Isolation of peroxisomal enoyl-CoA hydratase in rainbow trout and immunochemical identification with the bifunctional enzyme

Peroxisomes are the sites for β-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids. The peroxisomal bifunctional enzyme (PBE) enoyl-CoA hydratase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase catalyzes the second and third reactions of the β-oxidation system. Originally termed PPA-80 for peroxisome-proliferation associated 80,000 MW polypeptide, PBE levels are monitored to measure peroxisome proliferation in rodents and other species. The quantity of a 79,000 MW polypeptide in the light mitochondrial fraction of the liver, as analyzed by SDS-PAGE, increases when rainbow trout are exposed to peroxisome proliferating agents. This correlates with increases in acyl-CoA oxidase activity and peroxisome volume density. In the present study, peroxisomal enoyl-CoA hydratase was purified from trout liver and analyzed by immunoblotting with anti-PBE. A positive reaction with the 79,000 MW polypeptide band was observed providing strong evidence that this is the bifunctional enzyme.

[Clinical observation of free-standing Core-Vent dental implant to replace premolar (1)]

According to Dr. Niznick's alternative two-stage surgical technique, the author installed 3.5 mm x 8 mm Core-Vent Implant (Core-Vent Corporation, Encino, CA, U.S.A.) as a free standing abutment to replace lower left second premolar of 50-year-old male patient. From the foregoing procedure the author obtained the following results: 1. Free-standing Core-Vent Implants can be used to replace single premolar effectively without reduction of adjacent natural teeth. 2. Rotation of screw-in titanium insert (abutment) was observed under occlusal force. 3. Adjustment of height of titanium coping insert was necessary. 4. From the oral examination, patient comments, panoramic and periapical radiograph, there were no evidences in gingival inflammation, pain, reduction of alveolar bone level during the observation period of 13 months postoperatively.

Induction of peroxisome proliferation in rainbow trout exposed to ciprofibrate

Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), average body weight of 450 g, were treated with 15, 25, or 35 mg/kg of ciprofibrate via intraperitoneal injection every other day for 2 to 3 weeks. The effects on hepatic peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase, polypeptide PPA-80, catalase, and liver weight were measured. The treatment of trout with ciprofibrate showed significant dose-related increases in peroxisomal acyl-CoA activity, polypeptide PPA-80, and catalase after 3 weeks of exposure. Peroxisomal oxidase activity showed a significant (p = 0.0008) increase (78%) at 35 mg/kg and a marginal (p = 0.1) increase (27%) at 25 mg/kg after 3 weeks of exposure. Densitometric analysis of polypeptide PPA-80 and catalase showed increases up to 48 and 236% at 35 mg/kg, respectively. Morphometric analysis on livers of trout administered 35 mg/kg for 3 weeks showed a 2.3-fold increase of peroxisomal volume density, as compared to control. This study demonstrates the induction of peroxisome proliferation in rainbow trout administered ciprofibrate, a known peroxisome proliferator in rodents.

Treatment of experimental Coxsackie B-3 viral myocarditis with Astragalus membranaceus in mice

A murine model system for observing the effect of Astragalus Membranaceus (AM) on experimental myocarditis caused by Coxsackie B-3 virus (CB3V) was developed in 4-week-old male BALB/C mice. Gross, histopathologic and ultrastructural examinations of the infected-AM treated group showed that the severity and involved area of the myocardial lesions became milder and smaller than those in the infected-NS treated mice. The total lesion area, and the total lesion area/total myocardial area examined (%) and virus titer in the former group were also smaller and lower than those in the latter group. The results suggest that AM is effective in the inhibition of Coxsackie B virus propagation and protection of myocardium in mouse myocarditis.

Gene rearrangement of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Gene Rearrangement is considered to be a helpful tool for diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In this study five patients with clinical diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma were reviewed for their clinical presentation, skin biopsies and surface marker phenotypes. Southern blot analysis of DNA extracted from their skins revealed that rearrangement of T-cell receptor beta chain (TCRB) genes happened in three patients but rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes was absent. TCRB rearrangement could also detect lymphoma involvement of lymph nodes, peripheral blood and bone marrow in our patients. In these conditions, systemic therapy is suggested.

[Study on mandibular movements by Saphon Visitrainer Model 3]

The purpose of this study was to obtain the basic data of mandibular movements for prosthodontic treatment including craniomandibular dysfunction. The author measured the ranges of movements of mandible in the frontal, sagittal and horizontal trajectory using Saphon VisiTrainer Model 3 (Tokyo Shizaisha Inc.) in 8 male dental students of Seoul National University with normal occlusal relationship. The author obtained the following results; 1. The mean for maximal right and left laterotrusion in the frontal trajectory were 11.55mm and 10.51mm, and did not differ significantly (P greater than 0.05). 2. The mean for maximal protrusion from centric relation occlusion in the sagittal trajectory was 12.63mm and antero-posterior distance between CRO and CO was 1.51 mm. Maximum opening could not be trajected in 3 of 8 subjects. 3. The means of right, left laterotrusion and maximum protrusion were 10.97mm, 11.14mm and 10.31mm, and did not differ significantly (P greater than 0.05).

[Bond strength of an etched Co-Cr alloy]

The purpose of this study was to test the bond strength of a Co-Cr alloy. 40 cylindrical specimens (4 mm in diameter) were made of non-surgical Vitallium, and tensile bond strength was measured after etching and bonding. Etching was done with Oxy-Etch, and etching conditions were as follows: Composition of etching solution: Cone. nitric acid; 1 part glacial acetic acid; 1 part distilled water; 2 parts Current: 300 ma/cm2 Etching time: 3 min. The results were as follows: 1. Tensile bond strength was 435 +/- 116 kg/cm2 2. The result of this study shows that this etching method could be clinically applicable.

Effect of axillary nodal status on the long-term survival following mastectomy for breast carcinoma: nodal metastases may not always suggest systemic disease

Records of 215 patients receiving radical mastectomies from 1958 to 1968 at Roswell Park Memorial Institute were reviewed for the significance of axillary nodal status on long-term survival and recurrence. Ten-year disease-free interval rates were 83%, 47%, and 17%, respectively, for patients with negative nodes, 1-3 positive nodes, and greater than or equal to 4 positive nodes. Fifteen-year rates were 80%, 37%, and 8%, respectively. Survival and disease-free interval curves for the 3 nodal status groups were significantly different from each other (P less than 0.0001). Curves for three subclasses of the greater than or equal to 4 positive node group (4-6, 7-12, and greater than or equal to 13) were similar in overall survival, but were significantly (P = 0.04) different for disease-free interval, due to a rapid rate of recurrence in the greater than or equal to 13 positive node group. Hazard rates of treatment failure during each successive 3-year period for 9 years following mastectomy for those with 1-3 positive nodes or greater than or equal to 4 positive nodes decreased with time, whereas the rates for those with negative nodes were low and relatively constant throughout follow-up. These findings support the thesis that a significant proportion of negative nodes patients are cured by mastectomy and that a smaller group of node-positive patients have regional disease with a chance of cure by mastectomy.

Computer prediction of peptide maps: assignment of polypeptides to human and mouse mitochondrial DNA genes by analysis of two-dimensional-proteolytic digest gels

We have prepared a computer program that predicts complete and partial peptide maps from amino acid sequences. The program fragments amino acid sequences at designated cleavage sites and calculates the molecular weight and relative labeling of each peptide. These data are graphed as log molecular weight of the original protein (X-axis) vs. log molecular weight of the component peptides (Y-axis). The program is interactive, permitting adjustment of a number of graphic parameters and alteration of the position of proteins in the first dimension to accommodate aberrations in protein mobility. The program has been used to predict the V8 protease peptide maps of the 13 open reading frames (ORFs) identified in the human and the mouse mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences. The results were compared to the V8 protease peptide maps obtained for mouse and human mitochondrially synthesized proteins by two-dimensional proteolytic digest gels. A high correlation was observed between the predicted and observed peptide maps. These results suggest the assignment of several proteins to mtDNA genes.

The use of microcomputers for the quantitation of light intensity patterns using digitized video signals

We have developed an inexpensive yet versatile microcomputer-based system for quantitating light intensity levels in autoradiographs. This system employs a standard video camera interfaced to an analog-to-digital convertor. A program has been written for this system which can measure intensities within a defined region of an autoradiograph, permitting an easy and accurate quantitation of spots or bands of irregular shape.

Computer selection of oligonucleotide probes from amino acid sequences for use in gene library screening

We present a computer program, FINPROBE, which utilizes known amino acid sequence data to deduce minimum redundancy oligonucleotide probes for use in screening cDNA or genomic libraries or in primer extension. The user enters the amino acid sequence of interest, the desired probe length, the number of probes sought, and the constraints on oligonucleotide synthesis. The computer generates a table of possible probes listed in increasing order of redundancy and provides the location of each probe in the protein and mRNA coding sequence. Activation of a next function provides the amino acid and mRNA sequences of each probe of interest as well as the complementary sequence and the minimum dissociation temperature of the probe. A final routine prints out the amino acid sequence of the protein in parallel with the mRNA sequence listing all possible codons for each amino acid.

Studies on antihepatitic drugs. Total synthesis of (+/-)schizandrin C and its analogs

This paper reports the total synthesis of (+/-) schizandrin, C, namely 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1, 12-dimethoxy-2, 3, 10, 11-bismethylenedioxy-6, 7-cis-dimethyldibenzo (a, c) cyclooctene (12B), a new active SGPT lowering principle isolated from the Chinese medical plant Schizandra chinensis, and its 6, 7-trans-dimethyl isomer (16B). We also synthesized two more isomers, namely 5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydro-3, 10-dimethoxy-1, 2, 11, 12-bismethylenedioxy-6, and 7-cis-(and trans-) dimethyldibenzo (a, c) cyclooctene (12A and 16A). The NMR, UV and mass spectra of these four isomers are discussed. IR (in chloroform), UV, NMR and MS of synthetic schizandrin C (12B) are identical with those of the natural compound.