Human carcinoma cell lines produce biologically active leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)

During the period from May to October 1992, a survey of phlebotomine sandflies was conducted in the Greater Athens region where cases of human and canine leishmaniasis occur. Using castor-oil paper traps, a total of 3015 sandflies were caught. Of the identified specimens, 1002 (34.1%) were Phlebotomus neglectus, 541 (18.4%) were P. papatasi, 182 (6.2%) were P. tobbi, 50 (1.7%) were P. simici, 30 (1.0%) were P. alexandri, 3(0.4%) were P. sergenti and 1122 (38.2%) were Sergentomyia minuta. The seasonal activity of most Phlebotomus species was bimodal, while that of S. minuta was unimodal. The population density of sandflies varied significantly in different localities; it was low in most of the stations and high in some stations in the outskirts. Among the potential vectors of Leishmania spp., P. neglectus and P. Papatasi were the most widespread species. The former species showed high density in 12 of the 70 sampled stations, while the latter in only 4. Hence, the risk of transmission of sandfly-borne diseases is still present in the Greater Athens region.     

Time Varying Deadbeat Control Of High Order Chained Systems

A new digital control method for a time varying sampled data system called a time varying deadbeat control is proposed for the control of high order nonholonomic chained systems with drift terms. This control law has the potential to avoid excessive overshoot and prevent trajectories from getting close to the singular manifolds of the transformation needed to obtain the chained forms.     

Expression of the Bombyx mori beta-tubulin-encoding gene in testis

We have isolated a beta-tubulin-encoding cDNA clone of Bombyx mori from testes and determined the nucleotide sequence. Northern analyses showed that its expression is testis-specific and most active in the pupal stage.     

Advances on plant products with potential to control toxigenic fungi: A review

In recent years, public pressure to reduce the use of synthetic fungicides in agriculture has increased. Concerns have been raised about both the environmental impact and the potential health risk related to the use of these compounds. Therefore, considerable efforts have been made towards the development of alternative crop protectants. The European Commission has been actively encouraging the development and commercial implementation of new compounds known as 'green chemicals'. In this context, an increase in the knowledge of plant defence responses to toxigenic fungi, which is covered in this review, will help to discover new plant products with antifungal activity and to design new strategies to improve plant resistance to these pathogens.     

Bilateral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the adrenal glands with adrenal insufficiency

A 66-year-old female presented with anorexia, fatigue, skin pigmentation, weight loss and low grade fever. Imaging studies demonstrated bilateral bulky masses confined to the adrenal glands. Ultrasonography guided needle biopsy of the mass showed findings of diffuse large B-sell lymphoma. Low levels of serum cortisol, urinary 17-OHCS and 17-KS, a high level of ACTH and a non-reactive pattern on the rapid ACTH test led to a diagnosis of Addison's disease. Only a partial regression was achieved by the first chemotherapy. She died due to disease progression, while the next course of chemotherapy had been postponed because of interstitial pneumonitis due to methotrexate.     

A major wheat allergen has a Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro-Pro motif identified as an IgE-binding epitope

The minimum primary structure of the IgE-binding epitope in wheat gluten was determined as Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro-Pro. The N-terminal glutamine and the two proline residues were essential for epitopic function. The occurrence of the second glutamine residue and acetylation of the N-terminal amino group were found to exert some auxiliary functions, whereas only a lesser contribution was expected for the third glutamine residue. It has also been confirmed that acetyl-Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro-Pro bound to wheat-specific IgE antibodies in the sera of patients allergic to wheat, although it did not induce histamine release from the basophils of these patients. Taken together, we concluded that the Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro-Pro motif constituted an IgE-binding rather than immunogenic epitope and also that acetyl-Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro-Pro might act as a hapten capable of binding to specific IgE molecules. The possibility exists that this peptide will have practical application to therapy for or prevention of wheat-sensitive allergy.     

Optimal digital feedback control systems counting computation time of control laws

Since microprocessors are easily obtained, multivariable control theory can be applied to many practical control problems, for example control of robots. However, when the time constant of the plant is short and the dynamic order of the plant is high, the time delay due to the computation time of the control law cannot be neglected. In this paper, the author proposes design methods for linear optimal regulators and linear optimal servosystems in which the delay arising from the computation time of the processors is counted properly. From the theoretical point of view, the results are interesting since all the control laws derived in this paper are obtained using only conventional results of optimal regulator theory.