Connection between the group factors of the blood systems ABO, MNSs, and rhesus and peculiarities of the vaccination process in children immunized against smallpox

The ahthors present new data on the character of the vaccine process in children associated with the characteristics of the blood group ABO, MNSs and Rh systems. The greater frequency of occurrence and more manifest reactions were noted in children with blood groups A, B, AB, M and Rho (D) - in comparison with those having blood groups O, Rho (D) +, MN and N. There was a significant prevalence of chromosomal aberrations in the primarily immunized children with blood groups A in comparison with groups O, B and AB. The data obtained pointed to the negative effect of the mimi-rating antigens of the smallpox virus on the immunogenesis in smallpox. Search for methods of releasing the vaccine of these antigens is necessary for reduction of the reactogenic properties and increase of immunogenecity of the smallpox vaccines.     

The use of a new strain of Vibrio cholerae O139 as a producer of an enteric chemical vaccine

Amalgam remains unchallenged as a posterior restorative material. But its inability to bond to the teeth leads to some amount of microleakage at the restoration-tooth interface with associated problems such as post operative sensitivity, pulpal complications etc. Also a broken amalgam restoration requires replacement which will further weaken the tooth structure. Recently, 4-META has been introduced which can graft amalgam and composite to enamel, dentin and old amalgam restorations. In this study, the bonding and marginal sealing abilities of 4-META was assessed both at the tooth-amalgam interface and old amalgam fresh amalgam interface.     

Care of patients with epilepsy in the community: will new initiatives address old problems?

Epilepsy is a serious neurological condition that has important medical, psychological and social consequences. Up to 90% of patients with epilepsy are not under hospital supervision at any one time; the role of the general practitioner is therefore of central importance. There seems little doubt that community care of people with epilepsy must be improved. This article reviews the research findings on the quality of care of people with epilepsy, examines the barriers to effective community care, and looks at local and national initiatives to improve the care of patients with epilepsy in the community. Finally, the review considers how care can best be provided in an efficient, effective and acceptable manner within the resources of present day general practice. A patient-centred model is proposed that would tailor care to the needs of the individual patient.     

Low-temperature femtosecond-resolution transient absorption spectroscopy of large-scale symmetry mutants of bacterial reaction centers

Reaction centers isolated from three large-scale symmetry mutants sym0, sym2-1, and sym5-2 described in the previous article of this issue [Taguchi, A. K. W., Eastman, J. E., Gallo, D. M., Jr., Sheagley, E.. Xiao, W., & Woodbury, N. W. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 3175-3186] have been investigated by low-temperature ground state and ferntosecond-resolution transient absorption spectroscopy. All three of these large-scale symmetry mutants undergo electron transfer at 20 K. The mutants sym0 and sym5-2 have yields and dominant rates of charge separation comparable to wild type. However. the sym2-mutant shows a roughly 35%, quantum yield at this temperature, and the major kinetic component of the initial electron transfer is slower than wild type by nearly a factor of 100. The sym0 mutant showed substantial changes in the monomer bacteriochiorophyll ground state and transient spectra, and both sym0 sym2-1 showed changes in the bacteriopheophyll ground state and transient spectra. In particular, sym2-1 shows a small absorbance decrease in the region of the Qx band of the B side bacteriopheophytin which could be attributed to 10%-20% electron transfer along the B pathway.     

Pain processing in four regions of human cingulate cortex localized with co-registered PET and MR imaging

Neurosurgical and positron emission tomography (PET) human studies and animal electrophysiological studies show that part of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is nociceptive. Since the contribution of the ACC to pain processing is poorly understood, this study employed PET and magnetic resonance (MR) image co-registration in grouped and individual cases to locate regions of altered relative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Seven right-handed, neurologically intact males were subjects; each received neuropsychological and pain threshold testing. Subjects were scanned during infusion of H2[15O]: four randomized scans during innocuous heat stimulation to the back of the left hand and four scans during noxious but bearable heat to the same place. The averaged rCBF values during innocuous stimuli were subtracted from those during noxious stimuli and statistical parametric maps (SPMs) for the group were computed to identify regions of altered relative rCBF. Finally, single-subject PET images of elevated and reduced rCBF were co-registered with MR images and projected onto reconstructions of the medial surface of the hemisphere. The SPM analysis of the group showed one site with elevated rCBF in the midcingulate cortex and one in the perigenual cortex predominantly contralateral to the side of stimulation. There were bilateral sites of reduced rCBF in the cingulofrontal transitional cortex and in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Co-registered PET and MR images for individuals showed that only one case had a single, large region of elevated rCBF, while the others had a number of smaller regions. Six cases had at least one significant elevation of rCBF in the right hemisphere that primarily involved area 24b'; five of these cases also had an elevation in area 32', while the seventh case had elevated rCBF in these areas in the left hemisphere. The rostral site of elevated rCBF in the group was at the border of areas 24/24' and areas 32/32' although most cases had a site of elevation more rostral in the perigenual cingulate cortex. The ACC site of reduced rCBF was in areas 8 and 32 and that in the PCC included much of areas 29/30 in the callosal sulcus, areas 23b and 31 on the cingulate gyral surface and parietal area 7m. The localization of relative rCBF changes suggests different roles for the cingulate cortex in pain processing: (i) elevated rCBF in area 24' may be involved in response selection like nocifensive reflex inhibition; (ii) activation of the perigenual cortex may participate in affective responses to noxious stimuli like suffering associated with pain; and (iii) reduced rCBF in areas 8 and 32 may enhance pain perception in the perigenual cortex, while that in the PCC may disengage visually guided processes.     

Cell cycle-dependent cytotoxicity, G2/M phase arrest, and disruption of p34cdc2/cyclin B1 activity induced by doxorubicin in synchronized P388 cells

We studied the effect of doxorubicin (Dox) on cell cycle progression and its correlation with DNA damage and cytotoxicity in p53-mutant P388 cells. P388 cells synchronized in S and G2/M phases were > 3-fold more sensitive to Dox than were cells in G1 phase (Dox ID50 = 0.50 +/- 0.16 microM in cells synchronized in S phase versus 1.64 +/- 0.12 microM in asynchronized cells; drug exposure, 1 hr). Treatment of synchronized cells in early S phase with 1 microM Dox (2 x ID50) for 1 hr induced a marked cell arrest at G2/M phase at 6-12 hr after drug incubation. We then studied the effect of Dox on the p34cdc2/cyclin B1 complex because it plays a key role in regulating G2/M phase transition. In untreated control P388 cells, p34cdc2 kinase localizes in the nucleus and cytoplasms, particularly in the centrosomes, and p34cdc2 kinase activity is dependent on cell cycle progression, with the enzyme activity increasing steadily from G1/S to G2/M and markedly declining thereafter. Treatment of synchronized P388 cells in early S phase with 1 microM Dox for 1 hr did not affect the pattern of subcellular distribution of the enzyme but completely abrogated its function for > or = 10 hr. In a cell-free system, Dox did not inhibit p34cdc2 kinase activity, indicating that is has no direct effect on the enzyme function. In whole cells, Dox treatment prevented p34cdc2 kinase dephosphorylation without altering its synthesis, and this effect was due to neither down-regulation of cdc25C nor inhibition of protein-tyrosine phosphatase activity. In contrast, Dox treatment was found to induced cyclin B1 accumulation as a result of stimulating its synthesis and inhibiting its degradation. A good correlation was found between extent of DNA double-strand breaks and p34cdc2 kinase activity inhibition. Our results suggest that anthracycline-induced cytotoxicity is cell cycle dependent and is mediated, at least in part, by disturbance of the regulation of p34cdc2/cyclin B1 complex, thus leading to G2/M phase arrest.     

Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: Part XV

Alcoholics extracts of 266 botanically identified plant materials from 222 plant species have been tested for various biological activities including chemotherapeutic and pharmacological screenings. Biological activities have been observed in 89 extracts. Follow-up studies have been carried out in some plants with confirmed activity. The active principles and results of these studies are reported.