Studies of safe maximal daily dietary selenium intake in a seleniferous area in China. I. Selenium intake and tissue selenium levels of the inhabitants

Studies of marginal safe Se-intake have been carried out in a seleniferous section of China since 1985. Three areas with low, medium and high Se levels were selected for this study. The respective average daily Se-intake (mean +/- SE) was 70.5 +/- 4.8 micrograms, 194.7 +/- 22.9 micrograms and 1438.2 +/- 76.3 micrograms for males, and 62.0 +/- 3.6 micrograms, 198.1 +/- 23.8 micrograms and 1238.5 +/- 64.6 micrograms for females (average body weight: male 55 Kg, female 53 Kg). When the increasing rate of Se-intake was compared with the corresponding tissue-Se levels it was found that the whole blood Se-level reflected more closely the physiological range of Se-intake, while at higher Se-intakes it became less sensitive than the levels in hair, finger-nail and toe-nail, which were comparable to the sensitivity of urine. It is suggested that hair, finger- and toe-nail may all act as excretory organs when excess amounts of Se are ingested. Hair- and blood-Cd are somewhat higher in residents of the high Se area, but whether they have influenced human Se-metabolism at the high level of Se-intake is not yet known. Significant correlations on log-log plots were obtained between levels of daily Se-intake and whole blood r = 0.878), breast milk (r = 0.899) and 24-h-urine (r = 0.859). Highly significant correlations on log-log plots between levels of tissue were also obtained: urine Se--plasma Se (r = 0.968), whole blood Se--hair Se (r = 0.952), fingernail Se--toenail Se (r = 0.919), hair Se--fingernail Se (r = 0.914), hair Se--toenail Se (r = 0.891), whole blood Se--toenail Se (r = 0.849) and whole blood Se--fingernail Se (r = 0.836). The highly significant correlations found between the Se-intake and the tissue-Se level, and also between the Se levels of various tissues, could possibly conveniently be used to convert the known tissue-Se level to the corresponding Se-intake. Taken together with the wide range of Se-intakes and corresponding tissue-Se levels this would provide the necessary conditions for studying the marginal and maximal safe Se-intakes in humans.

Interleukin-6 interacts with interleukin-4 and other hematopoietic growth factors to selectively enhance the growth of megakaryocytic, erythroid, myeloid, and multipotential progenitor cells

The growth-promoting activities of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in combination with different factors were assessed in bone marrow (BM) cultures prepared from normal mice and from mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Effects on hematopoietic colony formation with respect to number, size, and cellular composition were evaluated. In agreement with previous reports, IL-6 acts synergistically with IL-3 to stimulate increased numbers of granulocyte/macrophage (GM) and multilineage colonies in day-2 and day-4 post-5-FU BM cultures. Furthermore, day 4 but not day 2 post-5-FU BM showed enhanced GM colony formation when stimulated with IL-6 plus interleukin-4 (IL-4) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). In contrast, IL-6 did not increase the number of colonies supported by M-CSF or GM-CSF. Nevertheless IL-6 interacted with all factors, including M-CSF and GM-CSF, to stimulate an increase in colony size. Many of these myeloid colonies attained a diameter of greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, suggesting they derive from high proliferative potential cells (HPP-CFC). The response of normal and day-8 post-5-FU BM containing high numbers of more mature progenitors was also assessed. We found IL-6 enhanced colony formation by lineage-restricted megakaryocytic and erythroid progenitors in the presence of IL-3 and IL-4 plus erythropoietin (Epo), respectively. The sum of these results shows that IL-6 interacts with a variety of factors to regulate the growth of progenitor cells at different stages of lineage commitment and maturation.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for screening aflatoxin B1 in cottonseed products and mixed feed: collaborative study

A joint AOAC/IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) interlaboratory study of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent screening assay (ELISA) for aflatoxins was conducted in laboratories in Canada, France, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Tunisia, and the United States. Twenty-eight samples of raw and roasted peanuts, corn, whole cottonseed, cottonseed meal, ammoniated cottonseed meal, and poultry feed containing various quantities of natural aflatoxins and supplemented when appropriate with aflatoxin B1 were distributed to participating laboratories for testing. The assay is based on conjugation of pure aflatoxin B1 to an enzyme and the competition between this conjugate and (free) aflatoxins in the product for aflatoxin-specific antibodies coated onto microtiter well walls. After a wash step to remove all unbound aflatoxins, a substrate, added to each well, is catalyzed from a colorless to a green solution by any bound enzyme-conjugated aflatoxin B1 present. The intensity of the color decreases as the amount of free aflatoxin B1 in the product increases. Overall correlation was good between ELISA and thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) results for cottonseed products and mixed feed. Variable results were reported for corn and peanut product samples. Although some positive samples (greater than 15 ng/g) of cottonseed products and mixed feed were reported to contain less than 15 ng/g by visual determination, a review of data for absorbance measurements showed that the contamination level was close to the greater than or equal to 15 ng/g standard and would not have been reported as negative under routine screening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

IL-3 and stromal cell-derived factor synergistically stimulate the growth of pre-B cell lines cloned from long-term lymphoid bone marrow cultures

The addition of IL-3 to modified Whitlock-Witte long-term lymphocyte cultures was found to enhance the growth of a small but significant number of B cell precursors supported by an adherent stromal cell monolayer. Several pre-B cell lines were cloned from IL-3-treated long-term lymphocyte cultures. The growth requirements and physical properties of one representative clone, BL/3, are described. BL/3 cells were shown to be unresponsive to IL-3 except when it is used at very high concentrations. In contrast, significant growth was stimulated by stromal cell conditioned medium previously shown to contain a pre-B cell growth factor. Optimal growth of the pre-B cell clone was stimulated by stromal cell conditioned medium plus IL-3. Synergy between the stromal cell-derived factor and IL-3 occurred when IL-3 was used over a wide range of concentrations including a relatively low amount that was ineffective as a growth stimulus by itself. The finding that more than one factor is required to sustain optimal growth of some pre-B cells parallels the complex growth requirements reported for some primitive myeloid/erythroid progenitors.

IL-3 and stromal cell-derived factor synergistically stimulate the growth of pre-B cell lines cloned from long-term lymphoid bone marrow cultures

The addition of IL-3 to modified Whitlock-Witte long-term lymphocyte cultures was found to enhance the growth of a small but significant number of B cell precursors supported by an adherent stromal cell monolayer. Several pre-B cell lines were cloned from IL-3-treated long-term lymphocyte cultures. The growth requirements and physical properties of one representative clone, BL/3, are described. BL/3 cells were shown to be unresponsive to IL-3 except when it is used at very high concentrations. In contrast, significant growth was stimulated by stromal cell conditioned medium previously shown to contain a pre-B cell growth factor. Optimal growth of the pre-B cell clone was stimulated by stromal cell conditioned medium plus IL-3. Synergy between the stromal cell-derived factor and IL-3 occurred when IL-3 was used over a wide range of concentrations including a relatively low amount that was ineffective as a growth stimulus by itself. The finding that more than one factor is required to sustain optimal growth of some pre-B cells parallels the complex growth requirements reported for some primitive myeloid/erythroid progenitors.

Localization of glucocorticoid receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in hippocampus of rat brain using in situ hybridization

An in situ hybridization procedure was applied to quantify glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNAs in the hippocampus of rat brain. Hybridization was carried out using a radiolabeled antisense probe complementary to the rat liver GR gene. The specificity of the method was validated by showing: 1) a high cellular grain density in sections hybridized with an antisense but not a sense probe; 2) agreement between the experimental and theoretical temperature at which 50% of the hybrids melted, and 3) a high signal distribution of GR mRNA in the hippocampus, a region of brain known to preferentially concentrate steroid hormones. Within the hippocampus, however, subregional differences in hybridization densities were observed. Quantitative autoradiography indicated that the average neuronal silver grain number was highest in the pyramidal cell layers of CA2 and CA4 and lowest in those of CA1 and CA3. Also, there was a significant difference in the average grain number between all of the cell fields except for that between CA2 and CA4. These results show that contiguous but neuroanatomically distinct cell fields of the hippocampus express different levels of GR transcripts, and indicate that differential regulation of GR expression occurs in subpopulations of hippocampal neurons.

Phase-adjusted plate for a phase-adjustment focusing laser accelerator: a design approach

A design for the phase-adjusted plate for a phase-adjustment focusing laser accelerator is presented based on the general theory of the amplitude-phase retrieval problem and taking into consideration the more practical case where the incident laser beam is inclined to the axis of the cylindrical accelerator. To demonstrate this design approach, a specifically simulated design is achieved using the appropriate parameters involving the phase-adjustment focusing laser accelerator. The calculated results show that this design is successful.

Isolation and characterization of lymphokine cDNA clones encoding mouse and human IgA-enhancing factor and eosinophil colony-stimulating factor activities: relationship to interleukin 5

Conditioned medium from the Con A-treated mouse helper T-cell clone Ly1+2-/9 contains activities that enhance the production of IgA by mouse B cells and induce human cord blood cells to form eosinophil colonies. We have isolated a cDNA sequence that expresses IgA-enhancing factor and eosinophil colony-stimulating factor activities from a cDNA library prepared from activated Ly1+2-/9 cells. Based on homology with the mouse cDNA sequence, a human cDNA sequence coding for an interleukin with IgA-enhancing factor and eosinophil colony-stimulating factor activities was isolated from a cDNA library prepared from a human T-cell clone stimulated with anti-T3 antibody and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. DNA sequence analyses revealed that mouse and human cDNA clones encode proteins of 133 and 134 amino acids, respectively, that are identical to cDNA clones encoding the T-cell replacing factor I and B-cell growth factor II activities. These results establish that a single cDNA clone encodes a protein that acts as a growth and differentiation factor for both B cells and eosinophils.

Optical sine transformation

The phase mask distribution of optical sine transformation (OST) has been calculated according to the optical general transformation theory. To avoid the diffraction loss of the phase mask, the optical waveguide method is used. Computation shows that the optical sine transformation is possible with only one phase mask, i.e., one-half of a cylindrical lens in the 1-D case and one-quarter of a spherical lens in the 2-D case. Experimental results agree with the theoretical prediction. Image compression by OST is also given.

Interleukin 4 (B-cell stimulatory factor 1) can enhance or antagonize the factor-dependent growth of hemopoietic progenitor cells

Our studies show that although interleukin 4 (IL-4) fails to stimulate significant colony formation by bone marrow progenitor cells, it enhances erythroid, granulocyte, macrophage, and mast-cell colony formation when used as a costimulant with erythropoietin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin 3 (IL-3), respectively. In contrast, IL-4 suppresses IL-3-dependent colony formation by granulocyte and macrophage progenitor cells and by multipotential progenitor cells. Furthermore, it appears to inhibit the in vitro generation of colony-forming progenitor cells from immature IL-3-dependent stem cells. We also found that IL-4 inhibits stromal cell-dependent growth of bone marrow-derived pre-B cells. The ability of IL-4 to directly or indirectly regulate both positive and negative aspects of progenitor cell growth is discussed.

Control of hemopoiesis by a bone marrow stromal cell clone: lipopolysaccharide- and interleukin-1-inducible production of colony-stimulating factors

A stromal cell line, GY30, was cloned from mouse bone marrow adherent cell layers. In culture, GY30 cells sustain the production of granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (GM-CFU) but fail to support the survival of pluripotential stem cells (CFU-S). GY30 cells secrete two growth factor activities distinct from interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-2, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) but functionally similar to GM-CSF and G-CSF. The production of both CSFs is increased 70- to 200-fold by treating GY30 cells with lipopolysaccharide or IL-1. RNA blot analysis reveals the presence of GM-CSF and G-CSF transcripts and demonstrates that IL-1 regulates the production of both factors at the mRNA level. Further, these studies show that the GM-CSF secreted by GY30 cells is structurally similar to the GM-CSF produced by activated T cells.

In vitro comparison of fibrinolytic activity of plasminogen activators using a thrombelastographic method: in vivo evaluation of the B-chain-streptokinase complex in the dog model using pre-titered doses

Thrombelastography was used to quantitatively compare the clot-lysing efficiency of 6 different plasminogen activators, using human whole blood, pooled normal plasma, and platelet rich plasma. The activators compared were the B-chain-streptokinase complex, the plasmin-streptokinase complex, the mini-plasminogen-streptokinase complex, tissue plasminogen activator, streptokinase, and urokinase. The most efficient activator found was the B-chain-streptokinase complex. This complex was 4.0 times more effective than streptokinase, 3.0 times more effective than the plasmin-streptokinase complex, 1.3 times more effective than the mini-plasminogen-streptokinase complex, 2.3 times more effective than tissue plasminogen activator, and 16.0 times more effective than urokinase. Although there were differences in both the coagulation and fibrinolysis thrombelastographic patterns between plasma and whole blood, the comparative efficiencies of each activator were the same with either plasma or blood. The B-chain-streptokinase complex was evaluated as a thrombolytic agent in clot-lysis experiments in the jugular vein in the dog model, using a thrombelastographic method to determine the minimum dose of activator necessary for clot-lysis. With 6 dogs infused locally with 0.25 mg (8000 I.U.) of the plasmin-streptokinase complex, the cumulative clot-lysis was 18.0 +/- 3.0% with the first dose, 33.0 +/- 2.1% with the second dose, and 55.2 +/- 8.6% with the third dose. With 6 dogs infused locally with 0.03 mg (2000 I.U.) of the B-chain-streptokinase complex, the cumulative clot-lysis was 30.6 +/- 6.4% with the first dose, 54.4 +/- 9.6% with the second dose, and 80.2 +/- 9.0% with the third dose.

An electron microscopic study of terminals of rapidly adapting mechanoreceptive afferent fibers in the cat spinal cord

The intra-axonal horseradish peroxidase technique was used to examine the central terminals of 7 A beta primary afferent fibers from rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors in the glabrous skin of the cat's hindpaw. At the light microscopic level, labelled collaterals were seen to bear occasional boutonlike swellings, mostly (75-82%) of the en passant type. These swellings were distributed more or less uniformly from lamina III to a dorsal part of lamina VI in the dorsal horn, over a maximum longitudinal extent of about 4 mm. At the electron microscopic level, we observed that labelled boutons of RA afferent fibers were 1.0 to 3.3 micrometers in longest sectional dimension, and contained clear, round synaptic vesicles. They frequently formed asymmetric axospinous and axodendritic synapses and commonly appeared to receive contacts from unlabelled structures containing flattened or pleomorphic vesicles plus occasional large dense-cored vesicles. The examination of synaptic connectivity over the entire surface of individual boutons indicated that RA afferent boutons each made contacts with an average of one spine and one dendrite and, in addition, appeared to be postsynaptic to an average of two unlabelled vesicle-containing structures. This synaptic organization was, in general, more complex than that we had seen previously in Pacinian corpuscle (PC) and slowly adapting (SA) type I mechanoreceptive afferent fibers. Our findings indicate that RA, SA, and PC afferent terminals, while displaying some differential synaptic organizations, have many morphological and synaptological characteristics in common. These afferent terminals, in turn, seem to be generally distinguishable from the terminals of muscle spindle Ia afferents or unmyelinated primary afferents.

Spectral broadening of ultrashort pulses in a nonlinear medium

Spectral superbroadening of ultrashort-pulse propagation in a nonlinear medium is calculated by solving the nonlinear-wave equation more exactly. The effects of four-wave mixing and pulse deformation on phase modulation are included. The results yield an asymmetric Stokes-anti-Stokes broadening in fair agreement with the experimental observation.

Organization of the infraorbital nerve in rat: a quantitative electron microscopic study

The normal organization of the rat's infraorbital (IO) nerve was studied using conventional electron microscopic (EM) methods. Just caudal to the infraorbital foramen, at the level of the anterior superior alveolar foramen, the nerve was composed of 18-25 fascicles which ranged from 575 to 87,923 micron2 in cross-sectional area. Complete axon counts from thin sections taken at this level demonstrated that the IO nerve contained an average of 19,740 (S.D. = 2054) myelinated and 13,319 (S.D. = 1159) unmyelinated axons. The average diameter (including the myelin sheath) for medullated fibers was 4.42 micron (S.D. = 1.76) and that for unmyelinated axons was 0.60 micron (S.D. = 0.16). The fiber diameter distributions for both myelinated and unmyelinated axons were essentially unimodal.

An electron microscopic study of primary afferent terminals from slowly adapting type I receptors in the cat

Primary afferent fibers transmitting impulses from slowly adapting (SA) Type I receptors in the glabrous skin of the hind paw of the cat were injected intraaxonally in the spinal cord with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). At the light microscopic level, terminal arborizations were observed in the medial dorsal horn extending up to 6 mm rostrocaudally in and near the seventh lumbar segment. Boutonlike swellings labelled with HRP were distributed in clusters in Rexed's laminae III-VI. There was a tendency for the most dorsal clusters from an individual fiber to be located rostrally and for the most ventral clusters to be located caudally. At the electron microscopic level, a combination of morphometric analysis and serial reconstruction revealed the following: (1) All the boutons labelled with HRP contained predominantly clear, round synaptic vesicles, 40-50 nm in diameter. (2) Labelled boutons (n = 75) had cross-sectional longest dimensions of 1.72 +/- 0.53 micron (Mean +/- S.D.), perimeters of 4.95 +/- 1.52 micron, and areas of 1.18 +/- 0.59 micron 2. Their shapes in section varied from rounded to elongated forms. (3) The sizes of labelled boutons decreased significantly and linearly with depth from lamina IV to VI. The shapes of the bouton cross sections also became rounder with depth in the dorsal horn. (4) About 72% of synaptic contacts associated with HRP-filled boutons were with dendritic spines and shafts; most of these synapses were of the asymmetric type. (5) The remainder (28%) of the appositions were synapselike contacts between labelled boutons and unlabelled structures containing flattened or pleomorphic vesicles, and occasional dense-cored vesicles. (6) We observed no unequivocal axosomatic contacts made by labelled boutons. (7) The lengths of synaptic appositions with dendritic spines (0.46 +/- 0.20 micron) or with dendritic shafts (0.51 +/- 0.18 micron) were significantly greater than the synapselike contacts with vesicle-containing unlabelled structures (0.29 +/- 0.09 micron). (8) Complex neuropilar organization was occasionally seen with labelled boutons as central elements, although simpler organizations were much more common. In summary, HRP-labelled fibers ended predominantly in boutons containing clear, round vesicles forming axospinous and axodendritic synapses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Enteral administration of agar as an effective adjunct to phototherapy of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

Phototherapy increases the biliary excretion of unconjugated bilirubin. In this form, bilirubin would be subject to enterohepatic circulation, and the true efficacy of phototherapy would be blunted. We tested the hypothesis that sequestration of lumenal unconjugated bilirubin by enteral agar administration would enhance the efficacy of phototherapy in jaundiced infants. Fifty-two infants were studied, 21 control and 31 agar-supplemented. The birth weights, sex distribution, and postnatal age at onset of phototherapy did not differ between the two groups of infants; pre- and post-phototherapy bilirubin concentrations also did not differ between the groups. The bile acid concentrations and bilirubin saturation indices were also similar. The rate of declination of the plasma bilirubin concentrations after 24 h of phototherapy was greater and significantly more uniform in the agar-supplemented infants (-1.59 +/- 2.3 versus -2.51 +/- 1.44). Stool frequencies were greater in control infants (5.5 versus 4.3 per 24 h) whereas fecal bilirubin excretions were greater in agar-supplemented infants during the second day of phototherapy (1.32 versus 3.29 mg . kg-1 . 24 h-1). Agar supplementation reduced the duration of phototherapy by 23% (37.6 +/- 3.2 versus 48.1 +/- 5.0 h).

Studies of rhenium carboxylates as antitumor agents. Part II. Antitumor studies of bis (mu-propionato) diaquotetrabromodirhenium (III) in tumor-bearing mice

The neutral, dimeric complexes of rhenium, bis (mu-carboxalato)-diaquotetrahalodirhenium (III) (carboxalato = acetato, propionato, or butyrato and halo = chloro or bromo), were synthesized and survival studies were done on mice bearing P-388 leukemia or B-16 melanoma. The complex bis (mu-propionato) diaquotetrabromodirhenium (III) proved to be the most effective in increasing the life span of the mice. The complex showed some activity against B-16, but virtually none against P-388. The complexes are all quite non-toxic.

Reduction of interference by specific IgG with a modified microtiter solid-phase radioimmunoassay to measure honeybee venom IgE

By means of monoclonal mouse anti-human IgE antibody, the microtiter solid-phase radioimmunoassay (MSPRIA) was modified to measure honeybee venom (HBV) IgE. HBV IgG was measured by MSPRIA(G) using affinity column purified goat anti-human IgG antibody and correlated with results obtained with staphylococcal protein A-SPRIA. Nonlinear specific IgE dilution curves were associated with high HBV IgG content. By serial transfer and assay of the supernatant, the interference of IgE by specific IgG could be reduced. The degree of interference was correlated with the specific IgG content. The principle of serial supernatant transfer and assay was applied to the standardization of reference HBV IgE serum, and the quantitation of HBV IgE contents in patients and controls. HBV IgE levels in patients allergic to honeybee stings correlated with the skin-test endpoint titrations. While 75% of the allergic patients were skin-test positive, 83% of them were IgE positive by the MSPRIA and 67% were IgE positive by the RAST.

Honey bee venom specific immunoglobulin G4 in honey bee sting allergic patients and bee keepers

Honey bee venom (HBV) IgG4 antibody was studied in bee keepers and honey bee sting allergic patients on immunotherapy using mouse monoclonal anti-human IgG4 antibody in a modified microtiter solid phase radioimmunoassay (MSPIRA). The mean HBV IgG4 in bee keepers was 31 units/ml. In patients the mean HBV IgG4 pre- and post-immunotherapy were 2.9 and 11.6 units/ml, respectively, representing a mean rise of 7.3-fold as compared to a rise of 1.6-fold for total HBV IgG. The mean HBV IgG level in bee keepers was 14 micrograms/ml which was not significantly different from the mean level of 17 micrograms/ml in allergic patients at diagnosis. The percentage interference of HBV IgE detection in vitro correlated with HBV IgG but not with HBV IgG4. On the other hand, there was an inverse relationship between serum HBV IgE and HBV IgG4 levels while none was found for HBV IgE and IgG.

Studies on the relations of selenium and Keshan disease

Keshan disease is an endemic cardiomyopathy of unknown cause in The People's Republic of China that occurs most frequently in children under 15 years of age and women of child-bearing age. Studies of children 1-9 years old in Mianing County of Sichuan Province have indicated that Keshan disease is a selenium responsive condition. Incidence rates of 9.5-13.5/1000 in 1974-1975 were reduced to 1-2/1000 in children treated with a tablet weekly of 0.5-1 mg sodium selenite. During 1974-1977, only 21 cases of the disease occurred in 36,603 treated children, compared with 106 cases in 9430 untreated children, of whom 53 died and 5 still have insufficient heart function. Occurrence of the disease was invariably associated with a lower selenium content of cereals, and of hair (less than 0.12 ppm Se) in residents from affected, compared with non-affected, areas. The dose relationship between selenium and regional characteristics of Keshan disease suggests that it is probably a biogeochemical disease; other etiological factors have also been considered.