Rat beta-galactoside alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase genomic organization: alternate promoters direct the synthesis of liver and kidney transcripts

The rat beta-galactoside alpha 2,6-sialytransferase gene is differentially utilized by liver and kidney in the generation of mRNAs that predict substantially divergent polypeptides. In order to determine the biosynthetic relationship between these sialyltransferase mRNA isoforms, genomic sequences were isolated and analysed. Five exons that span at least 40 kb of DNA carry the coding information for the liver beta-galactoside alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase protein. An additional exon contains only sequences for the 5'-untranslated leader of the liver mRNA. In contrast, the predominant kidney mRNAs from this gene share only three coding exons that specify the carboxyl terminal 42% of the liver sialyltransferase protein sequence. In addition, these kidney mRNAs contain information from two other exons that comprise the 5' divergent region of these transcripts. Primer extension and S1 nuclease protection analysis demonstrate that the hepatic and kidney specific mRNAs are transcriptionally initiated at different sites within the sialyltransferase gene. While the hepatic sialyltransferase mRNAs are transcribed from the first exon, the kidney transcripts are initiated from a site within the third intron. Genomic regions upstream of both transcriptional initiation sites can regulate expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene in transiently transfected L cells. Together, the data implicate multiple promoters as a principle mechanism in the generation of kidney and liver gene product diversity in sialyltransferase expression.

H+/base transport in principal cells characterized by confocal fluorescence imaging

A dual-excitation inverted confocal laser-scanning microscope has been developed for measuring intracellular pH (pHi) using 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) in individual cells in the isolated perfused cortical collecting tubule (CCT). This new microscope has superior depth discrimination, which eliminates the contribution of fluorescence information from cells outside the plane of focus. pHi was monitored in real time from a spot 0.55 microns in diameter within a single cell. Experiments were performed to examine the apical and basolateral membrane H+/base transport properties of single principal cells. The results indicate that principal cells possess a basolateral membrane Na(+)-independent Cl-/base exchanger, a Na(+)-H+ antiporter, and a Na+/base cotransporter. No evidence was found for an apical membrane Na(+)-independent Cl-/base exchanger. The data provide evidence for base efflux pathways in the principal cell and are compatible with the hypothesis that principal cells contribute importantly to H+/base transport in the CCT. The new methodology described in this report can be applied to other epithelia that are optically heterogeneous in the depth dimension.

[Clinical therapeutic effect of xifukang in 53 patients with silicosis]

Xifukang is a compound preparation of Chinese herbs consisting of Hanbane grugs mainly. Since 1987, the significant efficiency have been obtained in treatment of 53 patients suffering from silicosis by self-control study. The results indicated that the clinical manifestations including dyspnea, cough, sputum production, chest pain, weakness, etc. were markedly improved (P less than 0.01) and measurements of pulmonary function (FVC, FEV and MVV) significant enhanced (P less than 0.01). After treatment 20 cases roentgenogram exam showed that the lung's clarity and the limited emphysema were improved, the silicolic nodule and mass-mergence opacity of 3 cases lessened in some degree. By discussing the effect of Xifukang which might lower the collagen protein content of experimental silicosis of Wistar rats and improve pathomorphous. The authors concluded that the therapeutic mechanism of Xifukang could be the actions of this remedy on promoting blood circulation to eliminate blood stasis dredging microcirculation, increasing ventilation/perfusion (VA/Q), protecting dust-cells, resisting fibrosis, regulating immune function, enhancing lung clearance, postponing and preventing development of silicosis.

Phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in castor bean endosperm : purification and properties of cytidine 5'-triphosphate:choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase

Cytidine 5'-triphosphate:choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.15) has been purified to near homogeneity (3350-fold) from castor bean (Ricinus communis L. var Hale) endosperm. The steps of purification included a differential solubilization of this enzyme with n-octyl beta-d-glucopyranoside (OGP) and column chromatography on sequential DEAE-sepharose, sepharose-6B, and second DEAE-sepharose columns. The uses of appropriate concentrations of the detergent, OGP, in each step were crucial to obtain the highly purified enzyme. The purified enzyme gave a single protein band on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed one major protein band of 40 kilodaltons. Gel filtration chromatography indicated that native cytidylyltransferase was approximately 155 kilodaltons, suggesting that it exists naturally as a tetramer. The purified enzyme used methylethanolamine-phosphate as a substrate but not ethanolamine-phosphate and dimethylethanolamine-phosphate. ATP and other nucleotides tested showed little effect on the purified enzyme. The purified enzyme activity was stimulated by both phospholipids extracted from castor bean endosperm and phosphatidylcholineoleate vesicles.

[Factors influencing in vitro Lymphocyte transformation for screening immunomodulation drugs among crude herbal extracts]

When in vitro lymphocyte transformation test was used to investigate the immunologic effects of crude herbal extracts, false negative results of 3H-TdR uptake usually were obtained due to the high content of impurities, higher concentration of drugs or incomplete harvest of cells. Microscopic examination of cell growth to be additional index proved very useful because of being less interfered by factor mentioned above. Cell growth examination has high reliability, reproducibility, wider range of suitable drug concentration detectable (20-40 micrograms crude extract/well) and high objectivity of being capably examined by several observers for comparison. Therefore both 3H-TdR uptake and cell growth examination should be adopted for indications of this test to obtain accurate objective results. In case of increasing adhesion of cells with surfaces of plate wells by crude herbal extract it is necessary to elevate negative pressure (700 mmHg) and prolong the time of wash-suction (1.5-2 min) during cell harvesting.

[Effect of enalapril in patients with essential hypertension]

In a randomized, blind trial, enalapril and captopril were compared in 479 patients with essential hypertension. The results showed that both enalapril and captopril had similar effects on the blood pressure. The response rate was 77.8% with enalapril and 70.4% with captopril. Blood pressure lowered 2.68/1.59 kPa (20.1/11.9 mmHg) in enalapril group versus 2.44/1.43 kPa (18.3/10.7 mmHg) in captopril group. No serious side effects were observed and both enalapril and captopril were well tolerated. Thus, enalapril and captopril appear equally effective and safe in patients with essential hypertension and enalapril is better accepted by patients because of its longer duration of antihypertensive activity.

[Purification and identification of antimicrobial peptides of rabbit neutrophils]

Five antimicrobial peptides were extracted from the cytoplasmic granules of rabbit neutrophils with 0.01 mol/L citric acid. SDS-PAGE gel densitometric analysis of the citric acid extract showed that they accounted for 34%-42% of the total extract proteins. When subjected to acid urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, five peptides migrated much further to the cathode than lysozyme. Beginning with the most cathodal component, they were in turn referred to as NP1, NP2, NP3, NP4, and NP5. They were purified from the citric acid extract by virtue of preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Each of them was of low molecular weight (2,500-6,000) as determined by SDS-PAGE. Three of the peptides were tested in vitro for fungicidal activity. When Candida albicans (10(7)/ml) were incubated with 12.5 micrograms/ml of NP1 or NP2 at 37 degrees C for 2 h, the death rates of the organisms were 96.6% and 93.3% respectively. NP3 was shown to be active against Candida albicans although less potent than NP1 and NP2.

[Studies of the chemical constituents of Ardisia pusilla A. DC]

Six chemical compounds isolated from the leaves and stems of Ardisia pusilla were identified as gallic acid (I), succinic acid (II), naringenin-6-C-glucoside (III), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-galactoside (IV) by chemical and spectroscopic analysis. They were isolated from Ardisia plant for the first time.

[Observation of morphological genesis and histochemistry of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in mice]

In the developing process of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in mice induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, the observations of histological pathology, ultrastructure and the changes of enzyme activity of the lesions related to pulmonary adenocarcinoma were made by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and enzyme histochemistry, by sacrificing animals at intervals. The results indicated that there was a series of precancerous lesions before the initiation of adenocarcinoma; that adenoma was a kind of precancerous lesion which might develop into adenocarcinoma; and that adenoma with malignant change might be a focus of early adenocarcinoma. Based on the results of histological pathology, ultrastructure and enzyme histochemistry, a process of the morphological genesis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in mice was proposed, and the metabolic changes related to various lesions were discussed.

Bioremediation Potential of Terrestrial Fuel Spills

A bioremediation treatment that consisted of liming, fertilization, and tilling was evaluated on the laboratory scale for its effectiveness in cleaning up a sand, a loam, and a clay loam contaminated at 50 to 135 mg g of soil −1 by gasoline, jet fuel, heating oil, diesel oil, or bunker C. Experimental variables included incubation temperatures of 17, 27, and 37°C; no treatment; bioremediation treatment; and poisoned evaporation controls. Hydrocarbon residues were determined by quantitative gas chromatography or, in the case of bunker C, by residual weight determination. Four-point depletion curves were obtained for the described experimental variables. In all cases, the disappearance of hydrocarbons was maximal at 27°C and in response to bioremediation treatment. Poisoned evaporation controls underestimated the true biodegradation contribution, but nevertheless, they showed that biodegradation makes only a modest contribution to gasoline disappearance from soil. Bunker C was found to be structurally recalcitrant, with close to 80% persisting after 1 year of incubation. The three medium distillates, jet fuel, heating oil, and diesel oil, increased in persistence in the listed order but responded well to bioremediation treatment under all test conditions. With bioremediation treatment, it should be possible to reduce hydrocarbons to insignificant levels in contaminated soils within one growing season.

[Study on identification for the motility and flagella antigen of four international reference strains of Escherichia coli]

Authors identified four strains of Escherichia coli from Collaborative Centre for reference and research on Escherichia coli-Klebsiella (WHO) in Denmark. Our results were different from original record and reference. It was shown that strain H311b and H5 were motile strains, and its H antigen respectively is H11 and H27. The strain W27 is nonmotile. H antigen of the strain H511 is H40, not H8. Antigen formula of four strains respectively is 26:60:11 (strain H311b), 81:97:27 (strain H5), 115:-:- (strain W27), 102:-:40 (strain H511).

[Anterior down fracture technique for correction of maxillary protrusion deformities]

In this paper a new technique for correction of maxillary, the anterior down fracture technique, protrusion is introduced and operative experience of 21 cases were reported, with one typical case presented in detail. The advantage of this technique and the combination with other orthognathic surgical operations were discussed. We believe that anterior down fracture technique is a new and good procedure for correction of maxillary protrusion, and should be advocated.

Ultrastructural analysis of cytoplasmic intermediate filaments and the nuclear lamina in the mouse plasmacytoma cell line MPC-11 after the induction of vimentin synthesis

We examined cytoplasmic intermediate filaments (IFs) and the nuclear lamina in cells of the mouse plasmacytoma cell line MPC-11 (lacking both IF proteins and lamins A and C) after induction of vimentin synthesis with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) by means of whole-mount immunogold electron microscopy (IEM). The technique of IEM was modified to allow analysis of the cytoskeleton and nuclear lamina of cells grown in suspension culture employing antibodies against vimentin and lamin B. IEM showed that newly synthesized vimentin assembled into IFs which formed anastomosing networks throughout the cytoplasm, radiating primarily from the nucleus. The filaments decorated by gold-conjugated antibodies appeared to make contact with the lipid-depleted nuclear envelope residue either by directly terminating on it or through an indirect link via short fibers of varying diameter. Some filaments terminated on the subunits of the nuclear pore complexes but they did not pass through the pores. In the absence of lamins A and C, lamin B formed a nuclear lamina consisting of a globular-filamentous network anchoring the nuclear pore complexes.

[A study of reaction time in 120 patients with brain tumor, traumatic intracranial hematoma, cerebrovascular disease and epilepsy]

A study of the simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT) in 120 patients classified into 4 groups with brain tumor, traumatic intracranial hematoma, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and epilepsy respectively was reported. The results were summarized as follows. 1. The SRT in the 4 groups were all significantly prolonged as compared with normal subjects. 2. Among the four groups, the CVD group revealed the most severe disfunction, while the epilepsy group showed the least. 3. There was a positive correlation between the extent of the cerebrovascular lesion and the prolongation of type SRT. 4. Lesions in the basal ganglia might also cause a delay of the occurrence of the reaction. 5. Lesions involving both the frontal and parietal lobes resulted in remarkably longer reaction time than those in other cerebral regions. 6. The phenomenon of lateralization of the brain function was not reflected in the SRT and CRT of the four groups of the examined patients.

Value of two-dimensional echocardiography in selecting patients and balloon sizes for percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty

The effect of valvular and subvalvular morphologic features and balloon size/mitral anulus size ratio on results of valvuloplasty were prospectively studied in 38 consecutive patients undergoing mitral valvuloplasty. The severity of valvular and subvalvular disease was graded echocardiographically from grade I to IV (mild to severe) for immobility, thickening, calcification of mitral leaflets and subvalvular thickening and fusion, yielding a maximal total score of 16. The diastolic mitral anulus diameter was measured in the apical four chamber view. After valvuloplasty, the mitral valve area increased from 0.9 +/- 0.3 to 2.2 +/- 0.5 cm2 (p less than 0.001) with increasing mitral regurgitation in 12 (32%) of the 38 patients. Multiple stepwise analysis revealed that the ratio of balloon size and annular size and the severity of subvalvular disease are two independent factors that correlated significantly with the mitral valve area after valvuloplasty (multiple r = 0.65, p less than 0.0002). One of 34 patients with mild subvalvular disease of grade III or less had an unsatisfactory increase in mitral valve area to less than or equal to 1.5 cm2, whereas 3 of 4 patients with severe (grade IV) subvalvular disease had a valve area less than or equal to 1.5 cm2 (p less than 0.002) after valvuloplasty. The increase in mitral regurgitation after valvuloplasty correlated significantly with the ratio of balloon to mitral anulus size and the severity of subvalvular disease (multiple r = 0.53, p less than 0.003). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)