Intra-familial Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Arak, Central Iran.

Background: The household transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major health problem. High incidence of HBV infection is observed within the household contacts of HBV carriers. We aimed to evaluate serological markers of hepatitis B infection among family members of HBV carriers in Arak, central Iran.

Smart radio-frequency identification tag for diaper moisture detection.

A passive smart tag is described that responds to dampness in diapers once a pre-defined threshold value is reached. A high-frequency (HF) system at 13.56 MHz is used as this allows operation through water or human tissues with less absorption that would occur for an ultra-HF signal.

Illumination Compensation and Normalization Using Low-Rank Decomposition of Multispectral Images in Dermatology.

When attempting to recover the surface color from an image, modelling the illumination contribution per-pixel is essential. In this work we present a novel approach for illumination compensation using multispectral image data. This is done by means of a low-rank decomposition of representative spectral bands with prior knowledge of the reflectance spectra of the imaged surface.

[Uncommon acne-associated syndromes and their significance in understanding the pathogenesis of acne].

Acne is an intriguing model for the study of interactions between hormones, innate immunity, inflammation and wound healing (scarring). The manifestations and involvement of acne in different systemic diseases and some rare syndromes demonstrate its multifaceted nature. Synovitis-Acne-Pustulosis-Hyperostosis-Osteitis (SAPHO) and Pyogenic Arthritis-Pyoderma gangrenosum-Acne (PAPA) syndromes, both regarded as autoinflammatory diseases, highlight the attributes of inflammation in acne.

[Mixed tumor of the skin].

An 81-year-old woman presented with a skin-colored, slowly growing tumor on her right lower eyelid. The diagnosis of mixed tumor of the skin was confirmed after excision and histologic examination of the tissue, which demonstrated a characteristic histology and immunohistochemistry. The mixed tumor of the skin is a usually benign neoplasm believed to originate in sweat glands.

Congenital lip pits and van der Woude syndrome.

Van der Woude syndrome is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by lower lip pits with or without cleft lip and/or cleft palate. The lip pits commonly have salivary glands that drain into them, which leads to salivary flow from the lip pits. Lip pits may be associated with submucosal palatal cleft, velopharyngeal insufficiency, or genitourinary or cardiovascular anomalies.

Natal teeth: a potential impediment to nasoalveolar molding in infants with cleft lip and palate.

The purpose of this article is to describe two cases of bilateral cleft lip and palate with natal/neonatal teeth. Clinical features, prevalence, possible complications, and treatment modalities are discussed. Two patients with cleft lip and palate and natal/neonatal teeth are described.

Acute mastoiditis in children: an increase in frequency in Northern Virginia.

Background: Acute mastoiditis is reported to occur 2 or 3 times annually in the largest children's hospitals. We encountered an average of 1 case annually at our hospital from 1986 to 1991. During an 8-year period ending October 31, 1999, 22 patients were diagnosed and treated at our hospital.

Antimicrobial prescribing for acute purulent rhinitis in children: a survey of pediatricians and family practitioners.

Background: The tenet that children with acute purulent rhinitis need not be treated with antibiotics unless drainage persists for 7 to 10 days is taught to medical students and residents in primary care specialties but may not be adhered to in actual clinical practice. Because of the global increase in bacterial resistance stemming largely from the overuse of antibiotics, we sought to determine how acute purulent rhinitis is managed in the primary care setting.

Methods: We surveyed all 450 pediatricians (PD) and family practitioners (FP) in northern Virginia who were in active practice in 1994.

Depolarization-induced 86Rb+ efflux in CHO cells expressing a recombinant potassium channel.

Cells expressing a recombinant human voltage-activated potassium channel (K-channel), Kv1.5, have been used in a functional assay that measures depolarization-stimulated 86Rb+ efflux as an indicator of K-channel function. Neither untransfected nor vector-transfected cells display measurable 86Rb+ efflux under depolarizing conditions.

5-HT3 receptor-independent inhibition of the depolarization-induced 86Rb efflux from human neuroblastoma cells, TE671, by ondansetron.

The 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, ondansetron, has been shown to have positive effects in selected in-vivo models of memory impairment and anxiety. The exact mechanisms underlying such bioactivities are unknown. In the present work, an 86Rb efflux bioassay was used to show that ondansetron has a unique ability to block voltage-gated potassium channels in TE671 human neuroblastoma cells.

Effects of n-dodecylguanidine on A-type potassium channels: role of external surface charges in channel gating.

n-Dodecylguanidine (C12-G) is an amphipathic compound with a guanidine moiety, which is positively charged at physiological pH, and a hydrophobic side chain. Its effects on an A-type K+ channel clone (rKv1.4) expressed in Xenopus oocytes were examined.

Use of cultured human neuroblastoma cells in rapid discovery of the voltage-gated potassium-channel blockers.

Depolarization of human neuroblastoma cells by high concentrations of extracellular potassium ions, leads to the activation of the voltage-gated potassium channels. The activity of such potassium channels can be effectively and rapidly monitored by tracking the efflux of 86Rb from pre-loaded target cells in response to the depolarizing stimulus. The inclusion of compounds with unknown activity in the assay medium, can result in the identification of novel blockers of the voltage-gated potassium channels.

Cloning of an apamin binding protein of vascular smooth muscle.

The receptor for the bee venom derived neurotoxin, apamin, is widely believed to be an integral component of the small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel in many excitable cells. By affinity chromatography on immobilized apamin, a 78 kD apamin binding protein of the bovine brain synaptosomes was isolated. Antibodies were elicited against this protein and used to clone a cDNA from a porcine vascular smooth muscle expression library.

Screening for potassium channel modulators by a high through-put 86-rubidium efflux assay in a 96-well microtiter plate.

A rapid and sensitive 86Rb efflux assay to detect chemical compounds capable of modulating the ATP-dependent potassium (KATP) channel is described. This assay, which is performed in a 96-well microtiter plate, utilizes a substrate adherent cell line as the target, requires a small amount of 86Rb as the tracer, and is a suitable system for performing the biochemical and pharmacological characterization of the KATP-channel and its activators. Because this assay is amenable to automation, it presents a useful means for high-volume screening of chemical compounds on a routine basis.

Gene expression in Xenopus oocytes.

1. Gene expression in Xenopus oocytes is now an integral part of many molecular cloning strategies. 2.

Mast cell degranulating peptide: a multi-functional neurotoxin.

This review discusses our present knowledge of the structure and activities of the mast cell degranulating peptide (MCDP). This peptide is a basic, 22 amino acid residue component of honey bee venom with striking immunological and pharmacological activities. MCDP is a potent anti-inflammatory agent, but at low concentrations it is a strong mediator of mast cell degranulation and histamine release.

A heterogeneous double antibody enzyme-linked immunoassay to measure beta-galactosidase fusion protein.

A rapid and sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) to quantitate recombinant fusion proteins encoded by cloned cDNA in the bacteriophage lambda gt11 is described. Since the fusion protein is expressed in an equimolar ratio to beta-galactosidase, the assay derives the concentration of the recombinant protein in total bacterial lysates or pure preparations from the measurement of beta-galactosidase with an enzyme-linked immunoassay. This assay is a useful technique to measure the recombinant proteins for subsequent immunological and biochemical characterization.

Specific phosphorylation by calcium-EGTA complex of a 75 kDa human tumor plasma membrane protein (pp75).

1. The major functional role played by phosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins in the biological properties of tumor cells suggests that identification of protein kinases and their substrates will contribute to our understanding of the molecular basis of the malignant process and of the aberrant behavior of tumor cells. 2.