Genomic variation in Trypanosoma cruzi clonal cultures

Spontaneous changes in restriction DNA profiles and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, along with a concomitant loss of infectivity, were observed in infective clones of Trypanosoma cruzi strain Y either following a number of passages during the exponential growth phase of after subcloning in liver infusion tryptone (LIT) medium using as the probe a genomic fragment of the parasite (pMYP16), indicating naturally occurring rearrangements of DNA sequences. No variation could be detected when the genomic DNA was probed with conserved T. cruzi tubulin and actin genes. There was no correlation between such rearrangements and the life-cycle forms of the parasites, since trypomastigote forms showed the same karyotype and hybridization patterns as did epimastigote forms. The variations observed could be reverted and infectivity, recovered after inoculation of the parasites in newborn mice.     

Association between bleomycin hydrolase and Alzheimer's disease in caucasians

A recent study showed modest evidence for an increased frequency of the bleomycin hydrolase (BH) V/V genotype in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients compared with non-demented controls. To test this hypothesis, we examined this polymorphism in 621 rigorously evaluated patients and 502 control subjects (all caucasian) but were unable to detect an association between BH and AD even after controlling for age, gender, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype. We conclude that this polymorphism does not account for inherited susceptibility to AD in the populations represented in this sample.     

Reactivation of Chagas' disease in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient leading to severe heart disease with a late positive direct microscopic examination of the blood

We report a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected man with chronic Chagas' disease who developed a congestive heart failure that could not be clinically controlled. Endomyocardial biopsy revealed severe myocarditis and the xenodiagnosis result was positive, but Trypanosoma cruzi by direct microscopic examination of the blood was found only four months after the symptoms had started. Treatment with benznidazole was effective in reducing parasitemia, stabilizing the clinical status, and controlling tissue damage related to the parasite. Although the finding of T. cruzi trypomastigotes by direct microscopic examination of the blood has been considered the mark of Chagas' reactivation in immunocompromised patients with chronic disease, in this case it was a late finding.     

Phenylalanine 30 plays an important role in receptor binding of verotoxin-1

The homopentameric B subunit of verotoxin 1 (VT1) binds to the glycosphingolipid receptor globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). We produced mutants with alanine substitutions for residues found near the cleft between adjacent subunits. Substitution of alanine for phenylalanine 30 (Phe-30) resulted in a fourfold reduction in B subunit binding affinity for Gb3 and a 10-fold reduction in receptor density in a solid-phase binding assay. The interaction of wild-type and mutant B subunits with Pk trisaccharide in solution was examined by titration microcalorimetry. The carbohydrate binding of the mutant was markedly impaired compared with that of the wild type and was too weak to allow calculation of a binding constant. These results demonstrate that the mutation significantly impaired the carbohydrate-binding function of the B subunit. To ensure that the mutation had not caused a significant change in structure, the mutant B subunit was crystallized and its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction. Difference Fourier analysis showed that its structure was identical to that of the wild type, except for the substitution of alanine for Phe-30. The mutation was also produced in the VT1 operon, and mutant holotoxin was purified to homogeneity. The cytotoxicity of the mutant holotoxin was reduced by a factor of 10(5) compared to that of the wild type in the Vero cell cytotoxicity assay. The results suggest that the aromatic ring of Phe-30 plays a major role in binding of the B subunit to the Galalpha1-4Galbeta1-4Glc trisaccharide portion of Gb3. Examination of the VT1 B crystal structure suggests two potential carbohydrate-binding sites which lie on either side of Phe-30.     

The impact of depression on the outcome of addictions treatment

Choosing the correct equipment for moving and handling patients is essential to prevent injuries among health-care staff and patients' carers. It is vital, however, that a thorough needs and risk assessment is undertaken before equipment is purchased.     

VDD pacing in persistent left superior vena cava

Although persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common major venous anomaly of the heart, associated absence of the right superior vena cava with normal visceral situs is exceedingly rare. Such a patient presented with complete heart block requiring permanent pacing. This was achieved successful using a single lead VDD system via the PLSVC with atrial sensing in the coronary sinus.     

Generalized construction of binary bent sequences with optimal correlation property

We generalize the construction method of the family of binary bent sequences introduced by Olsen, Scholtz, and Welch (1982) to obtain a family of generalized binary bent sequences with optimal correlation and balance property by using the modified trace transform. Then, the conventional binary bent sequence becomes a special case of our construction method. Several families of the generalized binary bent sequences are constructed by using the bent functions on the intermediate field. Using some of the generalized binary bent sequences, new families of binary sequences with optimal correlation and balance property can be constructed by the lifting idea similar to No (1988) sequences, which are referred to as binary bent-lifted sequences.     

Throughput-maximizing timeslot scheduling for interactive satellite multiclass services

We develop an efficient method for optimal timeslot scheduling in an interactive satellite multimedia network. We formulate the timeslot assignment problem as a binary integer programming (BIP) problem, where the throughput is maximized, and decompose this BIP problem into two sub-problems. With this decomposition, we promote the computational efficiency in finding the optimal solution of the original BIP problem.