Experimental studies on the prevention and treatment of chickenpox and herpes zoster with measles vaccine

In 151 chickenpox patients treated with live attenuated measles vaccine, the cure rate was 100%. In 145 cases of herpes zoster, the effective rate was 100% (completely cured in 91.7% and improved in 8.3%). In the treated group, the time needed for the subsidence of fever and skin rash and the duration of the disease were markedly shorter than those in the control group (P less than 0.01). It is particularly effective for alleviating pain, preventing and relieving postherpetic neuralgia in patients with zoster. The application of measles vaccine to the patients in the chickenpox incubation period might prevent the development of the disease, and decrease the incidence and death rate of varicella zoster virus infection in highly susceptible patients. The mechanism of its anti-viral action and production of interferon in the body is discussed.

The major low-molecular-weight heat shock protein in chloroplasts shows antigenic conservation among diverse higher plant species

Several plant species are known to synthesize low-molecular-weight nucleus-encoded heat shock proteins (HSPs) which localize to chloroplasts. DNA sequence analysis of chloroplast HSP cDNAs from pea (Pisum sativum) and soybean (Glycine max) has shown that the carboxyl-terminal halves of these proteins are homologous to low-molecular-weight HSPs from a wide range of eucaryotes (E. Vierling, R. T. Nagao, A. E. DeRocher, and L. M. Harris, EMBO J. 7:575-581, 1988). We used a pea cDNA to construct fusion proteins containing either the carboxyl-terminal heat shock domain or the amino-terminal domain of the chloroplast HSP. The fusion proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and used to produce choloroplast HSP-specific polyclonal antibodies. The carboxyl-terminal antibodies recognized chloroplast HSP precursor proteins from pea and from three divergent plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana, petunia (Petunia hybrida), and maize (Zea mays). The amino-terminal antibodies recognized effectively only the pea precursor. When intact plants of each species were subjected to a heat stress regime mimicking field growth conditions, significant levels of the mature forms of the chloroplast HSPs accumulated in pea, A. thaliana, and maize. The levels of accumulated HSPs remained unchanged for 12 h following the stress treatment. We conclude that the synthesis of chloroplast-localized HSPs is an important component of the stree response in all higher plants and that chloroplast HSPs from dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants have a conserved carboxyl-terminal domain.

[Determination of Se Zn Cu concentrations in serum of middle school teachers in Beijing City]

The concentrations of serum selenium, zinc and copper were measured in 187 teachers (representative group of population) from six middle schools in Beijing city. The means, standard deviations, normal ranges were found out. The result was compared with that in the recent literature. Since serum selenium concentrations were found close to the lower limit of the normal range, it is suggested that to increase adequately the daily intake of dietary selenium will be beneficial for safeguarding one's health against the related diseases.

[Surgical treatment of aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum: report of 27 cases]

Twenty-seven patients aged 4 to 26 years with aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum were operated on in Shanghai Chest Hospital, from August 1985 to April 1987. Of the patients, 22 were diagnosed by left ventriculography, and were found to be associated with other cardiac defects such as VSD, ASD. All the patients had an uneventful early postoperative course and excellent late results. It is emphasized that a thorough recognition of the lesion and complete repair of the malformation are important in the avoidance of residual shunt and recurrent defects.

Characterization of Inositol Phosphates in Carrot (Daucus carota L.) Cells

We have shown previously that inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) stimulates an efflux of (45)Ca(2+) from fusogenic carrot protoplasts (M Rincón, WF Boss [1987] Plant Physiol 83: 395-398). In light of these results, we suggested that IP(3) might serve as a second messenger for the mobilization of intracellular Ca(2+) in higher plant cells. To determine whether or not IP(3) and other inositol phosphates were present in the carrot cells, the cells were labeled with myo-[2-(3)H]inositol for 18 hours and extracted with ice-cold 10% trichloroacetic acid. The inositol metabolites were separated by anion exchange chromatography and by paper electrophoresis. We found that [(3)H]inositol metabolites coeluted with inositol bisphosphate (IP(2)) and IP(3) when separated by anion exchange chromatography. However, we could not detect IP(2) or IP(3) when the inositol metabolites were analyzed by paper electrophoresis even though the polyphosphoinositides, which are the source of IP(2) and IP(3), were present in these cells. Thus, [(3)H] inositol metabolites other than IP(2) and IP(3) had coeluted on the anion exchange columns. The data indicate that either IP(3) is rapidly metabolized or that it is not present at a detectable level in the carrot cells.

Alterations in intermediate filament proteins in rat kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells

Changes in the intermediate filament composition of rat kidney proximal tubule cells in culture have been investigated. The data suggest that differentiated tubular epithelial cells do not express vimentin, but vimentin expression is induced when the cells begin to proliferate in culture. The cultured cells are positive for both cytokeratins and vimentin by immunofluorescence microscopy. The data support the concept that the intermediate filament composition of proximal tubule epithelial cells can be altered during proliferation induced by nephrotoxic chemicals or by neoplastic transformation.

Localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) at a neuronal nicotinic synapse

The localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the parasympathetic cardiac ganglion of the frog was investigated with an immunofluorescence method. By doubly staining the whole ganglion with antibodies against a synaptic-vesicle antigen and anti-CGRP antibodies, we found that all of the boutons at the nicotinic synapses on the postganglionic neurons contained immunoreactivity against this peptide. In contrast, neither the muscarinic nor the adrenergic terminals of the postganglionic fibers on the cardiac muscle contained CGRP immunoreactivity. This suggests that CGRP is involved in the functions of the neuronal nicotinic synapses.

Cloning, sequencing and expression of a full-length rabbit fast skeletal troponin-C cDNA

A full-length cDNA coding for troponin-C isolated from an adult rabbit fast skeletal muscle library has been sequenced and expressed in an E. coli host. The amino acid sequence derived from the coding region agrees with the published protein sequence except that the first two residues are reversed. The expressed protein was found to be identical to purified rabbit skeletal troponin-C based on electrophoretic mobilities in polyacrylamide gels containing either SDS or urea, and on immunoblotting. These results establish that our troponin-C cDNA clone is suitable for site-directed mutagenesis studies on the structure and function of troponin-C.

[Correlation between selenium levels in the human body and lung cancer. II. Multi-statistical analysis of the correlation between selenium levels in the blood, hair, lung and lung cancer]

18 factors, including possible lung cancer-causing factors and body selenium (Se) levels, were analyzed by computer-based multiple stepwise regression and main component analysis. 1. The results indicated that Se levels in blood, hair and lung had correlation with lung cancer to some extent. 2. The correlation of blood and lung Se was the most significant one, the significance of which was only second to age and smoking habits. The standardized regression and factor load coefficients showed a negative correlation with blood Se level and a positive one with lung Se level, which corresponded with the results obtained by the single factor analysis.

Synaptonemal complex antigen location and conservation

The axial cores of chromosomes in the meiotic prophase nuclei of most sexually reproducing organisms play a pivotal role in the arrangement of chromatin, in the synapsis of homologous chromosomes, in the process of genetic recombination, and in the disjunction of chromosomes. We report an immunogold analysis of the axial cores and the synaptonemal complexes (SC) using two mouse monoclonal antibodies raised against isolated rat SCs. In Western blots of purified SCs, antibody II52F10 recognizes a 30- and a 33-kD peptide (Heyting, C., P. B. Moens, W. van Raamsdonk, A. J. J. Dietrich, A. C. G. Vink, and E. J. W. Redeker, 1987, Eur. J. Cell Biol., 43: 148-154). In spreads of rat spermatocyte nuclei it produces gold grains over the cores of autosomal and sex chromosomes. The cores label lightly during the chromosome pairing stage (zygotene) of early meiotic prophase and they become more intensely labeled when they are parallel aligned as the lateral elements of the SC during pachytene (55 grains/micron SC). Statistical analysis of electronically recorded gold grain positions shows that the two means of the bimodal gold grain distribution coincide with the centers of the lateral elements. At diplotene, when the cores separate, the antigen is still detected along the length of the core and the enlarged ends are heavily labeled. Shadow-cast SC preparations show that recombination nodules are not labeled. The continued presence suggests that the antigens serve a continuing function in the cores, such as chromatin binding, and/or structural integrity. Antibody III15B8, which does not recognize the 30- and 33-kD peptides, produces gold grains predominantly between the lateral elements. The grain distribution is bimodal with the mean of each peak just inside the pairing face of the lateral element. The antigen is present where and while the cores of the homologous chromosomes are paired. From the location and the timing, it is assumed that the antigen recognized by III15B8 functions in chromosome pairing at meiotic prophase. The two anti-rat SC antibodies label rat and mouse SCs but not rabbit or dog SCs. A positive control using human CREST (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia) anti-centromere serum gives equivalent labeling of SC centromeres in the rat, mouse, rabbit, and dog. It is concluded that the SC antigens recognized by II52F10 and III15B8 are not widely conserved. The two antibodies do not bind to cellular or nuclear components of somatic cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Comparison of the spermicidal activity and acute toxicity of nonoxynol-9 and agent 741 [alkylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol(10)]

A spermicidal agent called "741" is used in the People's Republic of China as a substitute for nonoxynol-9 in vaginal contraceptive preparations. The relative spermicidal activity of these two agents was evaluated using dog, rabbit, monkey and human semen. Acute LD50 determinations in mice were also performed. The spermicidal activity and acute toxicity of both agents were either identical or very similar in all species. Since agent 741 is less expensive than nonoxynol-9 to manufacture and equally as potent in vitro, it is an alternative spermicide for vaginal contraceptive formulations.

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemic patients in China

Five homozygous patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are described. Their serum cholesterol levels were between 603 and 907 mg/dl, with an average of 714 mg/dl. The mean value of serum cholesterol levels of the obligate heterozygous parents was 270 mg/dl. In the patient group, 87% of the serum cholesterol was distributed in low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the mean LDL cholesterol level was about 8.4 times that in a control group. Phospholipids in HDL in the patient group were significantly lower than in the controls. Lipid assays of xanthoma tissues revealed that the major lipid was cholesterol and its esters. LDL receptor activity in fibroblasts from the homozygotes was markedly decreased. Two patients yielded less than 2% of normal receptor activity and were classified as receptor-negative. The other 3 revealed receptor activities greater than 2% but less than 25% of normal receptor activity and were classified as receptor-defective.