Intron sequences involved in lariat formation during pre-mRNA splicing

We have shown that lariat formation during in vitro splicing of several RNA precursors, from Drosophila to man, occurs at a unique and identifiable but weakly conserved site, 18 to 37 nucleotides proximal to the 3' splice site. Lariat formation within an artificial intron lacking a normal branch-point sequence occurs at a cryptic site a conserved distance (approximately 23 nucleotides) from the 3' splice site. Analysis of beta-thalassemia splicing mutations revealed that lariat formation in the first intron of the human beta-globin gene occurs at the same site in normal and mutant precursors, even though alternate 5' and 3' splice sites are utilized in the mutants. Remarkably, cleavage at the 5' splice site and lariat formation do not occur when the precursor contains a beta-thalassemia deletion removing the polypyrimidine stretch and AG dinucleotide at the 3' splice site. In contrast, a single base substitution in the AG dinucleotide blocks cleavage at the 3' splice site but not at the 5' site.

Subcutaneous hyphomycosis caused by Scytalidium hyalinum

Scytalidium hyalinum is a hyaline species of the genus Scytalidium. It first was described as a cause of skin and nail infection in humans. In this report, the authors describe the first case of subcutaneous hyphomycosis with multiple cyst formation caused by this fungus. The patient is a 54-year old man who has Reiter's syndrome, liver cirrhosis, and coronary artery disease. He was receiving azathioprine and prednisone for arthritis. The pathology, mycology, and clinical course are discussed.

Aging, abstinence, and medical risk factors in the prediction of neuropsychologic deficit among long-term alcoholics

Halstead-Reitan assessments were conducted with 71 male alcoholics sober for four weeks, 65 alcoholics sober for four years, and 68 nonalcoholics. Recently detoxified alcoholics showed learning and problem-solving difficulties, as did older persons in all groups. Aging, not alcoholism, was related to psychomotor slowing. There were no age-alcohol interactions for any neuropsychologic test. Time since last drink predicted neuropsychologic performance modestly, as did head injury, age, and education. Long-term sober alcoholics were indistinguishable from controls. Our results suggest that alcoholics abstinent one month suffer a subacute alcohol-related organic mental disorder that might resolve with prolonged abstinence, that the neuropsychologic findings in such alcoholics are more consistent with an "independent decrements" rather than "premature aging" hypothesis, and that neuromedical and other risk factors must be considered before permanent neuropsychologic deficit among alcoholics can be attributed solely to neurotoxic effects of alcohol.

Deficient learning and memory in early and middle phases of multiple sclerosis

Forty-three patients with multiple sclerosis showed disturbances in short-term memory, learning, and delayed recall which were associated with years of active disease (average was 4.5 years), age, presence of flareup, but not steroid/ACTH treatment. Unrecognised memory loss might be prevalent early in the natural history of multiple sclerosis and deserves neuropsychological assessment.

Immunoregulatory properties of antigenic fragments from bovine serum albumin

Regulation of the immune response to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by defined substructures of the protein was investigated. The fragments consisted of 41 to 307 amino acids each bearing unique serologic determinants. When administered intravenously the fragments were capable of suppressing the immune response to the entire BSA molecule. The suppression was T-cell mediated and affected the determinants that were linked. The fragments also primed for a secondary anti-BSA response when given in adjuvant; however, the ability to prime was restricted to determinants on the immunizing fragment. The data demonstrate that immune responses to a large protein molecule can be regulated by a relatively small component of its structure and that the ability of a fragment to induce help is more restricted than is its suppressive potential.

comparative analysis of cellular respiratory inhibition by substituted phenylglyoxal-bis-(4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone) zinc chelates

Fourteen para-substituted phenylglyoxal-bis-(4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone) zinc chelates have been synthesized as inhibitors of cellular respiration and therefore as potential antineoplastic agents. Each chelate has been evaluated as an inhibitor of Ehrlich ascites tumor cell and of rat liver slice respiration. The molar I50 values for respiratory inhibition have been subjected to computerized correlation to delineate quantitative relationships between biological activity and chemical structure. Activity against the tumor cell model is characterized by a positive lipophilic and a detrimental steric influence while activity against rat liver slice displays only a weak positive lipophilic effect. Quantitative comparative analysis suggests that selective action against the tumor cell system can be improved by substituents which are electron withdrawing and lipophilic in nature.

Calcium oxalate microcrystalline-associated arthritis in end-stage renal disease

Chronic renal failure is known to be associated with secondary hyperoxalemia and the deposition of calcium oxalate in visceral organs, bones, and cartilage. We report the identification of calcium oxalate crystals in the synovial fluid of three patients with chronic renal failure. In one patient, calcium oxalate crystals were also identified within synovium and cartilage. Crystals were pleomorphic and bipyramidal. Some crystals were rod-like and had positive birefringence, thus tending to be confused with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate when observed with only compensated polarized light microscopy. In one patients asymptomatic effusions were associated with joint capsule calcification, but otherwise normal knee radiographs. The other two patients had bilateral knee pain, one having coexistent features of osteoarthritis and the other chondrocalcinosis. Samples of proliferative synovium, joint capsule, and cartilage from the patient with chondrocalcinosis showed abundant calcium oxalate crystals, and not calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate or calcium hydroxyapatite. Thus, radiographically typical chondrocalcinosis may be due to calcium oxalate. Joint disease in chronic renal failure may be associated with calcium oxalate as well as the previously recognized apatite deposition.

Limited squamous cell carcinoma of the lung: a Southwest Oncology Group randomized study of radiation with or without doxorubicin chemotherapy and with or without levamisole immunotherapy

In 1976, the Southwest Oncology Group activated a four-arm randomized study of limited squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. The purpose of this study was to determine if doxorubicin and/or levamisole added to radiation therapy improved the local control rate and survival in patients with limited squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Of the 107 eligible patients, 15 (14%) had complete responses and 20 (19%) had partial responses. When compared by chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and performance status, no statistically significant difference was found in response rates or in survival. Although not statistically significant, the survival and response rates of patients in the combined levamisole arms were shorter than those of patients in the combined arms not containing levamisole. Patients receiving radiation therapy alone had the best survival. The irradiated field was the site of failure in 68 (88%) of the 77 patients in whom the site of failure was specified. Fifty (65%) of the patients failed in the radiation therapy field only. Chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy as employed in this protocol were of no benefit.

Antibody production and antigenic specific suppression to bovine serum albumin in uremic rats

Antibody response and antigen specific suppression to bovine serum albumin (BSA) in uremic rats have been investigated. Primary immune response was found to be significantly reduced independent of the route of administration or adjuvant while secondary response was affected only in animals in which a weak adjuvant such as Al(OH)3 was used. Antigen specific suppression of uremic rats was achieved by intravenous pretreatment with BSA or a C terminal fragment (505-582) of BSA. Secondary response in sham operated controls was suppressed by BSA but not by the fragment. There was about five-fold greater retention of the fragments in the uremic rats than in sham-operated controls at a 6 hr or later after i.v. administration.

Evaluation of the effect of WIC supplemental feeding on birth weight

This study examined the impact of pregnant women's participation in a WIC supplemental feeding program on the birth weight of infants. Data on 1,328 WIC and non-WIC participants were collected from a retrospective review of medical and/or nutrition records. Participation of women in WIC was associated with a positive and significant increment in birth weight of their infants.

Transposon-specified site-specific recombination

Cointegrate DNA molecules containing two copies of a transposable element appear to be intermediates in the transposition process. These structures are resolved by site-specific recombination to yield the normal end products of transposition. The transposable element gamma delta (Tn1000) synthesizes a product interchangeable with the Tn1/3tnpR protein in promoting Tn1/3 site-specific recombination. These data support the hypothesis that cointegrates containing directly repeated copies of Tn1/3 are obligatory intermediates in interreplicon transposition of Tn1/3. In addition, we show here that the reaction is independent of the element-encoded tnpA gene product. Tn501, which specifies mercury resistance, also produces cointegrates as intermediates in interreplicon transposition. The appearance of Tn501-specified recombination activity that can act on these cointegrates requires growth of cells in the presence of Hg2+.

Cross-study comparisons of self-reported alcohol consumption in four clinical groups

Clinical research on the chronic effects of alcohol has been difficult to evaluate and compare because of the failure by investigators to quantify self-reported alcohol consumption. The authors describe four diverse groups of patients who were treated for alcohol and/or drug abuse. After devising a procedure for comparing the data from these studies, they found that patient self-reports of alcohol consumption may be less distorted than commonly assumed. The present findings are consistent with current research indicating that self-reports of alcohol use are reliable and clinically consistent. The authors also discuss the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and measures of alcohol and drug abuse.

Multiple systems organ failure: II. The effect of infusion of amino acids and glucose

Amino acids and dextrose infusion were given for short periods of time to a young man whose basal state is characterized in the previous paper in this series, and their effects were documented in terms of plasma concentrations and splanchnic extraction. The basal state measurements show in the acute trauma state and its subsequent starvation state a largely balanced splanchnic extraction of amino acids but at a decreasing rate. Amino acid (FreAmine) infusion at low rates on this background produced a large increase in extraction of a largely balanced mixture of amino acids but a minimal change in glucose release. The septic state is characterized in both the basal and amino acid infusion state by splanchnic extraction of an unbalanced mixture of amino acids which is deficient in branched-chain amino acids and in relative excess of glucogenic amino acids with increased glucose release and increased utilization of amino acids for gluconeogenesis. In early sepsis this state can largely be repaired by exogenous amino acid infusion but in late sepsis can only be partially repaired. The data suggest that the patient in late sepsis should have a branched-chain rich amino acid mixture and that the hepatic failure of sepsis is strongly associated with peripheral release of an unbalanced mixture of amino acids secondary to enhanced branched-chain catabolism. Infused glucose produces a large increase in the plasma glucose but also improves the balance of the splanchnic amino acids extracted. The statistical validity of the preceding statements are examined in detail in the manuscript.

Components of risk factor change in a CHD intervention program

Carried out a study on a sample of men (N = 652) at high risk or coronary heart disease (CHD) in order to note the dimensions of change for the risk factors of smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol, selected intervention and psychosocial variables. The principal components analyses revealed a multi-dimensional structure with some bipolar change factors. Implications for the design and implementation of behaviorally oriented risk factor programs were discussed.

Combination chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and BCG immunotherapy in extensive (metastatic) small cell carcinoma of the lung. A Southwest Oncology Group study

From November 1976 to November 1978, the Southwest Oncology Group treated 254 patients with extensive (metastatic) small cell carcinoma of the lung with combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy with and without BCG immunotherapy. Patients receiving BCG achieved a response rate of 50% versus those patients not receiving BCG of 46% (P = .704). Response duration was 20 weeks for the BCG arms and 23 weeks for the no-BCG arms; survival was 28 weeks for the BCG arms versus 29 weeks for the no-BCG arms. An adverse effect in patients surviving more than one year was detected; those continuing to receive BCG had significantly shorter survival, 60 weeks versus 85 weeks (P = .019). Toxicities of the programs were not affected by the addition of BCG immunotherapy. It appears that BCG immunotherapy has no beneficial effect on response rate or duration of response in programs using chemotherapy and radiotherapy for control of metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung. In addition, because of the adverse effect on long-term survival, we do not recommend the addition of BCG immunotherapy as a treatment modality in this tumor type.

Neuropsychology in alcoholic men in their late thirties: one-year follow-up

In a previous article the authors reported on two groups of alcoholic men in their late 30s who were remarkably free of neuropsychological impairment. In this article they present the results of a 1-year follow-up of many of these subjects. They found similarities in performance between alcoholic subjects who in the original study had been abstinent for 18 months and nonalcoholic control subjects who drank moderately. However, the group of alcoholic men who in the original study had been recently detoxified (about 3 weeks) failed to show practice-effect learning on follow-up. The authors interpret this failure as possibly indicative of a preclinical phase of what might ultimately become organic impairment.

The clinical use of epididymal aspiration cultures in the management of selected patients with acute epididymitis

Culture and sensitivity testing of specimens obtained by percutaneous and intraoperative needle aspiration of the epididymis have been of clinical importance in choosing proper antimicrobial therapy in selected patients with acute non-venereal epididymitis. We have found aspiration cultures to be valuable in patients 1) with indwelling urethral catheters, 2) who fail to respond to initial antimicrobial therapy, 3) who have epididymitis found on surgical exploration for torsion of the teticle and 4) with recurrent epididymitis in whom the etiologic agent is uncertain.