A natural A/T-rich sequence from the yeast FBP1 gene exists as a cruciform in Escherichia coli cells.

1993

Abstract Palindromic or semipalindromic sequences can adopt cruciform structures in DNA in vitro. It has been demonstrated in some cases that A/T-rich cruciforms exist also in vivo in Escherichia coli. The biological function of those structures is not understood although putative cruciforms have been found in interesting locations on replication origins, operators, or transcriptional termination regions. Here we show by means of the use of structure-dependent nucleases that the 3′ end of the yeast FBP1 gene contains a stable cruciform both in vitro and in E. coli cells and that in both cases, its extrusion depends on the DNA supercoiling state.

Dissociated secondary hyperalgesia in a subject with a large-fibre sensory neuropathy

1993

In the skin surrounding a site of injury, hyperalgesia develops to mechanical stimuli. Two types of secondary hyperalgesia (to light touch and punctate stimuli) have recently been differentiated, based on different durations and sizes of the area involved. We studied secondary hyperalgesia in a subject who had a loss of myelinated afferent nerve fibres below the neck that spared the A delta group. Stroking with a cotton swab was not perceived anywhere on affected skin either before or after injection of 60 micrograms of capsaicin. Thus, there was no hyperalgesia to light touch. Capsaicin injection into the volar forearm evoked normal pain and flare. A von Frey probe exerting a force of 40 m…

Powerful odorants in bovine, ovine, caprine and water buffalo milk determined by means of gas chromatography-olfactometry

1993

SummaryThe main compounds responsible for the aroma of bovine, ovine, caprine and water buffalo freshly secreted milk have been identified by means of a gas chromatography–olfactometry technique. Of the fourteen odour-active volatile compounds detected, eight were present in all milks studied. Ethylbutanoate and ethylhexanoate (fruit-like aroma), among the neutral odorants, were the major contributors to the odour of bovine, ovine and caprine milk. The aroma of water buffalo milk was less dependent on ethylhexanoate and was also due to l-octen-3-ol (aroma of raw mushrooms), nonanal (freshly cut grass), indole (stable, animals) and an unidentified constituent, characterized by a retention in…

Rate of photon absorption and turnover number: two parameters for the comparison of heterogeneous photocatalytic systems in a quantitative way

1993

Abstract In order to correctly compare the performance of different photocatalytic systems using polycrystalline semiconductor oxides, two parameters are proposed: the rate of photon absorption (rpa) and the turnover number (tn). From these quantities the quantum yield (qy), which indicates the efficiency of the absorbed photons for promoting a reaction event, can be determined. The phenol photodegradation reaction, carried out in aqueous dispersions of polycrystalline TiO2 (anatase) of different preparation methods and sources, has been used as “test reaction” in order to determine the tn, rpa and qy values.

Induction of the anti-ergotypic response.

1993

The injection of syngeneic activated T cells into rodents can induce a T cell response against activation markers of the T cells, ergotopes. The responding anti-ergotypic T cells have been shown to suppress experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This paper reports the characteristics of the anti-ergotypic response. It was found that irradiated activated T cells were as good as untreated living activated T cells in inducing anti-ergotypic cells in vivo. Glutardialdehyde-fixed (0.3%) cells were poor stimulators in vivo and non-stimulatory in vitro. Dilution of glutardialdehyde to 0.003% before fixation preserved the stimulatory capacity in vitro. Fixation or irradiation of T cells a…

Lactitol in treatment of chronic hepatic encephalopathy. A meta-analysis.

1993

The efficacy and side effects of lactitol in the treatment of chronic hepatic encephalopathy was compared to that of other disaccharides in a meta-analysis of published randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The outcomes assessed were: (1) the rate of patients free from episodes of clinically detectable encephalopathy, and (2) the rate of patients free from one or more side effects in the different treatment groups. Four RCTs were eligible for analysis; in three lactitol was compared to lactulose, in one the alternative treatment was lactose in lactase-deficient patients. The methodological quality of these studies was high. Meta-analysis showed that lactitol was as effective as other disacchar…

Increased interleukin 6 production by bronchoalveolar lavage cells in patients with active sarcoidosis

1993

Alveolitis of sarcoidosis is characterized by activated alveolar macrophages (AMs) and T cells. The mediators interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) released by AMs represent essential factors for the progression of the T cells in the cell cycle. The role of IL-1 in pulmonary sarcoidosis has previously been studied; however, the relevance of other mediators (i.e. IL-6) has not yet been evaluated. We measured the spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) by bronchoalveolar lavage cells (BAL) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) in 6 control subjects (group A) and in 15 patients with sarcoidosis, 10 with activ…

Enzymatische hydrolyse hydrophiler ester durch lipasen - eine milde carboxydeblockierung von peptiden und glycopeptiden

1993

Abstract The markedly hydrophilic 2-(N-morpholino)ethyl (MoEt) esters of protected peptides and glycopeptides are selectively and efficiently cleaved by lipases in water/acetone (10:1) at pH 7.

Dental anatomy portrayed with microscopic volume investigations

1993

The clinical treatment of the root canal of teeth--called endodontics--assumes a precise idea of the spatial arrangement of the anatomy of teeth and their inner structure. By using computer-assisted data acquisition from filmed sequences of histologic serial sections and a special kind of magnetic resonance microscope--the Stray Field Imaging (STRAFI)--volume investigations were carried out using special functions of a newly developed 3D software. Possible applications and future perspectives are discussed.

Evidence for increased androsterone metabolism in some normoandrogenic women with acne.

1993

Increased androgen production from the ovary, adrenal or locally in skin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acne. Recent data have provided evidence that androsterone (Ao) metabolism is exaggerated in acne and serum metabolites of Ao differentiate between acne and hirsutism in hyperandrogenic women. Here we have extended these studies to normoandrogenic women who have moderate to severe acne. We measured serum ovarian and adrenal androgens as well as the glucuronide and sulfate metabolites of Ao and 3 alpha-androstanediol which reflect, in part, peripheral androgen action. In a group of 15 well-selected normoandrogenic patients with acne, both serum Ao glucuronide (G) and Ao were el…

Toxicity of 3,4-dichloroaniline to perch (Perca fluviatilis) in acute and early life stage exposures

1993

Abstract The toxitity of 3,4-dichloroaniline to perch was investigated in order to compare the sensitivity of crucial life stages with common test fish like zebrafish. Although in the acute toxicity test perch were more sensitive by a factor of five, larval sensitivity was in the same range in both species as well as in other egg-laying species. In spite of different water temperature and size, the zebrafish is a good model to predict early life stage toxicity of 3,4-DCA to the compared European freshwater species. Perch larvae are not suited for early life stage tests, as they are sensible towards experimental conditions and perform early cannibalism.

Mesonic decay of 5ΛHe with quark-model-based hypernuclear wave function

1993

Abstract We have evaluated the mesonic decay of the 5 Λ He hypernucleus by using a Λ wave function generated from the quark cluster model. As a consequence of the Λ N repulsion at short distances we obtain a Λ wave function in the nucleus with a large radius. The smaller overlap with the 4 He core with respect to simpler wave functions and the effect of the pion renormalization increase the mesonic width considerably and one obtains a good reproduction of the experimental data.

Endothelial modulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced contraction in goat cerebral arteries.

1993

Abstract 1. 1. In isolated goat middle cerebral artery segments, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 10 −8 −3 × 10 −5 M) caused concentration-dependent contractions, with EC 50 = 2.1 (1.9−2.5) × 10 −7 M and E max = 60 ± 2% of 50 mM KCl-induced contraction. 2. 2. Mechanical removal of endothelium significantly increased the E max (91 ± 8%) and did not change the EC 50 value of 5-HT-elicited contractions. 3. 3. Incubation of unrubbed arteries with the irreversible inhibitor of EDRF, gossypol (10 −5 M), significantly increased the contractile response to 5-HT ( E max = 77 ± 4%). 4. 4. Incubation of unrubbed arteries with the competitive inhibitor of the NO synthesis, N G -nitro - l -arginine (L-NOARG) …

Expanded forehead (Fricke) flap for large defect of lateral canthal area

1993

The use of an expanded forehead (Fricke) flap to repair large full thickness defects of the lateral canthus and/or of the upper eyelid is presented. The reconstruction is performed in two stages. In the first stage, a rectangular, 25 ml tissue expander (6 cm in width and 2 cm in length) is inserted under the skin lateral to and above the eyebrow; expansion is completed in about three weeks. At the second stage, the lesion is excised, and the laterally based expanded flap is elevated. Using the expanded Fricke flap, thinner, abundant skin is obtained, and the donor site is directly closed, without grafting and without distorting the eyebrow. If there is a shortage of conjunctiva, this can be…

Characterization of highly polar bis-dihydrodiol epoxide--DNA adducts formed after metabolic activation of dibenz[a,h]anthracene.

1993

Dibenz[a,h]anthracene as well as a biologically important metabolite of dibenz[a,h]anthracene, namely the M-region dihydrodiol trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydrodibenz[a,h]anthracene were in addition to further metabolism to a bay region diol epoxide, extensively transformed to a distal bisdihydrodiol, 3,4,10,11-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-dibenz[a,h]anthracene, which exhibited after renewed metabolic activation high DNA binding efficiency, leading to a new class of very polar DNA adducts. After incubation of dibenz[a,h]anthracene with DNA in the presence of liver microsomes from Aroclor 1254 treated male Sprague-Dawley rats highly polar DNA adducts probably originating from 3R,4R,10R,11…

Primakoff scattering for polarized photons or polarized protons

1993

Abstract We present a way to measure the axial coupling of the proton for the neutral strangeness current in coherent π0 production induced by photon-proton scattering. By means of the γ−Z−π0 triangle anomaly, the parity violating asymmetries for polarized photon or polarized proton Primakoff effect filter the couplings so as to leave the proton axial coupling only. We calculate the relevant observables induced by the electroweak interference and give results for regions of energy and Q2 of possible experimental interest. The polarized proton asymmetry is predicted to be 10−6-10−5 when Q2 ∼ 0.1−0.5 GeV2.

Characterization of highly polar DNA adducts derived from dibenz[A,H]anthracene (DBA), 3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-DBA, and 3,4,10,11-tetrahydroxy-3,4,…

1993

Two highly polar DNA adducts were found after metabolic activation of 3,4,10,11-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydrodibenz[ a,h]anthracene(DBA-3,4;10, 11-bisdiol) by liver microsomes isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with Aroclor 1254 in presence of calf thymus DNA. These DNA adducts could be assigned to the metabolites of dibenz[ a,h]anthracene (DBA), of 3R,4R,10R,11R-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA and of 3R,4R,10S,US-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA. DNA adducts derived from metabolites of 3S,4S,10S,11S-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA were not found. These highly polar adducts also could be detected by reversed phase HPLC after incubation of dibenz[ a,h]ant…

false

1993

The viscosities of moderately concentrated solutions of poly(butyl methacrylate)—Mw = 1820 kg/mol–in the thermodynamically good solvent toluene and in the theta solvent 2-propanol were measured up to pressures of 2000 bar as a function of shear rate in the temperature interval from 40 to 70°C. Both systems obey Graessley's equation so that it is possible to obtain the following rheological parameters in addition to the zero-shear viscosity η0 from the dependences . η can be split into an entanglement part ηent plus a frictional contribution ηfric, and the characteristic viscometric relaxation time τ0 becomes accessible. The present results demonstrate that the application of pressure raises…

Cytocidal effects of Escherichia coli hemolysin on human T lymphocytes.

1993

Escherichia coli hemolysin is the prototype of a large family of pore-forming toxins produced by gram-negative organisms. Besides its known cytotoxic activities against granulocytes, monocytes, endothelial cells, and renal epithelial cells, we now demonstrate that the toxin potently kills human T lymphocytes. Evidence based on different and independent approaches indicates that lymphocidal activity is due to formation of transmembrane pores. Additionally, cells prestimulated with phytohemagglutinin respond to low doses of E. coli hemolysin with DNA fragmentation similar to that observed in cells undergoing programmed cell death. Kinetic considerations lead us to conclude that DNA degradatio…

Transient Neonatal Hypercholesterolemia

1993

In order to obtain new information about the relationship between transient neonatal hypercholesterolemia and adrenal gland function, we have studied 39 healthy babies found hypercholesterolemic at birth and 39 healthy controls with normal cholesterol levels. The results of this study have shown that levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in cord blood were not significantly different in the hypercholesterolemic subjects compared with normolipidemic controls (1.4 +/- 0.5 micrograms/dl vs 1.3 +/- 0.5 mu/dl). Moreover correlations between this hormone and levels of total and LDL-cholesterol were not only not statistically significant but even positive (respectively r = +0.207 and +0.195). T…

Operation of the r-process and cosmochronology

1993

Abstract The rapid neutron capture process produced about half of the heavy elements in nature beyond the Fe-peak. In the past quite a number of astrophysical sites have been suggested, but none of them has yet been uniquely identified. Without assuming a particular site or model, we deduce the conditions responsible for the production of r-process nuclei by making use of the following information: (1) the solar r-process abundances and (2) nuclear masses and beta decay half lives for nuclei far from stability - in particular experimental information near magic neutron numbers, which determines the shape of the r-process peaks. In addition, we review briefly galactic age determinations base…

EFFECTS OF CROMAKALIM (BRL-34915) IN TRACHEA ISOLATED FROM ACTIVELY SENSITIZED GUINEA-PIGS

1993

Abstract The effects of cromakalim were examined in tracheal strips isolated from normal (unsensitized) guinea-pigs and from animals actively sensitized to bovine serum albumin. Sensitized tracheae exhibited hyper-responsiveness to KCl, acetylcholine and histamine. In normal and sensitized tracheae, cromakalim (0·01–10 μm) produced a concentration-related suppression of spontaneous tone. The ability of cromakalim to relax tracheal strips was reduced when tone was raised by KCl (25 Mm), acetylcholine (0·1 Mm) or histamine (0·1 Mm) and lost against KCl (120 Mm)-induced spasm. Procaine (5 Mm) abolished the relaxant effect of cromakalim whilst tetraethylammonium (8 Mm) was without effect. These…

High-spin studies near 100Sn with NORDBALL: New results on 102In, 104In and 108Sb

1993

The NORDBALL detector array has been used in a gamma-ray spectroscopic study of neutron deficient nuclei close to 100Sn. A beam of 270 MeV 58Ni ions was used to bombard a target of Fe-54. Reaction channel separation was achieved with a 4pi charged particle Si-ball together with a 1pi neutron detector wall. Altogether 29 final nuclei were identified and excited states were observed for the first time in 8 of them. The weakest identified channel was 100Cd which represented 4.10(-3) % of the observed total yield. Level schemes Of 102In, 104In and 108Sb constructed from gamma-gamma-particle-coincidence and gamma-gamma-angular correlation analyses are presented. The observed structures are discu…

Preparation of 4-substituted 1,3-oxathiolan-5-onesviathe sulphenium ion intermediate generated by the pummerer rearrangement

1993

4-Substituted 1,3-oxathiolan-5-ones have been synthesized via the Pummerer rearrangement from the S-oxide of the parent molecule. The 4,5-dione is obtained in the presence of pyridine N-oxide.

Withdrawal of a mumps vaccine: Reasons and impacts

1993

Different mechanism of relaxation induced by aporphine alkaloids in rat uterus.

1993

Abstract We have examined the uterine relaxant action of three aporphine molecules (S-glaucine, S-boldine and R-apomorphine) in two experimental conditions, with and without calcium in the bathing solution, and compared these effects with those obtained with the calcium antagonists verapamil and diltiazem. The present study shows that the alkaloids relax the uterine muscle but with different mechanisms of action. In Ca2+-containing solution all three alkaloids relaxed the uterus previously contracted by KCl or acetylcholine, but in Ca2+-free medium only R-apomorphine was able to relax oxytocin-induced contraction. The calcium antagonists, verapamil and diltiazem, relaxed KCl- or acetylcholi…

ISOLATION OF RAT CDNA CLONES CODING FOR THE AUTOANTIGEN SS-B/LA - DETECTION OF SPECIES-SPECIFIC VARIATIONS

1993

Clones of cDNA coding for the autoantigen La (or SS-B) were isolated from a library made from rat liver. A comparison of the rat La cDNA (encoding from nt 38 to 1281 for rat La protein) with the sequences known for human and bovine La protein resulted in the identification of species-specific inserts. The inserts seem to be the result of multiplication of flanking sequences during evolution. In addition to these variations, we observed that rat La cDNAs exhibit non-canonical polyadenylation sites. Finally, a databank search resulted in the identification of a DNA sequence originally termed as TAG or TSG20X (GenBank accession No. X61893) which represents the C terminus of mouse La/SS-B prote…

Swelling of glial cells in lactacidosis and by glutamate: significance of Cl(-)-transport.

1993

Swelling of glial and nerve cells is characteristic of brain damage in cerebral ischemia or trauma. The therapeutical efficiency of inhibition of Cl(-)-transport by a novel antagonist, the diuretic torasemide, on cytotoxic swelling of glial cells from lactacidosis, or glutamate was analyzed. Lactacidosis and the interstitial accumulation of glutamate are hallmarks of the pathophysiological alterations in ischemic or traumatic brain tissue. C6 glioma cells harvested from culture and suspended in a physiological medium were either exposed to pH 6.2, or 5.0 by lactic acid, or exposed to 1 mM glutamate at normal pH. Cell swelling and viability were quantified by flow cytometry. Lactacidosis of …

Nicotinamide exerts different acute effects on microcirculatory function and tissue oxygenation in rat tumors

1993

Abstract Purpose : Nicotinamide has been reported to preferentially radiosensitize tumor tissue, supposedly through a reduction in tumor hypoxia. This may occur as a result of nicotinamide-induced changes in tumor blood flow and therefore the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of nicotinamide on circulatory parameters in skeletal muscle and tumor tissue (subcutaneously-implanted DS-sarcomas) of the rat. Methods and Materials : Mean arterial blood pressure (measured in the common carotid artery using a pressure transducer) and red blood cell flux (as measured by laser Doppler flowmetry) were continuously monitored for 120 min following a single intraperitoneal application of…

false

1993

Seven superimposed lithostratigraphic units have been distinguished in the Upper Trias of Los Pastores (Algeciras). The four lower units (1 to 4) show clayey-sandy-evaporitic Keuper facies. Pollen associations obtained from dark pelitic levels, and bivalves sampled from carbonate intercalations within these four lower units allow to date them as Carnian. These lower units can be correlated with the K1 to K3 units of the Keuper of the Subbetic and of other regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Concerning the three higher units, the unit 6 is pelitic-carbonatic and evaporitic and it also bears Carnian pollen associations. The units 5 and 7, however, are carbonatic and show clearly marine facies a…

Cloning of a novel putative G-protein-coupled receptor (NLR) which is expressed in neuronal and lymphatic tissue.

1993

AbstractA novel G-protein-coupled receptor was isolated from mouse and rat neuronal and lymphatic tissues. The amino acid sequence of the rat receptor (rNLR) shows an overall homology of 80% to a recently cloned receptor from Burkitt's lymphoma cells (BLR1) which is exclusively expressed in lymphatic tissues [(1992) Eur. J. Immunol. 22, 2795]. Much less homology between rNLR and BLR1 was observed at the N-terminus (about 40%), whereas rNLR and the mouse homologue mNLR show 92% amino acid identity. Northern blot analysis of NLR revealed a predominant 5.5 kb mRNA species in various brain regions and neuronal cell lines, whereas in the spleen a 3 kb transcript is predominant. This distribution…

Mood congruence effect in explicit and implicit memory tasks: a comparison between depressed patients, schizophrenic patients and controls

1993

Summary This study investigates mood congruence effect in explicit and implicit memory tasks in 23 inpatients fulfilling DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive disorder. Performances were compared to those of 15 in- or outpatients fulfilling DSM-III-R criteria for schizophrenia, and 37 normal subjects serving as euthymics controls. All subjects were submitted to a standard cued recall test and to a word stem completion test devised to assess the effect of the initial presentation without the explicit retrieval of the words being necessary. The material used for these two tasks consisted of emotionally negative and positive words. The results show a mood congruence effect in the ```implicit…

Contents of free amino acids in needles of Norway Spruce trees in relation to novel forest decline. Studies on trees from a site in the northern Blac…

1993

The free amino acid content in needles of Norway spruce trees (about 45-year-old) was determined by means of HPLC. The studied trees have been growing at a forestry site in the Black Forest which is characterized by a high impact of ozone and magnesium deficiency. Measurements were carried out on visibly healthy and on damaged trees on several dates during two vegetation periods and during the course of a day. The amino acids occurring at the highest concentrations were glutamate, arginine, aspartate, and glutamine. The typical seasonal changes in the content of free amino acids, with their minimum during summer, were disturbed in the needles of the damaged trees. Particularly in summer and…

ONE-LOOP INTEGRALS REVISITED — THE THREE-POINT FUNCTIONS

1993

This paper presents results concerning a new calculation of the well-known one-loop n- point scalar and tensor functions. In this paper we treat the three-point functions. We give a systematic reduction to a certain class of functions which minimizes the effort for calculating scalar and tensor integrals drastically. We avoid standard techniques such as Feynman parametrization and Wick rotation.

Roughening of the Cu(110) surface

1993

The structure of the Cu(110) surface is studied at high temperatures using a combination of lattice-gas Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics methods with identical many-atom interactions derived from the effective medium theory. The anisotropic six-vertex model is used in the interpretation of the lattice-gas results. We find a clear roughening transition around T_R=1000K and T_R/T_M=0.81. Molecular dynamics reveals the clustering of surface defects as the atomistic mechanism of the transition and allows us to estimate characteristic time scales. For the system of size 50x50, the time scale of the local roughening at 1150 K of an initially smooth surface is of the order of 100 ps.

Level-spacing distribution in the tight-binding model of fcc clusters.

1993

A lattice-gas Monte Carlo method is used to simulate metallic fcc clusters at finite temperatures. A tight-binding model including s and p electrons has been derived for reproducing the free-electron-like energy band for the bulk metal and this model is used for calculating the electronic structures of the fcc cluster. The resulting level-spacing distribution at the Fermi energy is a Wigner distribution. The width of the distribution in small clusters is smaller than that calculated from the bulk density of states. In the lattice gas clusters the energy gaps related to the electronic magic numbers do not show up at the Fermi level. The energy between the last occupied and the first unoccupi…