The Saccharomyces retrotransposon Ty5 integrates preferentially into regions of silent chromatin at the telomeres and mating loci

The nonrandom integration of retrotransposons and retroviruses suggests that chromatin influences target choice. Targeted integration, in turn, likely affects genome organization. In Saccharomyces, native Ty5 retrotransposons are located near telomeres and the silent mating locus HMR. To determine whether this distribution is a consequence of targeted integration, we isolated a transposition-competent Ty5 element from S. paradoxus, a species closely related to S. cerevisiae. This Ty5 element was used to develop a transposition assay in S. cerevisiae to investigate target preference of de novo transposition events. Of 87 independent Ty5 insertions, approximately 30% were located on chromosome III, indicating this small chromosome (approximately 1/40 of the yeast genome) is a highly preferred target. Mapping of the exact location of 19 chromosome III insertions showed that 18 were within or adjacent to transcriptional silencers flanking HML and HMR or the type X subtelomeric repeat. We predict Ty5 target preference is attributable to interactions between transposition intermediates and constituents of silent chromatin assembled at these sites. Ty5 target preference extends the link between telomere structure and reverse transcription as carried out by telomerase and Drosophila retrotransposons.

Genetic and topological analyses of the bop promoter of Halobacterium halobium: stimulation by DNA supercoiling and non-B-DNA structure

The bop gene of wild-type Halobacterium halobium NRC-1 is transcriptionally induced more than 20-fold under microaerobic conditions. bop transcription is inhibited by novobiocin, a DNA gyrase inhibitor, at concentrations subinhibitory for growth. The exposure of NRC-1 cultures to novobiocin concentrations inhibiting bop transcription was found to partially relax plasmid DNA supercoiling, indicating the requirement of high DNA supercoiling for bop transcription. Next, the bop promoter region was cloned on an H. halobium plasmid vector and introduced into NRC-1 and S9, a bop overproducer strain. The cloned promoter was active in both H. halobium strains, but at a higher level in the overproducer than in the wild type. Transcription from the bop promoter on the plasmid was found to be inhibited by novobiocin to a similar extent as was transcription from the chromosome. When the cloned promoter was introduced into S9 mutant strains with insertions in either of two putative regulatory genes, brp and bat, no transcription was detectable, indicating that these genes serve to activate transcription from the bop promoter in trans. Deletion analysis of the cloned bop promoter from a site approximately 480 bp upstream of bop showed that a 53-bp region 5' to the transcription start site is sufficient for transcription, but a 28-bp region is not. An 11-bp alternating purine-pyrimidine sequence within the functional promoter region, centered 23 bp 5' to the transcription start point, was found to display DNA supercoiling-dependent sensitivity to S1 nuclease and OsO4, which is consistent with a non-B-DNA conformation similar to that of left-handed Z-DNA and suggests the involvement of unusual DNA structure in supercoiling-stimulated bop gene transcription.

Interactions of intercalative and minor groove binding ligands with triplex poly(dA).[poly(dT)]2 and with duplex poly(dA).poly(dT) and poly[d(A-T)]2 studied by CD, LD, and normal absorption

The binding of 9-aminoacridine and one bis-acridine compound to double helical poly(dA).poly-(dT) and poly[d(A-T)]2 and triple helical poly(dA).[poly(dT)]2 has been investigated using linear dichroism (LD) and circular dichroism (CD). A close examination of the negative reduced LD and the induced CD for the first pi-->pi* transition absorption region leads us to conclude that the acridine moiety of the 9-aminoacridine and bis-acridine molecule intercalates with both duplex and triplex DNA. Binding geometries of the acridine moieties in the examined polynucleotides are similar to those found for the ligands with DNA (Hansen et al. (1984) J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 509-511). It is also found that both 9-aminoacridine and bis-acridine effectively enhance the thermal stability of the triplex DNA. The corresponding spectra for the complexes of the minor groove binders DAPI and Hoechst with poly-(dA).[poly(dT)]2 were studied for comparison. They both show a positive LD and a mixing ratio dependent positive CD in the ligand absorption region, similar to those of their duplex complexes. This indicates that these ligands bind in the grooves of the triplex, probably to the one corresponding to the minor groove of the template duplex.

[Interleukin-8 gene expression in the human colon epithelial cell line, HT-29, exposed to Entamoeba histolytica]

The protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica, is one of major causative agents of intestinal disease all over the world. In acute experimental infection, the early host response to E. histolytica is characterized by an infiltration of neutrophils. However, the chemotactic signal for this response is not well known. Based on the finding that human epithelial cells produce the potent neutrophil chemoattractant and activator, interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-8 gene expression was examined thoroughly in human colon epithelial cells exposed to E. histolytica trophozoites. Cellular RNAs were extracted from HT-29 or Caco-2 human colon epithelial cells exposed to E. histolytica trophozoites for 30 minutes, 1 and 3 hours. IL-8 mRNA transcripts were measured by reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using synthetic standard RNA. The number of IL-8 mRNA molecules increased from 30 minutes to 3 hours of exposure period, reaching 3.1 x 10(7) molecules/micrograms of total RNA. Expression pattern of IL-8 mRNA transcripts was parallel to the amounts of IL-8 protein measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lysates of E. histolytica also induced expression of mRNA for IL-8 in colon epithelial cells. These results suggest that acute inflammatory reaction by E. histolytica may be initially triggered by proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 secreted from epithelial cells of the colon.

Homogeneous assays for riboflavin mediated by the interaction between enzyme-biotin and avidin-riboflavin conjugates

Homogeneous-type enzyme-linked competitive binding assays utilizing the synthetic enzyme-biotin and avidin-riboflavin conjugates are developed for the detection of riboflavin as well as its binder protein. The activity of the enzyme-biotin conjugate is inhibited in the presence of the avidin-riboflavin conjugate, and the observed inhibition is reversed in an amount dependent on the concentration of riboflavin binding protein (RBP) added. Upon additions of free riboflavin to the mixture, activity is reinhibited in an amount proportional to the riboflavin concentration. Three different enzymes are examined as the labels: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, adenosine deaminase, and alkaline phosphatase. The catalytic activity of these enzymes, when conjugated with biotin, is shown to be inhibited to a significant degree (> 90%) by the binding of the avidin-riboflavin conjugate, and reversed upon additions of RBP.

Development of a high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of staurosporine

Staurosporine (Stsp), a protein kinase inhibitor, has been found to have a differential effect on the proliferation of normal and transformed cells in vitro. Hence, Stsp might be used in cancer therapy to arrest normal proliferating cells in G1, while permitting tumor cells to continue proliferation. The patient could then be treated with a therapeutic agent of maximum toxicity for actively proliferating tumor cells. To facilitate investigations of Stsp in vivo, we have developed an HPLC method for measuring the levels of Stsp in blood. Using a rat model, plasma containing Stsp is treated with acetone to precipitate proteins and extract the Stsp. The acetone extract is then subjected to reversed-phase HPLC on a mu Bondapak C18 column. Using a linear elution gradient of acetonitrile containing trifluoroacetic acid, Stsp elutes as a sharp peak at ca. 35 min which can be detected by UV absorption at 292 nm. No blood or reagent components interfere with its quantification. The calibration curve, ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 micrograms Stsp, demonstrated a linear response to Stsp concentration having a correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.990. Precision analysis demonstrated that the method will yield results that are +/- 11.6% from the mean 95% (two standard deviations) of the time. This method was used to measure Stsp levels in plasma after administering an injection of 0.2 mg Stsp into the jugular vein of rats. No Stsp could be detected in the plasma 5 min after injection, even though enough Stsp was administered to be easily detectable if it was simply contained in the plasma. Thus, it is concluded that some compartment other than the plasma must adsorb the Stsp from the plasma and sequester it in vivo.

Growth and Survival of Salmonella montevideo on Tomatoes and Disinfection with Chlorinated Water

The survival on tomato fruits ( Lycopersicum esculentum ) of a rifampicin-resistant strain of Salmonella montevideo (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] isolate G4639), the alleged source of the 1993 multistate outbreak of salmonellosis, was affected by inoculum dose and inoculation site (unbroken surface or wounds and stem scars), as well as by the medium (distilled water, Butterfield's buffer, or trypticase soy broth [TSB]) used to deliver the bacterium, This bacterium inoculated at 4 log₁₀ CFU (colony forming units) per site in distilled water survived for 20 h on tomato skin. However, comparable survival occurred at the stem scars and growth cracks with smaller inoculum doses (3 log₁₀ CFU). The bacterial populations increased rapidly on puncture wounds and tomato slices but decreased on the unbroken surface and stem scar. With unbroken skin and approximately 4 log₁₀ CFU per site, the population survived for at least 48 h but could not be consistently detected after 5 days. By contrast, the stem scar population survived for at least 7 days and decreased only 1 to 2 log₁₀ units. The inherently low pH of the tomatoes did not inhibit bacterial growth. Treatment with 100 ppm of aqueous chlorine for up to 2 min failed to kill all bacteria at these inoculation sites. This was especially true when the bacterial suspensions were prepared in TSB. TSB supported better bacterial survival and/or growth and also protected against the bactericidal effect of aqueous chlorine.

Body image disturbance in body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders. Obsessions or delusions?

At this time, the question posed by this article's title--body image disturbance in body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders: obsessions or delusions?--is probably best answered "both." Both disorders appear to be characterized by obsessional and delusional thinking. In addition, it is likely that their nondelusional and delusional variants constitute a single disorder encompassing a spectrum of insight, with the entire spectrum characterized by obsessional thinking. This view represents a considerable departure from DSM-III-R, in which the psychotic disorders were encapsulated in a separate section of the manual and considered different disorders from their nonpsychotic variants. The one exception was the mood disorders, which were acknowledged to have psychotic variants that were classified in the manual's "nonpsychotic" section. In DSM-IV, on the basis of emerging empirical evidence about the dimensional nature of the psychotic/nonpsychotic boundary, the dichotomy between delusional and nondelusional disorders is less clear. The double coding allowed for BDD acknowledges that BDD and its delusional disorder variant may constitute a single disorder; that allowed for OCD acknowledges that OCD may be delusional. With regard to eating disorders, however, DSM-IV is surprisingly silent, perhaps because delusional preoccupations are less common than in BDD. These issues also may apply to other disorders. Like BDD, hypochondriasis is classified as a somatoform disorder, with its delusional variant a type of delusional disorder, somatic type. Do the delusional and nondelusional variants of hypochondriasis constitute the same disorder? Do other types of somatic delusional disorder, such as parasitosis and olfactory reference syndrome (the belief that one emits a foul body odor) have nondelusional variants? It is likely that a number of disorders span a spectrum from delusional to nondelusional thinking, with unlimited shades of gray in between. Future research may indicate that obsessional disorders such as BDD, anorexia, OCD, and hypochondriasis, as well as other disorders such as major depression, should have qualifiers or subtypes--for example, "with good insight," "with poor insight," and "with delusional (or psychotic) thinking"--with an implied continuum of insight embraced by a single disorder. Such an approach, which scatters psychosis throughout the nomenclature, ultimately may be shown to be a more valid and clinically useful classification approach. Answers to these questions will not only improve our classification system but also may have important treatment implications. For example, the preliminary finding that delusional BDD responds preferentially to SRIs but not to neuroleptic agents contradicts conventional wisdom about the treatment of psychosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Purification and characterization of an ATP-dependent amidohydrolase, N-methylhydantoin amidohydrolase, from Pseudomonas putida 77

N-Methylhydantoin amidohydrolase, an ATP-dependent amidohydrolase involved in microbial degradation of creatinine, was purified 70-fold to homogeneity, with a 62% overall recovery, and was crystallized from Pseudomonas putida 77. The enzyme has a relative molecular mass of 300,000. It is a tetramer of two identical small subunits (M(r) 70,000) and two identical large subunits (M(r) 80,000). The enzyme requires ATP for the amidohydrolysis of N-methylhydantoin and vice versa. Mg2+, Mn2+ or Co2+, and K+, NH4+, Rb+ or Cs+, were absolutely required concomitantly for the enzyme activity as divalent and monovalent cations, respectively. The Km and Vmax values for N-methylhydantoin were 32 microM and 9.0 mumol.min-1.mg protein-1. The hydrolysis of amide compounds and coupled hydrolysis of ATP were observed with hydantoin, DL-5-methylhydantoin, glutarimide and succimide in addition to N-methylhydantoin. 2-Pyrrolidone, 2-oxazolidone, delta-valerolactam, 2,4-thiazolidinedione, 2-imidazolidone, D-5-oxoproline methyl ester, DL-5-oxoproline methyl ester, and naturally occurring pyrimidine compounds, i.e. dihydrouracil, dihydrothymine, uracil, and thymine, effectively stimulated ATP hydrolysis by the enzyme without undergoing detectable self-hydrolysis.

Squatting following total knee arthroplasty

This prospective study was performed to investigate whether postoperative alternate flexion and extension splinting (daily change in position of immobilization by splinting) was useful in restoring full range of motion (ROM) after total knee arthroplasty as compared with continuous passive motion. The alternate flexion and extension splinting group and the continuous passive motion group were each composed of 34 knees. Final ROM was measured at an average of 3.5 years postoperatively. Squatting was possible in 31 knees (45.6%) of the alternate flexion and extension splinting group. The postoperative ROM of the osteoarthritic knees (131.8 degrees +/- 12.3 degrees) was significantly greater than that of the rheumatoid knees (121.9 degrees +/- 22.4 degrees) (p < 0.05). The postoperative ROM of the alternate flexion and extension splinting group (135.1 degrees +/- 11.9 degrees) also was significantly greater than that of the continuous passive motion group (120.0 degrees +/- 19.7 degrees) (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant relationship between the posterior slope of tibial cutting and the postoperative ROM. It is suggested that alternate flexion and extension splinting is effective in restoring full ROM after total knee arthroplasty.

Ipsilateral synchronous renal cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma

The simultaneous occurrence of renal cell carcinoma(RCC) and transitional cell carcinoma(TCC) in the same kidney is unusual. We report a 53-year-old man with ipsilateral synchronous renal adenocarcinoma and renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma with severe hypercalcemia and a huge staghorn calculus in the opposite kidney. The patient was admitted to the hospital because of left flank pain and intermittent fever which he had had for 2 months. Computerized tomography revealed a huge stone in the right kidney and a mass in the upper pole with an irregular calcified pelvis in the left enlarged kidney. Left radical nephrectomy was done. A section of the specimen revealed a renal cell carcinoma located at the upper pole and a papillary transitional cell carcinoma arising from the renal pelvis. This is a rare case of combined renal malignancies.

Phorbol ester synergistically increases interferon-gamma-induced nitric oxide synthesis in murine microglial cells

The effect of phorbol ester on the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) in murine microglial cells was examined. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, alone had no effect, whereas PMA with recombinant interferon (rIFN)-gamma synergistically increased NO synthesis in murine microglial cells. The maximal effect of PMA on NO synthesis increase always fitted with the range for full activation of PKC in these cells. The increase of NO synthesis was reflected as increased amount of immunologic NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA detected by Northern blotting. Treatment with PKC inhibitors such as staurosporine or polymyxin B decreased rIFN-gamma-plus-PMA-stimulated NO synthesis. Further, prolonged incubation of the cells with PMA, which down-regulates PKC activity, abolished the synergistic cooperative effect with IFN-gamma. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine monohydrate, an analogue of L-arginine, and arginase inhibited rIFN-gamma-plus-PMA-induced NO production in murine microglial cells. On the basis of these observations, we conclude that PKC might not be involved in the expression of iNOS, but instead, might be involved in the posttranscriptional modification of iNOS mRNA.

Adenosine deaminase and carcinoembryonic antigen in pericardial effusion diagnosis, especially in suspected tuberculous pericarditis

BACKGROUND

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) have been measured in pleural fluid to help distinguish malignant from benign effusions, especially in tuberculous pleurisy. We investigated ADA and CEA levels in patients with moderate to large pericardial effusions of different etiologies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed diagnostic and therapeutic pericardiostomy with drainage and biopsy. We measured ADA and CEA levels in the pericardial fluid in 26 patients with moderate to large pericardial effusion and 19 control patients. Patients were included in a prospective protocol from August 1991 to August 1993. Patients were grouped as follows: group 1, 9 patients with tuberculous pericarditis (TP) confirmed by bacteriologic culture or histology of pericardial biopsy; group 2, 5 patients with clinically strongly suspected TP; group 3, 12 patients with malignancy (8) and acute pericarditis (4); group 4, 19 control patients without pericardial disease. We treated patients with TP with isoniazid, rifampin, and either streptomycin or ethambutol for 12 months and pyrazinamide for 2 months. We observed for symptoms and signs of recurrent pericarditis or constrictive pericarditis on follow-up. In group 1 the ADA activity was significantly higher (101 +/- 14 U/L) than that in group 3 (22 +/- 5 U/L) or that in group 4 (17 +/- 2 U/L) (P < .05). There was no significant difference between ADA activity in group 1 (101 +/- 14 U/L) and that in group 2 (100 +/- 26 U/L). With a cutoff value for ADA activity of 40 U/L, sensitivity was 93% and specificity 97% in the diagnosis of TP. In benign diseases, the CEA level was significantly lower (1.0 +/- 0.3 ng/mL) than that in malignant diseases (135.1 +/- 79.7 ng/mL) (P < .05). With a cutoff value for CEA level of 5 ng/mL, sensitivity was 75% and specificity 100% in the diagnosis of malignant pericarditis. Follow-up study (mean, 12.9, 19.8, and 11.8 months in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, showed no symptoms or signs of constrictive pericarditis, except for 1 patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Pericardial fluid ADA and CEA are useful for the differential diagnosis of pericardial effusion of various causes. They also have great value in early diagnosis of TP, particularly when the results of other clinical and laboratory tests are negative.

Androgen and estrogen sulfotransferases of the rat liver: physiological function, molecular cloning, and in vitro expression

Cloning of the androgen and estrogen sulfotransferases has allowed studies on their spatiotemporal regulation and physiological function. These two enzymes appear to be involved in regulating target cell sensitivity for the androgenic and estrogenic steroids. Recombinant androgen sulfotransferase produced in insect Sf9 cells through a baculoviral expression vector is capable of transferring the sulfate from PAPS (phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate) to 3 alpha, 3 beta, 17 alpha, and 17 beta hydroxyl groups of a number of steroid substrates indicating a broad range of substrate specificity.

Nucleotide sequence of the pectate lyase gene from alkali-tolerant Bacillus sp. YA-14

The nucleotide sequence of the pectate lyase gene (pe lK) from alkali-tolerant Bacillus sp. was identified and analyzed. A 1,260-base pair open reading frame for the pe lK gene was observed and encoded for a protein of 420 amino acids. The signal peptide was composed of 21 amino acid residues. In the deduced primary structure of this enzyme, the three conserved regions of several pectate lyases were found and showed high homologies.

Involvement of protein kinase C in the inhibition of nitric oxide production from murine microglial cells by glucocorticoid

The effects of glucocorticoid on the production of nitric oxide (NO) by murine microglial cells were investigated. Stimulation of the cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) after the treatment of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) resulted in the increased accumulation of nitrite in the medium. Concomitant incubation of the cells with dexamethasone (DEX) markedly inhibited the production of NO in a dose dependent manner. DEX also suppressed both rIFN-gamma and rIFN-gamma plus LPS-induced activity of the enzyme protein kinase C (PKC), a putative regulator of NO synthesis, but had only a modest inhibitory effect on basal activity. In addition, the inhibitory effect of DEX on NO generation was mimicked by the treatment of PKC inhibitors such as staurosporine (STSN) and polymyxin B. Our findings show that glucocorticoids have the potential to modulate central nervous system (CNS) NO production via the inhibition of PKC activity particularly under the conditions of stimulated production of NO, such as inflammatory and demyelinating CNS disorders.

A novel regulatory element associated with age-dependent expression of the rat androgen receptor gene

A large body of evidence indicates that the genetic program of aging has co-evolved with the sexual mode of reproduction (Partridge, L., and Barton, N. H. (1993) Nature 362, 305-311). Age-dependent changes in target cell sensitivity to reproductive hormones can be considered part of this evolutionary linkage. Here we describe a novel regulatory element in the rat androgen receptor (AR) gene promoter associated with its age-dependent expression in the liver. This element consists of two (19 and 25 base pairs) contiguous sites, one specifically binding an Age-dependent Factor (ADF) and the other an Associated Factor (AF). Both deletion and point mutations of the ADF site result in about a 5-fold decline in the AR promoter function. Unlike AF, which is relatively tissue specific, ADF appears to be ubiquitous. The ubiquitous and evolutionarily conserved nature of ADF suggests a fundamental role of this novel transcription factor in programmed gene expression.

Brain vessels near muscle autografts are sites for entry of isogeneic macrophages into brain

An autograft of skeletal muscle on rat dorsal medulla is a permanent opening in the blood-brain barrier to solutes. Is the graft also a site for the entry of exogenous, isogeneic leukocytes? Five weeks after inserting the graft, peritoneal macrophages (M phi) from inbred Fischer rats were activated by phorbol myristate acetate, labeled with a fluorescent dye, and infused as a bolus of about 2 x 10(6) cells into the axillary artery of Fischer hosts. The cells circulated for 2 h. The brains were then fixed, frozen, and sectioned. Only when M phi had been activated and a muscle autograft inserted did appreciable numbers of M phi enter the medulla. Nonactivated M phi invaded the grafts but very few entered the brain at 2 h. In rats with gel foam grafts, only a few activated M phi invaded gel and brain. Before entering tissues, M phi must adhere to the lumenal face of vessels. Cell adhesion molecules, e.g., I-CAM-1 and its ligand adhesion molecule, leukocyte function antigen (LFA-1), are known to mediate adhesion. I-CAM-1, detected immunohistochemically, increased in graft vessels and in nearby brain vessels. The rise may have been mediated by cytokines, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-beta, found in the grafts. LFA-1, however, assayed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, was on both activated and nonactivated, exogenous M phi. Thus, M phi-endothelial attachment may have involved other adhesion molecules, e.g., selectins. The autograft also induced major histocompatibility complex class I on microglia and classes I and II on brain vessels near the graft. These vessels, by expressing adhesion molecules, are entry routes into brain for activated, isogeneic leukocytes that can then migrate for a limited distance of 1-2 mm in an otherwise intact brain.

[Comparative antigen analysis of Trichomonas vaginalis by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot technique]

Analysis of six isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis was carried out with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB). Trichloroacetic acid-treated antigens of the 6 isolates revealed 25 protein profiles ranging 12-170 kDa of molecular weight in SDS-PAGE. In EITB, the specific immunogenic bands were visualized at 51 kDa and 96 kDa when HY-1 antigen was probed with different mice sera immunized with 6 isolates of T. vaginalis. The banding patterns with different sera showed isolate-to-isolate variability. In EITB, homologous antigen (HY-1) did not show any enhanced response in reacting to homologous antiserum (HY-1) when 6 isolates of T. vaginalis were probed with a single serum (HY-1). It is assumed that the different banding patterns of six isolates show isolate-to-isolate variability and immunogenic common bands in 41, 47, 74 and 94 kDa on EITB may connote the important significance on immune response in T. vaginalis infection.

Marjolin's ulcer: immunohistochemical study of 17 cases and comparison with common squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens of 17 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of Marjolin's ulcer (SCC-MU), 6 cases of common SCC (SCC), and 5 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) were stained with three monoclonal antikeratin antibodies (CAM 5.2, MAK-6, and MA-903), a monoclonal antivimentin antibody (V9), and a polyclonal anticarcinoembryonic antigen antiserum (A115). Neoplastic cells of SCC-MU, SCC, and BCC showed consistently negative staining for CAM 5.2. A wide range of reactivity, from negative to diffuse strong positivity, among neoplastic cells of SCC-MU and SCC was noted with MAK-6. Alternatively, neoplastic cells of SCC-MU, SCC, and BCC consistently showed diffuse moderate to strong reactivity with MA-903. These findings imply that SCC-MU has largely high-molecular-weight keratins. They also showed a wide range of reactivity with V9. However, neoplastic cells of five of the six SCC and five cases of BCC were negative for V9. These findings suggest that neoplastic cells of SCC-MU contain vimentin in higher frequency than in the more usual SCC.

Structure of the mouse IL-10 gene and chromosomal localization of the mouse and human genes

The nucleotide sequence of a 7.2-kb segment containing the mouse IL-10 (mIL-10) gene was determined. Comparison to the mIL-10 cDNA sequence (Moore, K. W., et al. 1990. Science 248:1230; 250:494) revealed the presence of five exons that span approximately 5.1 kb of genomic DNA. The noncoding regions of the mIL-10 gene contain sequences that have been associated with transcriptional regulation of several cytokine genes. The mIL-10 gene was mapped to mouse chromosome 1 and the human IL-10 gene was also mapped to human chromosome 1.

Structure of the mouse IL-10 gene and chromosomal localization of the mouse and human genes

The nucleotide sequence of a 7.2-kb segment containing the mouse IL-10 (mIL-10) gene was determined. Comparison to the mIL-10 cDNA sequence (Moore, K. W., et al. 1990. Science 248:1230; 250:494) revealed the presence of five exons that span approximately 5.1 kb of genomic DNA. The noncoding regions of the mIL-10 gene contain sequences that have been associated with transcriptional regulation of several cytokine genes. The mIL-10 gene was mapped to mouse chromosome 1 and the human IL-10 gene was also mapped to human chromosome 1.

Nerve sheath myxoma (neurothekeoma)--a case report

A case of nerve sheath myxoma also called as neurothekeoma in a 33-year-old woman is described. The lesion appeared as a painful, elevated nodule on the scalp for several months, without an appreciable increase in size. Microscopically, it showed typical histologic characteristics of nerve sheath myxoma, and tumor cells revealed strong, positive reaction for S-100 protein and negativity for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) on immunohistochemical staining. These immunohistochemical findings of this case support the view that the origin cells of this tumor may be schwann cells rather than perineurial cells. The histogenesis and differential diagnosis of this tumor are discussed.

Mid dermal elastolysis with wrinkling. Report of two cases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

We observed two patients who had mid dermal elastolysis with wrinkling.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

We reviewed the pertinent features of the four cases reported in the literature and of our two cases. We also compared mid dermal elastolysis with other disorders of acquired elastolysis, such as postinflammatory elastolysis and cutis laxa, anetoderma, and (regular) cutis laxa.

RESULTS

Our two patients with mid dermal elastolysis with wrinkling were middle-aged, white women. Physical examination showed widespread wrinkling, erythematous patches (macules), and papules. Histologic examination showed patchy loss of elastic tissue limited to the mid dermis. In one of our patients, elastolytic skin lesions appeared on areas not covered by a two-piece swimsuit. She used to sunbathe frequently. In our other patient, skin lesions were also more prominent on exposed areas.

CONCLUSION

We speculate that sun exposure is one of the main causative factors of mid dermal elastolysis with wrinkling.

Use of a persistent photoconductive array in the learning of an optoelectronic neural processor

Persistent photoconductors of npnp doping-modulated amorphous silicon multilayers are investigated for the implementation of variable analog and nonvolatile synaptic weights of an optoelectronic neural processor. The time dependence of the persistent photoconductance of the amorphous silicon multilayers is characterized in experiments. The learning performance of an optical pattern classifier with the persistent photoconductive array is analyzed by computer simulations.

Quadriceps dislocation medial approach for intraarticular and medial structures of the knee

To minimize possible complications such as patellar subluxation, quadriceps atrophy and skin tightness and slough which interfere with successful rehabilitation following knee surgery, the author employed a quadriceps dislocation medial approach for total knee arthroplasty and ligament (medial and both cruciates) surgery. The results of this approach (99 knees) were compared with a medial capsular incision approach (111 knees), a lateral capsular incision approach (114 knees), and Hughston's medial hockey stick incision approach (122 knees). The skin slough, patellar subluxation, and sense of tightness during rehabilitation occurred least with the quadriceps dislocation medial approach (P less than .05). The quadriceps dislocation medial approach was also the most convenient approach of the four.

A case of primary T-cell lymphoma of the duodenum

Primary malignant lymphoma located in the duodenum is a rarity. A case of primary lymphoma of the duodenum in a 27-year-old man, in which the 2 discrete masses of duodenal bulb and the second portion with pancreatic head invasion was found, is reported here. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the present case showed that lymphoma cells expressed the T-cell markers MT1 and UCHL1. Treatment consisted of pancreaticoduodenectomy followed by antineoplastic chemotherapy.

Rapid neutrophil adhesion to activated endothelium mediated by GMP-140

Granule membrane protein-140 (GMP-140), a membrane glycoprotein of platelet and endothelial cell secretory granules, is rapidly redistributed to the plasma membrane during cellular activation and degranulation. Also known as PADGEM protein, GMP-140 is structurally related to two molecules involved in leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium: ELAM-1, a cytokine-inducible endothelial cell receptor for neutrophils, and the MEL-14 lymphocyte homing receptor. These three proteins define a new gene family, termed selectins, each of which contains an N-terminal lectin domain, followed by an epidermal growth factor-like module, a variable number of repeating units related to those in complement-binding proteins, a transmembrane domain, and a short cytoplasmic tail. Here we demonstrate that GMP-140 can mediate leukocyte adhesion, thus establishing a functional similarity with the other selectins. Human neutrophils and promyelocytic HL-60 cells bind specifically to COS cells transfected with GMP-140 complementary DNA and to microtitre wells coated with purified GMP-140. Cell binding does not require active neutrophil metabolism but is dependent on extracellular Ca2+. Within minutes after stimulation with phorbol esters or histamine, human endothelial cells become adhesive for neutrophils; this interaction is inhibited by antibodies to GMP-140. Thus, GMP-140 expressed by activated endothelium might promote rapid neutrophil targeting to sites of acute inflammation.

Structure and regulation of the senescence marker protein 2 gene promoter

The liver-specific expression of the senescence marker protein 2 (SMP-2) in the male rat is markedly reduced during the androgen-sensitive state of young adulthood, whereas it is up-regulated during the androgen-insensitive phases of prepuberty and senescence. Nuclear runoff studies show that the age-dependent changes in SMP-2 expression are due to transcriptional regulation of the gene. In order to explore the mechanism of the regulatory process, we have cloned the upstream flanking regions of two distinct SMP-2 genes (SMP-2A and SMP-2B) and established their nucleotide sequence. These clones contain approximately 2.2 kb of the 5'-flanking sequence, exons 1 and 2, the first intron, and a portion of the second intron. The SMP-2 genes, as well as the upstream sequences, contain the sequence motifs for a number of cis-acting regulatory elements, such as the hepatocyte-specific element (HP1) and the androgen response element (ARE). S1 nuclease and primer extension analyses have established the transcription initiation sites for these genes. For functional analysis of the upstream sequences, we have constructed a hybrid plasmid containing the SMP-2A gene sequence (-1970 to +38 bases) fused to the structural gene for chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase (CAT). Upon transfection into rat hepatoma cells (FT02B), this construct was able to drive expression of the CAT gene. The same construct, however, failed to function in fibroblast-derived L cells, indicating tissue-specific regulation of the construct promoter.

Microbial enzymes for creatinine assay: a review

A novel metabolic pathway for the degradation of creatinine with N-methylhydantoin, N-carbamoylsarcosine and sarcosine as successive intermediates was found to operate in Pseudomonas putida 77 and many other microorganisms. Enzymes involved in this pathway were purified from cells of P. putida 77 and characterized. The first step, deimination of creatinine, is catalyzed by cytosine deaminase/creatinine deiminase. The following two steps, ring-opening of N-methylhydantoin and decarbamoylation of N-carbamoylsarcosine, are catalyzed by new enzymes, N-methylhydantoin amidohydrolase and N-carbamoylsarcosine amidohydrolase, respectively. The former requires ATP, Mg2+, and K+ for the hydrolysis and the reaction proceeds as follows: N-methylhydantoin + ATP + 2 H2O----N-carbamoylsarcosine + ADP + Pi. The latter catalyzes the following reaction; N-carbamoylsarcosine + H2O----sarcosine + NH3 + CO2. Sarcosine dehydrogenase was found to be the responsible enzyme for the oxidation of sarcosine to glycine in P. putida 77, but sarcosine oxidase was also found to be involved in this oxidation in several microorganisms. These enzymes were found to be useful tools for determination of creatinine.

Sensitivity to both vecuronium and neostigmine in a sero-negative myasthenic patient

We describe a sero-negative ocular myasthenic patient who showed exaggerated responses to both vecuronium and neostigmine. These hypersensitive responses were not anticipated because preoperative clinical and laboratory evaluations suggested a negligible impairment of somatic muscles by myasthenic processes. This case report re-emphasizes that, if neuromuscular blocking agents and their antagonists are administered to myasthenic patients, regardless of the degree of impairment, the dose should be titrated carefully with the aid of a neuromuscular transmission monitor.

Etiology of childhood diarrhea in Korea

To assess the role of recently recognized enteropathogens in childhood diarrhea in Korea, 231 children with diarrhea admitted to and 104 children without diarrhea seen at the well-baby clinic or the outpatient department of Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea, were evaluated during a 14-month period. Stools were cultured for bacterial pathogens, including enterotoxigenic (heat-labile and heat-stable enterotoxin-producing) and enteroadherent organisms. Only those stools obtained from patients with diarrhea were examined for rotavirus. All Escherichia coli isolates were screened for Shiga-like toxin (SLT) I, SLT-II, enterohemorrhagic E. coli fimbriae, and enteroinvasiveness by colony hybridization. One or more pathogens were identified in 75.8% of the children with diarrhea. Rotavirus was the most frequently identified pathogen, accounting for 47% of the cases. Other major enteropathogens were enterotoxigenic E. coli (22%), Clostridium difficile (16%), enteroadherent E. coli (15%), and enteropathogenic E. coli (6%). Shigella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., SLT-I-and enterohemorrhagic-E. coli-fimbria-probe-positive E. coli serotype O26:H11 and enteroinvasive E. coli were isolated from only a few patients. Aeromonas hydrophila and E. coli O157 were not isolated. Compared with those of the controls, the isolation rates of heat-stable-enterotoxin-producing E. coli (P less than 0.05), C. difficile (P less than 0.025), and enteroadherent E. coli (P less than 0.05) were significantly higher in the patients with diarrhea. The greatest number of rotavirus, enterotoxigenic E. coli, and C. difficile cases were identified during the cool, dry months of October and November.