Human catalase is imported and assembled in peroxisomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

To study the conservation of peroxisomal targeting signals, we have determined the intracellular localization of human peroxisomal catalase when expressed in yeast. Using immunofluorescence, differential centrifugation and immunoelectron microscopy, we show that the protein is targeted to the peroxisomes of the heterologous cell and assembled in its active tetrameric form. These data show the conservation of the catalase targeting signal and import specificity between human and yeast peroxisomes.     

Nodular and granulomatous form of periarteritis nodosa caused by the hepatitis B virus

Human herpesvirus type 6 DNA derived from human breath was discovered to contaminate PCR reactions during routine reaction preparation. Parallel PCR experiments were conducted in which expiratory secretions were blocked by a surgical mask, while others were performed without any attempt to circumvent respiratory contamination. The experimenter was previously determined to harbor HHV-6 DNA in the saliva. All reactions in which expiration was obstructed were negative for HHV-6 DNA via PCR. Reactions in which there was no attempt to obstruct respiratory secretions were positive for HHV-6 DNA. These data suggest that PCR assays investigating the presence of HHV-6 may be highly susceptible to contamination from the experimenter leading to false positive results.     

Wound infection: a physician's perspective

Infection in a wound represents a colony count of 10(5) or greater. Contamination is the presence of many surface organisms. Moist wound healing, not dehydration, protects and prepares the wound for coverage and closure. Relief of pain is a critical factor in achieving healing: a biological or pharmaceutical device can achieve protection and facilitate healing.     

Iodine-123 labelled nor-beta-CIT binds to the serotonin transporter in vivo as assessed by biodistribution studies in rats

Flavobacterium aurantiacum NRRL B-184 possesses the ability to degrade aflatoxin B1 in solution and in several food items. Aflatoxin B1 is a potent carcinogen that causes significant economic losses to the agricultural and food industry. The role of trace metal ions (Cu2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, and Co2+) were studied in an effort to understand the enzymatic system involved in aflatoxin B1 degradation by F aurantiacum. The effect of divalent chelators (EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline [OPT]) in the presence of the trace metal ions was studied as well. Aflatoxin B1 (10 microg/ml) was added to 72-h cultures of F aurantiacum that had been washed and resuspended in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). HPLC was used to determine aflatoxin B1 concentration in these cultures. Incubating cells at 30 degrees C with 1 and 10 mM Cu2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ significantly decreased aflatoxin B degradation after 4 and 24 h (P < 0.05). Decreased degradation was also observed with 1 and 10 mM Cu2+ and Zn2+ after 48 h and with 0.1 mM Cu2+ after 24 and 48 h. Co2+ did not have a significant effect on aflatoxin B1 degradation. EDTA and OPT did not counter the inhibition in the presence of Cu2+. The addition of 1 mM EDTA countered the inhibition by 1 mM Mn2+ after 4 and 24 h, but 1 mM OPT did not counter the inhibition by 10 mM Mn2+ after 4 and 24 h. OPT countered the inhibition by 1 mM Zn2+ after 4 and 48 h. These trace elements inhibit aflatoxin B1 degradation by F aurantiacum. In addition, their presence necessitates higher concentrations (>1 mM) of EDTA and OPT for the removal of their inhibitory effect.     

Synthesis and characterization of block copolymers from D,L-lactide and poly(tetramethylene ether glycol)

The copolymer from D ,L -lactide and poly(tetramethyene ether glycol) (PTMG) was prepared in bulk with an isotributyl aluminum–water–phosphoric acid complex catalyst as the initiator and characterized by H-NMR, GPC, and DSC. The effects of the temperature and the amount of PTMG on the polymerization rate and the molecular weight of copolymers were studied. The behavior of the degradation and delivery rate of Levonorgestrel microspheres in vitro was observed. The results show that the degradation and the delivery rate can be controlled by adjusting the molar rate of hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments of the copolymer © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Descriptive epidemiology of childhood cancers in Bangalore, India

While fairly complete and reliable incident data on childhood cancers are available from the registries in India, mortality and survival information is not. Information concerning the latter was obtained by the Bangalore cancer registry through active follow-up involving visits to homes of patients. Between 1982 and 1989, 617 cases of cancers in childhood were registered, giving an age-standardized incidence rate of 84.8 and 48.4 per million in male and female children, respectively. Active follow-up provided mortality/survival information in 532 or 86.2 percent of these cases. Overall, observed five-year survival was 36.8 percent (both genders combined) with a relative survival of 37.5 percent when childhood mortality in the general population was taken into account. The five-year relative survival was best for thyroid carcinoma (100 percent) followed by Hodgkin's disease (73 percent) and retinoblastoma (72.9 percent). Survival was comparatively low, being 9.9 percent in acute nonlymphatic leukemia and less than 20 percent in rhabdomyosarcoma and the category grouped as 'other malignant neoplasms.' Survival in Hodgkin's disease was influenced by clinical stage at presentation, but was not statistically significant possibly due to small numbers.     

Gastric antrectomy with selective gastric vagotomy does not influence gallbladder motility during interdigestive and postprandial periods

Fasting gastrointestinal motility and gallbladder motility during the interdigestive state and in the postprandial period was studied in eight patients who were operated for ulcer disease with an antrectomy and selective gastric vagotomy. Nocturnal motility recording revealed all three phases of the migrating motor complex (MMC) in all but one patient, where no phase III activity was recorded. In the rest of the patients 3-10 events with phase III activity were recorded. At scintigraphy ([75Se]HCAT) a cyclic gallbladder filling and emptying in relation to the MMC cycle was found. Episodes with emptying were confined to phase II and a total of 13 episodes with a median duration of 25 min (range 10-70 min) were observed. A median of 10.7% (6.1-17.7%) of the gallbladder contents was emptied. In a control group of eight healthy young men the values were 13.5 min (9-36 min) and 6.9% (3.7-31.1%), respectively. These differences were not significant. During the postprandial period, a lag period in gallbladder emptying of median 15 min (5-20 min) was observed when food ingestion took place during phase I of the MMC. Thereafter a gradual emptying occurred with a rate of 0.95% min (0.71-1.15%/min). In a control group of healthy young males, the lag period was 13.5 min (9-22.5 min) and the emptying rate 0.61%/min (0.08-0.77%/min). When food ingestion occurred during phase II of the MMC, the lag period of gallbladder emptying in the patient group was median 0 min (0-5 min) and the emptying rate was 0.77%/min (0.33-0.86%/min). The values in the control group were 0 min (-9 to 13.5 min) and 0.76%/min (0.54-2.25%/min), respectively. These differences between the patients and controls were not significant. In conclusion, antrectomy and selective gastric vagotomy do not influence fasting gastrointestinal motility or gallbladder motility during the interdigestive state or in the postprandial period.     

Prevalence and role of anticardiolipin antibodies in Crohn disease

OBJECTIVES: Anticardiolipin antibodies belong to the group of antiphospholid antibodies, and may be seen in association with endothelial damage and recurrent vascular thrombosis. The aim of our study was to determine in patients with Crohn's disease the frequency of anticardiolipin antibodies, and to correlate their presence with clinical activity and treatment of the disease. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight sera from patients with Crohn's disease and 118 from age-matched controls were tested for IgG anticardiolipin antibodies. In the Crohn's disease group, we determined whether the patients had a past history of vascular thrombosis, a clinically active intestinal disease, or a current immunosuppressive therapy (steroids or azathioprine). RESULTS: Anticardiolipin antibodies were found significantly more often in patients with Crohn's disease than in controls: 11.0% versus 2.5%, P < 0.02. Three patients with Crohn's disease had a past history of vascular thrombosis, but none of them had anticardiolipin antibodies. The presence of anticardiolipin antibodies was not correlated with the fact that patients had a clinically active disease (P = 0.77), or a current immunosuppressive therapy at the time of the serological test (P = 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significantly high prevalence of patients with anticardiolipin antibodies during Crohn's disease. The positivity of the test does not seem to be correlated to the existence of a past history of vascular thrombosis, nor to the clinical activity of the disease.     

Ion microbeam radiation system

An ion microbeam radiation test system has been built for studying radiation-induced charge collection and single event upsets in advanced semiconductor circuits. With this system, it is possible to direct an ion beam of a diameter as small as 1 μm onto a circuit or test structure with a placement accuracy of 1 μm. The components of the system and its operation are described. Applications are described which demonstrate the capabilities of the system