Aurintricarboxylic acid prevents the attachment of bacteriophage messenger RNA to ribosomes. As a consequence, initiation of protein synthesis in cell-free extracts prepared from Escherichia coli or rabbit reticulocytes is inhibited at concentrations of dye that do not prevent chain extension. Its properties can be distinguished from other agents that inhibit protein synthesis, including sodium fluoride, cycloheximide, and pactamycin.

Animals↗

PubMed1969

Interaction of the 5-methylphenazinium cation radical with deoxyribonucleic acid.

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Binding Sites↗

PubMed1968

Electron paramagnetic resonance observations on biogenic semiquinone and 5-methyl phenazinium radicals.

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Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Deep neck infections in diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: Deep neck infections may be lethal if life-threatening complications occur, especially in immunocompromised hosts such as diabetic patients. This study was undertaken to better define the clinical features and prognosis of deep neck infections in the diabetic patients with special emphasis on the use of empirical antibiotics and the role and timing of surgical management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 105 consecutive patients treated at a single institution during a 9-year period was conducted. Of these, 30 patients also presented with diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: Compared with the nondiabetic patients, the unique features of deep neck infections in diabetic patients were as follows: (1) older age, (2) tendency of unclear infection source, (3) tendency to involve multiple spaces, (4) required more aggressive surgical intervention, (5) prolonged hospitalization, and (6) higher complication rate. The differences were statistically significant (P< .05). There were no significant differences in the complete blood count/ differential count positive findings and fever between the 2 groups (P> .05). Bacterial cultures showed that Klebsilla pneumoniae was the most common causative pathogen in diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: In deep neck infection patients with diabetes mellitus, the clinical course is more severe and there is a poorer prognosis. Thus, in treating them, we should keep close observation, appropriately control the diabetes, detect the life-threatening complications early, perform aggressive surgical treatment if fluctuation or complication occurs, and take into account the preponderance of K pneumoniae when administering the empirical antibiotics.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship of psychiatric status to Gulf War veterans' health problems.

OBJECTIVE: A growing body of research has shown that there are important links between certain psychiatric disorders and health symptom reporting. Two disorders in particular (posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression) have been the most widely implicated to date, and this association has sometimes been used to explain the occurrence of ill-defined medical problems and increased somatic symptoms in certain groups, most recently Gulf War veterans. METHODS: Structured psychiatric diagnostic interviews were used to examine the presence of major psychiatric (axis I) disorders and their relation to health symptom reporting in a well-characterized, stratified subset of Gulf War veterans and a non-Gulf-deployed veteran comparison group. RESULTS: Rates of most psychiatric disorders were substantially lower than national comorbidity estimates, consistent with prior studies showing heightened physical and emotional well-being among active-duty military personnel. Rates of PTSD and major depression, however, were significantly elevated relative to the veteran comparison group. The diagnosis of PTSD showed a small but significant association with increased health symptom reports. However, nearly two-thirds of Gulf participants reporting moderate to high health symptoms had no axis I psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that rates of psychiatric illness were generally low with the exception of PTSD and major depression. Although PTSD was associated with higher rates of reported health problems, this disorder did not entirely account for symptoms reported by participants. Factors other than psychiatric status may play a role in Gulf War health problems.

Cohort Studies↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Autoimmune manifestations in patients with primary immunodeficiency.

Primary immunodeficiency comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders. Autoimmune and/or rheumatic manifestations are not uncommon in these patients. It may be the first and/or sole sign before the underlying disease is established. This study focuses on the children of primary immunodeficiency with autoimmune disease to survey the clinical and laboratory finding retrospectively. From January 1985 to June 1998, ten patients (M:F = 9:1) of primary immunodeficiency with at least one well defined autoimmune disease were identified. The underlying immunodeficiency included three with Bruton's disease, three with common variable immunodeficiency, one with hyper-IgM, one with primary CD4 T-cell deficiency and two with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. The autoimmune manifestations include arthritis in six, ulcerative colitis in one, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia in three children. The major treatment was steroid and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug. Infection could be controlled with antibiotics and intravenous immunoglobulin in all save one. The morbidity among these patients included bronchiectasis with pulmonary hypertension in three, joint stiffness, short stature, and delayed puberty in two. In conclusion, autoimmune diseases are frequently seen in patients with primary immunodeficiency. It could be the first and/or sole sign of disease. The possibility of immunodeficiency should be kept in mind when evaluating patients with autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of three recombinant human leukocyte interferons on drug metabolism in mice.

Three recombinant human leukocyte interferons (IFLrA, IFLrD, and a hybrid IFLrA/D) that differ markedly in their antiviral activity in murine L cells were examined for their effects on hepatic microsomal drug metabolism in adult female CD-1 mice. When administered for 1 or 3 consecutive days, IFLrA/D, which exhibited the highest antiviral activity in murine L cells, caused a dose-dependent decrease in cytochrome P-450 content and in the rate of metabolism in vitro of benzo[a]pyrene, hexobarbital, 7-ethoxycoumarin, benzphetamine, and zoxazolamine. The concentration of cytochrome b and the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase were also depressed when IFLrA/D was administered for 3 days. Similar but somewhat smaller changes were observed following treatment of mice with IFLrD, which possessed approximately 1% of the antiviral activity of IFLrA/D in murine L cells. In contrast, IFLrA, which was essentially devoid of antiviral activity in the mouse cell line, failed to depress cytochrome P-450 levels and in vitro drug metabolism activity in a consistent or dose-dependent manner. Cytochrome P-450 content and the in vitro rate of metabolism of benzphetamine and zoxazolamine were maximally depressed 8-24 hr after a single intraperitoneal injection of 1.5 micrograms of interferon per mouse; at this time the interferons were no longer detectable in serum. Near-normal levels of cytochrome P-450 and in vitro drug metabolism activity were restored by 48 hr after a single injection of interferon. Treatment of mice with 1.5 micrograms of IFLrA/D once daily for 3 days prolonged hexobarbital sleeping time but not zoxazolamine paralysis time, whereas neither of these was influenced by treatment with IFLrA or D. The results indicate that an interferon-dependent process reduces the level of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in liver and potentiates the pharmacological actions of certain drugs in mice.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of betamethasone on the in vitro and in vivo 2-hydroxylation of biphenyl in the rat.

The in vitro addition of betamethasone to rat liver microsomes caused a concentration-dependent stimulation of biphenyl 2-hydroxylation. At a 100 microM concentration of betamethasone, the formation of 2-hydroxybiphenyl was increased by approximately 4-fold in microsomes from 28-day-old rats and 10-fold in liver microsomes from 5-day-old rats. The steroid had little or no effect on the hydroxylation of biphenyl in the 3- or 4-position except at the highest concentration tested (1 mM), where a 20-30% inhibition was observed. The ip injection of 0.01 to 10 mumol of betamethasone to 5-day-old rats had little or no effect on the total body metabolism of 0.01 to 3.5 mumol of biphenyl-2-3H to 2-hydroxybiphenyl as measured by 3H2O formation. Although betamethasone had no effect on the 2-hydroxylation of biphenyl in the intact rat, this reaction was stimulated 4- to 9-fold by the addition of 100 microM betamethasone to hepatocyte monolayer cultures.

Aging↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunological studies of children with anaphylactoid purpura.

Anaphylactoid purpura is a small-vessel, vasculitic disease of unknown etiology, but it is thought to be caused by an immunoglobulin-mediated inflammatory process. To study the immunological profiles of local anaphylactoid purpura patients, during the period from October 1996 to October 1997 with 17 patients, (6 boys and 11 girls), (aged 3 years to 17 years, mean age: 7.9 years), with anaphylactoid purpura who visited National Taiwan University Hospital. Immunological studies were performed in 17 patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls. Higher C3 was noted in patients (126.2 +/- 26.7 mg/dL) than in the control group (116.1 +/- 16.7 mg/dL), although without statistical significance (P = 0.307). C4 levels of patients were significantly higher in patients than control group (38.6 +/- 13.4 v.s. 23.7 +/- 6.9 mg/dL), P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the IgG and IgM levels between patient and control groups. In contrast, the IgA levels of patient were significantly higher than that control groups (293.1 +/- 102.9 v.s. 179.8 +/- 71.0 mg/dL, P = 0.001). The serum level of TGF-beta 1 of patients was higher than that of the control group although not statistically significant (44.1 +/- 27.3 v.s. 29.9 +/- 19.0 ng/mL, p = 0.067). A significantly higher percentage of T cells was noted in anaphylactoid purpura patients than controls (71.5 +/- 9.2% v.s. 65.0 +/- 6.3%, P = 0.016). However, no significant difference was found in other subpopulations of lymphocytes. These basic immunological profiles may be helpful for further work on the pathogenesis of anaphylactoid purpura.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Perinatal candidiasis and transient maternal candidemia: report of one case.

A premature infant who contracted candida pneumonia and candidemia early in the postnatal period was reported. Fungal hyphae was found in the pus-like gastric aspirate soon after birth, giving the first clue to the diagnosis and prompting an early institution of antifungal therapy. Maternal candidemia was documented in the immediate postpartum period, which resolved spontaneously without specific antifungal treatment.

Adult↗