glh-1, a germ-line putative RNA helicase from Caenorhabditis, has four zinc fingers.

We have cloned a family of putative RNA helicases from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. One of these, a cDNA that we call glh-1, most closely matches in sequence and expression the previously described germ-line helicases PL10 from mouse and vasa from Drosophila. The amino terminus of the predicted protein of glh-1 contains a set of glycine-rich repeats similar in location and sequence to those in the predicted vasa protein.

Myocardial matrix metalloproteinase(s): localization and activation.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and neutrophil elastase (NE) may each contribute to fibrillar collagen degradation in various disease states. Little, however, is known about the activation and localization of MMP in the heart. Accordingly, we extracted MMP and examined mechanisms of proMMP activation in whole tissue extracts of the adult rat myocardium.

Transcription termination and polyadenylation in retroviruses.

The provirus structure of retroviruses is bracketed by long terminal repeats (LTRs). The two LTRs (5' and 3') are identical in nucleotide sequence and organization. They contain signals for transcription initiation as well as termination and cleavage polyadenylation.

A family of strain-variant surface lipoproteins of Mycoplasma fermentans.

The wall-less procaryote Mycoplasma fermentans is currently being examined as an agent potentially associated with human disease, including infectious processes affecting immunocompromised individuals. To delineate and understand the interactions of M. fermentans with its host, specific membrane surface components were characterized as markers for detecting the organism and for assessing heterogeneity in antigenic surface architecture within this mycoplasma species.

Comorbidity of conduct disorder and personality disorders in an incarcerated juvenile population.

Objective: Youths with conduct disorder extract an inordinate amount of time and money from the U.S. judicial system and taxpayers, yet studies pertaining to this population have been few.

The effect of parental expectations on treatment of children with a cough: a report from ASPN.

Background: A previous retrospective study of children with cough raised questions about how physicians diagnose acute bronchitis. We hypothesized that if the physician perceives a parental expectation that an antibiotic is needed, it is more likely that a child with a cough will be diagnosed as having bronchitis and treated with an antibiotic.

Methods: Data were collected prospectively in 44 primary care practices in the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network.

Cardiac structural remodelling after treatment of spontaneously hypertensive rats with nifedipine or nisoldipine.

Objective: The aim was to determine if long term treatment with nifedipine or nisoldipine affects structural remodelling of cardiac myocytes and is effective in attenuating or preventing reparative and reactive myocardial fibrosis in essential hypertension.

Methods: Five and a half month old male spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats received either 1000 ppm nifedipine or nisoldipine or no treatment (controls) for 22 weeks. Haemodynamic variables were measured and hearts recovered from animals of each group.

Association between epidural analgesia during labor and fever.

Background: Epidural analgesia has been associated in previous research with an increase in maternal temperature.

Methods: Three studies were done: a retrospective chart review of women in labor, a prospective cohort study of women in labor, and a case-control study of newborns with fever. The prospective study enrolled 28 women, 14 of whom received epidural analgesia.

Direct extraction and estimation of collagenase(s) activity by zymography in microquantities of rat myocardium and uterus.

Measurement of collagenolytic activity is of interest to a wide variety of investigators using mammalian tissue. In order to develop a method that would quantitate active collagenase from microquantities of human tissue, we employed zymography to the heart and uterus of neonatal, adult, and postpartum rats. Collagenase rapidly cleaves native collagen into two fragments, which at 37 degrees C form gelatin.

Bradykinin-induced elevations of hydraulic conductivity display spatial and temporal variations in frog capillaries.

Bradykinin, a vasodilator, increases permeability to macromolecules in postcapillary venules. Recent studies indicate that vasodilators elevate water flux from frog mesenteric capillaries. Thus we hypothesized that bradykinin would also increase transcapillary water flux.

Anti-aldosterone treatment and the prevention of myocardial fibrosis in primary and secondary hyperaldosteronism.

In arterial hypertension associated with primary or secondary hyperaldosteronism myocardial fibrosis is an important determinant of pathologic hypertrophy. To further examine the relationship between elevations in plasma aldosterone (ALDO) and myocardial fibrosis, we analysed perivascular collagen area (PVCA) and interstitial collagen volume fraction (CVF) by videodensitometry and hydroxyproline concentration (HPro) by high-performance liquid chromatography. We examined both the left (LV) and right (RV) ventricles in the following rats models of primary or secondary hyperaldosteronism of eight weeks duration: unilateral renal ischemia (RHT); continuous ALDO administration via osmotic minipumps (0.

Antigenic variation in Mycoplasma hyorhinis: increased repertoire of variable lipoproteins expanding surface diversity and structural complexity.

VlpE is characterized as a new member in a family of variable surface lipoproteins (Vlps) of Mycoplasma hyorhinis. VlpE shows phenotypic variation in expression and size within isogenic lineages of some strains but is absent from lineages of other strains that express only three previously known Vlps. Expression of four Vlps in some cells further indicates the presence and usage of an expanded reservoir of Vlp coding sequences, which greatly increases the capacity for surface diversification.

Characterization of two cytosolic diacylglycerol kinase forms.

Two forms of rat brain cytosolic diacylglycerol kinase (EC2.7.1.

Hyperlipidemia in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Hyperlipidemia is frequently seen in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. The cause of abnormal lipid profile in these patients is multifactorial. In both short and long term studies, abnormal levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and, HDL cholesterol were observed.

Intermediate partitioning in the tartrate dehydrogenase-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylation of D-malate.

The oxidative decarboxylation of D-malate catalyzed by tartrate dehydrogenase has been examined in detail. Enzyme-catalyzed partitioning of oxalacetate has been determined to proceed with formation of pyruvate and D-malate in a ratio of 3.7 to 1.

Suppression of loss-of-function mutations in Escherichia coli ribonuclease P RNA (M1 RNA) by a specific base-pair disruption.

A plasmid encoding ribonuclease P RNA of Escherichia coli (M1 RNA) was mutagenized with hydroxylamine in vitro and defective rnpB genes were identified by screening in an in vivo suppression assay. Defective rnpB sequences were mutagenized with a second round of hydroxylamine to restore activity. We report here that conversion of the C32.

Inhibition of perioperative platelet aggregation using toradol (ketorolac).

Traditionally, aspirin is used as an inexpensive and usually well-tolerated agent to accomplish inhibition of platelet aggregation after microvascular surgery. Occasionally, however, aspirin is contraindicated. We have successfully used Toradol (ketorolac) after microvascular tissue transfer to inhibit platelet aggregation postoperatively, and documented this in our laboratory.

Coronary microvascular fluid flux and permeability: influence of angiotensin II, aldosterone, and acute arterial hypertension.

Vascular permeability of the coronary and mesenteric circulation is increased in association with the arterial hypertension that accompanies either endogenous activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) or exogenous administration of angiotensin II (AII). Whether this occurs as a result of increased intravascular pressure or of elevations in plasma concentrations of AII or aldosterone (ALDO) (or both) is unclear. This acute study of filtration-independent coronary fluid exchange and macromolecular permeability was undertaken to address these issues in open-chest, anesthetized dogs.

Extracellular ATP reversibly increases the plasma membrane permeability of transformed mouse fibroblasts to large macromolecules.

Extracellular ATP increases the plasma membrane permeability of transformed mouse fibroblasts (3T6 cells) to fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextrans (4 and 9 kDa) and [3H]inulin (5.2 kDa). This increase in permeability to large macromolecules occurred 20 to 30 min after ATP addition, subsequent to an increase in permeability to small macromolecules (< 1 kDa).

The Missouri child fatality study: underreporting of maltreatment fatalities among children younger than five years of age, 1983 through 1986.

Estimates of the incidence of child maltreatment fatalities vary widely; most experts believe they are underreported. To investigate the suspicion that fatal maltreatment was underreported in Missouri preschool children, a statewide, population-based study was conducted using nine data sources. The study cases included the 384 children younger than age 5 who died from 1983 through 1986 and whose death certificates were coded with an external cause (injury) or whose deaths were substantiated as abuse or neglect fatalities by the Missouri Division of Family Services.

Effect of intermittent versus continuous patient monitoring on reliability indices during automated perimetry.

Purpose: This prospective, randomized study was undertaken to determine the effect of intermittent versus continuous patient monitoring on reliability indices (fixation losses, false-positive errors, and false-negative errors) during automated static perimetry.

Methods: A practice Humphrey Program C30-2 visual field was administered to 169 subjects (mean age +/- standard deviation, 56 +/- 18 years) for 1.5 minutes, during which time trained technicians continuously monitored all subjects and assessed patient fixation as noted on the eye monitor.