Sj?gren''s syndrome in patients with newly diagnosed untreated non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma

A prfA gene encoding polypeptide release factor RF1 was cloned from Thermus thermophilus. T thermophilus RF1 shares 68% homology with Escherichia coli RF1, and its overproduction reduced readthrough translation of UAG, not of UGA, in the lacZ gene. Rapid purification of T thermophilus RF1 was achieved by T7-RNA polymerase driven overexpression of T thermophilus RF1 protein with a C-terminal histidine tag.     

Superconducting gap function and upper critical field in the presence of inhomogeneous magnetic order

Rare earth ternary superconductors are known to exhibit oscillatory magnetic orders below their superconducting transition temperatures. The study of behaviour of superconducting electrons in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is therefore important for such systems. We report here the results of our theoretical study of superconducting gap function Δ(T) and upper critical fieldH _c2 (T). The results are applied to analyse and explain the variation of Δ(T) andH _c2 (T) in case of NdRh₄B₄.     

Vasopeptidase inhibitors: incorporation of geminal and spirocyclic substituted azepinones in mercaptoacyl dipeptides

A series of 7-(di)alkyl and spirocyclic substituted azepinones were generated and incorporated as conformationally restricted dipeptide surrogates in mercaptoacyl dipeptides. Clear structure-activity relationships with respect to both angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity in vitro were observed. The best in this series, compound 1g, a geminally dimethylated C-7-substituted azepinone, demonstrated excellent blood pressure lowering in animal models. Compound 1g (BMS-189921) is characterized by a good duration of activity and excellent oral efficacy in models relevant to ACE or NEP inhibition, and its activity is comparable to that of the clinically efficacious agent omapatrilat. Consequently this inhibitor has been advanced clinically for the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure.     

Using fluorescence-based human androgen receptor gene assay to analyze the clonality of microdissected dendritic cell tumors

The AGT1 permease is a alpha-glucoside-H+ symporter responsible for the active transport of maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, alpha-methylglucoside, melezitose and sucrose. In wild-type as well as in MAL constitutive strains, alpha-methylglucoside seemed to be the best inducer of transport activity, while trehalose had no inducing effect. Based on the initial rates of transport it seems that the sugar preferentially transported by this permease is trehalose, followed by sucrose.     

Crystallization of Fats: Influence of Minor Components and Additives

Over the years, there has been a steady stream of publications on the influence that minor components and additives have on the physical properties of fat continuous systems. These have been reviewed here. Both indigenous and added components are taken into account. The various materials have been discussed, ranging from partial glycerides and phospholipids to esterified sugars and polyols. Within the publications in this area, the (sub-)micron effects that these minor components have on nucleation, crystal growth, morphology, heat capacity and polymorphic stability have been described and discussed and, sometimes, explained. Similarly, the effects on a macroscopic level, such as visual aspects, melting profiles, post-hardening and rheology have been the subject of research. Although limited compositional information, especially of additives, hinders appropriate discussions of the relevant mechanisms, some generic guidelines as to what type and strength of effect can be expected have been derived. As a general rule, a more significant influence is observed when the acyl group of the minor component (where present) is similar to those present in the fat itself. Additives may have different effects depending on the fat they are added to, their concentration and the temperature, especially with increasing undercooling (which typically reduces the effect of additives).     

Antibody responses of cows during an outbreak of neosporosis evaluated by indirect fluorescent antibody test and different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

Hairpin ribozymes with high cleavage activities were designed. An extra sequence was introduced at the 3'-end of the hairpin ribozyme to increase the binding to the substrate RNA, as compared to the wild-type hairpin ribozyme. A three-way junction (TWJ) was formed between the newly designed ribozyme and the substrate RNA. The complex with a solid TWJ showed less RNA cleavage activity than the wild-type hairpin ribozyme. However, the ribozyme with a TWJ with five unpaired bases or propandiol phosphate linkers had higher cleavage activity than the parent ribozyme without the TWJ. When a cis-cleavage system, in which the 5'-end of the substrate RNA was conjugated to the 3'-end of the ribozyme, was employed, the complex with the TWJ containing unpaired bases was also cleaved faster than the complex with the solid TWJ. This suggested that these differences in the cleavage activities were derived from the confirmation, and this was proven by nondenaturing gel electrophoresis. The TWJ hairpin ribozyme containing unpaired bases is able to bind strongly with substrate RNAs and to cleave them efficiently. Since the three-way ribozyme presented here is more active than the wild-type ribozyme, this type of ribozyme can serve as a more efficient tool to control RNA activities in vitro and in vivo.     

Achieving and maintaining compliance with the ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet, a treatment for intractable epilepsy, is rarely initiated because it requires strict compliance with a diet that is perceived to be unpalatable. In a case study of a 15-year-old girl with uncontrolled epilepsy, we used a stimulus-choice procedure to assess relative preferences of 33 foods from the diet and to develop two treatments based on Premack's principle. The results of a multielement analysis showed that both treatments increased dietary compliance. Compliance was maintained with generalization of treatment across settings, and was associated with a 40% reduction in seizures.