klebsiella pneumoniae-reactive t cells in blood and synovial fluid of patients with ankylosing spondylitis comparison with hla–b27 + healthy control …

1995

Objective To study the frequency of Klebsiella pneumoniae-responsive T cells in the peripheral blood (PB) of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients compared with that in healthy HLA-B27+ donors, and to examine T lymphocyte clones (TLC) derived from AS patient synovial fluid (SF) for the presence of Klebsiella reactivity. Methods Limiting dilution analysis of PB T cells in 8 patients with active AS and in 8 HLA-B27+ healthy subjects was used to determine the frequency of PB T cells responsive to K pneumoniae and Escherichia coli GroEL. SF T cells from a patient with active AS were cloned, and 125 TLC were characterized in proliferation assays. Results There were fewer T cells in the PB of AS p…

A p16INK4a-insensitive CDK4 mutant targeted by cytolytic T lymphocytes in a human melanoma.

1995

A mutated cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) was identified as a tumor-specific antigen recognized by HLA-A2. 1-restricted autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in a human melanoma. The mutated CDK4 allele was present in autologous cultured melanoma cells and metastasis tissue, but not in the patient's lymphocytes. The mutation, an arginine-to-cysteine exchange at residue 24, was part of the CDK4 peptide recognized by CTLs and prevented binding of the CDK4 inhibitor p16INK4a, but not of p21 or of p27KIP1. The same mutation was found in one additional melanoma among 28 melanomas analyzed. These results suggest that mutation of CDK4 can create a tumor-specific antigen and can disrupt the ce…

Immunohistological analysis of sarcoid myopathy.

1995

In six cases of granulomatous myopathy immunohistological analysis showed a typical pattern with macrophages and T4 cells diffusely distributed throughout the cellular exudate. T8 lymphocytes were interspersed irregularly within the granulomatous cellular infiltrate early in granuloma maturation and in later stages predominantly confined to a lymphocytic mantle surrounding the granulomas. The cellular infiltrate displayed numerous activated HLA-DR and interleukin-2 receptor positive cells including cell proliferation. Increased connective tissue showed strong immunoreactivity for fibronectin and hyaluronate. Muscle fibres were negative for MHC class I molecules. Atrophic muscle fibres expre…

Operative Reconstruction of the External and Internal Genitalia in Female Patients with Bladder Exstrophy or Incontinent Epispadias

1995

AbstractPurpose: Urologists and gynecologists rarely encounter questions on cohabitation and pregnancy in female patients with bladder exstrophy or incontinent epispadias.Materials and Methods: Until 1994, 41 female patients underwent surgery at our institution (vaginal cutback or vaginoplasty in 23, correction of the external genitalia in 25 and uterus fixation to correct or prevent prolapse in 13).Results: Followup was available in 37 patients (mean 16.8 years, with followup of 18 years or longer in 19). Of the patients 94 percent are satisfied with the cosmetic results. All adults engage in sexual intercourse, 4 delivered 6 children by cesarean section and 5 presently desire children.Con…

Viability, attachment efficiency, and xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities are well maintained in EDTA isolated rat liver parenchymal cells afte…

1995

Rat liver parenchymal cells were isolated by EDTA perfusion and were subsequently purified by Percoll centrifugation. The freshly isolated liver cells had a mean viability of 95% as judged by trypan blue exclusion. Isolated liver parenchymal cells were then stored at 0°C for up to 1 wk in University of Wisconsin solution (UW). During this hypothermic preservation, the viability was only slightly reduced to 92% after 1 d and to 85% after 3 d at 0°C. Thereafter, the viability decreased rapidly. After cold storage for up to 3 d, it was possible to use the parenchymal liver cells either in short-term suspension or in cell culture. The attachment efficiency in cell culture was the same for fresh…

Involvement of transglutaminase in the formation of covalent cross-links in the cell wall of Candida albicans.

1995

Activity of the enzyme glutaminyl-peptide--glutamylyl-transferase (EC 2.3.2.13; transglutaminase), which forms the interpeptidic cross-link N epsilon-(gamma-glutamic)-lysine, was demonstrated in cell-free extracts obtained from both the yeast like and mycelial forms of Candida albicans. Higher levels of enzymatic activity were observed in the cell wall fraction, whereas the cytosol contained only trace amounts of activity. Cystamine, a highly specific inhibitor of the enzyme, was used to analyze a possible role of transglutaminase in the organization of the cell wall structure of the fungus. Cystamine delayed protoplast regeneration and inhibited the yeast-to-mycelium transition and the inc…

Determination of Magnesium in Fertilizers by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry: Studies of Some Spectral and Interelement Effec…

1995

Abstract Four analytical wavelengths of magnesium were tested for determination of Mg from fertilizers by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES): 202.528, 285.213, and 383.826 nm (Mg I) and 279.553 (Mg II). The effects of fertilizer matrix elements on Mg determination were examined by adding matrix elements to fertilizer solutions. Multiple linear regression calculations proved a valuable technique for evaluating the effects of matrix elements on Mg determination. The observed interferences at Mg wavelengths may be both spectral and interelement. Interelement effects were typically caused by Na, K, and Ca, and spectral effects, by P, Fe, and S. The best wavelength…

Acylated triterpene saponins from Silene jenisseensis

1995

Abstract From the roots of Silene jenisseensis a new trans-p-methoxycinnamoyl triterpene saponin has been isolated along with its cis-p-methoxycinnamoyl isomer as an inseparable mixture. Their structures were established by chemical means and spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR spectroscopy as 3-O-[β- d -galactopyranosyl -(1 → 2)-β- d -glucuronopyranosyl ]-28-O-[β- d -glucopyranosyl -(1 → 2)-α- l - rhamnopyranosyl -(1 → 2)-β- d -4-O-trans-p- methoxycinnamoyl-fucopyranosyl ] quillaic acid and its cis-isomer, respectively. They did not show any activity in the in vitro chemoluminescence granulocytes assay, but exhibited only a weak inhibito…

Extracellular site of action of phenylalkylamines on L-type calcium current in rat ventricular myocytes.

1995

The effects of the phenylalkylamines verapamil, gallopamil, and devapamil on L-type calcium currents (ICa) were studied in ventricular myocytes from rat hearts using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. In particular, the question was addressed, whether the pharmacological binding sites for these drugs were located at the inner and/or at the outer surface of the cell membrane. Therefore, tertiary verapamil, gallopamil, and devapamil and their corresponding quaternary derivatives were applied either from the outside or the inside of the cell membrane. Extracellular application of verapamil, gallopamil and devapamil (each at 3 microM) reduced ICa to 16.1 +/- 8.6%, 11 +/- 8.9%, and 9.3 +/- 6%…

Advertising Budget Practices: A Review

1995

Abstract The determination of the advertising budget has been studied by academics from several perspectives. One of these is to examine how this decision is made from a practical point of view. This paper reviews the nearly thirty studies published on this subject and highlights trends and differences over time which might allow us to reach conclusions, by size of firm, sector and geographical location. This descriptive approach to techniques for determining advertising budgets will allow us to draw some normative conclusions.

Mie plasmon in polyhedral metal clusters

1995

We study the dependence of the classical plasmon frequency on the symmetry of the metal cluster and show that all clusters with at least two three-fold axes have the same plasmon frequency as the spherical cluster, ωp/√3. In these cases the effect of the geometry will only appear in the spill-out correction and in other quantum mechanical corrections.

FOUNDATIONS OF FRACTIONAL DYNAMICS

1995

Time flow in dynamical systems is reconsidered in the ultralong time limit. The ultralong time limit is a limit in which a discretized time flow is iterated infinitely often and the discretization time step is infinite. The new limit is used to study induced flows in ergodic theory, in particular for subsets of measure zero. Induced flows on subsets of measure zero require an infinite renormalization of time in the ultralong time limit. It is found that induced flows are given generically by stable convolution semigroups and not by the conventional translation groups. This could give new insight into the origin of macroscopic irreversibility. Moreover, the induced semigroups are generated …

Sequential analysis of the brain's transfer properties during consecutive REM episodes

1995

Abstract Classical analysis of the spontaneous sleep EEG has revealed alterations of REM sleep in psychiatric diseases and under the influence of drugs. In order to elucidate possible functional differences between different REM episodes even in healthy subjects we investigated in 10 volunteers the transfer properties of the brain by measuring auditory (AEP) and visual evoked potentials (VEP) from scalp positions Fz, Cz and Pz during the night. According to linear system theory we computed the so-called amplitude-frequency characteristics (AFC) from averaged AEPs and VEPs during the first and each of the following 3 REM episodes. These functions describe the relationship between the input a…

Are discriminatory procurement policies motivated by protectionism ?

1995

When purchasing goods and services, governments often discriminate in favour of domestic suppliers. It is widely assumed that such behaviour is motivated by protectionism. Although this interpretation is sometimes valid, it is also puzzling. After reviewing some of the puzzles, the paper proposes an alternative explanation of preferential procurement based on the assumption that governmental buyers want to purchase goods and services at minimum cost, but must do this in a context in which, because of the presence of unverifiable services, contracts are necessarily incomplete. The paper argues that preferential purchasing can guarantee the efficient delivery of these unverifiable services.

Intramolecular charge transfer in elongated donor-acceptor conjugated polyenes

1995

Abstract Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) has been investigated by electro-optical absorption measurements for two series of donor-acceptor polyenes of increasing length. Each molecule undergoes an increase in dipole moment upon photoexcitation. The experimental results indicate that lengthening the polyenic chain linking the donor and acceptor end groups results in a bathochromic shift of the ICT absorption band and induces marked increases of both excited state and transition dipoles, whereas the ground-state dipole is relatively unaffected. As a result, marked photoinduced changes in the dipole moment (up to 33 D) were obtained with the longest molecules (up to 27 A) leading to highl…

Acetonitrile inclusion complexes of piperazine-based macrocycles

1995

New piperazine-based macrocycles with single small cavities were prepared by using high dilution technique. The inclusion of acetonitrile into the cavity (7, 8) or clathrate formation (3) was studied by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in solution and by X-ray diffraction in the crystalline state. The cycle 3 forms a molecular cleft, a molecular pocket, where the acetonitrile molecule is held by four weak N…H interactions reinforcing the clathrate formation. The cycles 7 and 8 contain a rigid cavity for an exact sterical fit with the methyl group of a linear compound like acetonitrile. The acetonitrile inclusion complex with 7 proved to be stable under normal conditions and was studied by means of therm…

The adaptation of mechanically softened gutta-percha to the canal walls in the presence or absence of smear layer: a scanning electron microscopic st…

1995

Summary The objective of this study was to compare the adaptation of mechanically softened gutta-percha to the root canal wall in the presence and absence of smear layer. The root canals of 20 freshly extracted human maxillary incisors were cleaned and shaped. Prior to obturation, 10 root canals were irrigated with 20 ml of 50% citric acid followed by 20 ml of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. All canals were obturated with mechanical compaction of gutta-percha and AH-26 sealer. After 72h, each tooth was fractured in half. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the sealer had formed a continuous layer in contact with the canal walls, becoming progressively thinner towards the apex. The sea…

Ancient genres in the poem of a medieval humanist: Intertextual aspects of the “De sufficientia votorum suorum” (c. 126 H.) of Baudri de Bourgueil (1…

1995

In the second half of the 11th century, a humanist circle of clerical poets, living around the central valley of the Loire, was writing poetry in classical language and metre. Baudriu of Bougueil, who wrote an impressive corpus of Latin poems, was an expert in the language, style, verse, motifs and genres of the classical and later antique pagan and Christian poetry, and treated theological as well as profane and explicitly ancient topics. About 1107, when he was urged to become bishop and to abandon, his personal independence and quiet monastic life, he gave voice to his disgust of the new ecclesiastical burden by a long poem in elegiac distichs. This paper tries to show the ancient genres…

A heterogeneous and reconfigurable machine-vision system

1995

This paper describes a new machine-vision system, a HERMIA heterogeneous and reconfigurable machine for image analysis. The architecture topology of the HERMIA machine is reconfigurable; moreover, the integration of its special modules allows a search for optimal strategies to solve vision problems. The general architecture and the hardware implementation are described. The software environment of the HERMIA machine provides a full iconic interface and a pictorial language oriented to vision in multiprocessor architectures. The preliminary system evaluation and applications are shown. © 1995 Springer-Verlag.

Inclusive π±, K± and(p,p¯) differential cross-sections at the Z resonance

1995

Inclusive π±, K± and $$(p,\bar p)$$ differential cross-sections in hadronic decays of the Z have been measured as a function ofz=P hadron/P beam, the scaled momentum. The results are based on approximately 520 000 events measured by the ALEPH detector at LEP during 1992. Charged particles are identified by their rate of ionization energy loss in the ALEPH Time Projection Chamber. The position, ξ*, of the peak in the ln(1/z) distribution is determined, and the evolution of the peak position with centre-of-mass energy is compared with the prediction of QCD.

Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents, Part 19:E-2-Pyrrolizin-5-yl Acrylic Acids as Potent Dual or Selective Inhibitors of Bovine Cyclooxygenase and…

1995

The pyrrolizinyl substituted acrylic acid derivatives represent another class of dual and selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase. By modifying their substitution pattern at the phenyl moiety of C-6 the balance between the activity against cyclooxygenase and against 5-lipoxygenase can be shifted. Structure-activity relationships are discussed. Compound 6k is the most potent and well-balanced dual inhibitor of both enzymes, while the highest selectivity of lipoxygenase inhibition was found for 6j. The activity and selectivity of compounds with an additional sulfur moiety depend on the oxidation status of this atom, giving an indication of the discussed coupling between pero…

Bose-Fermi equivalence and interacting string field theory

1995

Abstract We show that the bosonic and the fermionic realization of the ghost vertex in the Half-String (HS) Operator approach to Witten's String Field Theory (WSFT) are equivalent. In the process we discover that higher vertices (i.e., N > 3) can be eliminated in WSFT using only the overlap conditions defining the interaction vertex and ghost number counting.

Correction of Constricted Ear

1995

We present a case of moderate constricted ear corrected using a modified Tanzer's technique for the helical deformity and lengthening the lower third of the pinna with a cutaneous transposition flap from the retroauricular area. The operation begins with a rapid intraoperative expansion of the retroauricular skin. Then an incision is made on the posteromedial ear aspect and the ear is degloved using a subperichondral plane. The upper pole of the cartilage is expanded and rearranged by an anteriorly pedicled helical flap and a cartilaginous graft is taken from the constricted part of the concha. The lower third of the pinna is lengthened by a cutaneous transposition flap from the retroauricu…

Cretaceous stratigraphic scales based on benthic Foraminifera in West European basins (biochronohorizons)

1995

Evaluation of the pulse wave arrival time as a marker for blood pressure changes in critically ill infants and children

1995

Objective. Pulse arrival time (PAT), which is the interval between the R wave of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the arrival of the pulse wave peripherally, has been reported to be suitable for use as an indirect measure of blood pressure change. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in critically ill infants and children, the degree to which 1/PAT covaries with systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure, as well as heart rate.Methods. A laboratory device was used to calculate PAT in real time from the ECG and the plethysmographic curve of pulse oximetry used for routine monitoring. Calculated PAT and corresponding blood pressures and heart rate were stored on hard disk. A total of 1…

Indirect Determination of Cyanide by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

1995

Abstract Two methods for determination of cyanide by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) are developed. Both methods are based on the formation of an ion association compound between a metal complex, (Ag(CN)2 − or Cu(CN)3 2-), and a quaternary ammonium ion (benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium ion). The ion association compound is extracted into isomethylbutylketone (IBMK) and the metal is determined by AAS directly in extract. The method based on the formation of silver cyanide complex provides a reproducibility of 2.5%, a recovery of 99% and a detection limit of 1.7 μg/L while the method based on the formation of copper complex gives a reproducibility of 6%, a recovery of 93% and a detection …

Commitment of CNS Progenitors Along the Dorsoventral Axis of Drosophila Neuroectoderm

1995

In the Drosophila embryo, the central nervous system (CNS) develops from a population of neural stem cells (neuroblasts) and midline progenitor cells. Here, the fate and extent of determination of CNS progenitors along the dorsoventral axis was assayed. Dorsal neuroectodermal cells transplanted into the ventral neuroectoderm or into the midline produced CNS lineages consistent with their new position. However, ventral neuroectodermal cells and midline cells transplanted to dorsal sites of the neuroectoderm migrated ventrally and produced CNS lineages consistent with their origin. Thus, inductive signals at the ventral midline and adjacent neuroectoderm may confer ventral identities to CNS p…

Captopril does not affect plasma endothelin-1 during thrombolysis and reperfusion.

1995

Studies showed that endothelin-1 (ET-1) was increased in the acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Experimental studies reported that captopril was able to reduce ET-1 secretion, and that ET-1 was increased during reperfusion. This study was aimed to verify if captopril was able to reduce plasma ET-1 during thrombolysis in AMI. Seventy-three patients, hospitalized for suspected AMI within 4 h from the onset of symptoms suitable for thrombolysis (1st episode), Killip class 1-2, were randomized (double blind) into two groups: group 1 (37 pts), 8 F/29 M, received captopril, 6.25 mg, orally 15 min before thrombolysis. Group 2: (36 pts) 8 F/28 M, received placebo before thrombolysis. All patients m…

Observation of instabilities in a Paul trap with higher-order anharmonicities

1995

Systematic measurements of the relative ion number stored in a Paul trap within the stability diagram given by the solution of the equation of motion reveal many lines, where only few or no ions can be confined. The observations can be explained by the presence of perturbations from higher-order components in the trapping potential, which is a quadrupole potential in the ideal case. The resonances follow the equation (nr/2)βr + (nr/2)βz = 1,nr +nz =N, where 2N is the order of the perturbation,nr,nz are integer andβr,βz are stability parameters of the trap. The experiments were performed on H+ and H2+ ions, which are detected after a storage time of 0.3 s by ejection from the trap.

Mass and Γ3π0/Γγγ decay branching ratio of theη-meson from the p(γ, η)p reaction

1995

Near threshold photoproduction ofη-mesons from the proton has been measured at the MAMI accelerator with the TAPS spectrometer. The mass of theη-meson was deduced from the threshold energy forη-photoproduction. The result of m η =(547.12 ± 0.06 ± 0.25) MeV supports the low value of theη-mass reported from a dp →3Heη measurement at SATURNE in 1992. Theη-decay branching ratio Γ3π0/Γγγ was measured to be (0.832±0.005±0.012).

A quantitative study of the pancuronium antagonism at the motor endplate in human organophosphorus intoxication

1995

Nine patients with organophosphorus (OP) intoxication developing neuromuscular transmission defects were given pancuronium 1, 2, or 4 mg intravenously (IV). Thirteen patient controls with hypoxic encephalopathy received similar dosages. The responses were monitored electrophysiologically using single and repetitive nerve stimulation (20 and 50 Hz). In OP patients, pancuronium did not alter the amplitude of the single CMAP, whereas its repetitive discharges were reduced. Severe neuromuscular blocks were reversed only partially by pancuronium 4 mg. In less severe blocks, 1 and 2 mg resulted in marked improvement. In the patient controls, pancuronium 4 mg induced a severe neuromuscular block b…

Therapie des Koronar-steal-Syndroms mittels perkutaner transluminaler Angioplastie

1995

Chloroplast DNA and isozyme analysis of the progenitor-derivative species relationship between Senecio nebrodensis and S. viscosus (Asteraceae )

1995

A comparison of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and isozyme diversity in Senecio nebrodensis L., a species restricted to certain mountain ranges in Spain, and S. viscosus L., a widespread ruderal species in Europe, revealed that S. viscosus possessed the more common of two cpDNA haplotypes resolved in S. nebrodensis and contained only a small subset of the alleles found in S. nebrodensis at enzyme coding loci. The two species shared one restriction length mutation and one site mutation in their cpDNA, which distinguished them from other European Senecio species examined previously. Taken overall, these results support the hypothesis that S. nebrodensis and S. viscosus are related as a progenitor-de…

Molecular mechanisms determining the strength of receptor-mediated intermembrane adhesion

1995

The strength of receptor-mediated cell adhesion is directly controlled by the mechanism of cohesive failure between the cell surface and underlying substrate. Unbinding can occur either at the locus of the specific bond or within the bilayer, which results in tearing the hydrophobic anchors from the membrane interior. In this work, the surface force apparatus has been used to investigate the relationship between the receptor-ligand bond affinities and the dominant mechanism of receptor-coupled membrane detachment. The receptors and ligands used in this study were membrane-bound streptavidin and biotin analogs, respectively, with solution affinities ranging over 10 orders of magnitude. With …

Microscale synthesis of phosphatidyl-[3H]choline from 1,2-diacylglycerol. Assessment of isomerization by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chrom…

1995

The synthesis of rac-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylglycero-3-phospho-[3H]choline of high specific activity was carried out on a microscale by making 7 mumol of rac-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol react first with an equimolar amount of POCl3 and then of [3H]choline. After purification by thin-layer chromatography and normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the yield of the synthesis of [3H]phosphatidylcholine (120 microCi/mumol) was 22%. rac-1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol was purified before use by reversed-phase HPLC under conditions which were nonisomerizing and allowed the separation of 1,2- and 1,3-isomers of diacylglycerol. E…

The Tonoplast H+ -ATPase of Acer pseudoplatanus is a vacuolar-type ATPase that operates with a phosphoenzyme intermediate

1995

The tonoplast H+-ATPase of Acer pseudoplatanus has been purified from isolated vacuoles. After solubilization, the purification procedure included size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography. The H+-ATPase consists of at least eight subunits, of 95, 66, 56, 54, 40, 38, 31, and 16 kD, that did not cross-react with polyclonal antibodies raised to the plasmalemma ATPase of Arabidopsis thaliana. The 66-kD polypeptide cross-reacted with monoclonal antibodies raised to the 70-kD subunit of the vacuolar H+-ATPase of oat roots. The functional molecular size of the tonoplast H+-ATPase, analyzed in situ by radiation inactivation, was found to be around 400 kD. The 66-kD subunit of the tonoplast H+…