Anal intercourse and knowledge of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among minority-group female adolescents.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Wagner.
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We studied the change in water porosity over time of 10 Sauvage Bionit-II and 10 DeBakey Vasculour-II knitted velour Dacron grafts throughout the four stages of the Sauvage preclotting technique. Graft porosity decreased significantly (p less than 0.001) at the ends of stages 1 and 2 for both types of grafts, but stages 3 and 4 did not further reduce graft porosity. These results demonstrate that a two-stage preclotting technique is adequate for the preclotting of knitted velour Dacron grafts. A final rinse with heparinized blood is recommended as this may reduce graft thrombogenicity.
An environmental and epidemiological study has been carried out in Central Cappadocia, Turkey, aiming at investigating the relationship between exposure to naturally occurring erionite fibres and the reported high incidence of malignant mesotheliomas. Airborne fibre levels are generally low but show a higher proportion of erionite fibres in the villages affected by malignant disease than in a control village. The same pattern is confirmed by analysis of the fibre content in lung tissues of sheep from several villages, both affected and unaffected by malignant disease. The 3 villages with the highest proportion of erionite fibres have high rates of malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and lung cancer. No case of malignancy for the same sites has been reported during the study period from the control village. The relationships between these findings and their consistency with the results from experimental studies indicate erionite fibres as a carcinogenic agent, although some aspects of the exposure are not fully clarified.
The inclusion of hMG in the culture medium for immature human oocytes results in improved maturation and fertilization rates. The resulting increased number of conceptuses available for transfer may improve the incidence of IVF pregnancy.
This report compares the effects of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) and purified urinary human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH) protocols in patients with irreparable tubal disease as the sole indication for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The hFSH protocol was associated with significantly more uniform folliculogenesis and more effective steroidogenesis than the one using hMG. In addition, the hFSH protocol showed a trend toward more oocytes per laparoscopy and more embryos per transfer than the hMG group, although the difference was not statistically significant. More oocytes in the hMG group were classified as immature when compared with the hFSH group (P less than 0.05). Pregnancy rates in both groups were not significantly different. An allergic drug reaction that occurred in one patient on the hFSH protocol is the first such reaction reported with hFSH in the literature. The hFSH protocol is associated with a trend toward parameters that correlate with improved success rates in the IVF-ET program.
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The frequency of occupational diseases of the locomotor system in musicians, illustrated by an investigation of 160 orchestral string players, leads to the question of whether manual preconditions might play a role in this respect. At first, the special manual demands in instrumental playing are explained by means of an example of piano literature. They are different from any other manual task in daily life or profession, qualitatively and quantitatively: isolation of the fingers as far as possible instead of the normal "co-operation"; unequal fingers have to perform equivalent tasks in respect to complexity, speed, and force; simultaneous movements in contrary directions with any combination of fingers and joints instead of the regularly used simultaneous movements in the same direction; equivalence of flexion and extension with conscious control of either action; each activity of posture and movement is committed to the timing preset by the music; extremely high frequencies of movement in many cases; to compensate for organic defects may be difficult in a professional level of performance. A method is presented for the examination of manual preconditions with regard to specific instruments. It considers a series of biomechanical characteristics (hand-size and joint mobility) which are able in principle to influence the dexterity of the hand. Results of investigations with about 600 professional musicians are briefly summarized. According to the data available the characteristics investigated seem to be influenced rather by heredity than by training. Musicians who had serious difficulties with the instrument or who suffered from functional or organic disorders in the area of the upper extremities showed, as a rule, more disadvantageous manual prerequisites. The individual result of an examination can be displayed as a "Biomechanical Handprofile" showing deviations from the data of a corresponding reference group. Practical conclusions can be drawn, as with an aptitude test.
Within the geriatric population, fracture of the proximal femur is a major problem that may lead to high mortality. Epidemiologists have reported that age greater than 75 is a negative factor in rehabilitation. In two studies, less than 10% of persons aged 90 and over regained ambulatory or prefracture status. This retrospective study describes the outcomes of rehabilitation of persons 90 years and older with fracture of the proximal femur. During a one-year period, 18 persons (17 women, one man), range 91 to 102 years (means 93 years), were referred from ten hospitals for rehabilitation after hip fracture. Eight physical therapists were involved at six different skilled nursing facilities covering a geographical area of 2300 square miles. The sample was determined to represent the regional population. Upon final physical therapy treatment all 16 surviving patients needed an assistive device for ambulation; 63% of the subjects attained independent ambulation; the average ambulatory distance was 133 ft; and 44% returned home. At one-year follow-up, 12/16 original patients survived, nine remaining patients were independent in ambulation, of whom five were at home. Under the prospective payment system with diagnosis-related groups, peculiar decisions are made that have an impact upon rehabilitation. Recovery of independent ambulation is an excellent index of rehabilitation outcome.
The present study examined the effect of human milk folate binding protein (FBP) on the intestinal transport of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3H4PteGlu). This was performed by examining the transport of radiolabeled 5-CH3H4PteGlu bound to FBP using everted sacs of rat intestine. In the jejunum at pH 6, transport of 27 nM bound 5-CH3H4PteGlu was linear with time for 30 min of incubation. Transport of 13 nM bound 5-CH3H4PteGlu was higher in the jejunum than in the ileum at both pH 6 (2.1 +/- 0.3 and 0.36 +/- 0.03 pmol/g wet wt/25 min, respectively) and pH 8 (1.9 +/- 0.3 and 0.32 +/- 0.02 pmol/g wet wt/25 min, respectively). In the jejunum, transport of 13 nM bound 5-CH3H4PteGlu at pH 6 was less than transport of an equimolar concentration of free 5-CH3H4PteGlu (2.1 +/- 0.3 and 5.1 +/- 0.5 pmol/g wet wt/25 min, respectively) but was similar at pH 8 (1.9 +/- 0.3 and 2.47 +/- 0.3 pmol/g wet wt/25 min, respectively). In the ileum transport of bound and free 5-CH3H4PteGlu was similar at pH 6 (0.36 +/- 0.03) and 0.41 +/- 0.06 pmol/g wet wt/25 min, respectively) and pH 8 (0.32 +/- 0.02 and 0.43 +/- 0.1 pmol/g wet wt/25 min, respectively). The transport process of bound 5-CH3H4PteGlu in the jejunum was energy, temperature, and Na+ dependent, but not pH dependent, and was competitively inhibited by sulfasalazine. Ninety-two percent of the transport substrate that appeared in the serosal compartment following incubation with bound 5-CH3H4PteGlu was found to be free (unbound) 5-CH3H4PteGlu. These results show that human milk FBP decreases the rate of transport of 5-CH3H4PteGlu in the jejunum and suggest that FBP-bound 5-CH3H4PteGlu may utilize the same transport system as free 5-CH3H4PteGlu. The results also suggest a role for human milk FBP in regulating the nutritional bioavailability of folate.
A total of 50 patients with chronic pain syndromes were selected for treatment with spinal cord stimulation. Correct positioning of electrodes was obtained in 44 patients, leading to an initial alleviation of pain in 25 patients. In 6 patients, electrodes (though still effective in 4) had to be removed because of surgical complications within the first 5 months of use. Only 8 patients had at least some beneficial effect lasting for more than 3 years. The long-term results in patients with more severe psychological disturbances were no worse than those of the other patients.
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Studies designed to characterize monocyte-derived recruiting activity (MRA) a monokine that stimulates endothelial cells to produce granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating activity (CSA) by endothelial cells, show that it is a thermolabile protein of from 12,000 to 24,000 D which, on chromatofocusing, shows three separate peaks of eluted activity from pH 7.5 to 5.0. Because these and many other properties of MRA are identical to those of interleukin 1 (IL-1), we tested the hypothesis that MRA and IL-1 are identical. We cultured vascular endothelial cells with various concentrations of purified native and recombinant IL-1 (pI 7 form), then tested the endothelial cell supernatants for GM-CSA. Purified native IL-1 and recombinant IL-1 stimulated endothelial cells to release CSA. The MRA of native IL-1, recombinant IL-1, and unfractionated monocyte conditioned medium was neutralized by a highly specific rabbit anti-human IL-1 antiserum. Chromatofocusing fractions that contained MRA contained immunoreactive IL-1 on immunoblotting and the bioactivity was neutralized completely by treatment with the antiserum. We conclude that IL-1 induces the release of CSA by vascular endothelial cells, that IL-1 is constitutively produced by monocytes in vitro, and that MRA and IL-1 are biologically, biophysically and, immunologically identical.
The flavoenzymes dimethylglycine dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.99.2) and sarcosine dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.99.1) contain covalently bound FAD linked via the 8 alpha-position of the isoalloxazine ring to the imidazole N(3) of a histidine residue (Cook, R. J., Misono, K. S., and Wagner, C. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 12475-12480). The flavin-peptides from tryptic digests of these two enzymes have been isolated and sequenced. Automated sequence analysis showed that the flavin-peptide from dimethylglycine dehydrogenase contained 25 amino acid residues in the following sequence: Ser-Glu-Leu-Thr-Ala-Gly-Ser- Thr-Trp-His(flavin)-Ala-Ala-Gly-Leu-Thr-Thr-Tyr-Phe-His-Pro-Gly-Ile-A sn-Leu-Lys. The sequence determined for the flavin-peptide from sarcosine dehydrogenase contained 14 amino acid residues Leu-Thr-Ser-Gly-Thr-Thr-Trp-His(flavin)-Thr-Ala-Gly-Leu-Gly-Arg.
Glycine N-methyltransferase, an enzyme that uses S-adenosylmethionine to methylate glycine with the production of sarcosine, was recently shown to be identical with a major folate binding protein of rat liver (Cook, R.J. and Wagner, C. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 3631-3634). We now present evidence that 5-methyltetrahydropteroylpentaglutamate (5-CH3-H4PteGlu5) is bound with high specificity, and is a powerful inhibitor of the enzyme. It is proposed that this information may be used to modify the "methyl trap" hypothesis which describes how the availability of one-carbon units is regulated by folate, vitamin B12 and methionine.
The isolation and identification of several anthracyclinones (designated as G44-K4/5, G44-G1, G44-G2) and anthracyclines (G44-A, B, C, D, E, F, G) produced by the mutant strain IMET JA 3933/G44 of the daunomycin-producing Streptomyces griseus strain IMET JA 3933 are described. G44-K4/5 was found to be identical with 7,11-dideoxy-13-dihydrodaunomycinone previously isolated from a mutant strain of Streptomyces coeruleorubidus. Compound G44-G1 was identified as 11-deoxydaunomycinone, the aglycone of the antibiotic 11-deoxydaunomycin. G44-G2 was found to be a stereoisomer of G44-G1. The NMR and CD spectral data suggest strongly that the compound is 7-epi-11-deoxydaunomycinone. Of the 7 isolated G44-glycosides only the major component G44-B could be identified. Comparison with an authentic sample revealed that this compound is 11-deoxydaunomycin which had previously been isolated from cultures of Streptomyces peucetius var. aureus and Micromonospora peucetica. As reported for S. coeruleorubidus, S. peucetius var. aureus, and Micromonospora peucetica the 11-deoxydaunomycinone derivatives described in this paper were isolated from the fermentation broth of a mutant of a daunomycin-producing wild type strain. This suggest that in general the accumulation of 11-deoxydaunomycinone derivatives may be the result of a block of C11-hydroxylation in the normal biosynthetic pathway of daunomycin and its analogues.
Host cell as well as viral DNA synthesis in human fibroblasts infected with human cytomegalovirus was found to be largely resistant even to high concentrations of sodium butyrate. Likewise, production of viral progeny was reduced by 1-2 orders of magnitude but not abolished. On the other hand, the drug allowed (modified) glycosylation only of viral polypeptides whereas that of host proteins was suppressed. Immunofluorescence studies on living cells suggested that butyrate may interfere with processing and intracellular transport of virus-specific surface membrane antigens.
Human cytomegalovirus is shown to induce in phosphonoacetic acid-treated human fibroblasts glycosylation of five polypeptides with approximate molecular weights of 200-250, 150, 135, 130 and 100 kilodaltons (kd). Except for the 130 kd product, these glycopolypeptides (gp) separate with the cytoplasmic fraction, only one (200-250 kd) with the chromatin fraction as well. The gp of 135 and 100 kd were found to be virus-specified as determined by immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation. The gp of 200-250 kd exhibited an immunological relatedness to fibronectin and are therefore considered host-specific products. Both subsets of gp participate in virus-induced surface membrane alterations as documented by living cell immunofluorescence.