Unusual plasmodium malariae-like parasites in southeast Asia.

During malaria surveys in Myanmar, 2 peculiar forms of Plasmodium malariae-like parasites were found. The morphologies of their early trophozoite stages were distinct from that of the typical P. malariae, resembling instead that of Plasmodium vivax, var.

Wide distribution of Plasmodium ovale in Myanmar.

The presence of Plasmodium ovale has never been previously reported in Myanmar. Using blood samples obtained in many villages across the country between 1996 and 2000, molecular diagnosis of Plasmodium species was made with semi- or full-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with species-specific primers, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis to detect amplification products. The presence of P.

Myosin V-mediated vacuole distribution and fusion in fission yeast.

The class V myosins are actin-based motors that move a variety of cellular cargoes [1]. In budding yeast, their activity includes the relocation of a portion of the vacuole from the mother cell to the bud [2, 3]. Fission yeast cells contain numerous (approximately 80) small vacuoles.

Two type V myosins with non-overlapping functions in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: Myo52 is concerned with growth polarity and cytokinesis, Myo51 is a component of the cytokinetic actin ring.

The fission yeast genome project has identified five myosin genes: one type I myosin, myo1(+), two type II myosins, myo2(+) and myp2(+), and two type V myosins, myo51(+) and myo52(+). Cells deleted for myo51(+) show normal morphology and growth rates whereas deletion of myo52(+) results in a partial loss of cell polarity, slow growth and cytokinetic defects. Combining both deletions in a single strain is phenotypically non-additive, myo52(delta) being epistatic to myo51(delta).

Cytokinesis in fission yeast: a myosin pas de deux.

Cytokinesis in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe consists of two distinct but overlapping events: the assembly and constriction of a cytokinetic actomyosin ring (CAR) and the formation of a cross wall or septum. These two processes must be spatially and temporally coordinated both with each other and with other cell cycle events, most notably spindle formation and anaphase chromosome segregation. In fission yeast, the CAR contains two unusual type II myosins, Myo2, encoded by the gene myo2(+), and Myp2, encoded by myp2(+).

Speeding up and (…relatively…) slowing down an internal clock in humans.

Two experiments used click-trains to manipulate the subjective duration of stimuli they preceded, in attempts to demonstrate relative slowing down of the pacemaker of a hypothesized internal clock. Experiment 1 used a pair comparison procedure, where two tones presented on each trial in fact had the same duration. In the conditions of particular interest, the first tone was preceded by clicks (thus putatively timed with a faster clock), the other presented without (thus timed normally).

A redox-triggered ras-effector interaction. Recruitment of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase to Ras by redox stress.

Reactive free radical species are known to trigger biochemical events culminating in transcription factor activation and modulation of gene expression. The cytosolic signaling events triggered by free radicals that result in nuclear responses are largely unknown. Here we identify a signaling cascade triggered immediately upon redox activation of Ras.

Can staff training reduce behavioural problems in residential care for the elderly mentally ill?

The effect of a brief in-service training programme on the psychosocial management of behavioural disturbance in residential care is described. Although the incidence of problematic behaviour did not change 3 months after training, staff in the experimental homes reported a significant improvement in their management of problematic behaviour, as compared to the control home. However, these effects were not maintained a year later.

Yeast myosin II: a new subclass of unconventional conventional myosins?

Myosin II is the founder member of a large and structurally diverse clan of actin-based motor proteins. The native myosin II molecule is a hexamer consisting of two heavy chains, two essential light chains (ELC), and two regulatory light chains (RLC). For convenience, the myosin IIs are often subdivided into four subclasses: vertebrate skeletal and cardiac muscle myosin II form one subclass, vertebrate smooth muscle and nonmuscle myosin II a second, invertebrate muscle a third, and protozoan myosin II a fourth [Sellers and Goodson, 1995].

Bradykinin B2-receptor activation augments norepinephrine exocytosis from cardiac sympathetic nerve endings. Mediation by autocrine/paracrine mechanisms.

We determined whether local bradykinin production modulates cardiac adrenergic activity. Depolarization of guinea pig heart sympathetic nerve endings (synaptosomes) with 1 to 100 mmol/L K+ caused the release of endogenous norepinephrine (10% to 50% above basal level). This release was exocytotic, because it depended on extracellular Ca2+, was inhibited by the N-type Ca(2+)-channel blocker omega-conotoxin and the protein kinase C inhibitor Ro31-8220, and was potentiated by the neuronal uptake-1 inhibitor desipramine.

Vibrio cholerae non-O1 as a causal pathogen in cholera patients in Yangon, Myanmar.

Vibrio cholerae non-O1 was studied in patients with rice watery diarrhoea admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yangon. The study was conducted during 1993-1994 to determine the association of the pathogen with the disease. Altogether 771 rectal swabs were collected and examined.

Giant urethral calculus.

This is a case report of a 56-year-old Malay male presenting with a giant urethral calculus. The stone measuring 70 X 50 X 40 mm and weighing 45 g was impacted in the posterior urethra. The giant urethral calculus was removed successfully through external urethrotomy.

The efficacy of aldose reductase inhibitor, antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene and cysteine protease inhibitor E64 on hyperglycemia-induced metabolic changes in the organ-cultured bovine lens.

It is well known that polyol related sugar cataract formation is preventable with aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) and newly developed different kinds of ARIs have been extensively studied for potential clinical use. The potency of AD-5467 ARI (Takeda) on hyperglycemic lenses was evaluated by measuring of phosphate metabolites in phosphorus-31, (31P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. Moreover, the effects of antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and cysteine protease inhibitor E64 on hyperglycemic lenses were evaluated for comparative study, since some studies showed that these agents also possess the delay or preventive effects in sugar cataractogenesis.