Signals for the remodeling of the cardiac interstitium in systemic hypertension.

Cardiac myocyte growth is the common denominator in myocardial hypertrophy irrespective of the hypertrophic stimulus. The hypertrophic remodeling of the myocardium may or may not also include the growth of nonmyocyte cells, thereby creating the potential for heterogeneity in tissue growth. Hypertrophy, therefore, need not be a uniform process, especially if trophic factors responsible for myocyte and nonmyocyte growth are independent of one another.

Effects of prolonged administration of the 19-nor-testosterone derivatives norethindrone and norgestrel to female NZB/W mice: comparison with medroxyprogesterone and ethinyl estradiol.

To evaluate effects of commonly used progestational estrogenic contraceptive steroids in a hormone-responsive model of lupus, we treated female NZB/W mice before clinical disease (6 wks of age) and after onset of lupus (24 wks of age) with doses of hormones titered to suppress reproduction. We report efficacy of norethindrone (NE) and norgestrel (NG), progestins derived from 19-nor-testosterone, in delaying expression of anti-DNA antibodies. Mice implanted with NG at 24 wks of age had prolonged lifespans.

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of cholera toxin genes of the CtxA- Vibrio cholerae strain Texas Star-SR.

The ctx operons from the Vibrio cholerae El Tor strain 3083 and its CtxA- derivative Texas Star-SR were cloned, and their nucleotide sequences were compared. A single missense mutation in the Texas Star-SR ctxA cistron which results in the substitution of threonine for alanine at position 191 of the 258-amino-acid CtxA precursor was identified. Immunoblot analysis detected the mutant CtxA intracellularly early in the culture cycle but not extracellularly at any growth stage.

Comparison of the Vibrio cholerae hemagglutinin/protease and the Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase.

The soluble hemagglutinin/protease (HA/protease) produced by Vibrio cholerae and the elastase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are both zinc/calcium-dependent proteases. In the present study the two enzymes are compared immunologically and functionally. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the proteins had 65% identity within the first 20 amino acids.

The effect of multiple shocks on canine cardiac defibrillation.

To determine if multiple shocks adversely affect the success of later shocks compared with early shocks, we analyzed the success rates of initial shocks (defibrillation attempts 1-5), first half shocks (defibrillation attempts 1-20) and second half shocks (defibrillation attempts 21-40) in a canine model. Epicardial patches were placed on the right and left ventricle in 28 dogs. Ventricular fibrillation was induced by a 60-Hz shock.

Is adenosine a second metabolic substrate for human red blood cells?

Adenosine is present in the micromolar range in human plasma. In this study, metabolism of adenosine, which was maintained between 0.62 +/- 0.

Magnetic transcranial and electric direct stimulation of the facial motor cortex in dogs.

Magnetic stimulation may allow noninvasive study of the entire course of the facial nerve. Our goal was to determine if evoked muscle action potentials can be obtained in facial musculature using electric direct cortical and noninvasive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the canine motor cortex. Thirty-four dogs were studied with electric direct cortical stimulation through a craniotomy and magnetic transcranial stimulation of the facial motor cortex.

Effects of alpha 2-adrenergic agonist preincubation on subsequent forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity and [3H]forskolin binding in membranes from HT29 cells.

alpha 2-Adrenergic agonist preincubation resulted in a leftward shift in the subsequent concentration-response curve to forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in membranes from HT29 cells, a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line. This effect was much less pronounced than the effect seen in the intact cell cyclic AMP production assays. Removal of GTP from the assay caused a further slight leftward shift in the concentration-response curve.

Cloning of minute virus of mice cDNAs and preliminary analysis of individual viral proteins expressed in murine cells.

cDNAs corresponding to RNA from the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice were cloned into constitutive and inducible expression vectors. These clones generate viral NS2, VP1, and VP2 proteins individually. Initial examination of these clones by transient expression analysis and analysis of stably transformed murine cell lines inducibly expressing these constructs indicated that they will be useful tools for characterizing the function of individual minute virus of mice gene products.

Identification and mapping of an immunogenic region of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae p65 surface lipoprotein expressed in Escherichia coli from a cloned genomic fragment.

A previously characterized lipid-modified amphiphilic surface protein of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, p65, has been defined by its reaction with a surface-binding monoclonal antibody (MAb) and by its exclusive partitioning into the detergent phase during Triton X-114 phase fractionation (K. S. Wise and M.

Coping and family functions after closed head injury.

Cognitive deficits associated with closed head injury (CHI) have been well studied. Less attention has been directed to the emotional consequences of CHI and subsequent attempts to cope with major life events. CHI typically constitutes a catastrophic injury, yet few studies have examined coping strategies used by individuals after CHI or the effects of CHI on family functioning that may mediate coping.

Relationship of head circumference to measures of school performance.

To study the possible relationship of head circumference (HC) to learning problems in children, a retrospective study was done, using records from 360 subjects who had been evaluated between the years 1976 and 1981. The data selected from the records included standardized academic test results, e.g.

Prognosis of hospital survivors after salvage from cardiopulmonary bypass with centrifugal cardiac assist.

Since October 1986, 6 hospital survivors who were salvaged from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with the Sarns centrifugal pump were observed. Centrifugal assist was employed only after failure to wean with usual resuscitative measures, including multiple high dose inotropes and intraaortic balloon pumping. There were five men and one woman, 46-59 years of age (mean 61 years).

Study of epitopes of cholera enterotoxin-related enterotoxins by checkerboard immunoblotting.

Checkerboard immunoblotting, a versatile new technique for examining multiple antigen and antibody interactions simultaneously, was applied in studies of epitopes in the cholera enterotoxin (CT)-related heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) family. The purified antigens used included the following: the B-subunit proteins from two CTs (CT-B-1 and CT-B-2), from classical and El Tor biotype strains of Vibrio cholerae, respectively; human LT-B-1 (H-LT-B-1) and porcine LT-B (P-LT-B) derived from LTs produced by Escherichia coli strains of human (H) and porcine (P) origins, respectively; and genetically engineered chimeric P-LT-Bs with amino acid substitutions from H-LT-B-1. The antigens were used in native, partially denatured, and CNBr-fragmented forms.

Circinate plaques heralding juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Plaques of leukemia cutis were the first manifestation of juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia in a 2-year-old. This is a rare and usually fatal form of childhood leukemia. Only three cases of leukemia cutis associated with juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia have been published.

Improving perinatal outcome for rural Missouri.

Improving perinatal outcome in rural Missouri as reflected by a lowering of the perinatal mortality rate is a realistic and achievable goal for the state. The authors present information and data with suggestions for reaching this goal.

Multiple translational products from a Mycoplasma hyorhinis gene expressed in Escherichia coli.

We analyzed protein expression from a cloned Mycoplasma hyorhinis genomic fragment that produces in Escherichia coli a set of related polypeptides of 110, 100, 65, and 55 kilodaltons from a coding region of just over 3.0 kilobases. Expression of these multiple products resulted from a mechanism operating at the translational level but not from truncation at UGA termination codons, which are known to encode tryptophan in several mycoplasma species.

Panic disorder without fear in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries.

By DSM-III-R criteria, patients may be diagnosed as having panic disorder without reporting the experience of intense fear. However, if such patients do not report subjective fear, they may be less likely to receive a panic diagnosis. The authors studied 32 subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries who fit panic disorder criteria.

Current techniques of prenatal screening for Down syndrome.

Prenatal testing for Down Syndrome, the most common human malformation, is possible through three techniques: analysis of historical risk factors, ultrasonography, and evaluation of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. The authors describe these current screening techniques.

Regulation of divergent transcription from the iron-responsive fepB-entC promoter-operator regions in Escherichia coli.

Transcriptional linkage of the enterobactin gene cluster entCEBA (P15) was confirmed by ent-lacZ gene fusion analysis. Control sequences directing iron-regulated expression of this polycistronic message were localized to the fepB-entC bidirectional promoter region. Transcriptional initiation sites defined by primer extension analysis were located 103 base-pairs apart for the divergent fepB and entC messages.

Aeromonas, acclimation, and penicillin as complications when leeches are applied to skin flaps in rabbits.

The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, has been recognized by plastic surgeons for its ability to reduce congestion and improve blood flow in grafted skin flaps by withdrawing excess blood. The leech's ability to digest blood is due to the presence of Aeromonas hydrophila in the gut of the leech. In this report we describe the occurrence of Aeromonas hydrophila septicaemia in rabbits used in a study to evaluate the efficacy of the medicinal leech on abdominal skin flap survival.

Induction of interleukin-1 from murine peritoneal macrophages by Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A.

Pseudomonas exotoxin A, an ADP-ribosylating toxin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, has been shown to stimulate the proliferation of murine thymocytes, which requires the participation of accessory cells. This requirement for accessory cells can be replaced by supernatant from adherent peritoneal exudate cells that have been stimulated with exotoxin A. Antibody to exotoxin A inhibits the induction of the thymocyte mitogenic activity from adherent peritoneal macrophages.

Platelet-activating factor stimulation of tyrosine kinase and its relationship to phospholipase C in rabbit platelets: studies with genistein and monoclonal antibody to phosphotyrosine.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a proinflammatory lipid that has platelet-stimulating property. PAF receptor-coupled activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) and phosphorylation of several proteins has already been established in our laboratory. To investigate further the molecular mechanism and relationship between activation of PLC and protein phosphorylation, we have used Genistein (a putative inhibitor of tyrosine-specific protein kinases), phosphotyrosine antibody, and phosphoamino acid analysis to probe the involvement of tyrosine kinase in this process.

Checkerboard immunoblotting (CBIB): an efficient, rapid, and sensitive method of assaying multiple antigen/antibody cross-reactivities.

A simple technique, checkerboard immunoblotting (CBIB), is described, which facilitates the examination of multiple antigen/antibody interactions, conveniently and reproducibly, using minimal amounts of reactants. Antigens, immobilized on a solid-phase membrane in parallel lanes, are allowed to react with primary antibodies, applied in lanes perpendicular to the antigens, and the reactions are developed with appropriately labeled secondary antibody and substrate. Positive reactions, at the intersections of antigen/antibody lanes, are small squares, giving a checkerboard appearance to the blot.