Bowel sound biofeedback as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome

Using an electronic stethoscope placed on subjects' abdomens, bowel sound biofeedback was administered to five subjects suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (functional diarrhea). They were instructed to alternately increase and decrease colonic sounds in an attempt to gain control over bowel activity. Using daily ratings of diarrhea as the primary dependent measure, three of five subjects reduced mean ratings enough at posttreatment to meet our 50% criterion for success (100%, 94%, and 54%). At 1-year follow-up, two of the three short-term successes had maintained their level of improvement — each had ratings 75% below those of pretreatment.     

Characterization oftrans-acting regulatory elements affecting the expression of Mn-superoxide dismutase (sodA) inEscherichia coli

Escherichia coli strains harboringtrans-acting mutations affecting the expression of Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene (sodA) were used to studysodA regulation. Complementation studies revealed that eitherarc (aerobic respiratory control) orfur (ferric uptake regulation) loci independently complemented anaerobic expression of asodA::lacZ protein fusion in one mutant strain (UV16). This mutant exhibited phenotypes (i.e., elevated outer membrane proteins, enzyme activity, and dye sensitivity) typical offur andarc mutants. When these mutations were introduced into an otherwise wild-type background, anaerobicsodA expression occurred only when botharc andfur mutations were present simultaneously, suggesting cooperative roles of Fur and Arc insodA repression. The reconstructedfur arcA andfur arcB double mutants were still inducible by iron chelators, suggesting the possible involvement of another iron-containing repressor protein. A second independent mutant strain harboring atrans-acting regulatory mutation (UV14) was only partially complemented by multicopy plasmids carryingfur ⁺ orarc ⁺ genes, implicating other genetic elements insodA regulation.     

Age and growth of tarpon,Megalops atlanticus,larvae in the eastern Gulf of Mexico,with notes on relative abundance and probable spawning areas

Synopsis Leptocephali were collected in June 1981 and July 1989 over the continental shelf and slope of the Florida west coast. Tarpon larvae ranged 5.5–24.4 mm standard length (SL) and were the second most abundant leptocephalus species. Sagittae examined with compound microscopes and scanning electron microscopy had increments that were presumed to be formed daily. Increment counts made using the two microscopic techniques were not significantly different. Estimated ages ranged 2–25 days with a growth rate (± standard error) of 0.92 ± 0.04 mm d^–1 The least squares linear regression equation SL = 2.78 + 0.92 (age in days) best described the relationship between estimated age and length. Adult tarpon appear to undergo a substantial spawning migration from inshore areas frequented during spring and summer to offshore spawning grounds. Spawning occurs during May, June, and July, although the spawning season may be of greater duration.     

Trolox C, a lipid-soluble membrane protective agent, attenuates myocardial injury from ischemia and reperfusion

The lipophilic antioxidant Trolox C, a vitamin E analog, was administered to isolated, buffer-perfused rabbit hearts subjected to 25 min of global stop-flow ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion. In six hearts, Trolox C (200 microM) was infused for 15 min immediately prior to ischemia and for the first 15 min of reperfusion. Six control hearts received only vehicle. Gas chromatography analysis confirmed that effective myocardial levels of Trolox were attained. At 30 min reperfusion, the recovery of left ventricular developed pressure was 56 +/- 3% of baseline in control hearts versus 70 +/- 4% in Trolox-treated hearts (p < .01). There was also significant improvement in recovery of Trolox-treated hearts in diastolic pressure and both maximum and minimum values of the first derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt). Creatine phosphokinase release into the coronary effluent at 30 min of reperfusion was 16.5 +/- 8.4 IU/min in untreated and 6.3 +/- 1.0 IU/min (p < .05) in Trolox-treated hearts. Thus Trolox C, a lipophilic antioxidant, attenuated myocardial injury during stop-flow ischemia and reperfusion.     

Fluoritisierte Radiolarien aus Kieselkalk-Bänken des Mittel-Viseums (Unterkarbon) des Rheinischen Schiefergebirges (Deutschland)

From siliceous shales (Lower Carboniferous, Rheinisches Schiefergebirge), in direct neighborhood to a bed of allodapic limestone, the following fluontized radiolarian fauna has been extracted by chemical transformation of originally calcified skeletons:Albaillella cartalla, Latentifistula turgida, Eostylodktya cf. eccentrica, Tetragregnon sycamorensis sycamorensis, Belowea variabilis, Callela? hexactinia, Entactinia tortispina and Entactinia variospina. The limestone bed has been dated by calcareous foraminifera as being mid Visean in age (V 2b-3a, Cf 5-foraminiferal zone). The diagenetic calcification took place after the selective dissolution of the skeletons and was in itself not selective.     

Lipolytic and peroxidative enzyme expressions in cultured potato tuber cells

Potato cells (cv. Norchip) were cultured from tuber parenchymal tissue and subcultured to dissociate and habituate the despecialized cells. After several subculturings on a minimal nutrient media, this line of cells demonstrated repeatable physical growth profiles for dry weight (DW), fresh weight (FW) and protein. Two enzymes of plant lipid metabolism were investigated, lipolytic acyl hydrolase (LAH) and lipoxygenase (LOX), which respectively liberate and peroxidize fatty acids from lipid in cellular membranes. LAH, measured as p-nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolase, was present in this line of cells in easily detectable amounts (317 units g^-1 DW) albeit much lower than that found in mother tuber (9878 units g^-1 DW). The presence of LAH in this line is significant because LAH isozymes are often described as storage proteins, yet activity per gram fresh weight in these unorganized cells is reasonably constant until culture growth exits the linear phase. However, LOX, the most active free fatty acid metabolizing enzyme in potato tubers (89,800 units g^-1 DW), was not detectable in this line of callus or suspension cultured cells. The absence of LOX activity in this line of cells was verified by a number of assay approaches and was confirmed by activity staining of extracted enzymes separated in polyacrylamide gels. The absence of LOX in these cultured cells is especially important in determining the functions of this lipid peroxidation system and how it may be genetically regulated.Mention of company or trade name does not imply endorsement by the United States Department of Agriculture over others not named.A laboratory cooperatively operated by the Midwest Area, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, the North Dakota Agrcultural Experiment Station, and the Red River Valley Potato Grower's Association.     

An intronic duplication in the alanine: glyoxylate aminotransferase gene facilitates identification of mutations in compound heterozygote patients with primary hyperoxaluria type 1

Summary We report here the identification of a duplication within the first intron of the gene encoding human alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT); this duplication is closely linked to two point mutations associated with peroxisome-to-mitochondrion mistargeting of AGT in primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) patients. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of regions of the AGT gene including the insertion site from individuals heterozygous for this duplication, produces allele-specific fragments of different sizes. We have taken advantage of this to identify a nonsense mutation within a non-expressed allele of a compound heterozygote PH1 patient with mitochondrial AGT.     

A molecular genetic approach to the identification of isochromosomes of chromosome 21

Summary The largest class of de novo chromosomal rearrangements in Down syndrome are rea(21q21q). Classically, these rearrangements have been termed Robertsonian translocations, implying an attachment of two different chromosome 21 homologues. Additionally, a Robertsonian translocation between two chromosomes 21 cannot be distinguished from an isochromosome composed of genetically identical arms by cytogenetic analyses. Therefore, we have used molecular techniques to differentiate between true Robertsonian translocations and isochromosomes. Samples were obtained from 12 probands, ascertained for de novo rearrangements between homologous chromosomes 21 [11 rea(21q21q) and 1 rea (21;21)(q22;q22)], their parents (n = 24) and available siblings (n = 7). The parental origins of the de novo rearrangements were assigned using molecular and cytogenetic analyses. Although not statistically significant, there was a two-fold increase in the number of paternally derived de novo rearrangements (n = 8) as compared with maternally derived rearrangements (n = 4). To distinguish between rob(21q21q) and i(21q), we used restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) spanning the length of chromosome 21. Using all informative and partially informative RFLPs, we used the method of maximum likelihood to assign the most likely rearrangement definition (i or rob) and parental origin in each family. The maximum likelihood estimates indicated that all rearrangements tested (n = 8) were isochromosomes. C-banding revealed two centromeres in three cases indicating that a U-type exchange occurred between sister chromatids in these rearrangements. Our results suggest that the majority of de novo rea(21q21q) are isochromosomes derived from a single parental chromosome 21.