Genomic organization, fine-mapping, and expression of the human islet-brain 1 (IB1)/c-Jun-amino-terminal kinase interacting protein-1 (JIP-1) gene

Islet-brain 1 (IB1), a regulator of the pancreatic beta-cell function in the rat, is homologous to JIP-1, a murine inhibitor of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK). Whether IB1 and JIP-1 are present in humans was not known. We report the sequence of the 2133-bp human IB1 cDNA, the expression, structure, and fine-mapping of the human IB1 gene, and the characterization of an IB1 pseudogene. Human IB1 is 94% identical to rat IB1. The tissue-specific expression of IB1 in human is similar to that observed in rodent. The IB1 gene contains 12 exons and maps to chromosome 11 (11p11.2-p12), a region that is deleted in DEFECT-11 syndrome. Apart from an IB1 pseudogene on chromosome 17 (17q21), no additional IB1-related gene was found in the human genome. Our data indicate that the sequence and expression pattern of IB1 are highly conserved between rodent and human and provide the necessary tools to investigate whether IB1 is involved in human diseases.     

Segmental antigen challenge increases fibronectin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

Fibronectin may contribute to asthma pathogenesis by recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, and by promotion of subepithelial fibrosis. Fibronectin is produced by several types of airway cells, including epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and alveolar macrophages. To test the hypothesis that antigen-induced airway inflammation is associated with increased local generation of fibronectin, segmental bronchoprovocation (SBP) with antigen and saline was performed in 17 atopic patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed at 5 min and 48 h after segmental challenge with saline or antigen. Fibronectin concentrations in BAL fluid, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), increased more than 5-fold 48 h after antigen challenge (65 [47 to 110] versus 407 [240 to 697] ng/ml, median and 25 to 75% interquartiles, p < 0.05). Fibronectin concentrations 48 h after antigen challenge correlated with histamine concentrations 5 min after antigen challenge and numbers of eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, and total cells in BAL fluid 48 h after antigen challenge. BAL was more enriched in fibronectin 48 h after challenge than would be predicted solely from increased permeability of plasma proteins. Western blot analysis showed that fibronectin in BAL fluid was largely intact and contained the extra domain-A (ED-A) splice variant of cellular fibronectin, indicative of local production. We conclude that antigen challenge in atopic subjects causes increased production of fibronectin by airway cells and speculate that this response may contribute to airway remodeling in allergic inflammation.     

Cortisol in physiological concentrations acts within minutes to modify effects of prolactin and growth hormone on prostaglandin secretion: importance of effect in modulating cellular responses to calcium and cyclic nucleotides

We propose that intracellular prostaglandins (PGs) are essential for the final expression of the effects of second messengers in most cells. We suggest that the amounts of PGs required are very small (in the picomolar range) and are much lower than those used in most current PG studies. We suggest that while therapeutic levels of inhibitors of PG synthetase may be adequate to block the overflow of PGs from cells, they are in most cases unlikely to reduce intracellular PGs sufficiently to test the role of such PGs. We propose that there is a basal level of PG synthesis unaffected by hormones but that above this level PG synthesis is regulated by the interplay between physiological levels of cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone and thyroid hormones. For the most part prolactin seems to stimulate PG synthesis and cortisol to inhibit it: cortisol has, however, no inhibitory effect on basal PG synthesis. In reducing prolactin-stimulated PG synthesis cortisol is 1000-2000 times more potent than indomethacin on a molar basis. We suggest that the regulation of intracellular PG levels is the mechanism of the so-called "permissive" actions of these hormones. These concepts could prove important in the understanding of many aspects of physiology and pathophysiology including diurnal and seasonal changes in hormone responsiveness. They are also relevant to the use of established drugs and the design of new ones.     

Leukemic reticuloendotheliosis: a medical technologist's diagnosis

Leukemic reticuloendotheliosis (LRE) or "hairy cell leukemia" is a unique form of leukemia which possesses features of both a chronic and acute leukemia. Its characteristic morphology, clinical diagnosis, and treatment are discussed. A high index of suspicion should make this entity easily diagnosed by the medical technologist.     

Primary aortic mural thrombus: presentation and treatment

Schizophrenic patients are extremely heavy tobacco smokers. However, a lower incidence of lung cancer in schizophrenic patients has been observed in comparison to other heavy smokers. Nicotine increases the proliferation of pulmonary neuroendocrine tissue, causing the release of a bombesin-like peptide. Thus, bombesin-like peptide levels in urine may be an indicator of precancerous, cigarette-induced lung damage. Bombesin-like peptide levels of 10 schizophrenic smokers and 11 schizophrenic nonsmokers were compared to those of nonschizophrenic subjects matched for age and pack-years of smoking. The nonschizophrenic smokers showed the expected increase in urinary bombesin-like peptide levels, as compared to nonschizophrenic nonsmokers. Schizophrenic patients had lower bombesin-like peptide levels independent of smoking effects. The mechanism of the difference in bombesin-like peptide levels between schizophrenic patients and nonschizophrenic subjects is unknown, but one possibility involves alteration in the alpha 7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, which mediates the growth of some neuroendocrine cell lines in vitro.     

合成二氧化氯的催化剂和方法及该催化剂的制备

使用一种失活速率降低的催化剂用亚氯酸钠的水溶液合成二氧化氮。催化剂最好为钯，钯与其它钯系金属的混合物（如Ｐｂ＋Ｐｔ）或者是钯与第１副族金属的混合物（Ｐｂ＋Ａｕ），所用的载体为可用第１主族金属的硕酸盐如（Ｋ２ＣＯ３）、第２主族金属的碳酸盐（如ＣａＣＯ３）或者是可转化成ＭｇＯ的镁盐改性的物质，载体还可以是第１主族金属的碳酸盐（如Ｋ２ＣＯ３）或者是可转化成ＭｇＯ的镁盐改性的物质，载体还可以是第１主族金属     

Growth performance,nutrient digestibility and immune response of broiler chicks fed diets supplemented with a culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are being developed for use in animal feed to enhance production performance and prevention of gastrointestinal infections. The ban on using antibiotics as growth promoters, antibiotic resistance and the inherent problems of developing new vaccines make a compelling case for developing alternatives for in‐feed antibiotics. The alternatives of choice have to be considered under the environmental conditions of the animal. Among the probiotics in use today, Lactobacillus has been shown to play a vital role in disease prevention, immune enhancement, improved growth and carcass yield in poultry. The present study investigates the effect of Lactobacillus bulgaricus (LB)‐based probiotic on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and immune response of broilers under tropical environmental conditions. RESULTS: Broilers fed LB diets consumed more feed (P < 0.05) and had greater body weight gain than the control group. Feed/gain ratio improved significantly (P < 0.05) with the 20, 40 and 60 mg kg^?1 LB diets compared with the control or 80 mg kg^?1 LB diet. The apparent digestibilities of nitrogen and fat increased with LB supplementation. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in fibre digestibility. White blood cell count increased significantly in broilers fed higher levels (>40 mg kg^?1) of LB compared with the control group. Antibody production measured as antibody titre against Newcastle disease vaccine showed a curvilinear response over the range of LB concentrations examined. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that LB addition to broiler chick diets significantly improved growth performance, increased nutrient digestibility and stimulated humoral immune response. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Structural characterization of the molecular dimer of the peptide antibiotic vancomycin by distance geometry in four spatial dimensions

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to know the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a population of pregnant women, to evaluate the vertical transmission rates of HCV in a prospective study and to determine the repercussions and consequences in children born to infected mothers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 6556 pregnant women were tested for HCV antibodies from January 1993 to August 1995. We followed 50 babies born to infected mothers for at least 12 months (mean 15 months). Serological assays employed included a screening ELISA II confirmed with immunoblot. Viral detection was performed by qualitative and quantitative PCR for HCV-RNA. RESULTS: Fifty-nine pregnant women were AcHCV(+). This represents a seroprevalence of 0.9%. Of the 50 babies followed, 6 were PCR(+) and 44 were PCR(-). The risk of transmission is correlated with the titer of HCV-RNA in the mother. All mothers of infected babies were HIV (-). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of prevalence in our pregnant women population is 0.9%. We found a vertical transmission rate of 12%. The high serum HCV-RNA titers in the mothers are a risk factor of transmission of HCV. The viremia in the children does not predict the apparition of the clinical disease, although they can exhibit intermittent increases of transaminases.