[Erythropoietic protoporphyria]

A 21-year-old patient was observed with oedematous-purpura-like skin changes since earliest childhood occurring in areas with short-term exposure to sunlight. The history suggested erythropoetic protoporphyria and the diagnosis was established by demonstration of fluorocytes in peripheral blood and subsequent porphyrin analysis. Whereas chronic persistent skin changes characteristic of erythropoetic protoporphyria were largely absent, histologic and immunohistologic findings were typical. The patient had been considered a "neurotic outsider" for many years because of his aversion to light which was considered abnormal.

[Methodological studies of protein metabolism and the bioenergetics of protein retention in growing animals. 2. The results of amino acid analysis after the long-term labelling of chicks with 15NH4-acetate]

The amino acid composition of the proteins in selected body fractions of chickens and the 15N-excess of amino acids isolated from them resulting from a feeding experiment with long-term labelling with 15NH4-acetate supplied orally are given. The amino acid spectra of feathers, breast and leg muscles are characterised by differences in the content of individual amino acids specific for the organs, the composition of the proteins, however, is independent of the protein content of the ration and the age of the animals. The sarcoplasmatic and myofibrillar proteins also have typical amino acid patterns, which--with the exception of the histidine content--are neither influenced by the extraction of the proteins from the breast or leg muscles nor by the energy level of the feeding or the age of the animals. There are no significant differences in the metabolisation of the main protein fraction of the breast and leg muscles. The oral supply of 15N ammonium acetate to broilers predominantly labels the non-essential amino acids so that the derived kinetic data chiefly represent the metabolism of the non-essential amino acids.

Procedures for the purification of interleukin 3 to homogeneity

A procedure is described for the routine purification of IL 3 to homogeneity from WEHI-3-conditioned media. The techniques employed include ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite, and G-75 Sephadex column chromatography. The last step in purification involves chromatography on C18 hydrophobic supports in RP-HPLC systems, which results in the coelution of a protein peak and IL 3 activity. This purification sequence results in approximately a 1,000,000-fold purification from the initial starting material with yields of 5 to 10% of the initial activity. typically, 150 liters of conditioned media yields 2 to 10 micrograms of IL 3. The purified material was homogeneous by SDS-PAGE analysis and had an apparent m.w. of 28,000. Purified IL 3 had a specific activity of approximately 0.05 ng/unit of activity. Additional criteria used to establish the relationship of the 28,000-dalton protein to IL 3 include the ability of an antiserum against IL 3 to concomitantly immunoprecipitate the iodinated protein and to inhibit its biologic activity as well as the ability of the iodinated protein to bind specifically to cell lines known to require IL 3 for growth.

Procedures for the purification of interleukin 3 to homogeneity

A procedure is described for the routine purification of IL 3 to homogeneity from WEHI-3-conditioned media. The techniques employed include ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite, and G-75 Sephadex column chromatography. The last step in purification involves chromatography on C18 hydrophobic supports in RP-HPLC systems, which results in the coelution of a protein peak and IL 3 activity. This purification sequence results in approximately a 1,000,000-fold purification from the initial starting material with yields of 5 to 10% of the initial activity. typically, 150 liters of conditioned media yields 2 to 10 micrograms of IL 3. The purified material was homogeneous by SDS-PAGE analysis and had an apparent m.w. of 28,000. Purified IL 3 had a specific activity of approximately 0.05 ng/unit of activity. Additional criteria used to establish the relationship of the 28,000-dalton protein to IL 3 include the ability of an antiserum against IL 3 to concomitantly immunoprecipitate the iodinated protein and to inhibit its biologic activity as well as the ability of the iodinated protein to bind specifically to cell lines known to require IL 3 for growth.

Phenotypic characteristics of cell lines requiring interleukin 3 for growth

A number of cell lines have been derived from bone marrow cultures in the presence of WEHI-3 conditioned media (CM) that continue to require WEHI-3 CM for growth in vitro. Because the WEHI-3 cell line has been shown to constitutively produce a lymphokine (IL 3) that induces the expression of 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20 alpha SDH) in cultures of splenic lymphocytes from athymic mice, we examined whether these cell lines were dependent upon IL 3 for growth. The results demonstrate that the factor required for growth of these cell lines copurifies with IL 3 activity on G-100, DEAE cellulose, and CM cellulose column chromatography as well as in preparative isoelectric focusing and on hydrophobic supports in reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The biologic activity of peak fractions in each case was similar in both types of assays. These results strongly suggest that the WEHI-3 CM-dependent cell lines are dependent on IL 3 for growth in vitro. All the cell lines have readily detectable levels of 20 alpha SDH but have differing cell surface phenotypes. The C3HSFFV line is devoid of conventional lymphoid cell surface markers with the exception of Lyt-1, whereas the FDC-P1 expresses Thy-1, Ly-5, and H-11. Other cell lines have intermediate phenotypes.

Phenotypic characteristics of cell lines requiring interleukin 3 for growth

A number of cell lines have been derived from bone marrow cultures in the presence of WEHI-3 conditioned media (CM) that continue to require WEHI-3 CM for growth in vitro. Because the WEHI-3 cell line has been shown to constitutively produce a lymphokine (IL 3) that induces the expression of 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20 alpha SDH) in cultures of splenic lymphocytes from athymic mice, we examined whether these cell lines were dependent upon IL 3 for growth. The results demonstrate that the factor required for growth of these cell lines copurifies with IL 3 activity on G-100, DEAE cellulose, and CM cellulose column chromatography as well as in preparative isoelectric focusing and on hydrophobic supports in reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The biologic activity of peak fractions in each case was similar in both types of assays. These results strongly suggest that the WEHI-3 CM-dependent cell lines are dependent on IL 3 for growth in vitro. All the cell lines have readily detectable levels of 20 alpha SDH but have differing cell surface phenotypes. The C3HSFFV line is devoid of conventional lymphoid cell surface markers with the exception of Lyt-1, whereas the FDC-P1 expresses Thy-1, Ly-5, and H-11. Other cell lines have intermediate phenotypes.

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of mono- and disaccharides in presweetened cereals: Collaborative study

A collaborative study was conducted using a modified AOAC method (sugars in chocolate) for the determination of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and maltose in presweetened cereals by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Eight samples consisting of 6 products were analyzed in duplicate by the HPLC method and the AOAC Lane-Eynon method. The AOAC method was modified to use water-alcohol (1 + 1) and Sep-Pak C18 cartridges for sample cleanup. The HPLC results indicate precision comparable to the lane-Eynon method and the chocolate method. The modified HPLC method has been adopted official first action.

A computed tomography-radiation therapy treatment planning system utilizing a whole body CT scanner

An external beam radiation therapy treatment planning system has been developed to run on the GE CT/T whole body scanner. The system interactively obtains treatment planning information directly from CT scans, including relative density conversion of user input inhomogeneity regions. The program generates beams isodose tables from input TAR-SAR data using the Cunningham model. Inhomogeneity corrections are applied using the power law TAR method at low energies and the TAR ratio method at high energies. Beam data are generated on the central axis and at off-axis locations coplanar with each CT scan, and isodose distributions are displayed on any transverse, coronal or sagittal plane. Examples of plans and initial verification results are discussed.

Studies of blood pressure in Tecumseh, Michigan. I. Blood pressure in young people and its relationship to personal and familial characteristics and complications of pregnancy in mothers

Relationships between blood pressures (BPs) of young people and a number of personal, parental and familial characteristics have been assessed in the population of Tecumseh, Michigan. Systolic and fifth phase diastolic BPs were measured in 4500 persons under 20 years of age at the time of their first examination. Body size, fatness and heart rates of the subjects themselves were significantly related to their age- and sex-adjusted BP scores. The parents' BP scores were also correlated with those of the young subjects, and scores were significantly higher in those whose mothers had had high BP or toxemia in pregnancy of a stillbirth. A weak association between BP and socioeconomic circumstances was suggested by the slightly higher mean BP scores found in sons and daughters of men in blue collar jobs and of men and women with the least education. BP levels were not associated with birth order, sibship size or birth weight nor with the numbers of pregnancies, live births or abortions experienced by the mothers of young subjects. In a stepwise multiple regression, the most important determinants of BP were weight/height ratios of the subjects themselves and BP levels of their parents; a small additional effect of complications of pregnancy in the mother was detectable in the offspring 0--19 years laters.

Body weight and metabolic level in growing chickens

Body weight and metabolic level in growing chickens. Acta Physiol. Pol., 1977, 28 (6): 575-583. In the investigations carried out on 128 White Rock chicken the metabolic level was determined under standard conditions in chickens characterising by different growth rate resulted from different feeding levels. It was shown that the feeding level of growing chicken has an essential influence on the character of the regression between the metabolic level and body weight. It was also found that this regression is not necessarily ot the character of Kleiber's function H = aWb. The differences in the metabolic level between the chickens maintained on different feeding levels did not disappear even after 4 days of starvation. In the light of the obtained results and recent investigations by other authors the usefulness of the so-called metabolic unit of the body size based on W0.75 in context to growing animals within one species has bee criticized.

The effect of propylthiouracil (PTU) on heat production in chickens maintained on different levels of nutrition

Using the method of forced feeding on higher and lower levels, two groups of chickens differring in growth rate were obtained. In the chickens of the two groups 72 measurements of heat production were made. Chickens of these groups were compared considering either the same age or similar body weight. It has been found that propythiouracil treatment (120 mg/kg duging 10 consecutive days) decreases heat production in the chickens of both groups. However, this effect was much more pronounced in the birds maintained on the higher level of nutrition and growing more rapidly than in those maintained on the lower level of nutrition and growing slowly.

D-Mannitol dehydrogenase from Absidia glauca. Purification, metabolic role, and subunit interactions

When Absidia glauca was grown in minimal media with D-mannitol as the only source of carbon, an NAD+ specific D-mannitol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.67) was induced. The crude extract also gave evidence of mannitol kinase, mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphofructokinase, and L-iditol dehydrogenase activity. The heat labile purified preparation was judged enzymically homogeneous based on evidence derived from substrate specificity studies and activity staining, following disc gel electrophoresis. The enzymic monomer, with a weight of about 67000 daltons, slowly polymerizes when stored at -20 degrees C, giving a multiplicity of protein bands on electrophoresis distributed predominantly across a spectrum from dimer to pentamer, with enzymic activity resident predominantly in even multiples of the monomer. Depolymerization occurred rapidly (hours) when a frozen preparation was brought to and held between 4 and 20 degrees C. Aggregate fragmentation with sodium dodecyl sulfate showed a time-temperature dependence, terminating in a subunit component of 13000 daltons. pH optimum for polyol oxidation occurs at 9.6 (NaOH-glycine buffer) while ketose reduction proceeded most rapidly at pH 7.0-7.2 (phosphate buffer). A regulatory role is suggested for this enzyme based on dead-end inhibition by mannitol 1-phosphate, multiple enzyme forms, and its locus at the initiation site for mannitol utilization. The physiological relevance of low-temperature aggregation to regulatory control remains to be established.