Localization of Chlamydia trachomatis heat shock proteins 60 and 70 during infection of a human endometrial epithelial cell line in vitro

Unlike chlamydial lipopolysaccharide, which is released from the developing inclusion to the surface of infected genital epithelial cells, both Chlamydia trachomatis heat shock protein (hsp) 60 and 70 antigens remained confined within the inclusion during the course of the chlamydial developmental cycle. Exposure of the infected cells to penicillin to induce a persistent infection or to a lipophilic microbicide did not potentiate secretion or exocytosis of the chlamydial hsp.     

Double-strand break repair in the absence of RAD51 in yeast: a possible role for break-induced DNA replication

In wild-type diploid cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an HO endonuclease-induced double-strand break (DSB) at the MAT locus can be efficiently repaired by gene conversion using the homologous chromosome sequences. Repair of the broken chromosome was nearly eliminated in rad52delta diploids; 99% lost the broken chromosome. However, in rad51delta diploids, the broken chromosomes were repaired approximately 35% of the time. None of these repair events were simple gene conversions or gene conversions with an associated crossover, instead, they created diploids homozygous for the MAT locus and all markers in the 100-kb region distal to the site of the DSB. In rad51delta diploids, the broken chromosome can apparently be inherited for several generations, as many of these repair events are found as sectored colonies, with one part being repaired and the other part being lost the broken chromosome. Similar events occur in about 2% of wild-type cells. We propose that a broken chromosome end can invade a homologous template in the absence of RAD51 and initiate DNA replication that may extend to the telomere, 100 or more kb away. Such break-induced replication appears to be similar to recombination-initiated replication in bacteria.     

Octoxynol presence in bear-bile

The presence of octoxynol from dried bear-bile was examined. Octoxynol was coextracted when glycolipids by Folch-Suzuki partition method. Octoxynol formed mixed-micelles with glycosphingolipids. The glycolipids were purified by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography. The fractions containing mixed micelles were obtained from linear gradient solvent of 0.05M-0.5M ammonium acetate in methanol. HPLC ( Bondapak-NH(2) - linked to a Bondapak-C(18) column) chromatogram showed five peaks. Two possible structures for the fourth peak fraction were proposed as (CH(3))(3)C-CH(2)-C(CH(3))(2)-C(6)H(4)-OR and (CH(3))(3)C-C(CH(3))(2)-CH(2)-C(6)H(4)-OR by NMR spectroscopy. The structure was further confirmed by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI MS/MS). The spectrum showed a protonated molecule at m/z 559 and three different series of ions with mass difference of 44 were detected in the MS/MS spectrum. Therefore, the structure of the fourth peak fraction from HPLC was confirmed as octoxynol, (CH(3))(3)C-CH(2)-C(CH(3))(2)-C(6)H(4)-(OCH(2)-CH(2))n-OH, based on mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy.     

Model for ocular tear film function

Blepharitis patients have a number of disturbances in their tear film associated with meibomian gland dysfunction that affect evaporation and tear osmolarity. We tested a series of 156 consecutive patients, with a presumed diagnosis of blepharitis, dry eye, or allergic disease, and a series of 72 normals. We compared their tear film characteristics using tear osmolarity, tear volume, tear production (fluorophotometric and Schirmer test), tear turnover (decay constant), tear evaporation, and meibomian gland function evaluated by gland drop-out, expressed lipid viscosity, and volume. Of the 156 patients tested, we found 37 had dry eye, 10 had only allergic disease, 73 had meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye, and 36 had only meibomian gland dysfunction. We created a model of the relative influence some of these factors had on each other using their correlation coefficients. The highest correlations for osmolarity were Schirmer test (-0.44), lipid volume low (-0.44), lipid viscosity high (0.39), gland drop-out (0.39), and tear evaporation (0.36). With regression analysis we accounted for 47% of the total variation in osmolarity, but only 17% of the variation in tear evaporation. We also present our classification system for blepharitis and dry eye patients based on our measurable physiologic parameters.     

Neurosonography

This article discusses the current state of neurosonography in veterinary medicine. After a brief introduction, indications, normal appearance, and appearance in pathology are discussed in separate sections for brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Each section is illustrated by selected images showing normal anatomy and pathology.     

A room-based diagnostic imaging system for measurement of patient setup

A room-based diagnostic x-ray imaging system for routine measurement of radiotherapy patient orientation has been developed. The system consists of a pair of room-mounted x-ray tubes and a portable imager consisting of an orthogonal pair of phosphor screens, a mirror/lens system, a CCD camera, and computer software for comparing images of the patient to reference images. Orthogonal pairs of images can be acquired quickly and with relatively little exposure, allowing correction of patient setup on a daily basis. This could limit patient setup error to the uncertainty in the measurement and repositioning processes, a potentially significant improvement over the present standard.