Screening of Alcoholic Yeast Strains for Petite Mutation Frequency and Killer Phenotypes

Seventeen strains of alcoholic yeasts were screened for petite mutation frequency and killer phenotypes with an objective to develop them as industrial strains. The frequency of petite mutations varied with the strain. Though some strains have shown high frequency mutations, a few strains were found to be genetically stable. The killer property was found to vary with the strains. Interestingly, though some strains proved to be sensitive, some strains were found to be killer strains for marker killer strain also. Thus, the study provides the evidence that the killer principle varies with the strain.     

Heme, ferritin and vegetable iron absorption in humans from meals denatured of heme iron during the cooking of beef

The iron absorption from heme, ferritin and vegetable foods was tested in 63 humans (10 males and 53 females). The iron absorption from heme in beef exposed to prolonged heating was markedly reduced, following the degree of denaturation of the heme. The iron absorption from ferritin was about 31% of the absorption of the reference dose when administered with meat alone, falling to 11% of the reference dose when administered in a meal containing meat and vegetable foods. The absorption of ferritin iron was less than half that of vegetable iron. The data confirm a previous proposal that ferritin forms part of a subgroup of the non-heme iron pool.     

Control of intraocular inflammation after cataract surgery: New perspectives

Anti-inflammatory treatment is routinely prescribed to all patients after cataract surgery to prevent intraocular inflammation. A review of the literature was conducted to determine the optimal control of postcataract surgery inflammation. Intraocular steroid delivery systems, safer steroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been found to be beneficial. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors may circumvent many side effects of the earlier agents. The authors have stated that they do not have a significant financial interest or other relationship with any product manufacturer or provider of services discussed in this article.     

Spanish recommendations on economic evaluation of health technologies

The economic evaluation of health technologies has become a major tool in health policy in Europe for prioritizing the allocation of health resources and the approval of new technologies. The objective of this proposal was to develop guidelines for the economic evaluation of health technologies in Spain. A group of researchers specialized in economic evaluation of health technologies developed the document reported here, following the initiative of other countries in this framework, to provide recommendations for the standardization of methodology applicable to economic evaluation of health technologies in Spain. Recommendations appear under 17 headings or sections. In each case, the recommended requirements to be satisfied by economic evaluation of health technologies are provided. Each recommendation is followed by a commentary providing justification and compares and contrasts the proposals with other available alternatives. The economic evaluation of health technologies should have a role in assessing health technologies, providing useful information for decision making regarding their adoption, and they should be transparent and based on scientific evidence.     

Hapten-protein conjugates prepared by the mixed anhydride method. Cross-reactive antibodies in heterologous antisera

Poly-L-lysine conjugates of three structurally unrelated mycotoxins were made by either a mixed anhydride intermediate (MA) or an activated N-hydroxysuccinimide ester intermediate (AE). Control conjugates, with no mycotoxin, were also prepared by each method. Antisera elicited by mycotoxin-albumin conjugates produced by the MA method bound to the three poly-L-lysine-MA mycotoxin conjugates and the MA control conjugate , but bound only to the poly-L-lysine-AE conjugates of the homologous mycotoxin. Binding of antisera to homologous poly-L-lysine conjugates was always inhibited by free hapten when the conjugate was prepared by the AE method but not by the MA method. The specific inhibition of antibody binding by various synthetic haptens indicated that the cross-reactions associated with the MA method were due to the undesired conjugation of isobutylformate during the mixed anhydride procedure.     

Acute pancreatitis of biliary etiology

A retrospective study has been carried out, comparing 87 patients with acute pancreatitis of biliary etiology and 53 patients with pancreatitis secondary to other causes. The clinical presentation, laboratory data, radiological findings (chest X-rays, radiography of the abdomen and gastrointestinal, echography), morbidity and mortality have been analyzed. In acute pancreatitis related to biliary disease, pain is most frequently located in the right hypochondrium and the levels of amylase, GOT, GPT an alkaline phosphatase were higher, although only the last two parameters showed significant differences. Morbidity (local and general complications) did not show differences in both groups, but mortality was higher in pancreatitis secondary to biliary disease (5.6% compared to 3.7%).