Immobilization of arsenic in tailing by using iron and hydrogen peroxide

Under environmental conditions, arsenic (As) reveals anionic behavior and is converted into various forms in accordance with the Eh/pH condition. This causes the difficulty of treating As with other heavy metals in tailing. This study was carried out to develop the immobilization method of arsenic in tailing as ferric arsenate (FeAsO4) using hydrogen peroxide. According to experimental results, the extracted concentrations of arsenic and iron (Fe) from tailing were reduced up to 84% and 93%, respectively. In the experiment using pure Pyrite (FeS2) and As solution, As concentration decreased with an increase of hydrogen peroxide dosage. The experimental results of re-extraction showed that only 10% of As and 20% of Fe were extracted in the case of using hydrogen peroxide. As a result, the long-term stability of this method was clarified.

A simple tool to identify asian women at increased risk of osteoporosis

Patients with low bone mineral density (BMD) have a high risk of future fractures, and should be actively considered for treatment to reduce their risk. However, BMD measurements are not widely available in some communities, because of cost and lack of equipment. Simple questionnaires have been designed to help target high-risk women for BMD measurements, thereby avoiding the cost of measuring women at low risk. However, such tools have previously focused on evaluation of non-Asian women. We collected information about numerous risk factors from postmenopausal Asian women in eight countries in Asia using questionnaires, and evaluated the ability of these risk factors to identify women with osteoporosis as defined by femoral neck BMD T-scores < or =-2.5. Multiple variable regression analysis and item reduction yielded a final tool based on only age and body weight. This risk index had a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 45%, with an area under the curve of 0.79. Previously published risk indices based on larger numbers of variables performed similarly well in this Asian population. Large differences in risk were identified using our index to create three categories: 61% of the high-risk women had osteoporosis, compared with only 15% and 3% of the intermediate- and low-risk women, respectively. The low-risk group represented 40% of all women, for whom BMD measurements are probably not needed unless important risk factors, such as prior nonviolent fracture or corticosteroid use, are present. An existing population-based sample of postmenopausal Japanese women was used to validate our index. In this sample of Japanese women the sensitivity was 98% and specificity was 29%; the low-risk category, for whom BMD is probably unnecessary, represented 25% of all women. We conclude that our index performed well for classifying the risk of osteoporosis among postmenopausal Asian women and applying it would result in more prudent use of BMD technology.

In vivo gene electroporation in skeletal muscle with special reference to the duration of gene expression

To determine the limits of the duration of in vivo transferred foreign gene expression, we conducted electroporation (EP), a powerful non-viral means of gene transfer for living animals, into skeletal muscle of rats and mice with a luciferase, GFP or erythropoietin (EPO)-encoding reporter plasmid. The luciferase reporter plasmid was used for optimization of EP conditions, while GFP and EPO plasmids were used for monitoring the duration of gene expression. In the rat, increased hematocrit levels were maintained for at least 9 weeks with approximately a 3-fold increase in plasma EPO protein concentration at 4 weeks post-transfection. In the mouse, the GFP plasmid transfer confirmed that the reporter gene expression lasted as long as 3 months post-transfection. By introducing the EPO gene in vivo in the mouse, increased hematocrit levels revealed that duration of reporter gene expression was at least 14.5 months after in vivo gene EP into skeletal muscle. These results implicate an excellent potential of in vivo gene EP, applicable to both experimental and therapeutic purposes.

In vivo gene electroporation confers nutritionally-regulated foreign gene expression in the liver

Whether or not nutritionally-regulated foreign gene expression in vivo is achievable was examined in mouse liver after in vivo gene transfer by electroporation (EP). Electric pulses were applied to a left liver lobe immediately after injection of a luciferase reporter gene driven by the liver-type phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene promoter. Cooling treatments especially with solid carbon dioxide in the transfection site prior to the in vivo gene EP increased reporter gene expression by a factor of 100. Body bioluminescence imaging also confirmed strong expression of the in vivo transferred reporter gene in a transfected area of the liver. Fasting conferred a 13-fold increase in the reporter gene expression in vivo in the liver when driven by the liver-type PEPCK promoter, whereas virtually no induction was found either by the SV40 promoter or by the same PEPCK promoter in the muscle when the mice were fasted. The administration of cAMP mimicked the fasting-induced reporter gene expression by the PEPCK promoter in the liver of fed mice. These results implicate that nutritionally-regulated foreign gene expression in vivo is attainable at least locally in the liver by a simple and convenient non-viral gene EP method.

Antioxidative phenolic compounds from the roots of Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor

The acetone extract of the roots of Rhodiola sachalinensis has furnished six phenolic compounds which exhibited significant scavenging effects against DPPH free radical. The structures of these compounds were identified and determined as gallic acid (1), (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (2), kaempferol (3), kaempferol 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), herbacetin 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside, (5) and rhodiolinin (6) by physico-chemical and spectral evidences.

In vivo gene electroporation confers strong transient expression of foreign genes in the chicken testis

To attain foreign gene expression in vivo in the testis of living chickens, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and firefly luciferase reporter genes were transfected by electroporation (EP). Bioluminescence imaging indicated clear expression of the luciferase reporter gene localized in and around the injection site of the chicken testis. The CAT activity decreased sharply from 7 to 14 d posttransfection (P < 0.01) and remained low until 28 d. The presence of the self-replication sequence of Epstein-Barr virus did not give significantly higher CAT gene expression over the 28-d posttransfection. The results suggest that in vivo gene EP confers strong, likely transient, foreign gene expression in the testis of living chickens.

COUP-TF plays a dual role in the regulation of the ovalbumin gene

The ovalbumin (Ov) gene contains a number of regulatory elements that control its transcriptional activity and restrict expression to avian oviduct. One major regulatory region, the steroid-dependent regulatory element (SDRE), is required for induction by estrogen and corticosterone. Another region, the negative regulatory element (NRE), downstream of the SDRE, acts primarily to repress gene expression. In addition, experiments within indicate that the binding site for the COUP transcription factor (COUP-TF) is also required for Ov gene transcription. To examine the interactions involving the SDRE, the NRE, and the COUP binding sites on Ov gene transcription, mutations in these regions were made and transfected into primary oviduct cell cultures. These experiments show that without the NRE, the SDRE is sufficient for induction by estrogen and corticosterone, irrespective of the COUP site. However, with the NRE intact, the COUP site is required for steroid induction, although without the NRE, the COUP site attenuates transcriptional activity. More interestingly, overexpression of COUP-TF1 with the Ov wild-type reporter construct alleviates the requirement for steroid hormones. These results demonstrate that the COUP site is essential and has a dual role in Ov gene transcription and that steroid hormones might directly or indirectly regulate the activity of COUP-TF1.

Inhibition of fungal cell wall synthesizing enzymes by trans-cinnamaldehyde

This study examined the inhibitory effects of trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA), an aromatic aldehyde derived from Cinnamomi Cortex, on Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall synthesizing enzymes in vitro. This compound was found to be a noncompetitive inhibitor of beta-(1,3)-glucan synthase and a mixed inhibitor of chitin synthase 1 with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 0.84 and 1.44 mM, respectively. Chitin synthases 2 and 3 were less sensitive than chitin synthase 1 to CA. CA can be useful as a model compound of cell wall inhibitors for the development of effective antifungal agents.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma: experience with 234 consecutive procedures

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is increasingly used to identify occult metastases in regional lymph nodes of patients with melanoma. Selection of patients for sentinel lymph node biopsy and subsequent lymphadenectomy is an area of debate. The purpose of this study was to describe a large clinical series of these biopsies for cutaneous melanoma and to identify patients most likely to gain useful clinical information from sentinel lymph node biopsy. The Indiana University Melanoma Program computerized database was queried to identify all patients who underwent this procedure for clinically localized cutaneous melanoma. It was performed using preoperative technetium Tc 99m lymphoscintigraphy and isosulfan blue dye. Pertinent demographic, surgical, and histopathologic data were recorded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression and classification table analyses were performed to identify clinical variables associated with sentinel node and nonsentinel node positivity. In total, 234 biopsy procedures were performed to stage 291 nonpalpable regional lymph node basins. Mean Breslow's thickness was 2.30 mm (2.08 mm for negative sentinel lymph node biopsy, 3.18 mm for positive). The mean number of sentinel nodes removed was 2.17 nodes per basin (range, 1 to 8). Forty-seven of 234 melanomas (20.1 percent) and 50 of 291 basins (17.2 percent) had a positive biopsy. Positivity correlated with AJCC tumor stage: T1, 3.6 percent; T2, 8.1 percent; T3, 27.4 percent; T4, 44 percent. By univariate logistic regression, Breslow's thickness (p = 0.003, continuous variable), ulceration (p = 0.003), mitotic index > or = 6 mitoses per high power field (p = 0.008), and Clark's level (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy result. By multivariate analysis, only Breslow's thickness (p = 0.02), tumor ulceration (p = 0.02), and mitotic index (p = 0.02) were significant predictors of biopsy positivity. Classification table analysis showed the Breslow cutpoint of 1.2 mm to be the most efficient cutpoint for sentinel lymph node biopsy result (p = 0.0004). Completion lymphadenectomy was performed in 46 sentinel node-positive patients; 12 (26.1 percent) had at least one additional positive nonsentinel node. Nonsentinel node positivity was marginally associated with the presence of multiple positive sentinel nodes (p = 0.07). At mean follow-up of 13.8 months, four of 241 sentinel node-negative basins demonstrated same-basin recurrence (1.7 percent). Sentinel lymph node biopsy is highly reliable in experienced hands but is a low-yield procedure in most thin melanomas. Patients with melanomas thicker than 1.2 mm or with ulcerated or high mitotic index lesions are most likely to have occult lymph node metastases by sentinel lymph node biopsy. Completion therapeutic lymphadenectomy is recommended after positive biopsy because it is difficult to predict the presence of positive nonsentinel nodes.

Cervical sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanomas of the head and neck and upper thorax

OBJECTIVE

To describe a clinical experience with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) of head and neck nodal basins for clinical stage I melanomas draining to these areas.

DESIGN

Consecutive clinical case series with a mean follow-up of 10.7 months.

SETTING

University tertiary care referral medical center.

PATIENTS

Seventy patients with clinical stage I cutaneous melanoma who underwent SLNB of cervical and/or parotid lymph node basins.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients underwent same-day preoperative technetium Tc 99m lymphoscintigraphy followed by SLNB using gamma probe and blue dye (66 patients) and blue dye alone (4 patients). Patients with histological evidence of tumor (here in after "positive") according to SLNB results underwent modified cervical completion lymph node dissection, including parotidectomy, as appropriate. Patients without histological evidence of tumor (hereinafter "negative") according to SLNB results were followed up clinically without undergoing completion lymph node dissection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The rates of SLNB success, SLNB positivity, completion lymph node dissection positivity, complications, and SLNB false-negative results were determined by clinical follow-up.

RESULTS

Locations of melanomas in the 70 patients were the face (n = 20), neck (n = 14), ear (n = 9), scalp (n = 9), and upper thorax (n = 18). Locations of basins that underwent biopsy (n = 104) were in the cervical (n = 68), parotid (n = 19), and axillary (n = 17) regions. The mean Breslow thickness was 2.1 mm (range, 0.4-12.0 mm). Sentinel lymph node biopsy was successful in 103 basins (99%). The mean number of sentinel lymph nodes per basin was 2.5 (range, 1.0-8.0). Positive sentinel lymph nodes were found in 12 patients (17%) and 15 basins (14%). Sentinel lymph node biopsy results correlated with the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor stage (P = .05) and a Breslow thickness of 1.23 mm or greater (P = .03). Additional tumor-containing nodes were noted in 5 (42%) of the 12 patients who underwent completion lymph node dissection, and these results correlated with the presence of multiple positive sentinel lymph nodes (P = .01). There were complications in 3 patients (4%) (seromas in 2 patients and temporary spinal accessory nerve paresis in 1 patient). One nodal recurrence in a basin that was negative according to SLNB results (SLNB with blue dye only) was noted (false-negative rate, 2%). The results of SLNB were accurate in 69 patients (99%).

CONCLUSIONS

Sentinel lymph node biopsy using lymphoscintigraphy and blue dye to manage cutaneous melanomas draining to the head and neck nodal areas is reliable and safe. Sentinel lymph node biopsy results correlated with a Breslow thickness of 1.23 mm or greater and the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor stage. Completion lymph node dissection is recommended after determining positive SLNB results.

Effects of adjuvants on the immune response of staphylococcal alpha toxin and capsular polysaccharide (CPS) in rabbit

This study was performed to isolate a vaccine strain of S. aureus from clinical or subclinical mastitis and to choose the most optimal adjuvant for immune response of alpha toxin and capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of field strain. Of thirty strains of S. aureus isolated from milk of clinical or subclinical mastitis, V112 strain isolated from milk of gangrenous mastitis was used in this vaccine. Twenty one of rabbits were allocated into 5 groups based on adjuvants and immunized twice every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. This vaccine was composed of alpha toxin (10 hemolytic units) and formalinized whole cells (1 x 10(11) cells/ml. Five rabbits received PBS solution as a control group. The highest antibody titers against alpha toxin and CPS were observed in dextran sulfate- and aluminium hydroxide-adjuvant group at 8 weeks after immunization, respectively. These results of the study showed that one adjuvant could not induce strong and long-term immune response of alpha toxin and CPS antigens. Therefore, the use of combined adjuvants in subunit vaccine may be useful and feasible.

Foreign gene expression by in vivo gene electroporation in the quail testis

To investigate whether or not foreign gene expression is attained in the testis of living Japanese quails, a firefly luciferase reporter gene was transfected by in vivo electroporation (EP), and transcriptional activity of different promoters was compared. In addition, the effect of the Epstein-Barr virus self-replication sequence was also tested. The results showed that luciferase activity in the testis reached almost a plateau value at 50 V. Under this EP condition, no difference was found in transcriptional activity between the simian virus 40 (SV40) and miw promoters. The reporter gene expression in the quail testis was observed over 28 days after in vivo gene EP, although the activity gradually decreased, and the presence of the Epstein-Barr virus self-replication sequence in the SV40 promoter did not significantly prolong the luciferase activity. These results suggest that in vivo gene EP confers strong, though transient, foreign gene expression in the Japanese quail, and it may provide a new powerful approach for studies on transcriptional regulation of genes during proliferation and differentiation of spermatogenic cells in the quail testis.

Audiologic evaluation of neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia using transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem responses

OBJECTIVES

To audiologically clarify the lesion site and to test the reliability of transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in hearing screening of hyperbilirubinemic neonates.

STUDY DESIGN

Eleven neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia who had exchange transfusion in the neonatal intensive care unit of an academic hospital over a 3-year period were included in this study. They were tested with auditory brainstem response (ABR) and TEOAEs after exchange transfusion during hospitalization or at an immediate follow-up visit after discharge. Follow-up ABR tests were performed when infants showed significant hearing loss.

METHODS

ABR and TEOAE tests were performed on the 11 neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia after exchange transfusion. Follow-up ABR tests were carried out in 3-month intervals in the four neonates who showed abnormal or no response on initial ABR.

RESULTS

Four neonates showed abnormal or no response and the other seven demonstrated normal response in ABR. All 11 neonates passed TEOAEs. Two neonates showed improvement in auditory function at 3- or 6-month follow-up ABR.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that the site of lesion in hearing loss caused by hyperbilirubinemia may be at the retrocochlear location while the cochlea remains intact. TEOAEs may have limitations in evaluation of hearing in the neonates with hyperbilirubinemia.

In vivo manipulation of foreign gene expression by steroid administration in the oviduct of laying hens

The experiments described herein were conducted to examine whether or not steroid administration allows in vivo induction of foreign gene expression in the oviduct of laying hens. The chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene driven by several viral and cellular promoters with or without steroid response elements was transfected by in vivo electroporation. The results indicated that in vivo, as observed in vitro, steroid administration induced transcriptional activities of the promoters with steroid response elements but it did not do so without steroid response elements. Our data implicate, therefore, that in vivo induction of foreign gene expression is possible in the oviduct of laying hens, and that the present in vivo gene transfer approach would serve as a useful tool to elucidate the mechanism of tissue-specific and steroid-induced transcription of chicken egg white genes.

Immunogenicity of alpha-toxin, capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and recombinant fibronectin-binding protein (r-FnBP) of Staphylococcus aureus in rabbit

This study was conducted to evaluate the antibody levels of alpha-toxin, capsular polysaccharides (CPS) and fibronectin-binding protein (FnBP) in rabbits immunized with an experimental vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus and to develop the bovine mastitis subunit vaccine in the future. Enzyme immunoassay was used for detection of IgG antibodies against staphylococcal CPS, alpha-toxin and FnBP. The levels of specific antibodies against CPS, alpha-toxin and FnBP in immunized rabbits were significantly increased after first immunization compared with control animals (p<0.05). Of three antigen used in vaccine, immunogenicity of CPS was relatively lower, compared with those of alpha toxin and fibronectin binding protein. Numbers of S. aureus in blood of immunized groups were lower than those of control group after bacterial challenge. But the bacterial numbers among immunized groups were not significantly different. S. aureus counts in excised organs were significantly lower in all immunized rabbits than in PBS-control group (p<0.05). The present study showed that alpha-toxin, capsular polysaccharide and fibronectin binding protein included in a subunit vaccine were protective.

The radiographic incidence of bony defects in the lateral lamella of the cribriform plate

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and radiographic characteristics of bony defects of the lateral lamella of the cribriform plate using a coronal computerised tomography (CT) scan. By retrospectively reviewing the coronal CT scans of 410 sinuses from 205 subjects, the overall incidence and the relationship to the subjects' age and depth of cribriform plate were analysed. Bony defects were identifiable in 59.5% of the sinuses. The incidence of a bony defect was not significantly different between the sinuses of the paediatric age group and the adult group. The sinuses having a deeper cribriform plate showed a higher incidence of bony defects in comparison with the sinuses with a less deep cribriform plate. The high incidence of radiologically detectable bony defects in this region may emphasize the particular risk of this area during endoscopic sinus surgery.

Identification of a gene, SOO1, which complements osmo-sensitivity and defect in in vitro beta1,3-glucan synthase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The soo1-1 (for suppressor of osmo-sensitivity) mutation results in a temperature-dependent osmo-sensitive phenotype at non-permissive temperature (37 degrees C), makes yeast cells more susceptible to Zymolyase and affects in vitro beta1,3-glucan synthase activity level. Transformation of soo1-1 mutant by SOO1 gene reverses these effects. Nucleotide sequencing of SOO1 revealed that this gene is identical to the recently reported alpha-COP that is involved in the intracellular protein translocation from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi and vice versa. Although the soo1-1 mutant strain showed osmotically remediable growth at 37 degrees C, SOO1 disruptants could not grow in any culture conditions. Analysis of cell wall fractions revealed that the soo1-1 mutation causes a decrease in in vitro beta1,3-glucan synthase activity, and, thus, a subsequent alteration of the cell wall composition.

Lymph node tumor volumes in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy for cutaneous melanoma

BACKGROUND

Regional lymph node tumor volumes in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node (SN) biopsy (SNB) for treatment of cutaneous melanoma have not been described. The objectives of this study were to describe the lymph node tumor volumes typically seen in this population and to correlate tumor volumes with tumor thickness and positive SN characteristics.

METHODS

Review of a consecutive series of patients with clinically localized cutaneous melanoma who underwent SNB of nonpalpable regional lymph node basins followed by complete lymphadenectomy (LND) was performed. Multiple lymph node sections from positive SNs and nonsentinel nodes (NSNs) in LND specimens were examined microscopically. Individual tumor deposit diameters were measured using an ocular micrometer. Aggregate tumor volumes were calculated for SN and LND specimens. Tumor volumes and SN and LND positivity rates were correlated with tumor thickness, the number of positive SNs, and the presence of multiple SN tumor deposits.

RESULTS

SNB procedures were performed for 149 melanomas in 189 regional nodal basins. The mean tumor depth was 2.48 mm. The mean number of SNs/basin was 2.1. Thirty-two of 149 SNB procedures (21.5%) revealed a total of 34 nodal basins with at least one positive SN. The median tumor volume in positive SNs was 4.7 mm3 (range, 0.1-3618 mm3; mean, 209 mm3). The median aggregate tumor volume in positive LND specimens was 4.9 mm3 (range, 0.1-3618 mm3; mean, 224 mm3). Six basins (17.6%) contained at least one positive NSN. The regional node aggregate tumor volume correlated weakly with tumor thickness (Pearson's correlation coefficient = .302, P = .0934). NSN positivity was not predicted by tumor thickness, American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor stage, number of positive SNs, or number of metastatic deposits within SNs.

CONCLUSIONS

Most melanoma-positive SNs contain minute tumor volumes. Tumor thickness and patterns of SN metastases may not be predictive of tumor burden or the presence of positive NSNs.

Lymphoscintigraphy with sentinel lymph node biopsy in cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous malignancy characterized by an aggressive clinical behavior with high rates of locoregional and systemic recurrence. Regional disease and distant metastases are associated with poor prognosis. Despite a predisposition of MCC to spread via the lymphatics, prophylactic lymph node dissection in the absence of clinically apparent lymph node involvement is controversial. The value of lymphoscintigraphy in cutaneous melanoma is established in lesions with ambiguous lymphatic drainage patterns. When used with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), it can identify subjects with occult regional node metastasis. The authors present 2 patients with MCC who underwent regional node staging with lymphoscintigraphy-directed SLNB. Both patients had sentinel nodes that were positive for metastatic disease. In patients with MCC, minimally invasive regional node staging SLNB may be useful in limiting the sequelae of routine lymphadenectomies. Whether early identification and treatment of patients with occult regional node disease can influence survival in MCC is not known.

Presurgical evaluation and surgical outcome of temporal lobe epilepsy

The authors analyzed 22 patients younger than 18 years of age with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) treated surgically. Patients underwent a comprehensive presurgical evaluation, including video-electroencephalogram. Fifty-five percent had a history of febrile seizures. Eighty-two percent had auraes and most exhibited oroalimentary and gestural automatisms. Contralateral dystonic posturing was present in 36% and postictal dysphasia in 54% of patients with left-sided resections. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was abnormal in 59% of patients. MRI revealed changes consistent with mesial temporal sclerosis in 8 (47%) of 17 patients without lesions. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (PET) scans revealed ipsilateral temporal hypometabolism (PET-TH) in 12 (85.7%) of 14 patients. The intracarotid amobarbital procedure revealed impaired memory of the epileptogenic side in 59% of patients. Seventeen patients underwent en-bloc resections and five lesionectomies and resection of the epileptogenic area. There was no surgical morbidity or mortality. Forty-three percent had hippocampal sclerosis, 28.5% gliosis, 14% low-grade tumors, 9.5% cavernous angiomas, and 5% had no pathologic findings. Follow-up (6 months to 12 years) was available for 21 patients; 76% became seizure free, 19% had rare seizures, and 5% had a worthwhile improvement. TLE can be safely treated surgically in younger patients with excellent results. The clinical manifestations were similar to adult patients. PET-TH was present even at a younger age, suggesting that the focal functional deficits appear early in patients with medically refractory TLE, which may help in the early identification of these patients.

Determination of free acetaldehyde in total blood for investigating the effect of aspartate on metabolism of alcohol in mice

To explore the effect of sodium L-aspartate monohydrate (aspartate) as a NAD+ regenerating agent for acetaldehyde in alcohol metabolism, a simple HPLC method has been developed for the measurement of free acetaldehyde in total mice blood digested with alcohol and aspartate. The blood samples were collected in EDTA Vacutainer tubes, and treated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNP hydrazine) reagent in total blood. Acetaldehyde DNP hydrazone was extracted from total blood and analyzed by HPLC using an Ultrasphere ODS column. The compounds were separated using acetonitrile-water (50:50, v/v) as mobile phase and detected at 356 nm. The detection limit for acetaldehyde DNP hydrazone was 0.1 ppm. A blank determination was carried out for each analysis and subtracted from the results. The amount of acetaldehyde in blood has been determined as a function of time lapse after sole alcohol administration and aspartate ingestion followed by alcohol administration, respectively. This comparative analysis demonstrates that the ingestion of aspartate before the administration of alcohol dramatically decreases the aldehyde level in blood, and aspartate may be utilized as a prospective antagonist for acceleration of ethanol metabolism and prevention of acetaldehyde toxicity.

Gene gun-mediated in vivo analysis of tissue-specific repression of gene transcription driven by the chicken ovalbumin promoter in the liver and oviduct of laying hens

In order to search tissue-specific elements in the 5'-upstream promoter region, gene gun was used to transfect in vivo plasmid DNAs with varying lengths of truncated ovalbumin promoter fused to the CAT reporter gene to the oviduct and liver of laying hens. The results indicated that in the oviduct, consistently high reporter gene expression was observed irrespective of the length of the truncated ovalbumin gene promoters, whereas in the liver the ovalbumin promoter extending from -3200 to +8 bp suppressed substantially the reporter gene expression compared with consistently high gene expression obtained by the ovalbumin promoters from -2800 to +8 bp or shorter length. It was concluded, therefore, that a tissue-specific silencer-like element might reside most likely in the ovalbumin gene promoter region between -3200 and -2800 bp which represses the ovalbumin gene transcription in the liver, but not in the oviduct of laying hens.

Cloning and phylogenetic analysis of chitin synthase genes from the insect pathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae

Degenerated PCR primers were used to amplify chitin synthase genes from genomic DNA of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae. Through cloning and sequencing of approximately 600-bp fragments amplified by PCR, we found three genes encoding different types of chitin synthases, designated MaCHS1, MaCHS2, and MaCHS3. Southern blot analysis performed on genomic DNA showed that each of the chitin synthases MaCHS1, MaCHS2, and MaCHS3 is encoded by a single copy gene. Alignment of their deduced amino acid sequences with those of other euascomycetes separated the sequences into three distinct classes. MaCHS1 was identified as a gene for class I chitin synthase, MaCHS2 for class II, and MaCHS3 for class III. The UPGMA dendrogram and phylogenetic tree of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed the taxonomic and evolutionary position of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae.

Synthesis of human erythropoietin in vivo in the oviduct of laying hens by localized in vivo gene transfer using electroporation

In order to synthesize human erythropoietin protein in the oviduct of laying hens, localized in vivo gene transfer was attempted by using electroporation. In Experiment 1, transcriptional activities were compared by using four viral and cellular promoters, i.e., the 1.35-kbp long ovalbumin promoter, SV40 early promoter, Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat (RSV LTR), and the miw promoter, which is a hybrid of RSV LTR and chicken beta-actin promoter. These promoters were fused immediately upstream to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene. The results of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity showed that the miw promoter was the strongest, followed by SV40, RSV LTR, and the ovalbumin promoter in decreasing order. The intensity of the miw promoter was 250 times as high as that of the ovalbumin promoter. In Experiment 2, plasmid DNA containing the human erythropoietin gene, driven either by the ovalbumin promoter or the miw promoter, was transfected in vivo, and the production of human erythropoietin protein was detected by ELISA. The results indicated that the synthesis of human erythropoietin protein was attained in the chicken oviduct, and its concentration was higher when driven by the miw promoter than the ovalbumin promoter.