Photoageing-associated mitochondrial DNA length mutations in human skin

It has recently been suggested that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations are important contributors to human ageing and degenerative diseases. Using PCR techniques, we demonstrated three types of mtDNA length mutations, a 4977 bp deletion, a 7436 bp deletion and tandem duplications, in normal human skin tissues. We found that these mutations started to appear in the third decade of life, and the age at which the mutations could be detected in sun-exposed skin was usually younger than in non-exposed skin. Moreover, the incidences of these deletions and tandem duplications of mtDNA in sun-exposed skin were all significantly higher than those in non-exposed skin (P < 0.05). The 4977 bp deletion was the most prevalant mtDNA mutation in human skin, and the 7436 bp deletion was the least frequent among the three types of mtDNA mutations examined. We first demonstrated the existence of tandem duplications with sizes of about 260 bp, 200 bp and 150 bp in the D-loop region of mtDNA in the skin of elderly individuals. Among the three tandem duplications, the 200-bp duplication was found to occur most frequently in ageing skin. The tandem duplications were found to coexist with either or both of the deletions in some elderly individuals. The frequency of occurrence of mtDNA deletions and tandem duplications in skin was found to increase in an age-dependent manner. However, the incidence of tandem duplications was not well correlated with the age of the subject.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Advanced renal cell carcinoma: treatment with xenogeneic immune ribonucleic acid and appropriate surgical resection

Herein we describe the first clinical treatment of renal cell carcinoma in humans with xenogeneic immune ribonucleic acid. Twelve patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma have been treated by appropriate operations to remove tumor bulk followed by specific passive immunotherapy. Xenogeneic specific immune ribonucleic acid was prepared from the spleen of normal sheep that had received 4 weekly injections of a homogenate of renal cell carcinoma. Results indicate that 1) xenogeneic specific immune ribonucleic acid can safely be given to humans without local or systemic toxicity, 2) there is a suggestion of clinical benefit, since only 2 patients have had progression of known metastases during treatment with immune ribonucleic acid and 3) xenogeneic immune ribonucleic acid can enhance the immune response to renal cell carcinoma, as demonstrated by in vitro lymphocytoxicity tests.     

An axial-emission self-modulating ion gauge

An axial-emission self-modulating ultra-high vacuum ion gauge (AESMG) based on developments of the axial-emission ion gauge (AEG) is described. The self-modulation technique used in AESMG operates by means of changing the potential of the collector. The AESMG has some advantages such as rather high sensitivity, simplicity of structure and the modulating coefficient of soft X-ray photocurrent is almost equal to unity. The limiting measurable pressure of AESMG is about 2 × 10^?12 torr.     

Affinity capillary electrophoresis in biomolecular recognition

Affinity capillary electrophoresis is a new method for studies of biomolecular recognition. Applications reported in the literature include chiral separation of racemic biomolecules, measurement of binding constants, estimation of kinetic on- and off-rate constants, determination of binding stoichiometries (a useful tool in examining electrostatic interactions), estimation of effective charges and molecular weights of proteins, characterization of enzymatic activities and library screening for tight-binding drug candidates in solution. This technique demands only small amounts of sample (nanolitre injection volumes, picograms of proteins), involves no radiolabelled materials or chemically immobilized ligands, and does not require changes in spectroscopic characteristics upon binding. This paper reviews the most recent applications of affinity capillary electrophoresis and its use in the analysis of biomolecules.     

Comparison of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates by polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting and ribotyping

AIM: To determine reproducibility and accuracy of the Nikon Retinomax autorefractor when used with children who were made cycloplegic. METHODS: Autorefraction and retinoscopy or subjectively refined retinoscopy (where, under the patient's direction, the refraction was varied until the best visual acuity was achieved) were performed on the right eye of 47 children, age 11-93 months. Autorefraction was performed using the Nikon Retinomax, which provides up to eight measured values of refractive error and one representative measurement of refractive error. RESULTS: Autorefractor measurements were successfully obtained from 7/9 children age 3 years or younger, and from all older children. Vector methods were used to calculate differences. Retinomax reproducibility averaged 0.43 D. Unbiased Retinomax and retinoscopy measurements differed by an average of 0.82 D. Unbiased Retinomax and subjectively refined retinoscopy differed by an average of 1.03 D. CONCLUSIONS: Reproducibility of Retinomax measured values in children is comparable with reproducibility of retinoscopy, subjective refraction, and autorefraction measurements in adults. Agreement between Retinomax and retinoscopy and agreement between Retinomax and subjective refinement in children is comparable with agreement between autorefraction and subjective refraction in adults. The study indicates that the Retinomax is a useful instrument for measuring refractive errors in young children.     

Torsion of a malignant undescended testis

Cryptorchid testis have a greater risk of malignant change than do normally descended testis. The undescended testis would also be susceptible to torsion by the mechanism of increase in testicular size. A 36-year-old man of torsion of malignant undescended testis is presented. He was diagnosed as having incarcerated inguinal hernia on his first visit to general surgeon due to acute left lower abdominal pain. At laparotomy, a 7.5 x 5.5 x 3.0 cm3, greyish tan color mass was found. The pathological diagnosis is choricarcinoma and teratoma, mixed germ cell tumor. We would emphasise that in any patient presenting with acute abdominal symptoms and an absent scrotal testis, the possibility of a complication of torsion of undescended testis should be considered.     

The accumulation of P-element-induced recombinants in the germline of male Drosophila melanogaster

P-element-induced recombination in Drosophila melanogaster occurs premeiotically. Recombinants are therefore expected to accumulate in the stem cells of the germline of P-element-carrying males. We show that both the recombination frequency and the incidence of "clustering" increase with the age of males carrying various P-element derivatives. The combination of end-deleted elements can lead to average recombination frequencies >50% with individual instances of 100% recombination. These elements also lowered the fertility of the carriers. We investigated these features by constructing an analytical and a computer simulation model of the course of events in the germline, incorporating the recently proposed hybrid element insertion (HEI) model of P-element activity. The model is able to predict extreme recombination levels, segregation ratio biases and lowered fertility through cell death in a single analysis.