We have identified nine molecular chaperones in human keratinocytes by one or a combination of three methods: (i) reaction with antibodies raised against the purified proteins, (ii) microsequencing of two-dimensional (2-D) gel purified proteins, or (iii), by cloning of the cDNA and expression of its encoded protein in transformed human amnion cells using the vaccinia virus expression system. The expression levels of each of the molecular chaperones were analyzed in quiescent, normal proliferating, and simian virus SV40 transformed K14 keratinocytes by cutting the corresponding protein spots from dried 2-D gels and counting the radioactivity by liquid scintillation. The most striking observation was the strong up-regulation (936%) of the small heat shock protein HSP28 in the quiescent keratinocytes, a fact that is in line with recent data indicating that the murine homologue (HSP25) may act as a growth inhibitor. Several chaperones that localize to the endoplasmic reticulum and that are involved in the secretory pathway (GRP78, GRP78v, endoplasmin, and calnexin) were expressed at approximately similar levels in normal proliferating and K14 keratinocytes but were down-regulated by 50% or more in the quiescent cells, implying that these cells may possess an impaired ability to secrete certain proteins. Both GRP78 and endoplasmin genes have similar sequences in the promoter regions, suggesting that they may be partly co-regulated at the transcriptional level (McCauliffe et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1992, 267, 2557-2562).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The injured pedestrian in motor vehicle traffic accidents: mortality in Mexico, 1985-1996].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the mortality of pedestrians injured at motor vehicle traffic accidents (PIMVTA) in Mexico. METHODS: Analysis of death certificates registered in Mexico (1985-1996), identified by E codes of the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision. Mortality rates were stratified by age group. RESULTS: From 1985 to 1996, 60,566 deaths in PIMVTA (rate of 7.42/100,000) were registered: 78.1% in men (11.7/100,000), and 21.9% in women (3.2/100,000). The mortality increased in direct relationship to age, the general mortality trend lightly descending in both sexes, but more marked from the 80 and more years old. The higher rate was is observed for Jalisco (9.7/100,000) and the lower rate was for Coahuila (2.1/100,000). According to the location size, the mortality shows a bimodal distribution: higher for localities of 15.000 to 19.999 and 1,000,000 (8.0/100,000 and 8.2/100,000 person-years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The deaths of PLATVM are presented, mainly, in men, their frequency is incremented with the age, they show a tendency lightly descending, and they are observed with greater frequency in urban centers.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Drowning in Jalisco: 1983-1989].

The objective of this work was to identify which preventive factors are involved in drowning. Files of 895 autopsies from 1983 through 1989 by the coroner site office were reviewed. During this seven year period, the annual mortality for drowning was 2.6 per 100,000 population. Males had a higher annual mortality rate (4.2 per 100,000) than females (1.1 per 100,000). The age group between one and four years old had the highest mortality rate (7.6 per 100,000). Deaths tend to cluster around summer. Most of the deaths occurred in house cisterns (19.3%), dams/lakes (16.9%), rivers/canals (14.3%), water wells (12.5%) and swimming pools (10.1%). A third of the deaths occurred at home. The relationship alcohol-drowning starts to stand out in the age group between 10 and 14 years old but get its highest percentage in the age group 35-39 (74%). There are two important findings that is necessary to point out: drowning occurring at home and the relationship between drowning and alcohol ingestion.

Accidents, Home↗