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A protocol for polymerase chain reaction detection of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from the root canal.

AIM: The present study was set up to develop a protocol for detection of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from the root canal. METHODOLOGY: A collection of type strains and clinical isolates ol E. faecalis and faecium was used. Specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeted against the 16S/23S rDNA intergenic region were used and PCR reactions were set up. PCR products were run on TBE-agarose gel and analysed. The sensitivity of the PCR systems was studied using serial dilutions of (i) bacterial DNA and (ii) bacterial cells from E. faecalis. The specificity of the identification was tested against closely related species. RESULTS: All strains of E. faecalis and E. faecium produced identical amplicon profiles composed of two major bands corresponding to sizes of 320 and 420 bp. When amplifying DNA of higher purity, a third band of 600 bp became evident as well. Closely related species demonstrated single bands of various sizes and were easily distinguished from enterococci. The detection level of DNA from serial dilutions of DNA was 10(-13) g. The DNA extraction protocol from bacterial cell suspensions resulted in a detection level of 10 bacterial cells per sample. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated a good potential for using PCR technology in the detection of F. faecalis and E. faecium from root canal samples. With a high specificity the methodology was able to detect 10 cells of E. faecalis.

Base Pairing↗

Restricted tissue distribution of extralesional Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in AIDS patients with Kaposi's sarcoma.

Specific herpesvirus-like DNA sequences have been found in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) lesions of AIDS patients, suggesting that a novel gamma herpesvirus, homologous to Epstein-Barr virus and herpesvirus saimiri, could be implicated in the pathogenesis of KS. To better understand the role of this putative etiological agent, named Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) or human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), we investigated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the presence of viral DNA sequences in various organs obtained at autopsy from seven AIDS patients with KS and six without KS. For each sample, to exclude positive results due to visceral KS dissemination, the presence of microscopic foci of KS cells was rules out by histology and CD34 immunohistochemistry on serial frozen sections immediately adjacent to those employed for DNA extraction. PCR and nested PCR were performed with primers specific for the HIV-8 330 Bam fragment originally described by Chang et al. (Science 1994;266:1865-1869). As quality control, the extracted DNA was amplified with primers for human beta-globin. All KS legions were HHV-8 positive. In addition, extralesional KSHV DNA sequences were detected in seven of seven lymphoid organs and in five of five prostate glands of KS patients. Normal skin was positive in three of five cases and bone marrow in two of three tested cases, all other tissues being negative by PCR and nested PCR. By contrast, no virus was detected in tissue samples of AIDS cases without KS. The restricted organ distribution here documented argues for a selective tissue tropism of HHV-8 in vivo in AIDS patients and suggests that in the infected host lymphoid organs and the prostate gland may represent privileged sites of viral latency and persistence.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Changes of nuclear matrix in long-term culture of limbal epithelial cells.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the changes of nuclear matrix in long-term culture of rabbit limbal epithelial cells. METHODS: Epithelial cells outgrown from limbal basal epithelium were serially cultivated. Nuclear matrices of early and late passages were extracted for morphologic study and protein analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. RESULTS: Differential growth and changes in morphology were observed in limbal epithelial cells of early and late passages. Cytokeratin type 3 was expressed in cells of later passages, indicating corneal cell differentiation during the long-term culture. These cells also showed reduced density of nuclear matrix fibrils and thinning of nuclear lamina. They were shown by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to have lost most nuclear matrix proteins, including lamin A/C and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. However, five new protein entities were also expressed. CONCLUSION: The nuclear matrix appeared to change along with limbal epithelial cell differentiation in culture. Whether such changes may affect the growth and viability of limbal cells after transplantation requires in vivo tissue analysis.

Animals↗

Behcet syndrome: with immunologic evaluation.

A case of Behcet syndrome with immunologic evaluation, including screening of a vulvar ulcer for IgG, IgM, IgA, and fibrinogen by direct fluorescent microscopy is presented. Attempts were made to demonstrate cellular and humoral immune responses to mucosal antigens by lymphoblast transformation in the presence of cadaver esophageal mucosal extracts and indirect immunofluorescence using autologous serum and mucosal tissue. Serial measurements of percentages of total T, active T, and B lymphocyte populations, and lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation during the course of Behcet syndrome are also presented. Clinical evaluation, histology of a Behcet vulvar ulcer, and a 2-year followup with good response to chlorambucil are reviewed.

Adult↗

The induction of myeloid leukaemias by Rauscher murine leukaemia virus.

A number of cloned viral preparations isolated from Rauscher virus-producing JLS-V5 cells were compared in their competence to induce different types of leukaemias. All preparations were able to induce myeloid leukaemias, but the induction of lymphatic or erythroid leukaemias was also observed. Serial infection of newborn mice with either cell-free extracts or serum from animals suffering from a myeloid leukaemia did not result in the occurrence of relatively more myeloid leukaemias nor did the infection with virus harvested from ascites fluid of permanent myeloid cell lines. It appears that the mechanism by which myeloid leukaemias are induced is not virus-specific.

Animals↗

Cytokinins in seedling roots of pea.

The natural occurrence of cytokinins existing both in a free form and as a constituent of transfer RNA was examined in serial segments of young seedling roots of pea. Purified ethanol extracts of root apices were resolved into four factors capable of inducing soybean callus tissue proliferation. The most active factor was identified as zeatin or some closely related compound; it produced polyploid divisions and tracheary element differentiation when tested on cultured pea root segments. The terminal 0- to 1-millimeter root tip contained 43 to 44 times more free cytokinin on a fresh weight or a per cell basis than the next 1- to 5-millimeter root segment. Extracts of more proximal segments behind the tip contained no measurable free cytokinin. Acid hydrolysates of transfer RNA exhibited reproducible cytokinin activity. Bioassays revealed that the predominant amounts of free cytokinin and that present in transfer RNA were restricted to the extreme root tip. There was approximately 27 times more free cytokinin than the amount detected in transfer RNA in root apices.

Journal Article↗

Purification and properties of bovine brain dopamine beta-hydroxylase.

Dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) was purified from bovine brain by a series of steps including extraction with 0.5% Triton X-100, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and serial chromatographies with Concanavalin A (Con A)-Sepharose, Biogel A-1.5 m, DEAE-Sephadex, and phenyl-Sepharose. The overall purification was approximately 4200-fold and the final specific activity was 147 nmol/min/mg protein. Bovine brain DBH was apparently a glycoprotein and interacted with immobilized Con A. Furthermore, the enzyme bound to phenyl-substituted agarose by hydrophobic interaction. An approximate molecular weight was estimated to be 400,000 by gel filtration; the protein eluted earlier than bovine adrenal DBH with a molecular weight estimated to be 290,000. The Km values toward tyramine and ascorbate were 1.53 and 1.42 mM, respectively, the optimal pH was 5.0 in the presence of 20 mM tyramine as substrate. Immunological titration studies indicated that bovine brain and adrenal DBH had common antigenic sites. Our data showed a close similarity between the bovine brain and adrenal enzymes.

Animals↗

A recB recC sbcB recJ host prevents recA-independent deletions in recombinant cosmid DNA propagated in Escherichia coli.

Segments of DNA are deleted from recombinant cosmid DNAs with high frequency during propagation in standard recA Escherichia coli hosts. An attempt has been made to derive an appropriate strain of E. coli, suitable for cosmid cloning, in which such deletions do not occur. We examined the effects of a series of host recombinational mutations on the deletion process, using six independent recombinant cosmids that carry inserts of mouse, Chinese hamster, or human DNA. Various E. coli host cells carrying the recombinant cosmids were cultured serially in liquid medium, and the recombinant cosmid DNAs were extracted from the host cells and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and by gene transfer of the DNAs into cultured mammalian cells. Of the mutations examined, only a recB recC sbcB recJ (or recN) quadruple combination of host mutations prevented the deletion of DNA segments. The recombinant cosmid DNAs propagated in E. coli hosts that carried this combination of mutations were functionally as well as structurally intact. We propose that the recJ (and/or recN) gene is involved in some aspect of the events that lead to deletions of cosmid DNA in a recB recC sbcB genetic background.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Specific role of each human leukocyte type in viral infections. II. Phytohemagglutinin-treated lymphocytes as host cells for vesicular stomatitis virus replication in vitro.

The mitogenic agent, phytohemagglutinin (PHA), added to human mixed leukocyte cultures and to lymphocyte cultures converted small lymphocytes into lymphoblasts and increased lymphocyte susceptibility to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Maximum virus yields were 30- to 1,000-fold higher in PHA-treated than in control cultures. VSV replicated to peak titers before lymphocytes were morphologically transformed by PHA, and virus titers fell as lymphoblast destruction began. PHA neither induced significant VSV replication in polymorphonuclear leukocyte cultures, nor increased the large virus yields in monocyte cultures. The treatment of PHA with heat, digestive enzymes, rabbit anti-PHA serum and serial dilutions failed to dissociate that portion of the PHA extract responsible for the conversion of lymphocytes into virus-susceptible cells from those components responsible for leukoagglutination or lymphocyte transformation.

Culture Techniques↗

Biology and genetics of prion diseases.

Enriching fractions from Syrian hamster (SHa) brain for scrapie prion infectivity led to the discovery of the prion protein (PrP). Prion diseases include scrapie of sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) of cattle, as well as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS), and fatal familial insomnia (FFI) of humans. Discovery of mutations in the PrP genes of humans with familial CJD, GSS, and FFI established that prion diseases are both genetic and infectious. Many lines of evidence have converged to argue that infectious prions are composed largely, if not entirely, of PrPSc molecules. Mice overexpressing mutant and wild-type transgenes develop neurologic illnesses spontaneously and produce prions as demonstrated by serial transmission of disease in rodents after inoculation of brain extracts. Although these and many other findings argue that prions are devoid of nucleic acid, the molecular basis of prion strains remains enigmatic. The formation of PrPSc from PrPC is a posttranslational process involving the conversion of alpha-helices into beta-sheets. This conformational change in PrP appears to be the fundamental event that underlies prion propagation and the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The unique features of prion structure and propagation differentiate prions from all other transmissible pathogens.

Animals↗

Study of the pulmonary circulation in a canine asthma model.

Measurements of respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, and pulmonary hemodynamics were made before and serially for 2 hours after inhalation challenge with Ascaris suum extract in dogs with natural sensitivity to this antigen. Nine of 14 dogs randomly exposed to an inspired oxygen fraction of 0.21 or 0.60 to 0.70, responded to the challenge with bronchospasm reflected by a transient decrease of mean specific respiratory system conductance to 50 per cent of baseline after 5 to 15 min. This was accompanied by a decrease in alveolar ventilation in all and acidosis in some animals. No changes were observed in transmural pulmonary arterial pressure, cardiac output, pulmonary vascular resistance, and pulmonary blood volume in all 9 dogs who responded with bronchospasm, whether or not arterial hypoxemia was allowed to develop. In contrast, a significant increase in pulmonary vascular resistance occurred in control dogs in whom comparable degrees of arterial hypoxemia were produced by 10 per cent oxygen breathing or mechanical bronchial obstruction by placing beads in lobar and segmental airways. No changes in any parameter measured occurred in the 5 dogs who did not develop bronchospasm after antigen challenge. The results indicated that moderately severe, antigen-induced bronchospasm in anesthetized dogs has no effect on the pulmonary circulation even when associated with arterial hypoxemia. Because nonuniformity of alveolar hypoxia allowing redistribution of blood flow is probably not responsible for this failure to develop increases in pulmonary vascular resistance in induced asthma, it is suggested that the elaboration of chemical mediators may have interfered with the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstrictor response.

Acidosis↗

Predictive value of autoantibodies for activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.

There is no serologic test that reliably measures disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The 'gold standard' is the anti-dsDNA antibody test, which has been used as a marker of disease activity by clinicians in SLE for over 35 years. Anti-dsDNA antibodies perform best in those with lupus nephritis, specifically in the presence of a proliferative lesion [World Health Organization (WHO) class III or IV] on renal biopsy. In one recent meta-analysis, the mean positive likelihood ratio of anti-dsDNA antibodies as a marker of disease activity in SLE was 4.14, implying the overall predictive effect was small. More recently autoantibody assays have been developed that show greater promise in gauging SLE disease activity, specifically anti-nucleosome and anti-C1q antibodies (especially with renal disease activity). Other tests thought previously to be lacking in specificity that refinements in ELISA technology now render possibly useful include anti-heparan sulfate, anti-ssDNA and anti-Scl-70 autoantibodies. Other tests that as yet have not been shown to be as reliable (and therefore are not as useful in clinical practice for serial determination to measure disease activity) include other anti-extractable nuclear antibodies (anti-Ro, La, Sm, RNP), anti-cardiolipin antibodies, and anti-nuclear cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). New technologies using proteomic determinations show promise as aids in the search for more reliable and feasible autoantibody determinations of disease activity in SLE.

Autoantibodies↗

Factors influencing isolation of islets of Langerhans.

More efficient methods of islet isolation must be developed for islet transplantation to become clinically routine. During collagenase dispersal of human pancreas, an amorphous, viscous, gellike material often develops and entraps large numbers of islets, thereby reducing the yield. When donor human pancreas is minced and treated with collagenase, the gel forms most abundantly if the digestion temperature is less than 35 degrees C and if pH falls below 7.2 +/- 0.2. Gel formation appears to be proportional to warm- or cold-ischemia time and may be related to tissue trauma during collection. Once gel has formed, trapped islets cannot be released by filtration, dilution, DNase, incubation temperature, or pH adjustment. These characteristics suggest that the material is gelatin derived from collagen released enzymatically from pancreatic stroma. We demonstrate that gelation is greatly reduced or eliminated when 1) the incubation medium includes glycerol--a common gelatin solvent--at 5% (vol/vol), 2) the minced tissue-to-total incubation volume ratio is greater than or equal to 1:10, 3) free-islet exposure to pancreatic digestion products is minimized by frequent separation of islets, and 4) collagenase concentration is optimized by titration. Gelation is also minimized by maintaining 5) incubation temperature at 38 +/- 1 degree C and 6) pH in the range 7.7-7.9. Variations in these physical and chemical conditions were analyzed by determining islet yields (stereoscopic microscope counts of serially diluted samples) and by insulin radioimmunoassay of acid alcohol extracts of isolated islets after separation through discontinuous Ficoll gradients. When isolation conditions are optimized as stated, we typically recover 3.3 +/- 1.0 x 10(4) islets/g pancreas, corresponding to greater than 10(6) islets per donor.

Adolescent↗

Altered tissue digoxin uptake after a toxic dose.

Tissue distribution and left ventricular (LV) effects of digoxin were studied after intravenous administration of low and high doses to dogs. LV dP/dt was increased by 0.03 mg/kg digoxin in nine, group A, and digoxin-induced arrhythmias or death occurred after 0.14 mg/kg in nine others, group B. Two hours after dosing during the slow excretion phase confirmed by serial serum sampling, the animals were killed. Serum and tissue extract digoxin determinations were performed by radioimmunoassay. Digoxin levels in group A were serum 3.9 ng/ml, kidney 428 ng/gm wet wt, liver 41, pancreas 39, diaphragn 21, apex, freewall, and septum LV 117-122, right ventricle (RV) 105, left atrium (LA) 51, right atrium (RA) 50, and the serum to apex LV ration was 1:32. The tissue contents and distribution were similar to previous [3H]digoxin data. The concentrations were higher in B; for all p less than 0.001. The toxic to therapeutic concentration ratios were serum 10, kidney 2.8, liver 5.5. pancreas 5,4, diaphragm 6.5, LV 4.3, RV 4.0, LA 3.5, RA 3.4. The serum to LV ratio was lower at 1:13, p less than 0.001. Myocardial toxicity was associated with marked but apparently limited increases in tissue digoxin content in this preparation. The disproportionately high serum level suggests paralysis or saturation of kidney and other tissue binding resulting in lower serum to tissue concentration ratios. Whenever serum to tissue ratios vary from expected values, serum digoxin levels may not be linearly related to tissue content or cardiac effects.

Animals↗

[The HVR genotypes and their relationship with the resistance of methicillin-resistant staphylococci].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the HVR-PCR genotype of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci in local hospitals and compare it with the antibiograms, with aview to selecting effective antibacterial agents, moreover, to discuss preliminarily its role in molecular epidemiology. METHODS: The minimal inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of 86 MRSA, 10 MRSE(Mc'S. epidemidis), 5 MSSE(Mc'S. epidemidis), 8 MRSH(Mc'S. haemolyticus) and 5 MSSH(Mc'S. haemolyticus) clinical isolates collected from 4 local hospitals were tested by serial two-fold agar dilution method; their DNA were extracted by moved basic lytic method, whose polymerase chain reaction(PCR) products amplified, based on the size of mec-associated hypervariable region(HVR) were analyzed by PAG vertical and agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: MRSA, MRSE and MRSH were grouped into 4, 3 and 2 HVR genotypes respectively according to the size of the PCR products. The PCR products amplified from 9 of 10 MRSE isolates were the same as the products amplified from MRSA isolates. MRSA strains in this study were mainly HVR genotypes A and D, which accounted for 52.32% and 39.53%; Genotypes B and C were the most multi-drug resistant, but genotype D was multi-sensitive. The I genotype of MRSE was multi-drug resistant, but its genotype III was multi-drug sensitive. The genotype a of MRSH was more resistant than genotype b. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that HVR-PCR genotype method is an easy and fast method for epidemiological investigation of nosocomial infections caused by MRSA, and it is helpful for clinical selection of antibacterial agents. This method can compare the mec determinants of MRSA and Mc'CNSt isolates and hence to search for the origin of the mec determinant.

Complementarity Determining Regions↗

Validation of a rapid solid-phase radioimmunoassay for canine, bovine, and equine insulin.

A rapid and convenient commercial radioimmunoassay kit, developed for quantifying hormones in specimens from human beings, was validated for use in measuring insulin in serum of dogs, cattle, and horses. The procedure uses polypropylene assay tubes treated with rabbit anti-porcine insulin serum and porcine [125I]iodoinsulin. Specificity was proven by demonstrating that standard solutions of porcine insulin and serial dilutions of canine, bovine, and equine sera and pancreatic extracts inhibited binding of [125I]iodoinsulin to the antibody in a parallel manner. Gel-filtration chromatography of pancreatic extracts yielded a major peak of immunoreactive material that eluted identically with [125I]iodoinsulin. Immunoreactivity was not associated with fractions that contain larger and smaller molecular weight peptides (eg, proinsulin and C-peptide, respectively). Biological specificity of the assay was shown by demonstrating increased insulin in serum after injection of glucose into heifers and glucagon into dogs and horses. Purified insulin and insulin in pancreatic extracts could be quantitatively recovered from serum, thereby demonstrating accuracy of the assay. Interassay precision of 5 control specimens run in 20 consecutive assays ranged from 6.7% to 20.1% (coefficient of variation) and intra-assay precision of 6 control specimens each assayed 10 times ranged from 4.4% to 10.7% (coefficient of variation). Sensitivity of the assay was 3.2 microIU/ml. This radioimmunoassay for insulin is ideal for veterinary research and diagnosis, because a single set of reagents and procedures can be used for at least 3 species.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Analytical artifacts in radioimmunoassay of L-thyroxin in human milk.

Previous results are contradictory regarding the concentration of thyroxin in human milk. Using a sensitive radioimmunoassay, we have found a lack of parallelism between the standard curve for thyroxin and the curve for serial dilutions of whole human milk, skimmed milk, or ethanol extracts of milk. Nonspecific binding also indicated the presence of analytical artifacts. Thus we have separated thyroxin from other milk components by means of a strongly basic Bio-Rad anion-exchange resin with quaternary ammonium exchange groups attached to a styrene divinyl benzene copolymer lattice, radioimmunoassaying the fractions eluted with an equivolume mixture of acetic acid and water. Parallelism with the standard curve was good, and results were the same whether or not the resin eluate was further purified by paper chromatography. The range of thyroxin concentration in 21 samples of human milk was 0.29-2.00 micrograms/L (mean 0.71, SD 0.40, microgram/L). Such concentrations are unlikely to afford protection to the developing brain of a breast-fed athyreotic baby, as previously claimed.

Humans↗

Fas ligand expression is restricted to nonlymphoid thymic components in situ.

The cell surface receptor Fas (Apo-1/CD95) and its ligand (FasL) are mediators of apoptosis that have been shown to be implicated in activation-induced death of mature T cells and in killing mediated by cytolytic T cells. The role of the Fas pathway in apoptosis associated with thymic selection events is, however, controversial. Although Fas and FasL are known to be expressed in the thymus, the nature and in vivo localization of FasL-expressing cells have not been determined. Using recently developed anti-FasL Abs in combination with in situ hybridization on tissue sections, we show in this work that FasL-expressing cells are present in the thymus, particularly within the medulla. FasL mRNA was detected readily in thymic stromal cell extracts, but not in isolated thymocytes. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis of serial tissue sections stained with Abs against FasL in conjunction with epithelial and dendritic cell markers indicated that both thymic epithelial and dendritic cells express FasL in situ. The coexistence of FasL-expressing stromal cells and Fas-expressing thymocytes may have important implications for the role of the Fas pathway in apoptosis associated with thymic selection events.

Animals↗