Sleep in middle childhood — A longitudinal study of sleep problems in a large sample of Dunedin children aged 5-9 years

Complaints of sleeping difficulties in a large group of New Zealand children were studied prospectively over four years from 5 to 9 years of age. No association was found between sleeping difficulties and the sex, intelligence, or educational attainments of the child. Mothers who described their child as anxious or who were poor sleepers themselves, tended to report sleeping problems in their child more frequently. There was no association between sleeping problems and teacher ratings of behaviour problems. Children who reported sleep problems also tended to report other problems. There was low agreement between parents and children. Only 0.3% of the total sample had a problem which persisted over the whole period.     

Cryotherapy for lentigo maligna

Eleven patients, 10 with lentigo maligna (LM) and one with lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM), were treated with cryotherapy. The symptoms cleared in all patients except one with LM. There were recurrences in four patients and three cleared with further treatment.     

Molecular Modelling of β Turns in a Cyclic Melanotropin

α-Melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a tridecapeptide which interacts with a family of G protein-coupled receptors, the melanocortin receptors, to cause its biological effects. We have modelled the low energy conformations of the α-MSH derivatives as part of a project to probe the receptor binding conformation of melanocortins, and also to design ligands for targeting cytotoxic drugs to MC1 receptors expressed by melanoma cells. H***ere we report a molecular dynamics study of β turns in a cyclic lactam analogue [Nle⁴, ***Asp⁵, D-Phe⁷, Lye***¹⁰]α-MSH. The data show that it is possible for a β turn to exist in the ring portion of this molecule which contains the melanocortin conserved sequence -His-Phe-Arg-Trp-, even though the lowest energy conformers lack a β turn.     

Interruption of T-cell signal transduction by lentivirus lytic peptides from HIV-1 transmembrane protein

Two peptide segments designated LLP1 (residues 828-855) and LLP2 (residues 768-788) of the HIV-1 transmembrane (TM) envelope protein display structural and functional properties of calmodulin (CaM) binding. These LLP segments may contribute to cytopathogenesis by binding cellular CaM and inhibiting normal CaM-regulated signal transduction pathways. To determine whether these peptides could interrupt signal transduction in vivo, a cellular assay which uses a reporter gene linked to the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT) was used. Signal transduction perturbation was tested by exogenous addition of LLPs, W-7 or ionomycin; the LLPs inhibited NF-AT-mediated signal transduction as measured by reduced reporter activity. The LLP inhibition profile of NF-AT-driven luciferase activity was similar to the CaM inhibitor W-7. This was in direct contrast to ionomycin, a mobile calcium ion carrier which caused a significant increase in luciferase activity. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the CaM-binding properties of TM may contribute to defects in signal transduction leading to the T-cell anergy observed in patients infected with HIV-1.     

Decreased epidermal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and localized pustular psoriasis

Microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity was measured in suction separated epidermis from forearm skin of thirteen patients with localized palmo-plantar pustular psoriasis and thirteen normal subjects before and after induction by benzanthracene. AHH activity had a mean value of 2·32 μm 30H-BP/mg microsomal protein/h ± 0·23 (s.e.) in the patients and 3·41 ± 0·23 in the normal subjects. AHH induction was also decreased with a mean value of 1·15±0·1 (s.e.) compared with 1·98±0·14 for the normal subjects. Since in twelve of the patients the psoriasis had always been localized to the palms and soles, the decreased basal and induced AHH activity appears to be a primary characteristic of psoriatic skin; AHH activity might initiate an increase in epidermal cell turnover through modulation of prostaglandin and adenylate cyclase activity.     

Absence of triradius d on the palms of normal people

Absence of the digital triradius d is a very rare phenomenon, previously only reported in abnormal XXXXY males. During the past few years the anomaly has been found on the palms of three normal females, namely a young English woman and two sisters in the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. These cases are described and illustrations of the palmar dermatoglyphics presented.     

Percutaneous absorption of phenol and methyl alcohol in Magenta Paint B.P.C.

Estimations of phenol and methyl alcohol in the urine of 16 infants with seborrhoeic eczema treated with Magenta (Castellani's) Paint B.P.C. were made to determine the degree of absorption. Phenol was detected in four cases and methyl alcohol in none.