Characterization of a new lipopeptide surfactant produced by thermotolerant and halotolerant subsurface Bacillus licheniformis BAS50

Strain BAS50, isolated from a petroleum reservoir at a depth of 1,500 m and identified as Bacillus licheniformis, grew and produced a lipopeptide surfactant when cultured on a variety of substrates at salinities of up to 13% NaCl. Surfactant production occurred both aerobically and anaerobically and was optimal at 5% NaCl and temperatures between 35 and 45 degrees C. The biosurfactant, termed lichenysin A, was purified and chemically characterized. A tentative structure and composition for the surfactant are described. Lichenysin A is a mixture of lipopeptides, with the major components ranging in size from 1,006 to 1,034 Da. The lipid moiety contains a mixture of 14 linear and branched beta-hydroxy fatty acids ranging in size from C12 to C17. There are seven amino acids per molecule. The peptide moiety is composed of the following amino acids: glutamic acid as the N-terminal amino acid, asparagine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine as the C-terminal amino acid, at a ratio of 1.1:1.1:1.0:2.8:1.0, respectively. Purified lichenysin A decreases the surface tension of water from 72 mN/m to 28 mN/m and achieves the critical micelle concentration with as little as 12 mg/liter, characterizing the product as a powerful surface-active agent that compares favorably to others surfactants. The antibacterial activity of lichenysin A has been demonstrated.     

Shoulder muscle moment arms during horizontal flexion and elevation

The instantaneous muscle moment arms of 10 shoulder muscles including the three portions of the deltoid and the rotator cuff and scapulohumeral muscle groups during four specified glenohumeral motions were calculated. Moment arm values were derived from a plot of tendon excursion versus glenohumeral joint rotation angle during horizontal flexion along the 90 degrees elevation plane and elevation in the sagittal, scapular, and coronal planes. The deltoid had the largest moment arm in elevation. The anterior deltoid has a larger moment arm in the anterior planes, whereas the midportion is greater in the scapular and coronal planes. The muscles with the largest depressor (adductor) moment arms are the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and teres major. Contrary to the findings of other investigators, the supraspinatus and infraspinatus have a smaller potential elevation torque in the scapular plane than has been previously reported. Furthermore the subscapularis may potentially be a more important elevator in the scapular plane than either the supraspinatus or infraspinatus, especially in the latter phases of motion. The pectoralis major has the largest horizontal flexion moment arm with the humerus elevated 90 degrees, whereas the posterior deltoid and infraspinatus have the largest horizontal extension moment arms in this plane.     

Alkaloids of Thalictrum. XV. Isolation and identification of the hypotensive alkaloids of the root of Thalictrum lucidum

Sixteen alkaloids, namely homoaromoline, obaberine, O-methyl-thalicberine, oxyberberine, thalidasine, thaliglucinone, thalrugosine, obamegine, oxyacanthine, berberine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, palmatine, thalifendine and base A chloride, plus the artifact, 8-trichloromethyldihydroberberine, were isolated from the alkaloid fraction of the roots of Thalictrum lucidum L. Of these, obamegine, thalrugosine, O-methylthalicberine, thaliglucinone, obaberine and homoaromoline were found to possess hypotensive activity in normotensive dogs. Thalidasine, homoaromoline, thalrugosine, thaliglucinone, obamegine, jatrorrhizine, and columbamine were found to possess antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis at a concentration of 100 mug/ml or less.     

A, B and H substances in the saliva of dogs

The development of a device for determining two point discrimination is described. Prongs of metal set apart by distances ranging from 2 mm to 25 mm protrude from the periphery of a metal disc and permit speedier evaluation than that achieved by conventional methods. The instrument weighs a standard twenty grams and so a constant pressure is applied to whichever prongs are employed.     

Prevention of rapid reperfusion-induced lung injury with prostaglandin E1 during the initial period of reperfusion

We have found that the instantaneous restoration of blood flow causes acute dysfunction and massive edema in rat lungs after 4 hours of room temperature ischemia. This is associated with an early increase in pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) and can be prevented by a stepwise increase in flow rate during the first 10 minutes of reperfusion. The objectives of this study were to determine whether rapid reperfusion causes lung injury after hypothermic preservation, and whether this injury can be attenuated by a short-course of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). Rat lungs were flushed preserved with low-potassium dextran solution for 12 hours at 4 degrees C and randomly divided into three groups: (1) control (no PGE1); (2) PGE1 only in the flush solution; and (3) PGE1 in both flush solution and blood perfusate during the first 10 minutes of reperfusion. Postpreservation pulmonary function was assessed in an isolated rat lung reperfusion model developed previously. We found that rapid initiation of reperfusion led to significant pulmonary dysfunction, which was attenuated by a short-course of PGE1 in the blood perfusate. The addition of PGE1 to the flush solution alone did not have such an effect. Administration of PGE1 to the blood perfusate during the first 10 minutes resulted in significant lower Ppa and airway pressure and better gas exchange. There was a positive correlation between the peak Ppa during the first 10 minutes of reperfusion and the final shunt fraction. The physical forces generated by the rapid initiation of blood reperfusion appear to induce severe injury. The first 10 minutes of reperfusion seem to be a transition phase in which mechanical factors play an important role relating to ultimate post reperfusion lung function. A short course of PGE1 may be a useful maneuver to prevent rapid reperfusion-induced lung injury.     

Translocation (11;14)(q13;q32) and overexpression of cyclin D1 protein in a CD23-positive low-grade B-cell neoplasm

BACKGROUND: Platinum compounds are the most active drugs in ovarian cancer treatment; cisplatin and carboplatin demonstrated similar efficacies but different toxicity profiles. Paclitaxel combined with cisplatin as first-line treatment improved overall survival when compared to a cisplatin-cyclophosphamide combination, but generated higher rates of neutropenia, febrile neutropenia and neurotoxicity. The paclitaxel-carboplatin combination may be better tolerated than cisplatin-paclitaxel. DESIGN: The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy and safety of the combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin in previously treated advanced ovarian cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During or after platinum-based chemotherapy, 73 patients with progressive advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma were enrolled to receive every four weeks a three-hour infusion of paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 followed by a 30-minute carboplatin infusion. The carboplatin dose was calculated to obtain the recommended area concentration-versus-time under the curve of 5 mg x ml-1 x min. RESULTS: Toxicity and response could be evaluated for 72 and 62 patients, respectively. Eleven complete and 15 partial responses gave an overall response rate of 42% (95% CI: 30%-54%). Response rates for platinum-refractory patients and those with early (> or = 3 and < 12 months) and late (> 12 months) relapses were 24%, 33% and 70%, respectively. The respective median response duration, the median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 8, 6 and 14 months. Myelosuppression was the most frequent and severe toxicity. Grade 3 and 4 neutropenia occurred, respectively in 30% and 23% of the cycles; 6% of the cycles benefited from medullary growth factors. Only one episode of febrile neutropenia was observed. Grade 3 and 4 thrombocytopenia occurred, respectively during 3% and 1% of the cycles. Alopecia was frequent. Transient peripheral neuropathy developed in 47% of patients but was severe in only one patient. One early death was attributed to progressive disease and possibly to therapy. CONCLUSION: This combined paclitaxel-carboplatin therapy is effective and can be safely administered to ovarian cancer patients who relapse after one or two regimens of platinum-based chemotherapy.     

Dietary control of exertional rhabdomyolysis in horses

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether feeding a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet would decrease severity of exercise-induced muscle injury in horses with exertional rhabdomyolysis. ANIMALS: 19 horses with a history of exertional rhabdomyolysis. DESIGN: Case series. PROCEDURE: Specimens of the semitendinosus or semimembranosus muscle were obtained for histologic examination, and serum creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities 4 hours after exercise were determined. Horses were then fed a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, and serum CK and AST activities 4 hours after exercise were reevaluated at approximately monthly intervals for 3 to 6 months. RESULTS: Serum CK and AST activities 4 hours after exercise were high before any change in diet. All 19 horses had evidence of chronic myopathic change and abnormal glycogen accumulation in muscle biopsy specimens; 11 horses also had evidence of complex polysaccharide accumulation. Adaptation to diet change required approximately 3 to 6 months. Sixteen horses did not have any episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis after 3 to 6 months of diet change, and 3 horses had mild episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis following either a reduction in dietary fat intake or restriction in exercise. Postexercise serum CK and AST activities 3 to 6 months after the change in diet were significantly less than initial values. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results indicated that exertional rhabdomyolysis may be a result of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism in some horses. Feeding a diet with low carbohydrate and high fat content may reduce severity of exercise-induced injury in some horses with exertional rhabdomyolysis.     

Virologic and immunologic benefits of initial combination therapy with zidovudine and zalcitabine or didanosine compared with zidovudine monotherapy. Wellcome Resistance Study Collaborative Group

A randomized controlled study was done to determine whether initial combination therapy with zidovudine and zalcitabine or zidovudine and didanosine would delay the emergence of zidovudine-resistant virus. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected patients with <300 CD4 cells/mm3 and <4 weeks of prior zidovudine therapy were randomized to zidovudine, zidovudine plus zalcitabine, or zidovudine plus didanosine. Combination therapy did not delay the emergence of zidovudine-resistant virus isolates. However, combination therapy resulted in a significant increase in CD4 cells through 72 weeks compared with zidovudine monotherapy and a greater and more sustained decline in serum HIV-1 RNA. Although this trial was not designed as a clinical end-point study, patients assigned to zidovudine plus didanosine combination therapy experienced a significant delay in time to first AIDS-defining event or death compared with those assigned to zidovudine monotherapy.