Photochemical conjugation of peptides to carrier proteins using 1,2,3-thiadiazole-4-carboxylic acid Immunoreactivity of free C-terminal epitope with specific antibodies

A new heterobifunctional cross-linking reagent, 1,2,3-thiadiazole-4-carboxylic acid, for the photochemical conjugation of peptides to proteins is described. The title compound can be coupled directly to a protected peptide resin during solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) using standard coupling procedures. The probe is stable to TFA deprotection/cleavage mixtures containing ethanedithiol commonly used in Fmoc-SPPS. Furthermore, tritium may easily be introduced into the thiadiazole ring by base-catalyzed hydrogen-exchange. Upon irradiation at 245-300 nm, parent 1,2,3-thiadiazole rapidly eliminates N₂, generating very reactive thioketene which reacts with amines to give a thioamide in high yield, even when the photolysis is carried out in hydroxylic solvents. In order to investigate the potential of the title compound as a heterobifunctional cross-linking reagent a model study with angiotensin II (AII) was conducted. The photoreactive peptide N^α-4-carbonyl-1,2,3-thiadiazole-AII (TDA-AII) was synthesized by Fmoc-SPPS and conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by photolysis at 245 and 300 nm. By use of a capture competition ELISA, the C-terminal Pro-Phe epitope of photoconjugated AII with the sequence DRVYIHPF was shown to bind specifically to antiAII antibodies (anti-AII abs), although antibodies against both the C- and N-terminal epitopes were present in the assay. A dipeptide His-Leu carboxy-extension form of AII, angiotensin I (AI), only bound to anti-AII abs at 100-200 times higher concentrations, showing that the C-terminal epitope was blocked by the dipeptide. © Munksgaard 1996.     

Cultural orientation and adolescents' alcohol use in Zimbabwe

A classroom survey was conducted in June 1994 among 3061 secondary school students in four provinces in Zimbabwe, with the main objective of measuring health behaviours, school performance and environmental and cultural factors as predictors for drug use. This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between cultural orientation and alcohol use. The survey instrument was based on previous studies undertaken in Zimbabwe and in Europe and adapted to the local situation. A two-staged stratified random sampling strategy distinguished between four different socio-cultural groups. Standardized instructions were given in classrooms by a trained research team. Respondents' mean ages were 14.9 years for boys and 15.1 years for girls, and 51.4% were boys. For a number of core questions, test-retest reliability was shown to be satisfactory. A 14-item scale focusing on language, mass media and music preferences was constructed to measure cultural orientation. Principal component analysis revealed two distinct factors with low interfactor correlation and acceptable scale reliability (alpha), one representing Western orientation and the other Zimbabwean or traditional cultural orientation. Zimbabwean orientation was found to be associated with lower alcohol use, whereas western orientation was associated with higher probability for alcohol use.     

The HL-A7 Histocompatibility Antigen in Sarcoidosis Relation to Tuberculin Sensivity

Eighty cases of sarcoidosis have been investigated. In all except eight patients a histological verification of the diagnosis was obtained by mediastinoscopy or liver biopsy. The HL-A7 antigen was not increased in the entire group. However, in the group of patients with a negative sensitivity to tuberculin after the appearance of the disease there was a significant increase compared with controls. In the patients with a positive reaction, there was a complete absence of HL-A7. The HL-A system therefore does not seem to influence the liability to contract sarcoidosis, but once this condition has developed HL-A7 positives are more likely to lose cellular immunity to tuberculin and to reveal symptoms.     

The effect of a new anti-allergic drug ICI 74, 9I7, given by aerosol, on nasal stenosis induced by allergen

Nasal airways resistance was measured in ten patients with allergic rhinitis during intranasal application of an extract of grass pollen. Pretreatment with placebo did not inhibit the increase in nasal airways resistance, whereas ICI 74,917 administered from a pressurized aerosol gave almost complete protection. ICI 74,917 was well tolerated and no evidence was obtained of local hyposensitization during the period of the study.     

Generalized Arterial Calcification Associated with Hydramnios in Two Stillborn Infants

Histologic, microradiographic and X-ray crystallographic findings are recorded in two stillborn infants with idiopathic generalized arterial calcification, in one of which there was also nephrocalcinosis. The mineral salt deposits consisted solely of hydroxyapatite and was regarded as metastatic. In both cases there was hydramnios. Since 5 out of 7 known cases of neonatal idiopathic arterial calcification had hydramnios the possibility of a causal connection cannot be ruled out.     

Clinical quality of amalgam restorations

Abstract – The clinical quality of 203 mesio-occlusal Class II and 127 buccal Class V restorations of 246 persons aged 25 years were studied. One third of the amalgam restorations were considered to be unacceptable. Marginal overhang was the prevailing type of failure (17%), recurrent caries occurred at 12% of the restorations, unacceptable proximal contact at 10%, unacceptable marginal adaptation at 8% and isthmus fractures at 2% .     

The Effect of Cod Liver Oil in Two Populations with Low and High Intake of Dietary Fish

ABSTRACT Two subgroups of healthy males from an inland and a coastal community in Norway with a traditionally low and high consumption of dietary fish were given a dietary supplement of 20 ml cod liver oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for 3 weeks. Cod liver oil induced an increase in serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in men from the inland. Both groups showed a prolonged primary bleeding time, whereas platelet aggregation and thromboxane A₂ production induced by collagen were mainly unaffected. Platelet phospholipid fatty acids showed similar changes in both groups with a decrease in n-6 and an increase in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. No changes were observed in total cholesterol or platelet phospholipid content. This study shows that dietary supplement with cod liver oil induces changes in serum lipids and platelets that may reduce the tendency to thrombosis both in subjects with a low and in those with a high intake of dietary fish. The effects were more pronounced in the subjects with a traditionally low fish consumption.     

Coronary risk factors in middle aged men as influenced by fish oils and smoking

The influence of fish oil supplementation on several coronaryrisk factors in blood was studied in 165 middle-aged employedmen (69 smokers, 96 nonsmokers). In earlier studies smokinghas been shown to increase, and fish oils to reduce the coronaryrisk. This raises the question whether the effect of fish oilson coronary risk factors in blood might differ in smokers andnonsmokers. Groups were supplemented for 10 weeks with eithervarious fish oils, or with olive oil. In response to fish oilsupplementation, mean serum triglyceride concentration was reducedfrom 1.4 to 1.1 mmol/1, and - regardless of smoking habits -total cholesterol (TC) levels were reduced from 6.2 to 6.0 mmol/1,and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) increased from1.2 to 1.4 mmol/1 at the end of the supplementation period.In the olive oil group there was no effect on serum triglycerides,but TC fell from 6.4 to 5.9 mmol/1, and HDLc rose from 1.3 to1.4 mmol/1 during the supplementation period. ApolipoproteinA levels fell significantly (by 7% to 8%) in both the pooledfish oil group and the olive oil group, whereas apolipoproteinB levels remained unchanged. A compound atherogenic index includingTC, HDLc and apolipoproteins, was significantly reduced onlyin nonsmokers given fish oil. The effect of various commerciallyavailable concentrates of fish oils seemed to differ accordingto their content of omega-3 fatty acids. The results suggestthat cessation of smoking may be of significance in increasingthe benefit from intake of fish oils.