Robust Selection of the Most Discriminative Variables in the Dichotomous Problem with Application to Some Respiratory Disease Data

A robust method for selection of variables with the greatest discriminatory power is presented in the paper. The method deals with the two groups of data problem. An application of the method to some respiratory disease data and comparisons with classical procedures are given, also.     

Preface

¹⁴C-roquefortine, given to ratsper os or intraperitoneally, was eliminated principally by the biliary route. Most of the given radiolabel accounted for had been voided within one day of administration. Roquefortine was not metabolised in rat liver homogenate but significant transformation to more polar products was evident in faeces.     

Moniliformin,deoxynivalenol, 3Acetyldeoxynivalenol and zearalenone — Mycotoxins associated with corn cob fusariosis in Poland

An isolated rat liver was perfused with deoxynivalenol (DON) at a dose of 3 mg in a recirculating perfusion system. To identify glucuronide conjugates equal amounts of bile samples, perfusate and liver homogenates were incubated with and without (control) a β-glucuronidase preparation and analyzed by thin layer chromatography and capillary gas liquid chromatography — chemical ionization mass spectrometry. A total of 40.4% of the administered dose of DON was found to be conjugated with glucuronic acid (perfusate 20.4%, bile 19.2%, liver 0.8%), while only 1.3% of the parent DON (perfusate 1.1%, bile 0.2%) was detected. The cleavage of DON-glucuronide was demonstrated by incubating DON-glucuronide containing bile samples with intestine contents under anaerobic conditions.     

Site-specific integration and excision of pMEA100 in Nocardia mediterranei

Summary Nocardia mediterranei strain LBG A3136 contains the 23.7 kb element pMEA100 in a chromosomally integrated form as well as in the free state (Moretti et al. 1985). The integrated form of this element can be excised precisely from the Nocardia chromosome without any accompanying rearrangements in flanking chromosomal DNA. After transfer into plasmid-free mutant strains, pMEA100 reintegrates site specifically into its original chromosomal locus. The exact mapping of the pMEA100 integration site was accomplished by restriction analysis and DNA sequencing. The attachment site of pMEA100, the junctions of its integrated form and plasmid-free chromosomal DNA of N. mediterranei contain an identical 47 bp long sequence which is probably required for site-specific recombination connected with integration and excision of pMEA100. Only one such sequence was found in the chromosome of pMEA100-free N. mediterranei derivatives as suggested by the single integration locus.     

Genetic variability of complement receptor on human erythrocytes

Erythrocytes from healthy men were examined for the presence of complement (C3b) receptor using haemagglutination assay with human aggregated IgG (aggIgG) and guinea pig complement. The results were expressed as the intensity of haemagglutination that corresponded to the C3b receptor sites density as evidenced by radioimmunobinding results. Among normal men three phenotypes of complement receptor (CR) were distinguished: high (CR^h/CR^h) phenotype corresponding to strong agglutination, an intermediate (CR^h/CR^I) producing weak agglutination and low phenotype (CR^I/CR^I) that gave no agglutination. In a population of 517 normal men these three phenotypes occurred in 63.8, 30.6 and 5.6%, respectively. Frequencies of the genes responsible for high (CR^h) and low (CR^I) expression of erythrocyte C3b receptor were 0.791 and 0.209, respectively.     

Influence of α-interferon therapy on blood lymphoid cells

Summary The influence of natural -interferon (-IFN) therapy (3×10⁶ units i.m. daily) on blood lymphoid cells was studied in 20 patients with gynecological neoplasias (7 patients with condylomata accuminata and 13 patients with ovarian carcinoma). There was a statistically significant increase in the intracellular levels of 2'–5'oligoadenylate synthese 1 day after the first injection of IFN and with few exceptions this activity remained increased during 3 months of treatment. In most of the patients, the capacity of blood lymphoid cells to produce IgA, IgG, and IgM following stimulation with pokeweed mitogen was decreased 1 day after the first injection of IFN and with few exceptions it remained low during 6 months of IFN therapy. In most patients there was a decrease in the capacity of lymphoid cells to act as stimulator or responder cells in a mixed lymphocyte culture during IFN therapy. The -IFN therapy had no major influence on the response of lymphoid cells to mitogens. We conclude, that neither this nor our previous studies on the influence of IFN therapy on immunological functions have given support to the hypothesis that the antitumor action of IFN is mediated by the immune system.     

Immunohistology of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors

DAKO quick staining kits were used to immunostainings for Epithelial Membrane Antigen (EMA) Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) and S-100 protein (S-100) in 18 carcinoid tumors of the gastrointestinal tract classified according to Soga and Tazawa. EMA was always absent in carcinoid tumors, being at the same time present within glandular epithelium. 88% of cases showed positive immunostaining for NSE. S-100 immunostaining showed immunopositive stellate cells present within the tumor especially within type A carcinoids. In addition in one carcinoid tumor thick, strongly S-100 positive bundles were noticed at the periphery of nests of tumor cells. Combined immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies are needed to elucidate interrelation of neoplastic and neural elements within carcinoid tumorsa.     

Coexpression of vimentin and desmin in gastric leiomyomas. An immunohistochemical study in paraffin sections

The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of the reactions for vimentin and desmin in gastric leiomyomas routinely processed in formalin and embedded i paraffin. The material studied included four benign leiomyomas, seven malignant leiomyomas and three malignant epithelioid leiomyomas. A positive reaction to vimentin was found in 13 out 14 leiomyomas under study. The number of neoplastic cells showing vimentin expression was larger in malignant, especially epithelioid leiomyomas than in non-malignant leiomyomas. A positive reaction for desmin in neoplastic cells was found in 9 leiomyomas 64%. One non-malignant leiomyoma showed a moderate reaction. In the remaining eight cases the reaction was weak and occurred in single neoplastic cells. Coexpression of vimentin and desmin in neoplastic cells occurred in 8 out of 9 leiomyomas with a positive reaction for desmin. Coexpression of vimentin and desmin occurred also in the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels in all 14 cases. A weak reaction for desmin or its lack in the tumour cells of leiomyomas with its marked expression in the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels and gastric wall outside the tumor points rather to a small number of desmin filaments in the neoplastic cells than to their destruction by fixation in formalin. The occurrence of the reaction to desmin only in a limited number of neoplastic cells questions the reliability of its use in the oligopiopsy material.