Genes encoding mutants of the thymine photodimer repair enzyme from bacteriophage T4 (T4 endonuclease V) having an amino acid substitution (T127M, W128A, W128S, Y129A, K130L, Y131A, Y132A) were constructed by use of a previously obtained synthetic gene and expressed in Escherichia coli under the control of the E. coli tryptophan promoter. An in vitro assay of partially fractionated mutant proteins for glycosylase activity was performed with chemically synthesized substrates containing a thymine photodimer. T127M and K130L showed almost the same activity as the wild-type protein. Although W128S, Y131A, and Y132A were slightly active, W128A and Y129A lost activity. The results indicated that the aromatic amino acids around position 130 may be important for the glycosylase activity. Mutant T127M was purified, and the Km value was found to be of the same order as that of the wild type (10(-8) M). In vivo activities for all mutants were characterized with UV-sensitive ...
January, 1992, to October, 1995, sixty-four patients with advanced head and neck cancer underwent head and neck reconstructive surgery using myocutaneous or revascularized flaps; in the same period, all patients were consecutively examined with CT and MRI. Myocutaneous flaps were used in 26 patients: 12 flaps were tubular and 14 linear. Revascularized flaps were used in 38 patients: to repair a large defect in 26 patients (14 latissimus dorsi flaps and 12 temporal muscle flaps) and to repair an oral damage in 12 patients (5 revascularized radial and 7 jejunal flaps). CT and MR images of myocutaneous flaps showed the flaps as fatty areas, repairing large surgical defects, hypodense at CT and hyperintense at MRI, with no post-contrast enhancement. The appearance of revascularized ...
January, 1992, to October, 1995, sixty-four patients with advanced head and neck cancer underwent head and neck reconstructive surgery using myocutaneous or revascularized flaps; in the same period, all patients were consecutively examined with CT and MRI. Myocutaneous flaps were used in 26 patients: 12 flaps were tubular and 14 linear. Revascularized flaps were used in 38 patients: to repair a large defect in 26 patients (14 latissimus dorsi flaps and 12 temporal muscle flaps) and to repair an oral damage in 12 patients (5 revascularized radial and 7 jejunal flaps). CT and MR images of myocutaneous flaps showed the flaps as fatty areas, repairing large surgical defects, hypodense at CT and hyperintense at MRI, with no post-contrast enhancement. The appearance of revascularized ...
We have used restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) of genomic DNA to classify porcine Pasteurella multocida isolates with similar capsular and somatic serotypes, and to monitor the distribution of...Full Text Available
Human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (hApe1) encodes two important functional activities: an essential base excision repair (BER) activity and a redox activity that regulates expression...Full Text Available
Enzootic Glassers's disease was investigated to study the epidemiology of the disease strains on a farm where it presented a problem. Restriction endonuclease fingerprinting (REF) analysis technique...Full Text Available
Fifty-nine patients underwent free flap osteocutaneous reconstruction that consisted of flaps of the dorsum of the foot in 26 patients and iliac crest flaps in 33 with a success rate of 92 percent and a mortality rate of 1.6 percent. These flaps, which require the expertise of microvascular surgeons, are time-consuming and complicate operating room and time management, but they represent a remarkable advance in reconstruction that can facilitate cosmetic and functional recovery of the patient. In particular, they promote healing in radiation-recurrent oral cancer and represent a definitive form of management for established radionecrosis of the mandible. The large volume of tissue available with iliac crest osteocutaneous grafts permits the management of patients with extensive cancer involving the skin, mucosa, and bone, but cancer control may still be disappointing and there is a need for improved ...
The addition of paraquat (methyl viologen) to a growing culture of Escherichia coli K-12 led within 1 hr to a 10- to 20-fold increase in the level of endonuclease IV, a DNase for apurinic/apyrimidinic sites. The induction was blocked by chloramphenicol. Increases of 3-fold or more were also seen with plumbagin, menadione, and phenazine methosulfate. H_2O_2 produced no more than a 2-fold increase in endonuclease IV activity. The following agents had no significant effect: streptonigrin, nitrofurantoin, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, #gamma# rays, 260-nm UV radiation, methyl methanesulfonate, mitomycin C, and ascorbate. Paraquat, plumbagin, menadione, and phenazine methosulfate are known to generate superoxide radical anions via redox cycling in vivo. A mutant lacking superoxide dismutase was unusually sensitive to induction by paraquat. In addition, endonuclease IV could be induced by merely growing the mutant in pure O_2. The ...
Background: Superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap has a great advantage over other flaps of the area, that is, readily non-existent donor-site problems. The main reason why the SIEA flap has never been extensively used in breast reconstruction is the small diameter and variable anatomy of its donor artery. This study presents a possibility of enlarging the SIEA diameter using the delay-phenomenon mechanism. Methods: A prospective clinical study of 26 patients was undertaken. Prior to surgery, ultrasound examinations were performed, measuring the diameter of SIEA and the velocity of blood flow in SIEA. The ipsilateral deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) was then ligated in all patients who had a measurable SIEA preoperatively. Two weeks later, measurements were repeated. The...
Recent work on the aerodynamics of flapping flight reveals fundamental differences in the mechanisms of aerodynamic force generation between fixed and flapping wings. When fixed wings translate at high angles of attack, they periodically generate and shed leading and trailing edge vortices as reflected in their fluctuating aerodynamic force traces and associated flow visualization. In contrast, wings flapping at high angles of attack generate stable leading edge vorticity, which persists throughout the duration of the stroke and enhances mean aerodynamic forces. Here, we show that aerodynamic forces can be controlled by altering the trailing edge flexibility of a flapping wing. We used a dynamically scaled mechanical model of flapping flight (Re approximately 2000) to measure the aerodynamic forces on flapping wings of variable flexural stiffness (EI). For low ...
The Aer protein in Escherichia coli is a membrane-bound, FAD-containing aerotaxis and energy sensor that putatively monitors the redox state of the electron transport system. Binding...Full Text Available
Abstract TLR9 recognizes unmethylated CpG-containing DNA commonly found in bacteria. Synthetic oligonucleotides containing CpG-motifs (CpG ODNs) recapitulate the activation of TLR9 by microbial DNA, whereas inversion of the CG dinucleotide within the CpG motif to GC (GpC ODNs) renders such ODNs inactive. This difference cannot be attributed to binding of ODNs to the full-length TLR9 ectodomain, as both CpG and GpC ODNs bind comparably. Activation of murine TLR9 requires cleavage into an active C-terminal fragment, which binds CpG robustly. We therefore compared the ability of CpG and GpC ODNs to bind to full-length and C-terminal TLR9, and their impact on the cleavage of TLR9. We found that CpG binds better to C-terminal TLR9 when compared with GpC, despite comparably low binding of both O...
Amino acids labelled with dimethylaminoazobenzenesulphonyl chloride can be separated by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography and detected in the visible region (436 nm). All 19 naturally...Full Text Available
Synaptobrevin is a synaptic vesicle protein that has an essential role in exocytosis and forms the SNARE complex with syntaxin and SNAP-25. We have analyzed the structure of isolated synaptobrevin and its binary interaction with syntaxin using NMR spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate that isolated synaptobrevin is largely unfolded in solution. The entire SNARE motif of synaptobrevin is capable of interacting with the isolated C-terminal SNARE motif of syntaxin but only a few residues bind to the full-length cytoplasmic region of syntaxin. This result suggests an interaction between the N- and C-terminal regions of syntaxin that competes with core complex assembly.
Mapping the restriction fragments of the Brucella melitensis 16M genome with a new restriction endonuclease, PacI, which cut the DNA into only eight fragments, indicated that this species contains two...Full Text Available
The integration sites for viral DNA in cells infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) were studied by restriction endonuclease cleavage of cellular DNA followed by electrophoresis in agarose...Full Text Available
To study the occurrence and distribution of various strains of Haemophilus parasuis in southern Ontario swine, organisms isolated from healthy swine, from specific pathogen-free and conventional herds,...Full Text Available
Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive form of human brain tumor, which has no effective cure. Previously, we have demonstrated that overexpression of the C-terminal fragment of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERTC27) inhibits the growth and tumorigenicity of human cervical cancer HeLa cells. In this study, the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanisms of hTERTC27-mediated cancer gene therapy were further explored in vivo in established human glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. We showed that intratumoral injection of adeno-associated virus carrying hTERTC27 (rAAV-hTERTC27) is highly effective in reducing the growth of the subcutaneously transplanted glioblastoma tumors. Histological analyses showed that rAAV-hTERTC27 treatment leads to profound necrosis, apoptosi...
Current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a significant number of complex injury patterns. Multiple extremity trauma and wide zones of injury mandate a flexible approach to these...Full Text Available
A duplication of the polypurine tract (PPT) at the center of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome (the cPPT) has been shown to prime a separate plus-strand initiation and to result...Full Text Available
In Lepidoptera, forewings and hindwings are mechanically coupled and flap in synchrony. Flight is anteromotoric, being driven primarily by action of the forewings. Here we report that lepidopterans...Full Text Available
RIN proteins serve as guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rab5a. They are characterized by the presence of a RIN homology domain and a C-terminal Vps9 domain. Currently three family members have...Full Text Available
BackgroundhTERTC27 is a 27 kDa C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase that has previously been shown to reduce tumorigenicity of HeLa cells and suppress...Full Text Available
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B), the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), is a tail-anchored protein with a highly conserved C-terminal transmembrane domain (TMD) that...Full Text Available
Arf GTPases control vesicle formation from different intracellular membranes and are regulated by Arf guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Outside of their conserved catalytic domains, known...Full Text Available
Excision repair in uv irradiated human fibroblasts has been examined in portions of DNA replicating after irradiation versus those remaining unreplicated. Two approaches, one using a uv-endonuclease to estimate pyrimidine dimers remaining in DNA, the other using density labeling to measure excision resynthesis, indicate that the extent of repair is the same for both replicated and unreplicated DNA.
DNA from 48 hr germinated rice embryos was cut with restriction endonuclease Bam H1 and cloned to the Bam H1 site on plasmid pBR 322. The clones containing recombinant DNA were selected by their sensitivity to tetracycline and resistance to ampicillin. Using /sup 32/P-labelled rice embryos tRNA as a probe two clones were identified to contain tRNA genes by colony hybridization.
In a 47-year-old male patient a bronchopleural fistula was apparent 22 days after extended right-sided diaphragma-pericardio-pleuro-pneumonectomy for pleuramesothelioma. The thoracic cavity was infected. Rethoracotomy was performed and the fistula was closed using an omental pedicle flap. The bronchial stump became tight and the cavity fluid became sterile. No abdominal complications were seen. The patient died 8 months later from malignant pericardial infiltration. The ability of greater omentum to revascularize ischemic tissue, to absorb fluid and to resist local infection is proved and used in several subspecialities of surgery. Nevertheless the use of the greater omentum in the management of bronchopleural fistula has been rarely published. The reported case shows that the closure of a large bronchopleural fistula is possible by using the attributes of the omental tissue. PMID:2264043
Background: High satisfaction rates have been reported after autologous breast reconstruction. Yet, most mastectomy patients receive implant reconstructions (ImBR). Independent and active decision makers have shown mainly to choose for autologous reconstructions, such as the Deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap (DiepBR). To further explore the decision making to opt for either ImBR or DiepBR, we investigated patient knowledge, informational resources used, effect of plastic surgeons' advice, coping style and personal independence. Methods: A total of 153 women, who were planned for DiepBR or ImBR preoperatively, completed a study-specific and standardised validated psychological questionnaire. Analyses were aimed at information-seeking behaviour, personal independence and coping...
The effect of high lift airfoils on the cost effectiveness of HAWT and VAWT (horizontal and vertical axis wind turbine) machines is studied. The scope involved first studying modern two dimensional airfoils, and developing a generalized formulation for their performance in terms of lift, drag, and thickness at appropriate Reynolds numbers. Single element, multi-element, symmetrical, extra thick airfoils and jet flap airfoils were analyzed. The jet flap airfoils were considered to be unacceptable because of excessive power requirements. Then the effect of using the above airfoils on the rotors of a variety of wind turbines was made. Qualitative representation of the type of airfoils studied is given.
GSTD1 is one of several insect glutathione S-transferases capable of metabolizing the insecticide DDT. Here we use crystallography and NMR to elucidate the binding of DDT and glutathione to GSTD1. The crystal structure of Drosophila melanogaster GSTD1 has been determined to 1.1 {angstrom} resolution, which reveals that the enzyme adopts the canonical GST fold but with a partially occluded active site caused by the packing of a C-terminal helix against one wall of the binding site for substrates. This helix would need to unwind or be displaced to enable catalysis. When the C-terminal helix is removed from the model of the crystal structure, DDT can be computationally docked into the active site in an orientation favoring catalysis. Two-dimensional {sup 1}H,{sup 15}N heteronuclear single-quantum coherence NMR experiments of GSTD1 indicate that conformational changes occur upon glutathione and DDT binding and the residues that broaden upon DDT ...
We have constructed a 27-kDa hTERT C-terminal polypeptide (hTERTC27) devoid of domains required for telomerase activity and demonstrated that it is capable of nuclear translocation/telomere-end targeting. Here we showed that expression of a low level of hTERTC27 renders hTERT positive HeLa cells sensitive to H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress and subsequent cell senescence. The senescence-associated gene, the cyclin/cdk inhibitor p21(Waf1), was up-regulated. This occurs without changing the expression of endogenous hTERT, causing significant telomere shortening or inhibiting telomerase activity. Results from this study suggest for the first time that in addition to telomerase activity, the C-terminus of hTERT also plays a role in hTERT-mediated cellular resistance to oxidative stress. PMID:12565825
In vertebrates, the positioning of the internal organs relative to the midline is asymmetric and evolutionarily conserved. A number of molecules have been shown to play critical roles in left-right patterning. Using representational difference analysis to identify genes that are differentially expressed on the left and right sides of the chick embryo, we cloned chick Claudin-1, an integral component of epithelial tight junctions. Here, we demonstrate that retroviral overexpression of Claudin-1, but not Claudin-3, on the right side of the chick embryo between HH stages 4 and 7 randomizes the direction of heart looping. This effect was not observed when Claudin-1 was overexpressed on the left side of the embryo. A small, but reproducible, induction of Nodal expression in the perinodal region on the right side of the embryo was noted in embryos that were injected with Claudin-1 retroviral particles on their right sides. However, no changes in Lefty,Pitx2 or cSnR expression were observed. ...
SR proteins are essential splicing factors whose function is controlled by multi-site phosphorylation of a C-terminal domain rich in arginine-serine repeats (RS domain). The protein kinase SRPK1 has been shown to polyphosphorylate the N-terminal portion of the RS domain (RS1) of the SR protein ASF/SF2, a modification that promotes nuclear entry of this splicing factor and engagement in splicing function. Later, dephosphorylation is required for maturation of the spliceosome and other RNA processing steps. While phosphates are attached to RS1 in a sequential manner by SRPK1, little is known about how they are removed. To investigate factors that control dephosphorylation, we monitored region-specific mapping of phosphorylation sites in ASF/SF2 as a function of the protein phosphatase PP1. W...
Accurately predicting wind turbine blade loads and response is important for the proper design of wind turbines. The need to accurately predict both deterministic and stochastic blade loads is now widely recognized. Previous rotor code development and validation efforts at NREL have concentrated on prediction of deterministic and stochastic blade loads for rigid hub rotors. During the past year this effort was expanded for predicting blade and shaft loads for two-bladed teetering hub rotors. The NREL (formerly SERI) Teetering Rotor Analysis Program (STRAP), a derivative of the Force and Loads Analysis Program (FLAP), can include the effects of rotor undersling, delta-3 and the effects of a concentrated hub mass. The degrees of freedom include rotor teeter and symmetric and asymmetric rotor flap modes. A time-dependent, prescribed yaw motion can also be input to the code. Loads due to turbulent wind inputs are also calculated. In this paper, ...
Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osseointegration of the dental implants placed into the mandible augmented with different techniques in pigs. Material and methods: Four adult domestic pigs were used. Horizontal augmentation of the mandible was performed in animals by using vascularized femur flap (VFF), non-vascularized femur graft (NVFG) and monocortical mandibular block graft (MG). After 5 months of healing 10 dental implants were placed into each augmented site. The pigs were sacrificed after 3 months of healing. Undecalcified sections were prepared for histomorphometric analysis. Results: Mean bone-implant contact (BIC) values for implants placed into MG, NVFG and VFF were 57.38 11.97%, 76.5 7.88%, 76.53 8.15%, respectively. The BIC values of NVFG and...
The decontamination of the dissolution tank from spent fuel reprocessing out-ling device is studied, by using FL-AP decontamination agent. The decontamination factor per step is 2.2, 2.4, respectively for #alpha#, #beta# activities. After dissecting the tank, residual contamination in inner surface of the tank was found to be non-uniform. The exact original contamination value of the tank surface could be approximated by calculating the total amounts of radionuclide distributed on the hanging specimens, the dissecting specimen, and radioactive level in waste decontamination agent. Therefore, it can be concluded that the hanging specimens method is feasible for measuring the decontamination factor of spent fuel dissolution tank. (authors)
Nop25 is a putative RNA binding nucleolar protein associated with rRNA transcription. The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism of Nop25 localization in the nucleolus. Deletion experiments of Nop25 amino acid sequence showed Nop25 to contain a nuclear targeting sequence in the N-terminal and a nucleolar targeting sequence in the C-terminal. By expressing derivative peptides from the C-terminal as GFP-fusion proteins in the cells, a lysine and arginine residue-enriched peptide (KRKHPRRAQDSTKKPPSATRTSKTQRRRR) allowed a GFP-fusion protein to be transported and fully retained in the nucleolus. When the peptide was fused with cMyc epitope and expressed in the cells, a cMyc epitope was then detected in the nucleolus. Nop25 did not localize in the nucleolus by deletion of the peptide from Nop25. Furthermore, deletion of a subdomain (KRKHPRRAQ) in the peptide or amino acid substitution of lysine and arginine residues in the subdomain ...
Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive form of human brain tumor, which has no effective cure. Previously, we have demonstrated that overexpression of the C-terminal fragment of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERTC27) inhibits the growth and tumorigenicity of human cervical cancer HeLa cells. In this study, the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanisms of hTERTC27-mediated cancer gene therapy were further explored in vivo in established human glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. We showed that intratumoral injection of adeno-associated virus carrying hTERTC27 (rAAV-hTERTC27) is highly effective in reducing the growth of the subcutaneously transplanted glioblastoma tumors. Histological analyses showed that rAAV-hTERTC27 treatment leads to profound necrosis, apoptosis, infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and reduced microvessel density in the tumor samples. To study the molecular mechanism of rAAV-hTERTC27-mediated antitumor ...
The infection of cultured human cells with baboon endogenous virus (BEV) frequently leads to an association of viral DNA with a specific genetic locus (termed BEVI, for baboon endogenous virus infection) on chromosome 6. Restriction endonuclease digestion of DNA from BEV-infected human cells and their derived somatic cell clones frequently revealed a common cellular DNA sequence in the proximity of one of the junctions between cellular DNA and the integrated virus. We propose that a short cellular DNA sequence, repeated on chromosome 6 and separated by unique DNA sequences, presents a high-affinity target for the integration of BEV in human cells. PMID:6401843
1 - Description of test facility: The LOBI facility is a 1/700 scale model of a four loop PWR and has two primary loops, the intact loop representing three loops and the broken loop representing one loop of a four-loop PWR. The reactor pressure vessel model contains an electrically heated rod-bundle with 64 rods and a heated length of 3.9 m. The nominal heating power is 5.3 MW. The downcomer is of annular shape. An upper head simulator is connected to the vessel. Each of the two primary loops contains a pump and a steam generator. The different mass flows in the loops are established by the pump speeds, since the two pumps are identical. Heat is removed from the steam generators by a secondary system. ECC water can be supplied from two accumulators, one for each loop. Cold or hot leg as well as combined injection can be simulated. The LOBI test facility is the only high pressure integral test facility within the European Communities (1982), built and operated in the Joint Research ...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of splitting each head of the gastrocnemius muscle into two segments. This prospective study was conducted on 35 fresh cadavers with injection of radio-opaque contrast material in the popliteal artery. Seventy medial gastrocnemius and 70 lateral gastrocnemius muscle specimens were obtained. Gastrocnemius intramuscular arterial anatomy was analysed by using the digital X-ray technique. The most common vascular pattern found in this study was both bellies supplied by individual sural arteries, which shows distal bifurcation. The medial sural artery always showed bifurcation in the medial gastrocnemius muscle in both lower limbs, whereas this bifurcation of the lateral sural artery was present in only 87% cases and 13% of cases showed a si...
17 patients with chronic aortic dissection were examined by MRI. In 12 patients, comparison between gradient echo sequences and SE sequences was possible. Gradient echo sequences, unlike SE sequences, permitted evaluation of flow in the true and false lumen, reliable differentiation between thrombus and flowing blood and clear delination of the intimal flap. An additional comparison between transoesophageal ultrasound and MRT in 15 patients showed significant advantages in favour of MRI. In three patients MRI was able to detect more proximal origins of the dissection. Moreover, MRI allowed evaluation of the major aortic branches and their relation to the dissection; this was not possible with ultrasound. MRI plays an important role in the follow-up of chronic aortic dissections. (orig.).
Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of host periosteum and recipient bed perforation on the healing of an onlay graft to the mandible based on histologic and immunohistochemical analysis. Materials and methods Each of the 12 adult sheep used in the study received four iliac corticocancellous onlay bone grafts on the lateral surface of the mandible. In experiment 1, the block graft was placed in direct contact with the recipient bed and fixed with micro-screws, and in experiment 2, the recipient cortical bed was perforated before graft placement. The host periosteum around the graft was excised before flap replacement in experiment 3, and in experiment 4, a sheet of silicone membrane was placed between the graft and the recipient bed. The animals were euthanised at 4, 8, ...
Dynamic CT and MRT were performed in 21 patients who had undergone prosthetic replacement of the aorta because of dissection of the thoracic aorta. There is no difference between MRI and dynamic CT in the demonstration of a persistent intimal flap, the formation of a thrombus and the assessment of the aortic diameter in patients who underwent surgery for thoraco-abdominal aortic dissection. MRI, however, is superior in the identification of the true and false lumen and the demonstration of the distal anastomotic site. The major advantages of MRI are that there is no need for intravenous contrast agents, that it is high sensitive to flow phenomena, and that it can demonstrate the aortic arch and the ascending aorta on sagittal oblique sections. The major disadvantages of MRI are the limited access to the patient during the procedure, and the inability to examine patients fitted with pacemakers or who are on assisted ventilation. Today, MRI is considered the method ...
Sinus lifting and reconstruction of localized alveolar defects are often required after closure of a large oroantral fistula (OAF) to allow for subsequent implant installation. This study describes a combined surgical technique that involves sinus lifting, bony closure, and reconstruction of the alveolar defect at the site of an OAF. The sinus membrane was reconstructed as a continuous layer by combining the residual sinus membrane with a rotated part of oral mucosa around the OAF. Autogenous bone from the chin and/or ramus was grafted into the prepared sinus space and alveolar defect, and the graft was covered by a buccal advancement flap. This technique was used to treat 8 patients who had large OAFs in the posterior maxillary region. The treatment was successful in all cases, and the te...
The crystal structure of outer surface protein A (OspA) from Borrelia burgdorferi contains a single-layer #beta#-sheet connecting the N- and C-terminal globular domains. The central #beta#-sheet consists largely of polar amino acids and it is solvent-exposed on both faces, which so far appears to be unique among known protein structures. We have accomplished nearly complete backbone H, C and N and C";/H"#beta# assignments of OspA (28 kDa) using standard triple resonance techniques without perdeuteration. This was made possible by recording spectra at a high temperature (45 "oC ). The chemical shift index and "1"5N T_1/T_2 ratios show that both the secondary structure and the global conformation of OspA in solution are similar to the crystal structure, suggesting that the unique central #beta#-sheet is fairly rigid.
A radioimmunoassay is described for the molluscan neuropeptide, Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH"2(FMRFamide). The antibody used is C-terminal-specific and shows slight but significant (1-2%) cross-reactivity with chicken pancreatic polypeptide (APP). The assay has been used to identify in rat brain extracts a pair of molecules that may represent mammalian counterparts of FMRFamide. Their concentrations were highest in spinal cord and hypothalamus (>10 pmol.g"-_1) and lowest in cerebellum and striatum (<3.5 pmol.g"-_1). The two immunoreactive peptides were separated on CM ion-exchange chromatography where they appeared to be less basic than FMRFamide. On Sephadex G50 gel filtration one eluted in a similar position to FMRFamide and the other slightly earlier suggesting it may be of higher molecular weight. The rat immunoreactive components do not correspond to previously described neuropeptides or hormones, and may be members of a new group of mammalian neuropeptides with ...
The low in vivo transduction efficiency of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) and the undesirably strong immunogenicity of adenovirus (rAdv) have limited their clinical utilization in cancer gene therapy. We have previously demonstrated that intratumoral injection of rAAV expressing a C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (rAAV-hTERTC27) effectively inhibits the growth of glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. To further improve its efficacy, we combined rAAV-hTERTC27 with rAdv and investigated the efficiency of the cocktail vectors in vivo. At a nontherapeutic dose (1 x 108 plaque-forming units (PFUs)), rAdv-null and rAdv-hTERTC27 were equipotent in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of rAAV-hTERTC27 (1.5 x 1011?v.g.), and complete tumor regression w...
The production of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the recognition of C-terminal cholecystokinin pentapeptide (CCK-5) in the presence of metal ion is reported. The MIPs were produced under the same molar ratio of template to monomers (acrylamide, N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide) in the presence or absence of nitrilotriacetic acid-nickel (Ni-NTA) complex. Scanning electron microscopy images of MIPs were obtained in an attempt to correlate the adsorption characteristics with polymer's morphology. Subsequently Ni2+ was removed and substituted by other divalent ions such as Mg2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Co2+ and Cu2+. It was found that polymers containing the metal ion complex with the order Fe-NTA, Ni-NTA and Cu-NTA presented lower dissociation constant values than the rest thus exhibiting stronger guest binding activity. The percentage of theoretical maximum binding sites Bmax was almost the same for these ions, indicating that the ion-template coordination is responsible ...
The expression of three c-onc genes (c-erb, c-myc, c-myb) was investigated in five cell lines established from fibrosarcomas induced with 20-methylcholanthrene (MCA) of Japanese quails. These cell lines showed low levels of the three c-onc genes, with the exception of two cell lines that accumulated moderate (MCAQ 1-4) and large amounts (MCAQ 3-5) of c-myc RNA. Molecular cloning and restriction endonuclease analyses indicated that expression of c-myc in these two cell lines were not associated with detectable rearrangements in the c-myc locus, that the size of the c-myc transcript (2.7 kb) in MCAQ 3-5 was similar to that of the normal c-myc messenger RNAs (mRNA) and that the transcriptional activatin observed in MCAQ 3-5 was not mediated by the LTR (long terminal repeat) of a proximate ALV (avian leukosis virus) provirus. Finally, when analyzed with the restriction enzymes Msp I and Hpa II, the c-myc locus of MCAQ 3-5 and MCAQ 1-4 was found hypomethylated as ...
The overall objective of this project has been to develop immunochemical methods to quantitate unique DNA base damages in order to facilitate studies on radiation-induced damage production and repair. Specifically, we have been using antibodies raised to damaged bases to quantitate unique lesions in model systems in order to evaluate their potential biological consequences. Our approach has been to synthesize modified nucleotides or nucleosides, conjugate them to protein carriers, and use the conjugates as immunogens in rabbits or to prepare monoclonal antibodies. We have been studying damages that are stable radiolysis products found in X-irradiated DNA and thus of potential biological consequence. Our aim is to build an in vitro and in vivo data base on the interactions between model DNA lesions and such cellular enzymes as DNA polymerases and repair endonucleases. Initial studies have focused on pyrimidine ring saturation products (thymine glycol.and ...
The overall objective of this project has been to develop immunochemical methods to quantitate unique DNA base damages in order to facilitate studies on radiation-induced damage production and repair. Specifically, we have been using antibodies raised to damaged bases to quantitate unique lesions in model systems in order to evaluate their potential biological consequences. Our approach has been to synthesize modified nucleotides or nucleosides, conjugate them to protein carriers, and use the conjugates as immunogens in rabbits or to prepare monoclonal antibodies. We have been studying damages that are stable radiolysis products found in X-irradiated DNA and thus of potential biological consequence. Our aim is to build an in vitro and in vivo data base on the interactions between model DNA lesions and such cellular enzymes as DNA polymerases and repair endonucleases. Initial studies have focused on pyrimidine ring saturation products (thymine glycol.and ...
The unsteady aerodynamic forces of a model fruit fly wing in flapping motion were investigated by numerically solving the Navier-Stokes equations. The flapping motion consisted of translation and rotation [the translation velocity (u(t)) varied according to the simple harmonic function (SHF), and the rotation was confined to a short period around stroke reversal]. First, it was shown that for a wing of given geometry with u(t) varying as the SHF, the aerodynamic force coefficients depended only on five non-dimensional parameters, i.e. Reynolds number (Re), stroke amplitude (Phi), mid-stroke angle of attack (alpha(m)), non-dimensional duration of wing rotation (Delta tau(r)) and rotation timing [the mean translation velocity at radius of the second moment of wing area (U), the mean chord length (c) and c/U were used as reference velocity, length and time, respectively]. Next, the force coefficients were investigated for a case in which typical ...
In General Electric's design of the Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (SBWR), The depressurization valves (DPV) are installed in the reactor pressure boundary: four are connected to the reactor vessel by means of nozzles, and two more are located on the main steam pipes (one DPV for each line), which act during particular transients and/or loss of coolant accidents (LOCA), consequently providing the reactor vessel with a safe quick depressurization system. Once the vessel is de pressurised, the passive gravity-driven cooling system (GDCS) starts to operate, permitting the injection of water required for continuous core cooling. DPVs are leak tight, with welded flaps, actuated by a [striker[hammer***] which is activated by an explosive mixture. The dynamic loads that open these valves include, in addition to those produced by steam (typical in any thermodynamic transient with open/close valves), other important loads that are characteristic of this type of explosive ...
A patient with a totally edentulous maxilla and a seVere Class III intermaxillary relationship in the anterior region was treated by implants. In the mandible, there were 10 teeth between the second premolars. The inclination and width of the maxillary anterior residual bone were measured on cephalometric X-ray film obtained before treatment. The results of cephalometric analysis did not support clockwise rotation of the mandible or lingual angling of the maxillary anterior teeth by use of prosthesis to improve the Class III relationship. Ten implants were simultaneously placed in the maxilla. Then, a maxillary temporary full bridge was seated after reduction of the crown lengths of the mandibular anterior teeth. An apically positioned flap operation was performed to eliminate periodontal pockets and to obtain clinically suitable crown lengths of the mandibular anterior teeth. A noncemented, screw-retained maxillary full bridge and a conventional mandibular full ...
This study evaluated whether differences in design of 3-dimensional polylactic acid barriers (EPi-Guide and Guidor) would influence hard tissue results in the treatment of Grade II furcations in humans. A multicenter study was conducted, using 40 patients with moderate to advanced bilateral chronic adult periodontitis of the mandibular first or second molars. After flap access, debridement, and root preparation, surgical bone level measurements were taken and membranes were placed on a random basis. Surgical reentry occurred at 1 year. Data collected from all 3 investigative centers were pooled and analyzed using an analysis of variance appropriate for a counterbalancing design. Both barrier materials resulted in significant gains of attachment level and defect reduction. The composite reduction in the vertical component of the osseous defects was greater in the sites treated with Epi-Guide as compared to those treated with Guidor; the difference between barriers ...
As part of the Probabilistic Safety Analysis of the Multi Purpose Reactor, MPR, the list of Postulated Initiating Events was analyzed and one of these PIEs corresponds to the Loss of Coolant Flow. It is well known that during the operation life of a research reactor a LOFA could eventually occur and, once this event takes place, in time detection and automatic actions, thanks to the engineering safety features of the system, will mitigate the incident evolution. The postulated event corresponds to a loss of flow due to a total loss of power supply. The goal of the present work is to provide a general description and the engineering safety features of the MPR, as well as describe the sequence of scenarios during a LOFA. Temporal evolution of main parameters is presented, also. During Stage A of the Commissioning Program measurements of the core cooling system pump coast-down were performed in order to validate previous simulation results, as well as, flap valves ...
This paper presents direct measurements of the aerodynamic forces on the wing of a free-flying, insect-like ornithopter that was modeled on a hawk moth (Manduca sexta). A micro differential pressure sensor was fabricated with micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and attached to the wing of the ornithopter. The sensor chip was less than 0.1% of the wing area. The mass of the sensor chip was 2.0 mg, which was less than 1% of the wing mass. Thus, the sensor was both small and light in comparison with the wing, resulting in a measurement system that had a minimal impact on the aerodynamics of the wing. With this sensor, the 'pressure coefficient' of the ornithopter wing was measured during both steady airflow and actual free flight. The maximum pressure coefficient observed for steady airflow conditions was 1.4 at an angle of attack of 30"0. In flapping flight, the coefficient was around 2.0 for angles of attack that ranged from 25"0 to 40"0. Therefore, a ...
A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is coupled with a computational structural dynamics (CSD) to simulate the unsteady rotor flow with aeroelasticity effects. An unstructured upwind Navier-Stokes solver was developed for this simulation, with 2nd order time-accurate dual-time stepping method for temporal discretization and low Mach number preconditioning method. For turbulent flows, both the Spalart-Allmaras and Menter's SST model are available. Mesh deformation is achieved through a fast dynamic grid method called Delaunay graph map method for unsteady flow simulation. The rotor blades are modeled as Hodges & Dowell's nonlinear beams coupled flap-lag-torsion. The rotorcraft computational structural dynamics code employs the 15-dof beam finite element formulation for modeling. The structure code was validated by comparing the natural frequencies of a rotor model with UMARC. The flow and structure codes are coupled tightly with information exchange several ...
Chorismate mutase, a branch-point enzyme in the aromatic amino acid pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and also a mutant chorismate mutase with a single amino acid substitution in the C-terminal part of the protein have been purified approximately 20-fold and 64-fold from overproducing strains, respectively. The wild-type enzyme is activated by tryptophan and subject to feedback inhibition by tyrosine, whereas the mutant enzyme does not respond to activation by tryptophan nor inhibition by tyrosine. Both enzymes are dimers consisting of two identical subunits of M_r 30,000, each one capable of binding one substrate and one activator molecule. Each subunit of the wild-type enzyme also binds one inhibitor molecule, whereas the mutant enzyme lost this ability. The enzyme reaction was observed by "1H NMR and shows a direct and irreversible conversion of chorismate to prephenate without the accumulation of any enzyme-free intermediates. The kinetic data of the ...
Trihydroxynaphthalene reductase catalyzes two intermediate steps in the fungal melanin biosynthetic pathway. The enzyme, a typical short-chain dehydrogenase, is the biochemical target of three commercial fungicides. The fungicides bind preferentially to the NADPH form of the enzyme. Three X-ray structures of the Magnaporthe grisea enzyme complexed with NADPH and two commercial and one experimental fungicide were determined at 1.7 {angstrom} (pyroquilon), 2.0 {angstrom} (2,3-dihydro-4-nitro-1H-inden-1-one, 1), and 2.1 {angstrom} (phthalide) resolutions. The chemically distinct inhibitors occupy similar space within the enzyme's active site. The three inhibitors share hydrogen bonds with the side chain hydroxyls of Ser-164 and Tyr-178 via a carbonyl oxygen (pyroquilon and 1) or via a carbonyl oxygen and a ring oxygen (phthalide). Active site residues occupy similar positions among the three structures. A buried water molecule that is hydrogen bonded to the NZ nitrogen of Lys-182 ...
In view of the findings that several Kunitz-type protein inhibitors suppress tumor invasion and metastasis, the aim of the present study is to explore whether Bungarus multicinctus protease inhibitor-like protein-2 (PILP-2) and PILP-3 exhibit anti-tumor activity. Although approximately 28% of amino acid substitutions occurred between PILP-2 and PILP-3, molecular modeling suggested that PILP-2 and PILP-3 shared similar folded structures. Unlike PILP-2, PILP-3 showed a notable activity in abolishing migration and invasion of human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. The ability of PILP-3 to inhibit matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) activity was higher than that of PILP-2. Pull-down assay revealed protein-protein interaction between PILP-3 and MMP-2. In contrast to mutation on N-terminal region, replacement of amino acids at C-terminus attenuated notably the ability of PILP-3 to inhibit cell invasion, cell migration and MMP-2 activity as well as the binding capability of PILP-3 with MMP-2. ...
NMR spectroscopy combined with paramagnetic relaxation agents was used to study the positioning of the 40-residue Alzheimer Amyloid {beta}-peptide A{beta}(1-40) in SDS micelles. 5-Doxyl stearic acid incorporated into the micelle or Mn{sup 2+} ions in the aqueous solvent were used to determine the position of the peptide relative to the micelle geometry. In SDS solvent, the two {alpha}-helices induced in A{beta}(1-40), comprising residues 15-24, and 29-35, respectively, are surrounded by flexible unstructured regions. NMR signals from these unstructured regions are strongly attenuated in the presence of Mn{sup 2+} showing that these regions are positioned mostly outside the micelle. The central helix (residues 15-24) is significantly affected by 5-doxyl stearic acid however somewhat less for residues 16, 20, 22 and 23. This {alpha}-helix therefore resides in the SDS headgroup region with the face with residues 16, 20, 22 and 23 directed away from the hydrophobic interior of the micelle. ...
Synthetic atrial natriuretic peptide (carperitide) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP; nesiritide) are used to treat congestive heart failure. However, despite beneficial cardiac unloading properties, reductions in renal perfusion pressures limit their clinical effectiveness. Recently, CD-NP, a chimeric peptide composed of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) fused to the C-terminal tail of Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP), was shown to be more glomerular filtration rate-enhancing than BNP in dogs. However, the molecular basis for the increased responsiveness was not determined. Here, we show that the DNP tail has a striking effect on CNP, converting it from a non-agonist to a partial agonist of natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)-A while maintaining the ability to activate NPR-B. This effect is specific for human receptors because CD-NP was only a slightly better activator of rat NPR-A due to the promiscuous nature of CNP in this species. Interesting, the DNP ...
Amino acids other than those that serve as ligands have been found to influence the chemical properties of transferrin iron. The catalytic ability of pyrophosphate to mediate transferrin iron release to a terminal acceptor is largely quenched by modification non-liganded histine groups on the protein. The first order rate constants of iron release for several partially histidine modified protein samples were measured. A statistical method was employed to establish that one non-liganded histidine per metal binding domain was responsible for the reduction in rate constant. These results imply that the iron mediated chelator, pyrophosphate, binds directly to a histidine residue on the protein during the iron release process. EPR spectroscopic results are consistent with this interpretation. Kinetic and amino acid sequence studies of ovotransferrin and lactoferrin, in addition to human serum transferrin, have allowed the tentative assignment of His-207 in the N-terminal domain and His-535 ...
The low in vivo transduction efficiency of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) and the undesirably strong immunogenicity of adenovirus (rAdv) have limited their clinical utilization in cancer gene therapy. We have previously demonstrated that intratumoral injection of rAAV expressing a C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (rAAV-hTERTC27) effectively inhibits the growth of glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. To further improve its efficacy, we combined rAAV-hTERTC27 with rAdv and investigated the efficiency of the cocktail vectors in vivo. At a nontherapeutic dose (1 x 10(8) plaque-forming units (PFUs)), rAdv-null and rAdv-hTERTC27 were equipotent in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of rAAV-hTERTC27 (1.5 x 10(11) v.g.), and complete tumor regression was achieved in 25% of the treated animals. Importantly, the combination of rAAV-hTERTC27 and a therapeutic dose (2.5 x 10(9) PFU) of rAdv-hTERTC27 significantly augmented the ...
The helicase action of the Escherichia coli UvrAB complex on a covalently closed circular DNA template was monitored using bacterial DNA topoisomerase I, which specifically removes negative supercoils. In the presence of E. coli DNA topoisomerase I and ATP, the UvrAB complex gradually introduced positive supercoils into the input relaxed plasmid DNA template. Positive supercoils were not produced when E. coli DNA topoisomerase I was replaced by eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase I or when both E. coli and eukaryotic DNA topoisomerases I were added simultaneously. These results suggest that like other DNA helix-tracking processes, the ATP-dependent action of the UvrAM complex on duplex DNA simultaneously generates both positive and negative supercoils, which are not constrained by protein binding but are torsionally strained. The supercoiling activity of UvrAB on UV-damaged DNA was also studied using UV-damaged plasmid DNA and a mutant UvrA protein that lacks the 40 ...
This short survey focuses on the main radiation-induced base lesions that have been identified within cellular DNA. For this purpose, sensitive assays that are aimed at measuring a few modifications per 10{sup 7} normal bases were set-up. In that respect high performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (CLHP-MS/MS) was found to be able to single out the formation of 9 oxidized nucleosides and two modified nucleo-bases out of the 70 oxidative base lesions that have been identified in model systems. As a striking result, it was found that in the DNA of {gamma}-irradiated human monocytes, the formamide-pyrimidine derivative of guanine is produced in a higher yield than the ubiquitous 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-guanine damage, both arising from the same radical precursor. However, relatively high doses of ionizing radiation (> 20 Gy) have to be applied in order to detect an increase in the level of the damage. This is due to the low efficiency for both low and high LET ...
High molecular weight DNA from pleroceroid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides was purified from isolated nuclei by conventional techniques. The DNA so isolated has a melting temperature (Tm) of 87 degrees C and a guanine plus cytosine (G/C) content of 44%. 5-Methyl cytosine could not be detected in plerocercoid DNA by HPLC analysis of DNA hydrolysates, by radiolabeling 5'-termini of MspI digests with polynucleotide kinase, or by comparing restriction patterns generated by MspI and HpaII. Renaturation kinetics demonstrated that the genome of S. mansonoides contains repetitive as well as single copy sequences and has a genome size estimated at approx. 1.6 X 10(9) bp. Hybridization was carried out between plerocercoid DNA and cDNAs for human beta-actin, alpha-tubulin and growth hormone (hGH). Rationale for this analysis was based on known homologies among actin and tubulin genes in numerous species and on apparent similarities between hGH and a plerocercoid growth factor that ...
We have compared the kinetics for repair of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the DNA of keratinocytes in human skin and in cell culture. A small area of the buttocks of volunteers was exposed to UVB-irradiation and biopsies were taken at various time intervals. Epidermal keratinocytes in culture from the same subjects were exposed to UVC with doses chosen to elicit comparable yields of dimers in cellular DNA. The initial density of pyrimidine dimers and the kinetics of their removal were assessed utilizing the dimer-specific T4 endonuclease V and sedimentation of the unlabeled DNA through alkaline sucrose gradients. The position of DNA in the gradients was determined using a monoclonal antibody against random sequences of single-stranded DNA in a sensitive immunoassay. The initial dimer frequency was 3.9-6.7 per 10(8) daltons DNA. About 40% of the dimers were removed within 1 h, 70% in 6 h, and 90% in 24 h for both in vivo and in vitro samples. The early ...
We have compared the kinetics for repair of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the DNA of keratinocytes in human skin and in cell culture. A small area of the buttocks of volunteers was exposed to UVB-irradiation and biopsies were taken at various time intervals. Epidermal keratinocytes in culture from the same subjects were exposed to UVC with doses chosen to elicit comparable yields of dimers in cellular DNA. The initial density of pyrimidine dimers and the kinetics of their removal were assessed utilizing the dimer-specific T4 endonuclease V and sedimentation of the unlabeled DNA through alkaline sucrose gradients. The position of DNA in the gradients was determined using a monoclonal antibody against random sequences of single-stranded DNA in a sensitive immunoassay. The initial dimer frequency was 3.9-6.7 per 10(8) daltons DNA. About 40% of the dimers were removed within 1 h, 70% in 6 h, and 90% in 24 h for both in vivo and in vitro samples. The early ...
Neuron differentiation is a complex process involving various cell-cell interactions, and multiple signaling pathways. We showed previously that CD40 is expressed and functional on mouse and human neurons. In neurons, ligation of CD40 protects against serum withdrawal-induced injury and plays a role in survival and differentiation. CD40 deficient mice display neuron dysfunction, aberrant neuron morphologic changes, and associated gross brain abnormalities. Previous studies by Tone and colleagues suggested that five isoforms of CD40 exist with two predominant isoforms expressed in humans: signal-transducible CD40 type I and a C-terminal truncated, non-signal-transducible CD40 type II. We hypothesized that differential expression of CD40 isoform type I and type II in neurons may modulate neuron differentiation. Results show that adult wild-type, and CD40"-"/"- deficient mice predominantly express CD40 type I and II isoforms. Whereas adult wild-type mice express ...
IntroductionBreast cancer is the most diagnosed and second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. female population. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers are inherited, caused by mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2). As many as 90% of all mutations are nonsense mutations, causing a truncated polypeptide product. A popular and low cost method of mutation detection has been the protein truncation test (PTT), where target regions of BRCA1/2 are PCR amplified, transcribed/translated in a cell-free protein synthesis system and analyzed for truncated polypeptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography. We previously reported a novel High Throughput Solid-Phase PTT (HTS-PTT) based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format that eliminates the need for radioactivity, SDS-PAGE and subjective interpretation of the results. Here, we report the next generation HTS-PTT using ...
The cause of the Gulf War Syndrome may be related to soldiers being exposed to insecticides (e.g., permethrin (P)), insect repellents (e.g., N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)), an organophosphate nerve agent simulant (e.g., diisopropyl fluorpohosphate (DFP)), and/or prophylactic treatment (e.g., pyridostigmine bromide (PB)) against potential nerve gas attacks. The purpose of this study was to assess the dermal disposition of [14C]permethrin in ethanol or ethanol:water (3:2) in the isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) model with simultaneous dermal exposure to DEET or DFP. These IPPSFs were also simultaneously perfused arterially with or without PB, DFP, or DFP + PB. The results indicated that DFP + PB significantly increased [14C]permethrin absorption compared to controls (1.06% dose vs 0.14% dose). PB significantly increased [14C]permethrin disposition in the stratum corneum (SC) in aqueous mixtures only (9.40 vs 3.35% dose), while topical DEET or topical DFP ...
The detection of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus from various kinds of field samples (tissue extract and cell culture isolate) was studied using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The gene selected for diagnosis was the polymerase gene and an amplification target product of 454 bp in length was produced using AP5/AP6 primer sets. The PCR product was further examined by NcoI endonuclease digestion. The presence of the internal restriction site was confirmed by demonstration of two small fragments of 330 bp and 124 bp in length. Forty-nine samples that gave positive and negative results by ELISA typing and were positive by the PCR test were tested by NcoI digestion to confirm the results. About 10% of PCR products could not be confirmed by the method. Furthermore the FMD RNA polymerase gene could be detected by the PCR method in samples negative in both ELISA typing and the virus isolation test. A total of 23 samples were examined and compared after ...
Snake envenomation employs three well integrated strategies: prey immobilization via hypotension, prey immobilization via paralysis, and prey digestion. Purines (adenosine, guanosine and inosine) evidently play a central role in the envenomation strategies of most advanced snakes. Purines constitute the perfect multifunctional toxins, participating simultaneously in all three envenomation strategies. Because they are endogenous regulatory compounds in all vertebrates, it is impossible for any prey organism to develop resistance to them. Purine generation from endogenous precursors in the prey explains the presence of many hitherto unexplained enzyme activities in snake venoms: 5'-nucleotidase, endonucleases (including ribonuclease), phosphodiesterase, ATPase, ADPase, phosphomonoesterase, and NADase. Phospholipases A(2), cytotoxins, myotoxins, and heparinase also participate in purine liberation, in addition to their better known functions. Adenosine contributes to ...
Purpose/Objective: The role of programmed cell death (apoptosis) as a cellular response to cancer therapy such as radiation or chemotherapy is the subject of much study, and manipulation of the apoptotic response in tumor cells may be valuable in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Both p53 dependent and independent apoptotic pathways have been identified; p53 is mutated in at least 50 % of human cancers and a majority of radiation resistant tumors contain p53 mutations. This study is designed to examine the induction of programmed cell death in a human colon carcinoma cell line that possesses two mutated p53 alleles. Ionizing radiation alone, or in combination with the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), were used to elicit the apoptotic response. This study will focus on whether these treatments can induce a significant apoptotic response in cells that have mutated p53 alleles. Materials and Methods: HT-29 cells were assessed for clonogenic survival after being plated at ...
Acute thoracic aortic injuries account for up to 10-20% of fatalities in high-speed deceleration road accidents and have an estimated immediate fatality rate of 80-90%. Untreated survivors to acute trauma (10-20%) have a dismal prognosis: 30% of them die within 6 hours, 40-50% die within 24 hours, and 90% within 4 months. It was investigated the diagnostic accuracy of Helical Computed Tomography (Helical CT) in acute traumatic injuries of the thoracic aorta, and the role of this technique in the diagnostic management of trauma patients with a strong suspicion of aortic rupture. It was compared retrospectively the chest Helical CT findings of 256 trauma patients examined June 1995 through August 1999. Chest Helical CT examinations were performed according to trauma score, to associated traumatic lesions and to plain chest radiographic findings. All the examinations were performed with no intravenous contrast agent administration and the pitch 2 technique. After a previous baseline ...