Differential immediate early gene expression in conditional hepatitis B virus pX-transforming versus nontransforming hepatocyte cell lines

We report construction and characterization of tetracycline-controlled hepatitis B virus pX-expressing hepatocyte (AML12) cell lines. These cell lines were constructed in AML12 clonal isolates (clones 3 and 4), which express constitutively the tetracycline-controlled transactivator. Since pX is implicated in HCC, this immortalized hepatocyte model system was used to investigate the mechanism of pX in transformation. Clonal isolates of 3pX and 4pX lineages display conditional synthesis of pX mRNA and protein and a 2-fold increase in growth saturation density following tetracycline removal, implicating pX in monolayer overgrowth. Interestingly, only 3pX clones display pX-dependent anchorage independence. Clone 3 lineages express hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha and hepatocyte-specific marker genes; clone 4 lineages express hepatocyte nuclear factor-1beta and reduced levels of hepatocyte-specific marker genes, suggesting the importance of the differentiated hepatocyte in pX-mediated oncogenic transformation. Importantly, 3pX and 4pX lineages display differential expression of immediate early genes c-fos and ATF3. The pX-transforming 3pX lineage displays early, pX-dependent induction of ATF3 and prolonged induction of c-fos. The nontransforming 4pX cells display an absence of pX-dependent ATF3 induction and transient induction of c-fos. Our results support the direct link of pX expression to oncogenic transformation in 3pX lineage clones and underscore the advantage of this conditional cellular model system for studying mechanisms of pX-mediated oncogenesis.     

Association of vitamin D receptor polymorphisms with osteoporosis in mexican postmenopausal women

It has been reported that Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms are associated with osteoporosis, particularly those demonstrated by the BsmI and FokI restriction enzymes. Herein we report the results of a case-control study performed in postmenopausal Mexican women. We studied 65 osteoporotic women (< or = -2.5 SD bone mineral density [BMD] of young normal females) and 57 controls (over 90% > or = -1.5 SD BMD of young normal females. Restriction enzymes BsmI and FokI were used to identify polymorphisms. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and analysis was performed controlling for age as a covariate. The BsmI genotypes revealed a higher frequency of the bb genotype in cases than in controls, contradicting much of the literature that suggests this genotype protects females against osteoporosis. Regarding the FokI genotypes, we were unable to confirm that the FF genotype has a protective effect against osteoporosis. The inconsistencies found in the literature and the results obtained in the present work suggest to us that other genetic and nongenetic factors are involved in the occurrence of osteoporosis, confounding the results of the possible association of osteoporosis and VDR polymorphisms.     

Endoscopic subperiosteal browlift and facelift

The subperiosteal facelift is an excellent technique for remodeling particularly the central third of the face. The endoscope has allowed us to perform rejuvenation of the upper face or the total face without incisional scars. On the other hand, the introduction of the endoscopic techniques to the biplanar surgery allowed us to perform the deep dissection with more safety and accuracy and to eliminate or decrease some of the undesirable sequelae of the traditional approaches such as the numbness on the forehead beyond the hairline or scalp incisions. In the lower face, the endoscopic techniques allowed us to protect the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve, and, on the neck, these techniques allowed us to perform a very accurate subplatysma dissection. The endoscope has allowed us to create a new technique for facial rejuvenation that can be equal to and perhaps in some cases even more versatile than other traditional, nonendoscopic approaches. In this way, we can tailor the operative procedure to the patient's needs rather than to give one type of operation to every patient that walks in for an office consultation. It will become imperative to outline the indications, contraindications, and limitations of each variation and to determine the appropriate role of the endoscope in facial rejuvenation. Only then will we better serve our colleagues and our patients.     

Blocking of protein pancreatic secretion by maximal secretion infusion in the dog

In conscious chronic gastric and pancreatic fistula dogs (Thomas cannula), secretin was perfused for three hours with a submaximal (GIH, 1.0 C.U./kg.) and a maximal dose (GIH, 8.0 c.u./kg.), according to the following schedule: 1. First hour submaximal stimulus; 2. second hour maximal stimulus; 3. third hour submaximal stimulus. The alkaline and protein components of pancreatic secretion were analyzed in 20-minute sample collections thoughout the three hours. The same protocol was followed in anesthetized dogs subjected to a mind line laparotomy. A biopsy of the pancreatic gland was taken before (control) and at the end of each perfused dose. The secretion showed a significant increase of protein concentration and output when passing from the maximal to the last submaximal secretin perfusion dose. These findings correlated well with the piling up of zymogen and prozymogen granules in the apical zone of the acinar cells during maximal secretin perfusion, with their subsequent discharge into the acinar lumen upon abrupt reversal to the initial secretin submaximal dose. The study confirms that secretin influences pancreatic protein secretion and indicates in addition, that pharmacologic doses of the hormone, have the capacity to block acinar cell zymogen granule release.     

Microprocessor-based portable system for heart condition diagnosis

Early diagnosis of heart disease is typically based on a cassette recording of the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal which is then studied and analysed using a microcomputer. The system is bulky, unreliable and prone to mechanical failure. This paper presents the design and implementation of a compact microprocessor-based portable system used for heart condition diagnosis over a long period. The system reads, stores and analyses the ECG signals repetitively in real time for a specified period. The diagnostic data and samples of ECG signals are stored throughout the test period. The system hardware and software design are oriented towards a single-chip microcomputer-based system, hence minimizing size. The operating algorithm is based on a logical approach to ECG signal diagnosis and hence requires little memory.     

Incisional hernia after laparoscopic nephrectomy with intact specimen removal: caveat emptor

The choline-containing phosphoglycolipid, MfGL-II, is the major polar lipid of Mycoplasma fermentans PG18. Anti-MfGL-II antisera raised in rabbits using the purified MfGL-II as an immunogen were employed in immunogold electron microscopic and immunofluorescence studies showing that MfGL-II is uniformly distributed and exposed on the cell surface of M. fermentans cells. The specificity of the antibodies was determined by immunostaining of lipid extracts separated by thin layer chromatography. The antibodies recognize lipids specific to M. fermentans but did not cross-react with lipid extracts of M. penetrans, M. capricolum, M. gallisepticum or Acholeplasma laidlawii. As phosphocholine almost completely abolished antibody interaction with MfGL-II in an ELISA assay it is suggested that the anti-MfGL-II repertoire is composed primarily of anti-phosphocholine antibodies. The anti-MfGL-II antisera inhibit the attachment of M. fermentans to Molt-3 lymphocytes suggesting that MfGL-II plays a major role in M. fermentans-host cell interaction.     

The seasonal characteristics of the course of abdominal typhus

Seasonal fluctuations were studied in the incidence of characteristic abdominal fever symptoms, such as headache, insomnia, asthenia, skin pallor, roseolous eruptions, protracted fever, drop in blood pressure, relative bradycardia, dicrotia, typhoid tongue, enlargement of the liver and spleen, meteorism, constipation, palpable crepitation in the right iliac region, manifest leucopenia. Some symptoms occurred with almost equal frequency in different seasons of the year. In adults, severity of some typhoid symptoms was the greatest, duration the longest, degree the highest in spring, followed, in decreasing rank order by autumn > summer > winter; in children: spring > summer > autumn > winter.