GLUCOSE OXIDASE REACTION FOR ESTIMATION OF GLUCOSE WITHOUT HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE. SOME MICROBIOLOGICAL AND FERMENTATION APPLICATIONS

An enzymic method has been developed for analysis of glucose. Glucose oxidase acts on glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide which acts to directly reduce the green Cu(II) 2–2′-bicinchoninate complex to a violet complex without horseradish peroxidase. A concentration range of 20–200 μM glucose was used but the reaction shows a linear range of 20–800 μM glucose. Interference is controlled by using a blank determination which has not been treated with glucose oxidase. The reaction has been used to estimate glucose levels in Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation and α-amylase, invertase and β-galactosidase reactions and coloured corn-steep fermentation media.     

POEMS syndrome in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis: case report and review

This article summarise the main data in the literature on the role of bacteriological contamination of the dialysate fluid in inflammatory reactions in hemodialysis. Pyrogenic substances of small molecular weight from Gram-negative bacteria grown in dialysate can pass across intact dialyzer membrane to stimulate cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Cellulosic hemodialysis membranes are more permeable to endotoxins than synthetic membranes. Polysulfone membranes and polyamide membranes are able to adsorb bacterial toxins on the dialysate side. The diffusive transfer of bacterial products across dialysis membrane from dialysate fluid was demonstrated. Transmembrane passage of cytokine-inducing bacterial products across reprocessed dialyzers is greater than across new dialyzers. Bacteriological contamination of the dialysate fluid is a problem which must be considered with much more care by nephrologists, especially as LAL test is unable to detect all the bacterial products which can contaminate the dialysate fluid.     

Post-chemotherapy and cytokine pretreated marrow stromal cell layers suppress hematopoiesis from normal donor CD34+ cells

Marrow stromal layers were used to investigate the potential role of negative regulators produced by the marrow microenvironment as one potential cause of hematopoietic suppression after chemotherapy and cytokines. Stromal layers were established from marrow of normal or prechemotherapy donors and breast cancer patients after hematological recovery from one cycle of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide and GM-CSF or PIXY321 (GM-CSF/IL-3 fusion protein). Normal donor CD34+ cells were placed in contact with stromal layers, and the number of colony-forming units for granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) was determined. There were 25-79% fewer CFU-GM in post-chemotherapy stromal layer cocultures than in no chemotherapy cocultures. With neutralizing antibody to TNF-alpha the number of CFU-GM in no chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy stromal cocultures was, respectively, 96 +/- 7% (n = 5) and 142 +/- 8% (n = 5) of the number with no antibody treatment. PIXY321 and GM-CSF pretreated stromal layers also suppressed production of CFU-GM. Anti-TNF-alpha promoted an increase in CFU-GM numbers from GM-CSF, but not PIXY321, pretreated stromal cocultures. The results demonstrate that post-chemotherapy marrow stromal layers were deficient in supporting in vitro hematopoiesis and suggest that negative regulators induced by chemotherapy and cytokines may be one cause for this defect.     

Production and properties of a factor X-cellulose-binding domain fusion protein

A fusion protein, FX–CBD_Cex, which comprises factor Xwith a cellulose-binding domain (CBD_Cex) fused to its C-terminus,was produced in BHK cells. It was purified from the culturemedium by affinity chromatography on cellulose. FX–CBD_Cexcould be activated to FXa–CBD_Cex with Russell viper venom.FXa–CBD_Cex was as active as FXa against a chromogenicsubstrate and against proteins containing the Ile–Glu–Gly–Argsequence hydrolysed by FXa. FXa–CBD_Cex retained its activitywhen adsorbed to cellulose.     

The synthesis and in vitro characterization of the mucoadhesion and swelling of poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels

Depression is a significant problem in epilepsy. Suicides occur in epileptic patients five times more often than in general population. Material included 34 epileptics with 76 suicidal attempts and 24 patients with no history of suicide. Psychical state was studied with Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. In the group with suicidal attempts 65% of patients had depression (54.5% of them had major depression) and in group without suicide attempts depression was noted in 54% (23% with major depression). Patients with depression were divided into two groups: group I with suicidal attempts and group II without history of suicide. In group I more patients were alcohol abusers (50% vs 31%), more were treated because of epilepsy longer than 10 years (59% vs 46%) and more had tonic-clonic seizures (82% vs 46%). In group I, 54% of patients were on polytherapy (more than half of them with fenobarbital). In group II, 31% of epileptics were on polytherapy (no one with fenobarbital). Major depression was significantly more frequent in epileptics with suicidal attempts. The severity of depression may influence the risk of suicide. Major depression may be associated with late age of onset of epilepsy, longer treatment duration, tonic-clonic seizures, polytherapy (mainly with fenobarbital) and alcohol abuse.     

Amino and organic acids of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica L.)

The amino acids of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica L.) proteins, free amino acids and nonvolatile organic acids were determined on fresh and lyophilised young pads. The calculated biological value of prickly pear protein was 72.6, relative to egg protein. Trace amounts of malonic, malic and citric acids in material collected at 1800 hours; traces 0.95 and 0.31 mg g^?1, respectively. In similar material analysed at 0600 hours, the concentrations of those acids were 0.36, 9.85, and 1.78 mg g^?1, respectively. Since there was a significant accumulation of the acids during the evening, crassulacean-type metabolism is suggested.     

Minor histocompatibility antigens as targets for T-cell therapy after bone marrow transplantation

BACKGROUND: Topical antimicrobials have been considered for treatment of secondarily infected wounds because of the potential for reduced risk of adverse effects and greater patient convenience. We compared mupirocin cream with oral cephalexin in the treatment of wounds such as small lacerations, abrasions, or sutured wounds. METHODS: In 2 identical randomized double-blind studies, 706 patients with secondarily infected wounds (small lacerations, abrasions, or sutured wounds) received either mupirocin cream topically 3 times daily or cephalexin orally 4 times daily for 10 days. RESULTS: Clinical success at follow-up was equivalent in the two groups: 95.1% and 95.3% in the mupirocin cream and the cephalexin groups, respectively (95% confidence interval [CI], -4.0% to 3.6%; P = .89). The intention-to-treat success rate was 83% in both groups. Bacteriologic success at follow-up was also comparable: 96.9% in the mupirocin cream and 98.9% in the cephalexin groups (95% CI, -6.0% to 2.0%; P = .22). The occurrence of adverse experiences related to study treatment was similar for the 2 groups, with fewer patients in the mupirocin cream group reporting diarrhea (1.1% vs 2.3% for cephalexin). CONCLUSIONS: Mupirocin cream applied topically 3 times daily is as effective as oral cephalexin given 4 times daily for the treatment of secondarily infected wounds and was well tolerated.     

Use of retinal biopsy to diagnose Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) henselae retinitis in an HIV-infected patient

A patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome developed bilateral retinitis due to a Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) henselae infection. A retinal biopsy was performed when severe and progressive retinal infection failed to respond to empirical treatment for cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii. The biopsy specimen was stained with routine histopathological stains and the Steiner silver stain. Ribosomal DNA was extracted from formalinfixed, paraffin-embedded retinal tissue and amplified with the polymerase chain reaction assay, using Bartonella-specific primers. The amplified DNA fragment was cloned and sequenced. Staining with hematoxylin-eosin revealed tufts of proliferating vascular endothelium with numerous fusiformappearing cells, consistent with a diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis. A Steiner silver stain revealed numerous small bacilli in the biopsy specimen. Amplification of DNA extracted from the tissue produced a fragment of 16S ribosomal DNA of the expected size; sequencing of the DNA fragment revealed that the infection was caused by B henselae. The retinal infection was treated with minocycline, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin with improvement in visual acuity in the ensuing 12 weeks. To our knowledge, this is the first human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient with retinitis due to B henselae who was diagnosed by the identification of silver-staining bacilli and amplification and sequencing of B henselae with a polymerase chain reaction assay using a biopsy specimen of retinal tissue. Retinal biopsy is indicated, despite its potential for serious complications, in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who have a progressive, sight-threatening retinitis that is undiagnosed and unresponsive to therapy.     

The interaction of test anxiety and success-failure experiences in determining children's arithmetic performance.

Studied the effects of the motives to approach success and to avoid failure in 60 5th and 6th grade boys and girls of low, middle, and high levels of test anxiety (Test Anxiety Scale for Children and Lie Scale for Children). Ss performed addition problems under 1 of 2 conditions: a mixed condition involving two-thirds success and one-third failure under time pressure and a success only condition in which all problems attempted were completed. As predicted, high anxious Ss, when compared to less anxious Ss on response rate, errors, and cheating, showed markedly inferior performance in the mixed condition, but comparable and improved performance in the success only condition. Findings indicate that anxious children perform poorly due to motivational difficulties rather than to learning deficiencies, and that their abilities are systematically underestimated by many achievement and educational testing procedures. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)