Inhibition of Lewis lung carcinoma in mice by local microwave hyperthermia combined with immunomodulating Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45

C-57 BL/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma were treated 2 weeks after tumor implantation with local microwave hyperthermia (2450 MHz, tumor temperature 43.5 degrees C, 30 min) and/or intratumoral or intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg cell walls of Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45. Tumor growth, survival time of the animals, and the delayed skin hypersensitivity to oxazolone were followed up, as well as the 3H-thymidine uptake of tumorous tissues and the number of lung metastases. The combined treatment of microwave hyperthermia with immunomodulating P. granulosum KP-45 resulted in significantly stronger inhibition of tumor growth than with each of these methods alone. The number of lung metastases could be significantly lowered, and the skin reactivity to oxazolone remained enhanced during the whole observation period (over 70 days after tumor implantation). The implications of the test observation are discussed.     

Cyanuric acid--a s-triazine derivative as a nitrogen source for some soil microorganisms

Cyanuric acid was not toxic for soil microorganisms examined and was even observed to stimulate the growth of Azotobacter in chernozem. Some isolated fungi were capable of cleaving the ring of cyanuric acid. With the use of 15N-labeled cyanuric acid it was found that the nitrogen taken from this compound by Aspergillus minutus and Pseudogymnoascus sp. was incorporated into their proteins. About 70-90% of 15N derived from cyanuric acid was detected in the biomass of the examined fungi. The ability of soil microorganisms to cleave the triazine ring is of importance in the detoxication of soils treated with triazine herbicides.     

The Content of Elements in Rainwater and Its Relation to the Frequency of Hospitalization for Gastric and Duodenal Peptic Ulcers in Opole Voivodship,Poland, During 2000–2002

The relationship between chemical elements in rainwater and the frequency of hospitalizations for gastric and duodenal peptic ulcers was studied on the population of the province (Voivodship) of Opole, Poland, during the years 2000–2002. There is a high positive correlation between hospitalized cases of gastric peptic ulcers with chromium in rainwater (r = 0.71), cadmium (r = 0.63), and lead (r = 0.70). Mild positive correlations were found with zinc (r = 0.55), copper (r = 0.56), iron (r = 0.57), chloride (r = 0.60), and sulfate (r = 0.52). These correlations were higher on men, suggesting that there are gender correlations involved. In duodenal peptic ulcers, we observed a high positive correlation between chromium in rainwater and hospitalized cases (r = 0.61) and mild positive correlations with lead (r = 0.57), copper (r = 0.52), and cadmium (r = 0.51). Significant gender differences were not found. These positive correlations may be due to the biological activity of the elements, such as their cytotoxic activity, enhanced local adrenergic stimulation on mucosal vasculature, ion channel (mainly calcium channels) remodeling, and, for example promoting infection by Helicobacter pylori.     

Tweedle proteins form extracellular two-dimensional structures defining body and cell shape in Drosophila melanogaster

Tissue function and shape rely on the organization of the extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by the respective cells. Our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is limited. Here, we show that extracellular Tweedle (Twdl) proteins in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster form two adjacent two-dimensional sheets underneath the cuticle surface and above a distinct layer of dityrosinylated and probably elastic proteins enwrapping the whole body. Dominant mutations in twdl genes cause ectopic spherical aggregation of Twdl proteins that recruit dityrosinylated proteins at their periphery within lower cuticle regions. These aggregates perturb parallel ridges at the surface of epidermal cells that have been demonstrated to be crucial for body shaping. In one scenario, hence, this disorientation of epidermal ridges may explain the squatty phenotype of Twdl mutant larvae. In an alternative scenario, this phenotype may be due to the depletion of the dityrosinylated and elastic layer, and the consequent weakening of cuticle resistance against the internal hydrostatic pressure. According to Barlow''s formula describing the distribution of internal pressure forces in pipes in dependence of pipe wall material properties, it follows that this reduction in turn causes lateral expansion at the expense of the antero-posterior elongation of the body.     

Investigations of differences in iron oxidation state inside single neurons from substantia nigra of Parkinson’s disease and control patients using the micro-XANES technique

X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy was applied in order to investigate differences in iron chemical state between the nerve cells of substantia nigra (SN) representing Parkinson’s disease (PD) and those of control cases. Autopsy samples were cut using a cryotome, and were not fixed and not embedded in paraffin. The comparison of the absorption spectra near the iron K-edge measured in melanized neurons from SN of PD and control samples did not show significant differences in iron oxidation state. Measurements of inorganic reference materials containing iron in the second and third oxidation states indicate that most of the iron in all the nerve cell bodies examined was oxidized and occurred as trivalent ferric iron (Fe³⁺).     

The Content of Elements in Rainwater and its Relation to the Frequency of Hospitalization for Atrial Fibrillation in Opole Voivodship, Poland, During 2000–2002

The elemental composition of rainwater is a suitable indirect indicator of the presence of chemical elements in airborne dust. As such, rainwater is considered a suitable monitor for environmental or natural pollution. The yearly content of chemical elements in rainwater may be considered a good indicator for determining the influence of these environmental factors on human body. We decided to investigate the relationship between chemical elements in rainwater and the frequency of hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation (I48, ICD10) on the population of the region of Opole Voivodship, Poland during the years 2000–2002. The voivodship or province has a population of one million and is divided into 12 counties that have between 44,000 and 151,000 inhabitants. We calculated the yearly average number of hospitalizations by reasons of atrial fibrillation per 10,000 inhabitants in particular counties. The average content of the chosen chemical elements in kilograms per hectare per year was calculated for each county individually and the data evaluated by means of Spearman’s correlation coefficient. There is a high positive correlation between chromium in rainwater and hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation (r?=?0.62) and mild positive correlation with cadmium (r?=?0.57), lead (r?=?0.57), zinc (r?=?0.50), and chloride (r?=?0.48). There are no significant differences between male and female patients. The biological activities of these elements, which may include enhanced adrenergic stimulation, remodeling of calcium or other ion channels, or the cytotoxic effects of hexavalent chromium may explain the positive correlations here reported.     

Cell division and the stability of cellular populations

 This paper couples a general d-dimensional (d arbitrary) model for the intracellular biochemistry of a generic cell with a probabilistic division hypothesis and examines the consequence of division for stability of cell function and structure. We show rather surprisingly that cell division is capable of giving rise to a stable population of cells with respect to function and structure even if, in the absence of cell division, the underlying biochemical dynamics are unstable. In the context of a simple example, our stability condition suggests that rapid cell proliferation plays a stabilizing role for cellular populations. Received: 15 January 1996 / Revised version: 31 July 1998     

t-RNA-nucleotidyltransferase activity in Lupinus luteus seeds

t-RNA-nucleotidyltransferase activity was detected in Lupinus luteus seed.The enzyme was partly purified, and some of its properties are described.     

Revised transthyretin Ile 122 allele frequency in African-Americans

The transthyretin (TTR) Ile 122 variant is associated with cardiac amyloidosis in individuals of African descent. To determine the prevalence of the allele encoding TTR Ile 122 in African-Americans, we have used PCR and restriction analysis to test DNA from African-Americans from various geographic areas, and found an allele frequency of 66/3376 (0.020), which is higher than the value we previously reported in a much smaller pilot study. Our data indicate that this TTR variant is present at equal frequency in African-Americans throughout the U.S., and suggest that this mutation may be a common, often unrecognized cause of cardiac disease in African-Americans. Received: 23 January 1996