Significance of prosectorship and autopsies archives in the study of pulmonary tuberculosis pathology

The study revealed the pathomorphology of pulmonary tuberculosis by using abundant retrospective materials from the prosectorship's archives (1061 autopsies), which referred to individuals who had died from pulmonary tuberculosis in the pretreatment and treatment periods. The comparative analysis of autopsies in the populational context is an important method of this new medical line of pathoanatomical investigations.     

Evaluation of the antireflux mechanism following laparoscopic fundoplication

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is an effective procedure for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), but the underlying motility mechanisms that explain the success of this operation remain unclear. METHODS: Twenty patients with a history of GORD underwent stationary oesophageal manometry and prolonged ambulatory pH monitoring, both before and 3 months after fundoplication. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were completely cured of reflux symptoms and stopped all antireflux medication after operation. After fundoplication there was a significant increase (P < 0.01) in median resting lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) pressure and length. Median residual LOS pressure during swallow-induced LOS relaxation also increased significantly after operation (P < 0.01). The number of reflux episodes decreased from a median of 48 to 3 after fundoplication (P < 0.01). The time at pH less than 4 decreased from 5.7 to 0 per cent in the supine position (P < 0.01), and from 9.8 to 0.2 per cent while upright (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Early subjective results at 3 months following laparoscopic antireflux surgery show improved symptoms. One of the mechanisms underlying the antireflux action of fundoplication is an increase in median residual LOS pressure at the gastro-oesophageal junction. This may be a purely mechanical effect of the fundic wrap extrinsic to the LOS.     

The human homologue of yeast CRM1 is in a dynamic subcomplex with CAN/Nup214 and a novel nuclear pore component Nup88

The oncogenic nucleoporin CAN/Nup214 is essential in vertebrate cells. Its depletion results in defective nuclear protein import, inhibition of messenger RNA export and cell cycle arrest. We recently found that CAN associates with proteins of 88 and 112 kDa, which we have now cloned and characterized. The 88 kDa protein is a novel nuclear pore complex (NPC) component, which we have named Nup88. Depletion of CAN from the NPC results in concomitant loss of Nup88, indicating that the localization of Nup88 to the NPC is dependent on CAN binding. The 112 kDa protein is the human homologue of yeast CRM1, a protein known to be required for maintenance of correct chromosome structure. This human CRM1 (hCRM1) localized to the NPC as well as to the nucleoplasm. Nuclear overexpression of the FG-repeat region of CAN, containing its hCRM1-interaction domain, resulted in depletion of hCRM1 from the NPC. In CAN-/- mouse embryos lacking CAN, hCRM1 remained in the nuclear envelope, suggesting that this protein can also bind to other repeat-containing nucleoporins. Lastly, hCRM1 shares a domain of significant homology with importin-beta, a cytoplasmic transport factor that interacts with nucleoporin repeat regions. We propose that hCRM1 is a soluble nuclear transport factor that interacts with the NPC.     

Inhibiting and deactivating effects of water on the selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia over MnOx/Al2O3

The effect of water on the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitric oxide with ammonia over alumina supported with 2–15 wt.-% manganese oxide was investigated in the temperature range 385–600 K, with the emphasis on the low side of this temperature window. Studies on the effect of 1–5 vol.-% water vapour on the SCR reaction rate and selectivity were combined with TPD experiments to reveal the influence of water on the adsorption of the single SCR reactants. It turned out that the activity decrease due to water addition can be divided into a reversible inhibition and an irreversible deactivation. Inhibition is caused by molecular adsorption of water. TPD studies showed that water can adsorb competitively with both ammonia and nitric oxide. Additional kinetic experiments revealed that adsorbed ammonia is present in excess on the catalyst surface, even in the presence of water. Reduced nitric oxide adsorption is responsible for the observed reversible decrease in the reaction rate; the fractional reaction order changes from 0.79 in the absence of water to 1.07 in its presence. Deactivation is probably due to the dissociative adsorption of water, resulting in the formation of additional surface hydroxyls. As the amount of surface hydroxyls formed is limited to a saturation level, the deactivating effect on the catalyst is limited too. The additional hydroxyls condense and desorb in the temperature range 525–775 K, resulting in a lower degree of deactivation at higher temperature. A high temperature treatment at 775 K results in a complete regeneration. The amount of surface hydroxyls formed per unit surface area decreases at increasing MnO_x-loading. The selectivity to the production of nitrogen is enhanced significantly by the presence of gas phase water.     

Using indices to differentiate dimensions of knowledge regarding modes of HIV transmission in the U.S. population, 1987-1989

Spores of Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236 were treated with glutaraldehyde, Lugol's iodine, polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine (PVP-I), sodium hypochlorite or sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC). After exposure survivors were enumerated on nutrient agar containing potential revival agents (subtilisin, lysozyme, calcium dipicolinate, calcium lactate). Of these, only calcium lactate had any significant enhancing effect and then only with iodine-treated spores. Calcium lactate (9 mmol l-1) in nutrient broth enhanced the rate and extent of germination of iodine-treated spores but not of spores previously subjected to glutaraldehyde, hypochlorite or NaDCC.     

Prenatal diagnosis of partial monosomy 13q associated with occipital encephalocoele in a fetus

The pre- and postnatal findings of a fetus with a de novo del(13)(pter-->q21:) and an occipital encephalocoele are described. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) screening at 19 weeks' gestation demonstrated a high level of 2.5 multiples of the median (MOM) and ultrasonography at 27 weeks' gestation showed severe intrauterine growth retardation, cardiomegaly, an occipital encephalocoele, and a calvarial defect. Genetic amniocentesis revealed a karyotype of 46,XX,del(13)(pter-->q21:). The proband postnatally displayed additional abnormalities such as microphthalmia, hypertelorism, large low-set ears, and micrognathia. We discuss the association of central nervous system (CNS) malformations with 13q deletions and emphasize that pregnancies with neural tube defects warrant cytogenetic analysis, especially when additional fetal abnormalities and neonatal dysmorphism are observed.     

In-situ monitoring and control for MOCVD growth of AlGaAs and InGaAs

We have used spectroscopic ellipsometry to perform real-time monitoring during metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth of AlGaAs (on GaAs) and InGaAs (on GaAs and InP). Optical constants for these materials were obtained up to growth temperatures of 600 to 700°C. This information permits real-time extraction of composition and layer thickness from the raw ellipsometric data at sample rates on the order of 0.5 Hz. We describe closed-loop control of composition and total layer thickness on AlGaAs-based structures, including Bragg reflectors. In-situ data obtained on double-heterostructure quantum-well laser structures demonstrate that spectroscopic ellipsometry is an extremely powerful monitoring and quality-control tool, giving important real-time information on complex structures that would be difficult and time-consuming to obtain after growth.     

Increased synthetic peptide specificity of tissue-CSF bound anti-MBP in multiple sclerosis

Free and bound hydrosoluble protein extracts were prepared from four anatomical areas of a multiple sclerosis (MS) cerebrum and from corresponding anatomical areas of a normal (non-MS) control. Increased levels of IgG and anti-myelin basic protein antibodies (anti-MBP) were detected in all MS samples and they were undetectable in the controls. IgG and anti-MBP from free (unbound) hydrosoluble protein extracts are defined as free IgG and free anti-MBP while IgG and anti-MBP from tissue bound protein extracts are defined as bound IgG and bound anti-MBP. IgG was purified from free protein extracts by protein G Sepharose affinity chromatography and anti-MBP was further isolated from purified IgG by antigen specific (MBP) Sepharose affinity chromatography. Free and bound anti-MBP were reacted with 20 synthetic peptides of human MBP prepared by the Fmoc method. Free anti-MBP, whether in the context of whole protein extracts, or as purified IgG or as purified antibody was completely neutralized by peptides #12, #15, #56 and #56* containing overall residues 75-106, partially neutralized by peptides #27, #16 and #21 containing overall residues 61-83 and did not react with the remaining 13 peptides. Tissue bound anti-MBP was completely neutralized only by peptides #12, #15, #56 and #56* (overall residues 75-106) and showed no reactivity towards the remaining 16 peptides including peptides #27, #16 and #21. Synthetic peptide specificity of free anti-MBP purified from MS cerebrum was identical to previously reported specificity of free anti-MBP from MS cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), while tissue bound anti-MBP, as well as bound anti-MBP from CSF had a more restricted synthetic peptide specificity than free anti-MBP. This suggests that the most likely epitope of anti-MBP is located between residues 84 and 95 of human MBP just proximal to the tri-proline sequence (99-101).