Human platelets contain a novel 47 kDa thiol-oxidase having affinity for genomic sterol-regulatory sequence

The present study provides evidence to support that human platelets possess a 47 kDa dual functional molecule having thiol-oxidase activity as well as high affinity for the SRE sequence in the human genome. On the basis of these as well as earlier results, we propose that Receptor 'Ck' dependent regulation of this dual functional 47 kDa molecule may provide a mechanism for the maintenance of cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Further, this mechanism may also explain the molecular basis of cholesterol-feedback lesion observed under premalignant conditions.     

Children''s dental health in Europe. Caries treatment need in 5- and 12-year-old children from eight EU countries

An analysis of how time was used in and around 60 consultations was carried out for the purpose of exploring the relationship of time use to patient satisfaction. Sixty patients across two practice settings were surveyed, immediately following their interaction with the audiologist, regarding satisfaction with the consultation. Satisfaction was measured via: (1) a four-point scale, which yielded a satisfaction rating; and (2) a check list of satisfaction with 11 aspects of the consultation, which yielded a satisfaction score. Satisfaction ratings and scores were correlated significantly (rs = 0.76 corrected for ties, P = 0.0001). The majority of patients were either 'very satisfied' (63%) or 'satisfied' (31.6%) with the consultation experience. Temporal pictures of the consultations of 'very satisfied', 'satisfied' and 'dissatisfied' patients were clearly different. For the present sample it appeared that patient satisfaction ensued when the total consultation time was equal to or exceeded 0.6 of the sum of total consultation time and the time spent waiting at the clinic immediately prior to the consultation. Regression analyses showed that of the temporal variables studied, total consultation time (TCT) and the amount of time waiting immediately pre consultation (WT) contributed most to the variation in patient satisfaction ratings and scores. Forty-two per cent of the variance in satisfaction ratings and 36% of the variance in satisfaction scores could be explained by TCT/(WT + TCT).     

Regulation of early cholesterol biosynthesis in rat liver: effects of sterols, bile acids, lovastatin, and BM 15.766 on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase and acetoacetyl coenzyme A thiolase activities

BACKGROUND: Sclerosing peritonitis (SP) is a rare but serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Small-bowel obstruction (SBO) due to encapsulation, dense adhesions, or mural fibrous is characteristic, often associated with peritonitis. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence, clinical features, effect of duration of dialysis, and other possible aetiological factors in severe SP. METHODS: All dialysis units in Australia were surveyed for possible cases up to 1994. Patients were included if there was either surgical or radiological evidence of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis or SBO with tanned or thickened peritoneum in the absence of other causes of SBO. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were analysed. The duration of continuous PD was mean 52 +/- 30 months, median 48 months and range 8-127 months. Nineteen cases were diagnosed between 1980 and 1989 and 35 between 1990 and 1994, giving mean annual incidences 1.9 and 4.2 per 1000 PD periods respectively. The overall prevalence was 0.7%, which increased progressively with the duration of PD being 1.9, 6.4, 10.8, and 19.4% for patients on dialysis for > 2, 5, 6 and 8 years respectively. Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis was diagnosed in 87% of cases, SBO in 92%, and haemoperitoneum in 8%. Peritoneal calcification was present in seven cases, all of which had been on PD > 7 years. Peritonitis was associated with 38% of cases with fungal infection in 7%. Treatment with immunosuppression in five patients appeared to result in a favourable outcome in three. The mortality rate was 56%. CONCLUSION: Severe sclerosing peritonitis is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis and there is a time dependent increase on CAPD.     

Medical waste treatment and disposal methods used by hospitals in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho

This study investigated medical waste practices used by hospitals in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, which includes the majority of hospitals in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region 10. During the fall of 1993, 225 hospitals were surveyed with a response rate of 72.5%. The results reported here focus on infectious waste segregation practices, medical waste treatment and disposal practices, and the operating status of hospital incinerators in these three states. Hospitals were provided a definition of medical waste in the survey, but were queried about how they define infectious waste. The results implied that there was no consensus about which agency or organization's definition of infectious waste should be used in their waste management programs. Confusion around the definition of infectious waste may also have contributed to the finding that almost half of the hospitals are not segregating infectious waste from other medical waste. The most frequently used practice of treating and disposing of medical waste was the use of private haulers that transport medical waste to treatment facilities (61.5%). The next most frequently reported techniques were pouring into municipal sewage (46.6%), depositing in landfills (41.6%), and autoclaving (32.3%). Other methods adopted by hospitals included Electro-Thermal-Deactivation (ETD), hydropulping, microwaving, and grinding before pouring into the municipal sewer. Hospitals were asked to identify all methods they used in the treatment and disposal of medical waste. Percentages, therefore, add up to greater than 100% because the majority chose more than one method. Hospitals in Oregon and Washington used microwaving and ETD methods to treat medical waste, while those in Idaho did not. No hospitals in any of the states reported using irradiation as a treatment technique. Most hospitals in Oregon and Washington no longer operate their incinerators due to more stringent regulations regarding air pollution emissions. Hospitals in Idaho, however, were still operating incinerators in the absence of state regulations specific to these types of facilities.     

Interaction between terbinafine and warfarin

Salival and serum melatonin levels after melatonin ingestion were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Ingestion of 3 mg melatonin caused a marked increase in serum melatonin (3561+/-1201 pg/mL) within 20 min, followed by a gradual decrease, but the level still remained higher than the basal level at 240 min after the ingestion. The saliva melatonin 60 min after the ingestion showed the highest level (1177+/-403 pg/mL) which was one-third of the plasma level. The saliva melatonin level was highly correlated with the serum level throughout the experimental period (r=0.82, P=0.0001). These data indicate that the measurement of saliva melatonin level may be a suitable indicator for the melatonin secretion into general circulation.     

Isolation and expression of a rat brain cDNA encoding glutamate carboxypeptidase II

N-acetylated alpha-linked acidic dipeptidase (NAALADase) hydrolyzes acidic peptides, such as the abundant neuropeptide N-acetyl-alpha-L-aspartyl-L-glutamate (NAAG), thereby generating glutamate. Previous cDNA cloning efforts have identified a candidate rat brain NAALADase partial cDNA, and Northern analyses have identified a family of related RNA species that are found only in brain and other NAALADase-expressing cells. In this report, we describe the cloning of a set of rat brain cDNAs that describe a full-length NAALADase mRNA. Transient transfection of a full-length cDNA into the PC3 cell line confers NAAG-hydrolyzing activity that is sensitive to the NAALADase inhibitors quisqualic acid and 2-(phosphonomethyl)glutaric acid. Northern hybridization detects the expression of three similar brain RNAs approximately 3,900, 3,000, and 2,800 nucleotides in length. In situ hybridization histochemistry shows that NAALADase-related mRNAs have an uneven regional distribution in rat brain and are expressed predominantly by astrocytes as demonstrated by their colocalization with the astrocyte-specific marker glial fibrillary acidic protein.     

Cloning of zebrafish neurofilament cDNAs for plasticin and gefiltin: increased mRNA expression in ganglion cells after optic nerve injury

During retinal growth and optic axon regeneration, the differential expression of the neuronal intermediate filament proteins, plasticin and gefiltin, in the goldfish visual pathway suggests that these proteins support programmed axonal growth. To investigate plasticin and gefiltin during axonogenesis, we turned to the zebrafish, a system that is more amenable to mutational analysis. As a first step, we demonstrated that the intermediate filament compositions of goldfish and zebrafish are similar. In addition, the cDNAs for zebrafish plasticin and gefiltin were cloned and characterized. Using in situ hybridization in retina, we show increased mRNA levels for these proteins following optic nerve crush. Zebrafish plasticin and gefiltin peak and return to baseline levels of expression more rapidly than in goldfish. Furthermore, in the unoperated eye of experimental fish, there was a moderate increase in the levels of plasticin and gefiltin mRNA, suggesting that soluble factors influence the expression of these proteins. The successive expression of plasticin and gefiltin suggests that these neuronal intermediate filament proteins are integral components of axonogenesis. The cloning and characterization of cDNAs for plasticin and gefiltin permit mutational analyses of these proteins during zebrafish axonogenesis.     

Preparation of hydrogel microspheres by coacervation of aqueous polyphosphazene solutions

A new method of preparing ionically cross-linked polyphosphazene hydrogel microspheres which enables effective control over microsphere size distribution has been developed. The synthesized microspheres can be used in protein delivery and, especially, as vaccine delivery vehicles. A new technique utilizes the ability of aqueous solutions of poly[di(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene] (PCPP) to form coacervate microdroplets upon addition of sodium chloride. These microdroplets are then stabilized via polymer cross-linking with calcium ions. It was demonstrated that the method enables efficient microencapsulation of proteins. It was also shown that microsphere size can be controlled through the manipulation of microencapsulation conditions. The process is simple, highly reproducible and generates microspheres with a narrower microsphere size distribution, compared to the previous technologies.