Phosphoinositide 3-hydroxide kinase blockade enhances apoptosis in the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors.

Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFTs) affects patients between the ages of 3 and 40 years, with most cases occurring in the second decade of life. These tumors contain a characteristic translocation, t(11;22), that produces a unique fusion protein, EWS/FLI-1. EWS/FLI-1 transforms mouse fibroblasts; this transformation requires intact EWS and FLI-1 domains as well as the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR).

Expression of the wild-type insulin-like growth factor II receptor gene suppresses growth and causes death in colorectal carcinoma cells.

The insulin-like growth factor II receptor (IGFIIR) has been implicated as a tumor suppressor gene in human malignancy. Frequent mutation, loss of heterozygosity, and microsatellite instability (MSI) directly affecting the IGFIIR gene have been reported in several primary human tumor types. However, to our knowledge, dynamic functional evidence of a growth-suppressive role for IGFIIR has not yet been provided.

Clutch size manipulations in two seed beetles: consequences for progeny fitness.

Seed beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) lay their eggs on discrete resource patches, such that competition among larvae for food is an important component of their biology. Most seed beetles, including Stator limbatus, lay eggs singly on individual seeds and avoid superparasitism except when seeds are limiting. In contrast, S.

Odontogenic orbital cellulitis. Report of a case and considerations on route of spread.

A case of orbitral cellulitis following dental extraction is described. Orbital extension of infection occurred via the retromaxillary infra-temporal fossa, which is an unusual feature.

Oral fluconazole therapy for keratomycosis.

A 12-year-old girl with fungal keratitis following injury with a vegetable foreign body was successfully treated with oral fluconazole, a new antifungal agent. The infection resolved completely with good visual recovery. Fluconazole was well tolerated systemically.

Osmolyte mediation of T7 DNA polymerase and plasmid DNA stability.

The thermal stability of T7 DNA polymerase and pGEM4Z plasmid DNA in the presence and absence of the osmolyte N-methylglycine (sarcosine) was determined by means of UV spectroscopy. The decrease in melting temperature observed upon addition of sarcosine to solutions containing the plasmid DNA is linear with the concentration of sarcosine present. The enthalpy of the transition is also linear in its relationship to the melting temperature, and the entropy of the transition is linear in the natural log of the melting temperature.

Postirradiation exposure to hypotonic saline shows normal damage processing in radiation-sensitive cell lines.

Three pairs of cell lines (one human and two Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines) each comprising a cell line with a normal radiation response and a radiation-sensitive mutant, were evaluated for recovery of potentially lethal damage (PLDR) and recovery of sublethal damage (SLDR). In all cases, the normal cell lines (GM1522, human; AA8-4 and K1, CHO) exhibited capacity for PLDR and SLDR was also normal in the two CHO lines. For the mutants (GM3395, human AT; V3 and 5-11, CHO) there was no ability for PLDR and SLDR was also absent in the two CHO cell lines.

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection in spouses of seropositive individuals.

Background: Unprotected sex can lead to transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) to the spouse of an infected individual. We studied the incidence of HIV-1 infection in the spouses of cases diagnosed to have HIV-1 infection by serology and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Methods: Blood samples collected from 9 index cases and their respective spouses were tested for HIV-1 infection by ELISA, Western blot (WB) and PCR as well as from 10 healthy individuals with no high-risk behaviour.

Thermal radiosensitization in two pairs of CHO wild-type and radiation-sensitive mutant cell lines.

Two pairs of Chinese hamster ovary cell lines, each comprising a parental normal-responding and a radiation-sensitive mutant, were tested for their X-radiation sensitivity, hyperthermia sensitivity and thermal radiosensitization. The relative radiation responses were similar to those already published in the literature, indicating that the mutant cell lines, V-3 and 5-11, were extremely sensitive to radiation while their parental strains (AA8-4 and K1) exhibited normal sensitivity. The hyperthermia response of V3 was the same as that of the parental cell line AA8-4; the thermal sensitivity of 5-11 was greater than that of its parental line K1 but this difference decreased at higher temperatures (greater than 43 degrees C).

HIV-2 antibodies in serum samples from Maharashtra state.

Two hundred serum samples were tested to detect the presence of HIV-2 infection in Maharashtra state. The serum samples were derived from various groups including those with high risk behaviour for HIV infection. All samples were tested by three combined HIV-1 and HIV-2 ELISA kits.

Serum beta 2 microglobulin levels in HIV seropositive persons.

As beta 2 microglobulin (B2M) has been found to be elevated in immunological disorders and also in HIV infection, its levels were studied in 475 HIV seropositive, asymptomatic persons; 101 HIV seronegative persons from high risk groups for HIV and 99 healthy controls. The B2M levels in asymptomatic HIV seropositives are found to be significantly higher than healthy controls (1.0 mg/1 to 2.

Circulating immune complexes in healthy, HIV-antibody positive subjects.

The components of the circulating immune complexes (CICs) were characterised in asymptomatic HIV seropositive individuals. Forty four of 214 individuals (20.56%) showed the presence of CICs.