Actin and fimbrin are required for the internalization step of endocytosis in yeast

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, alpha-factor is internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis and transported via vesicular intermediates to the vacuole where the pheromone is degraded. Using beta-tubulin and actin mutant strains, we showed that actin plays a direct role in receptor-mediated internalization of alpha-factor, but is not necessary for transport from the endocytic intermediates to the vacuole. beta-tubulin mutant strains showed no defect in these processes. In addition, cells lacking the actin-binding protein, Sac6p, which is the yeast fimbrin homologue, are defective for internalization of alpha-factor suggesting that actin filament bundling might be required for this step. The actin dependence of endocytosis shows some interesting similarities to endocytosis from the apical membrane in polarized mammalian cells.     

Westernized food habits and concentrations of serum lipids in the Japanese

It has recently been reported that there exists a new 'RING-finger' protein family among the zinc-finger (Zf) proteins. Previously, we had isolated the mouse Mel-18 cDNA (mMel-18) encoding the nuclear RING-finger protein that exhibits an ability to bind to a nonspecific DNA column. Here, we have isolated and characterized the human Mel-18 cDNA (hMel-18) using the mMel-18 cDNA as a probe. The deduced hMel-18 protein contains 344 amino acids (38 kDa) with a RING-finger motif, a helix-loop-helix (HLH)-like structure and a Pro/Ser-rich region. The hMel-18 gene is conserved among vertebrates. Its mRNA is highly expressed in placenta, lung and kidney, but the level is low in liver, pancreas and skeletal muscle. Using in situ hybridization, we mapped hMel-18 to band q22 of chromosome 12. It is possible that the Mel-18/bmi-1 gene family represents a mammalian homologue of the Drosophila polycomb gene group.     

Long-term immunity to poliovirus in children immunized with live attenuated and enhanced-potency inactivated trivalent poliovirus vaccines

Eighty-six children who completed immunization with the two trivalent poliovirus vaccines, live attenuated (OPV) and enhanced potency inactivated (EIPV), in one of four schedules (OPV-OPV-OPV, EIPV-EIPV-EIPV, EIPV-OPV-OPV, and EIPV-EIPV-OPV) at 1 year of age were monitored serologically over the subsequent 4 years and challenged with OPV at 5 years of age. Each of the immunization groups exhibited an initial 10- to 100-fold decline in neutralizing antibody to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 during the first 2 years of follow-up; thereafter antibody titers stabilized. The EIPV-EIPV-OPV group maintained the highest antibody levels throughout the observation period, including the response to OPV challenge at 5 years of age. These data suggest that immunization with OPV, EIPV, and combinations of the two vaccines confers long-term immunity. Optimal systemic immunity was associated with two or more doses of EIPV.     

Imaging of follicular dendritic cell tumours of the liver

Follicular dendritic cell tumour of the liver is a recently recognized entity. To date, only two cases have been described, both in the pathology literature. Histologically, it resembles an inflammatory pseudotumour and immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies are required for its diagnosis. The ultrasound, computed tomography and angiographic features of two cases of follicular dendritic cell tumour of the liver are described in detail. One of the patients had multiple recurrences of this tumour. The imaging features are very similar to those of hepatocellular carcinoma. As follicular dendritic cell tumour is considered to be of low-grade malignant potential, in contrast to the dismal prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma, it is important to be able to accurately distinguish between the two types of tumour prior to initiating definitive therapy.     

The Smoking Consequences Questionnaire-Adult: Measurement of smoking outcome expectancies of experienced smokers.

The original Smoking Consequences Questionnaire (SCQ; T. H. Brandon & T. B. Baker, 1991) measured college students' outcome expectancies for cigarette smoking. A version (SCQ-Adult) was needed for assessing expectancies in more typical, older, nicotine-dependent smokers. Two separate versions of the SCQ were developed and compared. Tests of construct validity provided greater support for the version comprising probability items over the version comprising subjective expected utility items. As expected, principal components analyses revealed a greater number of factors than the original SCQ suggesting that expectancies become more specific with smoking experience. All scales showed good reliability. Over the course of smoking cessation treatment, expectancies became less positive, especially for abstaining participants. Other validity tests also tended to be consistent with research on alcohol expectancies and with contemporary models of drug outcome expectancies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The future of health care reform: Implications of 1994 elections.

The Republicans took control of both houses of Congress in November of 1994 for the 1st time in 42 yrs. Although the magnitude of the Clinton Administration's proposed Health Security Act may well have triggered fears of overcontrol, it is clear that the delivery of psychological care will be changed dramatically by the combined forces of federal and state health reform. R. J. Resnick, President of the American Psychological Association, has appointed the Task Force on Education and Training for Work in Organized Delivery Systems to look at how psychological health care is provided in the new and evolving systems, and to examine how current training programs prepare new psychologists to practice in and around organized health care systems. Dr. Resnick is similarly concerned about standardization of training, training in nontraditional areas of competence, and increased federal recognition and funding of training in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of gold doping on the superconducting critical temperature and transition width in single-crystal YBa2Cu3Oδ (YBCO)

Single-crystal YBa₂Cu₃O_?δ (YBCO) has been made with some of the copper atoms in the copper-oxygen chains replaced by gold. The samples were made by a flux method. The gold concentration was determined by EDX (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) as a function of the nominal (i.e., flux) composition. Up to about 4.8% of all the copper atoms can be replaced by gold. The effect of the gold doping on the superconducting transition temperature (T _c ) and the transition width (ΔT _c ) were determined.     

Interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 inhibit antigen presentation by Langerhans cells for T helper type 1 cells by suppressing their CD80 (B7-1) expression

CD80(B7-1) and CD86(B7-2) co-stimulatory molecules have been reported to activate Th1/Th2 development pathways differentially. It is well known that Langerhans cells (LC), potent antigen-presenting dendritic cells in the epidermis, express several co-stimulatory molecules and that this expression is modulated by several cytokines. Based on the recently reported effect of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL-)-10 on the expression of CD80 and CD86 by LC, we examined the effects of these cytokines on the expression of CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) and CD40 in addition to CD80 and CD86 on LC, and correlated the expression of each co-stimulatory molecule with antigen presentation for a Th1 clone by cultured LC (cLC) treated with these cytokines. LC cultured for 72 h significantly up-regulated MHC class II antigen expression and all the co-stimulatory molecules were examined. As previously reported, IL-10 or IFN-gamma inhibited the up-regulation of CD80 expression. Granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) partially restored the suppression of CD80 expression induced by IFN-gamma on cultured LC, while it had virtually no effect on the inhibition induced by IL-10. Antigen presentation for the myoglobin-specific syngeneic Th1 clone by cLC, which were pre-incubated with these cytokines, correlated well with their CD80 expression. In addition, among the antibodies for CD80, CD86, CD28 or CD40, the suppression of the Th1 clone stimulation by LC was found to occur only with anti-CD80 and anti-CD28 antibodies. Finally, we studied the effects of IFN-gamma and IL-10 on GM-CSF production by epidermal keratinocytes (KC). We could show that only IFN-gamma, but not IL-10, suppressed GM-CSF production by KC. These findings suggest that both IFN-gamma and IL-10 suppress antigen presentation by LC for Th1 cells by suppressing their CD80 expression. The inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma on CD80 expression on LC appears to be partially mediated through the suppression of GM-CSF production by KC.