Establishment of peripheral lymphoid cell cultures from patients with Hodgkin's disease depending on Epstein-Barr-Virus-reactivity and cellular immunity.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 43 patients with Hodgkin's disease were studied for spontaneous growth in longterm cultures in vitro. The rate of culture establishment in Hodgkin's patients was dependant on a positive Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV)-seroreactivity and intact delayed hypersensitivity reaction to tuberculin. Localized and inactive disease, as well as the absence of atypical mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood had a favourable influence on the longterm in vitro growth. The overall establishment rate in Hodgkin patients was 18 out of 60 attempts (30%), 16 out of 34 (47%) in patients without treatment, only 2 out of 26 (7.7%) attempts during treatment. These results were compared with culture attempts of peripheral blood cells from healthy individuals and umbilical cord blood lymphocytes. Only 12 out of 60 attempts in healthy donors (18.2%) and 0 out of 49 attempts with umbilical cord blood lymphocytes were successful.     

Reproductive endocrinology of free living Pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca): prolactin and FSH secretion in relation to incubation and clutch size

Plasma levels of prolactin and FSH in free-living Pied flycatchers were studied in relation to breeding stage, clutch size and diurnal variations. In the female, the concentration of prolactin started to increase during the egg-laying and reached maximal values at the end of the incubation period. After hatching prolactin levels decreased. Male Pied flycatchers showed an increase in plasma levels of prolactin at the time when they returned to their home-territories, i.e. at the end of the incubation period. Males still occupying secondary territories at this time had low levels of prolactin. In the males, as in the females, plasma levels of prolactin decreased after hatching.
Male Pied flycatchers showed at all times higher plasma levels of FSH than did females. In both sexes FSH levels were high during the early part of the breeding season and started to decrease after the egg-laying period. After hatching time plasma levels of FSH were below the sensitivity of the assay. No differences in FSH were found between males occupying secondary territories and males in home-territories.
In incubating females FSH, but not prolactin, showed a distinct unimodal daily cycle.
No differences were found in plasma levels of prolactin and FSH between females incubating different sized clutches.     

Gene fusion vectors based on the gene for staphylococcal protein A

Two plasmid vectors, containing the gene coding for staphylococcal protein A and adapted for gene fusion, have been constructed. These vectors will allow fusion of any gene to the protein A gene, thus giving hybrid proteins which can be purified, in a one-step procedure, by IgG affinity chromatography. As an example of the practical use of such vectors, the protein A gene has been fused to the lacZ gene of Escherichia coli. E. coli strains containing such plasmids produce hybrid proteins with both IgG binding and β-galactosidase activities. The hybrid protein(s) can be immobilized on IgG-Sepharose by its protein A moiety with high efficiency without losing its enzymatic activity and they can be eluted from the column by competitive elution with pure protein A. The fused protein(s) also binds to IgG-coated microtiter wells which means that the in vivo product can be used as an enzyme conjugate in ELISA tests.     

Denture Wearers' Awareness of their Vertical Dimension

A method of analyzing facial proportions in evaluating occlusal vertical dimension was used in a test on 71 complete denture wearers aiming to find a way to rank denture wearers with different stages of reduced vertical dimension and development an instruction for patients' self judgment. By use of face drawings on a proforma the patients ranked themselves into one of four classes. The investigator also ranked the patients into these classes. There was a significant correlation (p<0.01) between the ranking by patient and investigator. The face proportions were also measured with an instrument. The distances nasion-rima oris and subnasale-gnathion were established. When ranking into classes, there was a significant (p<0.0001) correlation between the ranking by the investigator and the measurements. The results show that it may be possible to use information of facial proportions to give complete denture wearers a way of assessment of face height and thus a reason to consult a dentist in case of suspicion of reduced vertical dimension.     

Separation of basic,hydrophilic peptides by reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography: II. Analytical applications with particular reference to phosphoserine peptides

Phosphoserine peptides, obtained by phosphorylation of synthetic precursors with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, can be efficiently separated from the corresponding non-phosphorylated peptides and from each other by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography. All experiments were performed under isocratic conditions on a C₁₈ column, using phosphate buffers with pH 3.2–4.5, n-hexane sulfonic acid as counter ion, and ethanol as organic modifier.     

Microbial growth associated with granular activated carbon in a pilot water treatment facility

The microbial dynamics associated with granular activated carbon (GAC) in a pilot water treatment plant were investigated over a period of 16 months. Microbial populations were monitored in the influent and effluent waters and on the GAC particles by means of total plate counts and ATP assays. Microbial populations between the influent and effluent waters of the GAC columns generally increased, indicating microbial growth. The dominant genera of microorganisms isolated from interstitial waters and GAC particles were Achromobacter, Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Alcaligenes, Bacillus, Chromobacterium, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, Microcyclus, Paracoccus, and Pseudomonas. Coliform bacteria were found in small numbers in the effluents from some of the GAC columns in the later months of the study. Oxidation of influent waters with ozone and maintenance of aerobic conditions on the GAC columns failed to appreciably enhance the microbial growth on GAC.     

The oxidative inactivation of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 results from a conformational change in the molecule and does not require the involvement of the P1' methionine.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is sensitive to oxidative inactivation, and it has been suggested that specific oxidation of a methionine residue, Met347, situated in the P1' position of the reactive center may be the cause of the inactivation. To test this hypothesis we have purified and biochemically characterized mutant proteins of PAI-1 in which Met347 and either of two other methionines, Met266 or Met354, has been replaced with oxidation-resistant valine residues. The mutant proteins were found to be equally sensitive to oxidation as wild-type PAI-1, suggesting that a specific oxidation of the P1' Met347 is not responsible for the inactivation. When PAI-1 was oxidized, circular dichroism analysis revealed a rapid conformational change that correlated to the loss of inhibitory activity. The oxidation sensitivity of PAI-1 was enhanced dramatically in the presence of 0.001% sodium dodecyl sulfate, and the circular dichroism spectrum was significantly different from that of untreated PAI-1, suggesting that the increased sensitivity to oxidation may be caused by a conformational change in the inhibitor molecule. Taken together, our data suggest that the oxidative inactivation of PAI-1 is not caused by the specific oxidation of the P1' methionine but results from a conformational change in the protein structure.     

Age-associated changes and sex differences in urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin circadian rhythm in the rat.

The circadian rhythm of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) excretion has been determined in male and female rats at 3 weeks and at 2, 8, 14 and 20 months of age. All animals have a pronounced circadian pattern of aMT6s excretion under a 12 hour dark: 12 hour light cycle. A significant increase in aMT6s excretion is observed from 3 weeks to 14 months followed by a decrease at 20 months. There is a highly significant correlation between aMT6s excretion and body weight (r = 0.73 for female rats and r = 0.74 for male rats; p values are all less than 0.001). Thus, a decrease in aMT6s excretion associated with increasing age occurs when body weight is taken into consideration. aMT6s excretion is higher in males at 3 weeks and at 2 and 8 months of ages. Urinary testosterone in male rats and estradiol in female rats increase from 3 weeks to 8 months and decrease at older ages. These data suggest that increase of body weight from 3 weeks to 14 months is an important factor responsible for the age-related alteration. The sex differences in aMT6s excretion in younger rats may be associated with their sex hormonal milieu.