Cellular autophagocytosis induced by deprivation of serum and amino acids in HeLa cells

Persons from 148 randomly selected households in an urban community were screened in their homes using a modified British Medical Research Council respiratory disease questionnaire and a portable spirometer. Analysis showed a significant tendency for chronic bronchitis to aggregate within households. Significant aggregation was observed for 1-sec forced expiratory volume, when measured as the per cent of the predicted value or as a score calculated from the data. The 1-sec forced expiratory volume was significantly correlated between siblings, but less clearly so between spouses. Correlation of 1-sec forced expiratory volume between mother and child appeared to be confounded by maternal smoking habits, an effect most notable between mothers and male offspring. The 1-sec forced expiratory volume of fathers was significantly correlated with that of their children, especially female children, an effect that appeared to be independent of smoking habits.     

Immune suppression therapy in aplastic anemia: influencing factors on response and survival

Calpains are intracellular cysteine proteases activated in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Previously, we found that the differentiation of K562 cells induced by 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatment is accompanied by an increase in m-calpain levels and, at the same time, m-calpain becomes localized on the inside of plasma membranes, coated pits, and coated vesicles [Nakamura, M., Mori, M., Morishita, Y., Mori, S. & Kawashima, S. (1992) Exp. Cell Res. 200, 513-522]. We also reported that mu-calpain plays an essential role in morphological changes and membrane fusion of erythrocytes through the degradation of spectrin, a lining protein [Hayashi, M., Saito, Y. & Kawashima, S. (1992) Biochim. Biophys. Res. Commun. 182, 939-946]. Thus, calpains are implicated in endocytosis and/or exocytosis, processes stimulated by Ca2+ and involving intracellular membrane fusion. In this study, we report the biochemical characterization of calpains as components of purified coated vesicles from bovine brain. It was found by Western-blot analysis and chemical cross-linking of proteins that calpains are bound to the membranes of coated vesicles, and not to the coats. The binding of m-calpain to vesicles is Ca(2+)-dependent, while that of mu-calpain is less dependent on the presence of Ca2+. We also identified substrate proteins for calpains in coated vesicles. Upon activation of endogenous calpains, component proteins of coated vesicles such as the clathrin light chain, tubulins, and adaptins, but not the clathrin heavy chain, are highly sensitive to calpain digestion. In the case of exogenously added calpains, low concentrations degraded the same protein components. The degradation pattern differs slightly between added mu-calpain and m-calpain. These results strongly suggest that calpains are involved in the formation of coated vesicles and/or vesicle fusion to endosomes.     

Multicomponent diffusion in the lung

Since breathing involves more than two gases, the physics of multicomponent diffusion is relevant to respiratory physiology. Fundamental principles and important studies in this area are reviewed, some pertain to equimolar diffusion, others to nonequimolar diffusion. As the lung is an open-system nonequimolar exchanger, emphasis is placed on the latter. A mathematical model that has been verified by both physical and biological experiments is presented. This model is used to study ternary diffusion in the alveolar spaces and to obtain effective diffusion coefficients. Based on the cumulative studies up to now, it may be concluded that Fick's law still holds when normal air is breathed under normal pressure and when tracer amounts of inert gases are added to normal air. Fick's law no longer holds when helium is used as a carrier gas or when breathing is under extreme hyperbaric conditions.     

Asymmetry of the pelvic ureters in normal females

A total of 65 cases showing asymmetry of the pelvic ureters of greater than 1.4 cm for which no cause could be identified are presented. Only one was a male. The right ureter was situated more medially in 61 of the 64 females. Comparison of the characteristics of these patients with 51 females with symmetrical pelvic ureters revealed no differences except for a significantly more frequent left-sided position of the uterus in the asymmetrical group. Gross medial displacement of the right ureter in a female probably represents a normal variant in a large majority of patients.     

Autonomic neural control of cardiac rhythm: the role of autonomic imbalance in the genesis of cardiac dysrhythmia

Cardiac dysrhythmias result from abnormalities in rate, regularity, or sequence of cardiac activation, and because of direct actions of the autonomic nervous system upon each of these properties, imbalance in this system may play an important role in the genesis of cardiac dysrhythmia. A canine model has been developed in which the extrinsic innervation of the heart is ablated with the exception of the ventrolateral cardiac nerve. This nerve is distributed primarily to the inferior atrial, AV junctional, and ventricular tissues. Following recovery from surgery, the animal is placed on a treadmill and required to perform strenuous exercise. In all of six animals which sustained repeated exercise testing over periods of 4-12 months, dysrhythmias of varying complexities were elicited. None appeared in parallel experiments conducted in control or sham-operated animals. The dysrhythmias consisted of supraventricular, AV junctional, or ventricular tachycardias with occasional premature atrial or ventricular systoles. The dysrhythmias were not influenced by atropine but were generally controlled by propranolol.     

Book reviews

People and the Land Through Time: linking ecology and history

Emily W.B. Russell

New Haven, Yale University Press, 1997, xx + 360 pp., £25.00 hb., ISBN 0-0300-06830-1

A New View of Dorset: an exploration of Dorset's landscape today and for the future

Richard Burden & Gordon Le Pard

Dorset, Dorset Books and Dorset County Council, 1996, 152 pp., £14.95 ph., ISBN 1-871164-30-3

Landscapes for Learning: creating outdoor environments for children and youth

Sharon Stine

New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1997, £35.00, ISBN 0-471-16222-1     

Critical evaluation of folate data in European and international databases: recommendations for standardization in international nutritional studies

Scope: The objective was to perform an inventory and critical evaluation of folate data in selected European and international databases. The ultimate aim was to establish guidelines for compiling standardized folate databases for international nutritional studies. Methods and results: An ad hoc questionnaire was prepared to critically compare and evaluate folate data completeness, quantification, terminologies, and documentation of 18 European and international databases, and national fortification regulations. Selected countries participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Nutrition and Cancer project and European Food Information Resource Network (EuroFIR). Folate completeness was generally high. “Total folate” was the most common terminology and microbiological assay was the most frequently reported quantification method. There is a lack of comparability within and between databases due to a lack of value documentation, the use of generic or non‐appropriate terminologies, folate value conversions, and/or lack of identification of synthetic folic acid. Conclusion: Full value documentation and the use of EuroFIR component identifiers and/or INFOODS tagnames for total folate (“FOL”) and synthetic folic acid (“FOLAC”), with the additional use of individual folates, will increase comparability between databases. For now, the standardized microbiological assay for total folate and HPLC for synthetic folic acid are the recommended quantification methods.     

Das Airside Center‐Dach des Züricher Flughafens

The Airside Center Roof of Zurich Airport. Replacing the transfer building built in the '70s, the new Airside Center of Zurich Airport is about 250 m long and 50 m wide and connects the both existing terminals and Fingerdocks A and B. The roof of the Airside Center consists of a jointless space truss made of steel circular hollow sections. The new space is enclosed by glass facades. This article describes the design process of the Airside Center through architectural idea, structural concept and design to calculation and details.