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At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Mix-ups and mycoplasma: the enemies within.

Human leukemia-lymphoma (LL) cell lines represent important tools for experimental research. Among the various problems associated with cell lines, the two most common concern contaminations: (1) cross-contamination with unrelated cells and (2) contamination with microorganisms, in particular mycoplasma. The bad news is that about one-third of the cell lines are either cross-contaminated or mycoplasma-infected or both. The good news is that there are means to recognize and overcome these problems. In cases where, during attempts to establish new LL cell lines, primary LL cultures are cross-contaminated with continuous cell lines, intended new cell lines simply cannot be established ("early" cross-contamination). In cases of "late" cross-contamination of existing LL cell lines where the intrusive cells have a growth advantage, the original ("uncontaminated") cell lines may still be available elsewhere. DNA fingerprinting and cytogenetic analysis appear to be the most suitable approaches to detect cross-contaminations and to authenticate LL cell lines. A different but related aspect of "false" LL cell lines is the frequent misclassification of cell lines whereby the actual cell type of the cell line does not correspond to the purported model character of the cell line. Mycoplasma infection can have a multitude of effects on the eukaryotic cells which, due to the variety of infecting mycoplasma species and many other contributing parameters, cannot be predicted, rendering resulting data questionable at best. Practical procedures for the detection and elimination of mycoplasma contamination have been developed. Diagnostic and preventive strategies in order to hem the alarming increase in "false" and mycoplasma-positive LL cell lines are recommended.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

[Check-ups with brain SPECT in electroconvulsive therapy in patients with severe drug-resistant depressive episodes and Parkinson's disease].

We have studied three women (66,72 and 72 years) with Parkinson's disease of 11, 6 and 21 years of evolution and drug-resistant severe depressive episodes treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We have performed a brain SPECT (99mTc-HMPAO) before and after the ECT. The clinical improvement of the severe depressive episodes were measured using the Hamilton score. The first patient did not experience any clinical improvement (Hamilton score 42 to 42). In this patient the brain SPECT before treatment presented a reduced perfusion in the posterior parietal region, anterior cingulate cortex and medial frontal and parietal cortex. After the treatment, the brain SPECT did not present significant variations. The second patient presented a moderate clinical improvement (Hamilton score 46 to 36) and also presented moderate improvement in the neurological symptoms. The brain SPECT before the treatment showed reduced perfusion in the left temporal cortex and medium-posterior parietal cortex. After the treatment, it also did not reflect significant variations. The third patient experienced a very good response to the ECT sessions (Hamilton score 45 to 10) and also an improvement regarding the neurological symptoms. This patient presented a reduced perfusion in the medium-posterior parietal regions in the brain SPECT performed before the treatment; these regions presented a moderate improvement in the brain SPECT performed after the treatment. The patient who presented a significant neurological and psychiatric improvement also presented an improvement in the perfusion of the decreased areas in the brain SPECT and showed fewer alterations in the baseline brain SPECT compared with the others. The brain SPECT could have a prognostic (and confirmation) role regarding clinical improvement induced by ECT in resistant depression in Parkinson's disease. ECT is an alternative in treatment of severe depressive drug-resistant episodes associated to the Parkinson's disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Ups and downs of protein crystallization: studies of protein crystals by high-performance capillary electrophoresis.

High-performance capillary electrophoresis is a high-technology micro-separation method. Short run time, full automation and minute amounts of sample make it a very attractive technique. In this report we describe studies of protein crystals by capillary electrophoresis. We show how high-performance capillary electrophoresis can be used effectively for rapid evaluation and examination of the protein solution used for crystallization, the protein crystals (solubilized) and surrounding mother liquor. With coated capillaries, the runs were reproducible and disturbing effects, such as electroendosmosis and interaction of the proteins with the capillary wall, were suppressed efficiently. We recommend this new technique as a powerful and routine companion to protein crystallography.

Crystallization↗
PubMed1997

Behavioral self-regulation: correlates and 2 year follow-ups for boys at risk for substance abuse.

This investigation demonstrated the heuristic construct of behavioral self-regulation (BSR) as a salient component of the liability to substance abuse. Three dimensions of childhood behaviour were employed to create a dimensional model of BSR: inattention, impulsivity/hyperactivity and aggressivity. Multiple measures and multiple informants were employed to develop indices of the three traits in a sample of 10-12 year old sons of substance abusing fathers (high risk (HR); n = 180) and normal controls (low average risk (LAR); n = 200). Informants included mothers, boys and their teachers. The results confirmed the presence of a first-order latent trait of BSR. HR boys had significantly higher scores on BSR than LAR boys. Concurrent validity of the BSR trait scores was supported by significant associations with measures of family dysfunction, deviant peer affiliations and poor school performance. These latter problems are commonly prodromal to substance abuse. Predictive validity of the BSR trait baseline scores (age 10-12 years) was supported at 2 year follow-up by significant associations of BSR scores with magnitude of deviant peer affiliations; trends toward significance were found for family dysfunction and poor school performance. Taken together, these results confirm and extend previous findings which indicate that poor BSR is prodromal to substance abuse.

Aggression↗
PubMed2004

Different methods to assess quality of life from multiple follow-ups in a longitudinal asthma study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Serial measurements obtained during observational longitudinal studies offer the opportunity to describe the effects of chronic diseases on patient-centered outcomes such as quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess serial Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) and SF-36 scores against a transition item using three methods of data analysis-final minus initial scores, maximum minus minimum scores, and regression line slopes through all scores. METHODS: Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, each method of analysis was compared against patients' responses to a global transition question about change in asthma status with responses dichotomized as "stayed the same or got worse" or "improved." A total of 185 patients, mean age 41+/-11 years, 83% women, completed the AQLQ and SF-36 three to seven times at approximately 8-month intervals over a mean of 24.8+/-3.9 months. For the AQLQ, all three methods of data analysis performed well against the transition item with ROC areas highest for the symptoms, activities, and the summary AQLQ scores (0.74-0.78). RESULTS: Overall, ROC areas increased as the number of observations increased, ranging from 0.78 to 0.93 for the AQLQ summary score for patients with three to six or more assessments, respectively (P =.02). As part of the AQLQ, patients cited specific activities in which they were limited because of asthma. A total of 66 different activities were cited, including limitations in stair climbing, walking, interacting with others, sleeping, and working. In ROC analysis, serial measurements of these items also performed well against the transition item with areas ranging from 0.72 to 0.75 for all three methods of analysis. In contrast, ROC areas for the SF-36 Physical and Mental Component Summary scores were significantly lower, ranging from 0.59 to 0.66 compared to the AQLQ areas, indicating that the generic scale was less responsive than the disease-specific scale (P< or = .01). The three different methods of analysis also provided unique information about the cohort. The final minus initial analysis showed that 63% of patients had clinically important improvements, the maximum minus minimum analysis showed that over 90% of patients had fluctuations in scores that were clinically important, and the slope analysis showed that 79% of patients had an overall trend of improvement. CONCLUSIONS: This study described possible methods to analyze and present serial data. Additional techniques to assess and interpret serial longitudinal data are needed to comprehensively describe long-term effects of chronic diseases on quality of life.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The ups and downs of MEK kinase interactions.

MEK kinases (MEKKs) comprise a family of related serine-threonine protein kinases that regulate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways leading to c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 activation, induced by cellular stress (e.g., UV and gamma irradiation, osmotic stress, heat shock, protein synthesis inhibitors), inflammatory cytokines (e.g., tumour necrosis factor alpha, TNFalpha, and interleukin-1, IL1) and G protein-coupled receptor agonists (e.g., thrombin). These stress-activated kinases have been implicated in apoptosis, oncogenic transformation, and inflammatory responses in various cell types. At present, the signalling events involving MEKKs are not well understood. This review summarises our current knowledge concerning the regulation and function of MEKK family members, with particular emphasis on those factors capable of directly interacting with distinct MEKK isoforms.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Cell polarity: the ups and downs of the Par6/aPKC complex.

A signaling complex in which atypical protein kinase C associates with a regulatory protein, Par6, plays an essential role in establishing cell polarity. Recent studies in organisms ranging from worms to mammals have highlighted some of the conserved mechanisms by which the assembly, localization and activity of this complex are regulated. Recent work is also beginning to unravel how this complex acts in concert with additional molecular complexes to establish and maintain polarity.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Dosage compensation in flies and worms: the ups and downs of X-chromosome regulation.

Dosage compensation ensures that individuals with a single X chromosome have the same amount of most X-linked gene products as those with two. In Drosophila, this equalization is achieved by a two-fold enhancement of the level of transcription of the X in males (XY) relative to each X chromosome in females (XX). In Caenorhabditis, equalization of X-linked gene products between hermaphrodites (XX) and males (XO) is achieved by decreasing the activity of genes in the former. These two different solutions to the common problem of unequal dosage of X-linked genes in different sexes provide invaluable paradigms for the study of gene regulation at the level of chromatin remodeling.

Animals↗