RNA-binding activity of the E1B 55-kilodalton protein from human adenovirus type 5

The human adenovirus 5 E1B 55-kDa protein is required for efficient nucleocytoplasmic transport of late viral mRNAs. This protein is shown to have RNA-binding activity which maps to a region of the protein with homology to a family of RNA-binding proteins and which has been shown previously to be essential for functionality of the protein in vivo.     

Consideration of conformational transitions and racemization during process development of recombinant glucagon-like peptide-1

This article summarizes the results of a combined analysis from two identical multicenter clinical trials that investigated the efficacy and safety of sertraline versus placebo for treating panic disorder. Patients with panic disorder who were treated with sertraline had a statistically significant reduction in the mean number of panic attacks per week (the primary efficacy measure) as compared with placebo (4.8 vs. 2.5, p < .001). Sertraline-treated patients also showed greater improvement that was statistically significant on several ratings of panic disorder symptomatology and functioning. The design characteristics, clinical rating measures, and outcome measures in these trials included most of the features deemed essential by Shear and Maser (1994) in their summary of the NIMH Consensus Conference for the development of standardized assessments for panic disorder. This suggests that the NIMH Consensus Conference played a key role in developing successful multicenter pharmacological treatment studies, such as this one that ultimately demonstrated that sertraline was an effective treatment for panic disorder.     

Charnley total hip arthroplasty in patients less than fifty years old. A twenty to twenty-five-year follow-up note

We evaluated the results twenty to twenty-five years after ninety-three consecutive, nonselected Charnley total hip arthroplasties performed with cement by the senior one of us in sixty-nine patients who were less than fifty years old at the time of the procedure. Seventy of the seventy-two hips in the living patients were followed radiographically for at least twenty years. Twenty-seven hips (29 per cent) had a revision or a resection of the prosthesis during the follow-up period. The revision or the resection was performed because of aseptic loosening in twenty-one hips (23 per cent), infection in four (4 per cent), dislocation in one (1 per cent), and fracture of the femur in one. Eighteen acetabular components (19 per cent) and five femoral components (5 per cent) were revised because of aseptic loosening, and an additional fourteen acetabular components (15 per cent) and seven femoral components (8 per cent) demonstrated definite or probable radiographic loosening. The present study demonstrates the long-term durability of total hip arthroplasty performed with cement in an active population of patients. The fixation of the femoral component was found to perform better than that of the acetabular component at twenty to twenty-five years after the procedure.     

The value of the D-xylose test compared with the differential sugar absorption test in recognizing coeliac disease

Absorbable stapling devices have been described by several groups for the creation of continent urinary diversions. Experience with these devices in the creation of the LeBag ileocecal orthotopic pouch is described. Use of the staplers simplifies pouch construction and yields functional results similar to hand-sewn reservoirs.     

Replication and integration of a Vibrio cholerae cryptic plasmid linked to the CTX prophage

We identified a 4.7kb cryptic plasmid in all ctxAB+ Vibrio cholerae strains we tested. An isolate of the V. cholerae classical biotype strain 0395 that harbours the cryptic plasmid at high copy number was found. Hybridization analysis demonstrated that sequences highly related or identical to this plasmid exist in all toxigenic strains of V. cholerae but were notably absent in all non-toxigenic environmental isolates that lacked the genes for toxin-co-regulated pili and the filamentous CTX prophage. Accordingly, we have named the cryptic plasmid pTLC for toxin-linked cryptic. The complete nucleotide sequence of pTLC from the high-copy-number isolate was determined. The largest open reading frame in the plasmid is predicted to encode a protein similar to the replication initiation protein (pII) of Escherichia coli F-specific filamentous phages. The nucleotide sequence of pTLC also facilitated the structural characterization of the DNA homologous to pTLC in other strains of V. cholerae. pTLC-related DNA exists in these strains as both low-copy-number, covalently closed circular DNA and tandemly duplicated, chromosomally integrated DNA. Remarkably, the chromosomally integrated form of pTLC is adjacent to the CTX prophage. The strain distribution, chromosomal location and DNA sequence of pTLC suggests that it may be a genetic element that plays some role in the biology of CTXphi, perhaps facilitating either its acquisition or its replication.     

Physical fitness, physical activity, and functional limitation in adults aged 40 and older

PURPOSE: A cohort of middle-aged and older men and women were followed for an average of 5.5 yr to examine the association between physical fitness, physical activity, and the prevalence of functional limitation. METHODS: The participants received medical assessments between 1980 and 1988 and responded to a mail-back survey regarding functional status in 1990. RESULTS: Among 3495 men and 1175 women over 40 yr of age at baseline, 350 (7.5%) reported at least one functional limitation in daily or household activities at follow-up. The prevalence of functional limitation was higher among women than men. Physically fit and physically active participants reported less functional limitation than unfit or sedentary participants. After controlling for age and other risk factors, the prevalence of functional limitation was lower for both moderately fit (odds ratio = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2-0.6) and high fit men (odds ratio = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.2-0.4), compared with low fit men. Corresponding figures for women were 0.5 (0.3-0.7) and 0.3 (0.2-0.5) for moderately fit and high fit women. The association between physical activity and functional limitation was similar to the data for physical fitness. CONCLUSIONS: These data support a protective effect of physical fitness and physical activity on functional limitation among older adults and extend this protective effect to middle-aged men and women.     

Analyses of coronary graft patency after aprotinin use: results from the International Multicenter Aprotinin Graft Patency Experience (IMAGE) trial

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of aprotinin on graft patency, prevalence of myocardial infarction, and blood loss in patients undergoing primary coronary surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Patients from 13 international sites were randomized to receive intraoperative aprotinin (n = 436) or placebo (n = 434). Graft angiography was obtained a mean of 10.8 days after the operation. Electrocardiograms, cardiac enzymes, and blood loss and replacement were evaluated. RESULTS: In 796 assessable patients, aprotinin reduced thoracic drainage volume by 43% (P < .0001) and requirement for red blood cell administration by 49% (P < .0001). Among 703 patients with assessable saphenous vein grafts, occlusions occurred in 15.4% of aprotinin-treated patients and 10.9% of patients receiving placebo (P = .03). After we had adjusted for risk factors associated with vein graft occlusion, the aprotinin versus placebo risk ratio decreased from 1.7 to 1.05 (90% confidence interval, 0.6 to 1.8). These factors included female gender, lack of prior aspirin therapy, small and poor distal vessel quality, and possibly use of aprotinin-treated blood as excised vein perfusate. At United States sites, patients had characteristics more favorable for graft patency, and occlusions occurred in 9.4% of the aprotinin group and 9.5% of the placebo group (P = .72). At Danish and Israeli sites, where patients had more adverse characteristics, occlusions occurred in 23.0% of aprotinin- and 12.4% of placebo-treated patients (P = .01). Aprotinin did not affect the occurrence of myocardial infarction (aprotinin: 2.9%; placebo: 3.8%) or mortality (aprotinin: 1.4%; placebo: 1.6%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the probability of early vein graft occlusion was increased by aprotinin, but this outcome was promoted by multiple risk factors for graft occlusion.