleotides) based on our protein sequence data for CEA and NCA (nonspecific cross-reacting antigen) and on human codon usage.

Sequence of the promoter region of the gene for human X-linked 3-phosphoglycerate kinase.

We have determined the sequence of an 812-bp BamHI-EcoRI restriction fragment containing the 5' region of the human gene for PGK (3-phosphoglycerate kinase or ATP:3-phospho-D-glycerate 1-phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.2.

Isolation of a cDNA clone for human X-linked 3-phosphoglycerate kinase by use of a mixture of synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides as a detection probe.

We have obtained a cDNA clone encoding most of human X-linked 3-phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK; ATP:3-phospho-D-glycerate 1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.2.