[Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of a cystic coccygeal teratoma with retroperitoneal extension]

The most common teratoma of th newborn is the sacrococcygeal, which contains tissues of all three germinal layers. It is located over and under the sacrum or the coccyx and may extend in front of the sacrum into the retroperitoneal region. The teratoma can lead to compression of the ureters with resultant hydronephrosis or to obstruction of the rectum. The most important complication is the malignant change which usually occurs between the fourth month and the third year. Because of the complications early diagnosis of the teratoma is necessary and extirpation should be carried out as soon as possible. The present paper reports on the sonographic findings in a sacrococcygeal teratoma with retroperitoneal extension at 37 weeks gestation. The aetiology and pathogenesis of this malformation and the clinical findings are discussed.

Purification and characterization of the feline sarcoma virus tyrosine-specific kinase pp85gag-fes

The transforming phosphoprotein pp85gag-fes of the Snyder-Theilen strain of feline sarcoma virus (ST-FeSV) was purified in a form which exhibits tyrosine-specific kinase activity. Cell lysates of ST-FeSV-transformed mink nonproducer cells were applied to a column of DEAE-Sephacel and eluted with a linear gradient of NaCl in phosphate buffer. Kinase activity was found uncomplexed (pp85gag-fes) in the flow-through and was eluted with 200 mM NaCl in a complex with pp50 and pp90. The flow-through material was further fractionated by chromatography on hydroxylapatite, followed by phosphocellulose and a final gel filtration step using Sephacryl S200. The final preparation was specifically enriched 1400-fold, and tyrosine-specific kinase activity was increased by about 300-fold as determined by autophosphorylation or phosphorylation of casein. Pp85gag-fes kinase activity was inhibited by nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD) and slightly inhibited by NADH, while quercetin, a strong inhibitor for pp60src-associated tyrosine kinase activity, had no inhibiting effect.

Isosorbide dinitrate in plasma and dialysate during haemodialysis

In 10 patients with end stage renal disease on regular haemodialysis the plasma concentrations and dialyzer clearance of isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) were determined after an oral dose of a retarded release formulation of 60 mg ISDN. The maximal plasma concentration of ISDN 2-7 h after oral administration was higher (14 ng/ml) than has been reported in healthy volunteers. The haemodialyzer clearance of ISDN was 92.4 ml/min at a blood flow of 200 ml/min and dialysate flow of 500 ml/min. During a 5-h haemodialysis an average of 0.3 mg ISDN was removed from the patient's circulation, representing about 0.5% of the administered dose and about 3% of the available drug in the circulation. No influence of haemodialysis on the plasma level of ISDN was found.

Epidemiological aspects of multiple sclerosis: a comparative study of four centres in Europe

Epidemiological data of 931 patients with definite and probable multiple sclerosis in four areas in Europe (Groningen, Göttingen, Darmstadt and Baranya) were collected and compared. The same criteria and scoring methods were used. Clear differences between the areas appeared: a high percentage of severely disabled patients were encountered in the northern part (Groningen) and a high percentage of signs and symptoms related to supraspinal lesions in brainstem, cerebellum and hemispheres were found in the south east (Hungary). In Göttingen, in the central part of the total area, a relatively higher percentage of younger MS patients with minimal disability were found. However, it still has to be determined to which extent these differences are real or caused by information bias.

[The hemoglobin of adult Andean condors (Vultur gryphus, Cathartiformes). The amino acid sequence of the major (HbA) and minor component (HbD)]

The complete amino-acid sequence of the alpha A- and the beta-chains of the major component (HbA) and the alpha D- and the beta-chains of the minor component (HbD) of Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) is presented. The minor component with the alpha D-chains is present in smaller amounts (17%) than in other birds (25%). The comparison with the corresponding chains of Greylag Goose (Anser anser) shows 17 different amino acids (17 nucleotides, only one-point mutations) in the alpha A-chains and 8 (8 nucleotides) in the beta-chains. The alpha D-chains differ from those of the pheasant (Phasanius cholchicus cholchicus) in 24 amino acids (27 nucl., 3 two-point mutations). Seven alpha 1 beta 1-, one alpha 1 beta 2-, three alpha 1 alpha 1-contacts and one beta 1 beta 1-contact are exchanged. The systematy of Cathartiformes, Ciconiiformes and Phoenicopteriformes is discussed, based on the amino-acid exchanges of all known adult hemoglobins of birds.

Safety of human blood products: inactivation of retroviruses by heat treatment at 60 degrees C

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) can be transferred to patients by blood transfusions or human blood preparations, such as cryoprecipitates or factor VIII concentrates. Retroviruses have been discussed as infectious AIDS agents and more recently human T-lymphotropic retroviruses designated as HTLV type III and LAV (lymphadenopathy-associated virus) have been isolated from AIDS patients. Whether heat treatment at 60 degrees C (pasteurization) of liquid human plasma protein preparations inactivates retroviruses was therefore investigated. Pasteurization had already been included in the routine manufacturing process of human plasma protein preparations in order to guarantee safety with regard to hepatitis B. Since high titer preparations of human retroviruses were not available, heat inactivation was studied using Rous sarcoma virus added to the various plasma protein preparations tested. This retrovirus which was obtained in preparations of 6.0 log10 FFU/ml was shown to be at least as heat stable as two mammalian retroviruses studied, i.e., feline and simian sarcoma virus. In all of eight different plasma protein preparations tested, Rous sarcoma virus was completely inactivated after a heat treatment lasting no longer than 4 hr. It is thus concluded that pasteurization of liquid plasma protein preparations at 60 degrees C over a period of 10 hr must confer safety to these products with respect to AIDS, provided that the AIDS agents are retroviruses of comparable heat stability as Rous sarcoma virus and the mammalian retroviruses tested.

Evaluation of proteinuria by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after kidney transplantation

Urinary proteins were studied in patients after kidney transplantation during various functional states (normal function, acute rejection, chronic rejection) by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the first dimension, the proteins were separated according to their electric charge by isoelectric focusing, and in the second dimension according to their molecular weight by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After electrophoresis the proteins were visualized using a highly sensitive silver stain technique. The combination of these methods allowed the discrimination of up to 250 protein spots in human urine, most of them unidentified up to now. Functional changes of the kidney transplants were accompanied by complex changes of the protein pattern in urine. These changes cannot be simply compared to the tubular and glomerular pattern of proteinuria which can be identified by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis. The 2D electrophoresis of urinary proteins may develop into a useful tool in localizing of kidney damage and in the evaluation of renal disease.

pp60c-src is a substrate for phosphorylation when cells are stimulated to enter cycle

The endogenous cellular oncogene products, pp60c-src, exhibits a protein kinase activity, but is itself a phosphoprotein. Based on the assumption that pp60c-src might play a role in the control of cell proliferation, we have studied its behaviour as a substrate for phosphorylation known to occur when quiescent, serum-deprived cells are stimulated to enter cell cycle following addition of either serum, platelet-derived growth factor or the phorbol ester derivative, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. For this purpose a partial purification of pp60c-src on DEAE ion-exchange chromatography was combined with immune precipitation. A 2-4-fold increase in serine phosphorylation of pp60c-src was consistently observed after stimulation of quiescent cells to growth.

Biological and biochemical characterization of a new isolate of feline sarcoma virus: Theilen-Pedersen (TP1-FeSV)

A new feline sarcoma virus designated Theilen-Pedersen (TP1-FeSV) has been isolated from a spontaneous, slowly growing fibrosarcoma of a domestic short-haired 4-year-old castrated cat. The virus codes for a gag-onc fusion protein of 83,000 molecular weight phosphorylated in vivo at serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. Cells transformed in vitro with TP1-FeSV exhibit five- to 10-fold elevated levels of phosphotyrosine over FeLV-infected cells. The gag-onc polyprotein has associated with it a tyrosyl protein kinase activity which in vitro results in autophosphorylation of the molecule at tyrosine residues. The fusion protein cannot be labeled metabolically with [3H]glucosamine and tunicamycin has no effect on the electrophoretic mobility of the in vivo [32P]orthophosphate-labeled fusion protein. The fusion protein, in common with the gag precursor Pr65gag, can be metabolically labeled with palmitic acid.

Amisulpride--an open clinical study of a new benzamide in schizophrenic patients

In pharmacological screening amisulpride produces no catalepsy, no inhibition of stereotypic movements, yet a blockade of drug-induced vomiting. During an open clinical trial lasting 4 weeks, 14 patients (13 schizophrenics) were treated with the compound. The (BPRS-) syndromes anxiety/depression, thought disorder, activity, hostility and the global score showed significant improvement. With the AMDP system significant changes were seen in the paranoid-hallucinatory, manic, depressive and hostility syndromes as well as in the global score. No changes were revealed in anergia (BPRS) and apathia (AMDP). In the EEG a significant decrease in the frequency of alpha-rhythms was found. The scores of the Simpson-scale for extrapyramidal side effects were low, but there was an acute dystonic reaction in one patient. In three cases akathisia occurred; biperiden administration was necessary three times. In conclusion, amisulpride showed good antipsychotic efficacy without sedation. Contrary to expectations based on the pharmacological screening, we did find extrapyramidal side effects.

The differential expression of the cellular src-gene product pp60src and its phosphokinase activity in normal chicken cells and tissues

Chick embryos of different ages and adult chickens were examined for the expression of pp60c -src, the normal cellular homolog of the transforming protein of Rous sarcoma virus. In any brain extract, the pp60c -src kinase activity was always high, whereas muscle extracts of embryos show an age-dependent decrease in kinase activity. Adult animals show either no or barely measurable activity in muscle tissue. In contrast, liver cell extracts of embryos show an age-dependent increase in pp60c -src kinase activity, with adult chickens displaying the highest activity, very similar to that found in brain extracts. This demonstrates that increased expression of c-src is not necessarily correlated with cell proliferation, but suggests that, at an early stage of differentiation of mesenchymal cells, the relatively high expression of c-src could be responsible, at least in part, for the control of cell metabolism and proliferation.