DNA- and RNA-hydrolyzing antibodies from the blood of patients with various forms of viral hepatitis

Antibodies (Abs) hydrolyzing proteins, DNA, and RNA are detected in the blood of patients with various autoimmune diseases. In the present work, homogeneous preparations of IgG Abs from the blood of the healthy donors as well as patients with A, B, C, and delta types of viral hepatitis, influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, tonsillitis, duodenal ulcer, and some types of cancer were purified. For the first time, the fraction of IgG and its Fab fragments of patients with viral hepatitis were shown to have high DNA- and RNA-hydrolyzing activity. In case of Abs from the healthy donors and patients with other diseases, high activity of Abs was not detected. The data obtained by various methods indicate that the activity of hepatitis Abs is an intrinsic property of the immunoglobulins. The relative rates of hydrolysis of cCMP, poly(U), poly(A), poly(C), and tRNA(Phe) by hepatitis Abs were compared with those of RNase A and other RNases from human blood. Significant differences in activities of Abs and nucleases in hydrolysis of model substrates were demonstrated. Thus, catalytically active Abs can appear in the blood of patients not only with autoimmune disorders, but with viral diseases as well.     

Low- and high-density lipoproteins as mitogenic factors for vascular smooth muscle cells: individual, additive and synergistic effects

The mitogenic activities of low (LDL)- and high (HDL)-density lipoproteins have been examined in cultures of human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). LDL and HDL3 dose-dependently (EC50 values approximately 50 micrograms/ml) stimulated DNA and protein synthesis ([3H]-thymidine and [3H]-leucine incorporation, respectively) in the absence of exogenously added mitogens. The synthetic responses of VSMC to combinations of LDL and HDL3 were additive, indicating that each lipoprotein mediates discrete effects. LDL or HDL3 promoted VSMC proliferation under strict mitogen-free conditions, but this growth response was not sustained. VSMC exposed to combinations of lipoproteins (either LDL or HDL3) and growth factors (either PDGF-BB, EGF, bFGF or IGF) exhibited synergistic DNA synthesis responses. In the combined presence of PDGF-BB and either LDL or HDL3, VSMC proliferation was sustained. Anionized lipoprotein preparations (oxidized, acetylated, carbamylated or malonimylated) also stimulated DNA and protein synthesis. Since the antioxidant beta-hydroxylated toluene did not block the effect of native LDL on DNA synthesis, and fucoidin, a specific competitor for the 'scavenger' receptor, did not inhibit oxidized LDL-induced DNA synthesis, activation of mitogenic signals by lipoproteins does not depend on lipid peroxidation. Rather, the apparent intrinsic mitogenic potential of lipoproteins may depend upon their direct activation of replication-coupled signal transduction systems.     

The problems of present-day enterology

The European Union has a formal interest in public health under the Article 129 of the Maastricht Treaty. Hitherto, the main contribution of the European Union action in public health has been limited to research, health information and education concerning, in particular major diseases and drug dependence. Unfortunately the European architects did not clearly conceive a plan for the establishment of a common health policy despite the fact that the European health policies are fragmented and are often the indirect results of economic policies. Indeed, the domain of public health is essentially governed by the principle of national sovereignty, onto which the principle of subsidiarity has been grafted. Whereas Article 129 of the Maastricht Treaty applies especially to preventive health policies, the concomitant affirmation of the principle of subsidiarity in this field tends to suspend any establishment of a European health policy. In the same way, the lack of compulsory provisions relating to Community actions, expressed as recommendations, raises the question whether the European Union is willing to move to a European health policy.     

Gastric emphysema simulating perforated hollow viscus: case report and review of literature

Gastric emphysema is a benign condition in which air from non bacterial sources accumulate within the wall of the stomach. This pathology is usually associated with gastric and, or small bowel obstruction. A case report of gastric emphysema is presented, together with a pertinent review of the literature.     

Making oxides of nitrogen in a vortex glow discharge

Parameter measurements are reported for a vortex glow discharge and the way they affect the synthesis of oxides of nitrogen from air.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 820–824, May, 1990.     

On the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power in disordered semiconductors

In the context of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes, general expressions for the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power in the region of hopping conductivity in disordered materials at low temperatures are derived. The effect of degeneracy of impurity levels on the thermoelectric power is taken into account. On the basis of the results, the experimental data on the thermoelectric power in amorphous and impurity-containing semiconductors are discussed.     

Polymorphism of pericentromere heterochromatin of polytene chromosomes of ovarian trophocytes in natural populations of the malaria mosquito Anopheles messeae Fall

The HBsAg status and demographic data of 2480 pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics at Maternal and Child Health Centres in Hong Kong were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire over a 1-week period in July 1996, to explore the underlying reason of a higher than expected HBsAg prevalence. Local women constituted 49.2% of the sample, mainland Chinese 39.7% and others 11.1%. The overall HBsAg prevalence was 10.0%. When related to place of birth, those born in Hong Kong had a prevalence of 8.4% whereas the prevalence of those born in mainland China was 13.1% (P < 0.001). The overall HBsAg carriage rate is high because of a higher rate in immigrants in the community. It is apparent that the HBsAg prevalence of local people in Hong Kong has been decreasing in the past decade. Overall, the current HBsAg carriage rate in the local adult population is estimated to have declined to about 8%.