Parathyroidectomy reduces 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1 alpha-hydroxylase activity in the hypocalcemic vitamin D-deficient chick

To test the hypothesis that in the vitamin D-deficient state the activity of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1 alpha-hydroxylase (25-OHD3-1 alpha-hydroxylase) is modulated by parathyroid hormone and the plasma concentration of phosphate only in the presence of small amounts of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (or some other metabolite of vitamin D), we measured the activity of this enzyme 24 h after parathyroidectomy (PTX) in frankly hypocalcemic, vitamin D-deficient chicks that were not supplemented with vitamin D or one of its metabolites. The otherwise predictable complications of PTX in this metabolic setting (hypocalcemia of increasing severity, tetany, moribundity, and death) were prevented by continuous intravenous administration of calcium (as a solution of calcium chloride/calcium gluconate 1:1) through a catheter in the external jugular vein placed at the time of PTX. The findings were as follows: (a) The activity of 25-OHD3-1 alpha-hydroxylase was significantly less in the parathyroidectomized group than in the sham-operated control chicks (P less than 0.001). (b) The reductive effect of PTX on the activity of this enzyme was significantly attenuated when hypophosphatemia was increased in severity by administration of glucose. (c) In the post-PTX state the activity of 25-OHD3-1 alpha-hydroxylase and plasma concentration of phosphate were significantly, inversely related (P less than 0.001). (d) In the sham-operated control group the activity of this enzyme and the plasma concentration of phosphate were not significantly correlated. These findings indicate that in the vitamin D-deficient state, both circulating parathyroid hormone and the plasma concentration of phosphate can significantly modulate the activity of 25-OHD3-1 alpha-hydroxylase in the absence of vitamin D or its metabolites. The findings also suggest that in the vitamin D-deficient state the plasma concentration of phosphate modulates the activity of this enzyme only when the concentration of circulating parathyroid hormone is not increased.     

Long-term and short-term plasticity in the CA1, CA3, and dentate regions of the rat hippocampal slice

Subregions of the rat hippocampal slice were investigated in relation to (a) the presence of long-term potentiation and (b) responsiveness to low-frequency stimulation. Long-term potentiation was observed in CA1, CA3 and dentate. The effect occasionally lasted up to 6 h, developed gradually, and depended upon repeated low-frequency tetani for maximal effect. To low-frequency monosynaptic stimulation, areas CA3 and CA1 exhibit response facilitation whereas the dentate gyrus exhibits response depression. Reponsiveness in all areas was influenced by stimulus frequency. Recovery was rapid in all areas.     

Rapid identification of Bacteroides gingivalis

Rapid colorimetric tests for trypsin and alpha-glucosidase are described for use in the identification of Bacteroides gingivalis from dental plaque.     

Early intermediates in the folding of dihydrofolate reductase from Escherichia coli detected by hydrogen exchange and NMR

The kinetic folding mechanism for Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase postulates two distinct types of transient intermediates. The first forms within 5 ms and has substantial secondary structure but little stability. The second is a set of four species that appear over the course of several hundred milliseconds and have secondary structure, specific tertiary structure, and significant stability (Jennings PA, Finn BE, Jones BE, Matthews CR, 1993, Biochemistry 32:3783-3789). Pulse labeling hydrogen exchange experiments were performed to determine the specific amide hydrogens in alpha-helices and beta-strands that become protected from exchange through the formation of stable hydrogen bonds during this time period. A significant degree of protection was observed for two subsets of the amide hydrogens within the dead time of this experiment (6 ms). The side chains of one subset form a continuous nonpolar strip linking six of the eight strands in the beta-sheet. The other subset corresponds to a nonpolar cluster on the opposite face of the sheet and links three of the strands and two alpha-helices. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the complex strand topology of this eight-stranded sheet can be formed correctly within 6 ms. Measurement of the protection factors at three different folding times (13 ms, 141 ms, and 500 ms) indicates that, of the 13 amide hydrogens displaying significant protection within 6 ms, 8 exhibit an increase in their protection factors from approximately 5 to approximately 50 over this time range; the remaining five exhibit protection factors > 100 at 13 ms. Only approximately half of the population of molecules form this set of stable hydrogen bonds. Thirteen additional hydrogens in the beta-sheet become protected from exchange as the set of native conformers appear, suggesting that the stabilization of this network reflects the global cooperativity of the folding reaction.     

Prevalence of Fasciola infection among school children in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

This study was performed on 1350 school children from 9 different villages in Sharkia Governorate to investigate the real situation of endemicity of fascioliasis in the area. Stool examination using modified Kato thick smear method was performed to detect Fasciola infection and other parasites. Those with negative stool samples were examined serologically by ELISA test to detect anti-Fasciola IgG. All cases with positive anti-Fasciola IgG were further examined by circum-oval precipitin test (COPT) against viable S. mansoni eggs to exclude the crossly reacted Schistosoma infections. Sixty nine cases were found to pass Fasciola eggs in their stool samples (5.1%). Anti-Fasciola IgG was detected in the sera of 231 children (17.1%) using ELISA test. Eighty four out of the 231 children were found positive by COPT and were considered as schistosomal cases. The remaining 147 who gave negative COPT were considered as Fasciola infections. All of the 69 Fasciola positive stool cases were found positive by ELISA test and negative by COPT test. The sensitivity of stool analysis was 47% versus 100% sensitivity of ELISA, whereas the specificity of ELISA was 63%. The total number of Fasciola positive cases by ELISA and stool analysis were 147 cases among 1350 children indicating a prevalence of 10.9% among school children in Sharkia Governorate. This results highlighting the importance of health education and snail control in decreasing the high prevalence.