A completed screen for mutations of the rhodopsin gene in a panel of patients with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

Recently it has been demonstrated that some families with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) have mutations in the rhodopsin gene while others do not. Previously we have identified six such mutations in seven adRP families in this laboratory, one of which was previously described in US patients. We now present a completed screen of the rhodopsin gene in a panel of 39 adRP families, by a rapid screening technique which will be of use for routine diagnosis. Nine different mutations were ultimately found, in a total of twelve of the 39 families. These include the six previously identified mutations, in codons 68-71, 190, 211, 255, 296 and 347, two new ones in codons 53 and 106, and another mutation first identified in a single US patient, in codon 58. Thus approximately 30% of adRP families have 'Rhodopsin RP' while the remainder probably have a defect elsewhere in the genome. Of those families in which rhodopsin mutations have been found, four have been classified D type, three as sectorial RP and the remainder are of uncertain classification. All families excluded from chromosome 3q by linkage have been classified R type. These data suggest a correlation between clinical sub-classification and the underlying rhodopsin/non-rhodopsin heterogeneity.     

Evidence for the involvement of HLA-DR antigens in restricted cytotoxicity by fetal calf serum-specific human T cells

Fetal calf serum (FCS) generated at least two distinct populations of human cytotoxic cells in vitro. One population expressed natural killer (NK) cell-like activity and lysed K562 and HSB-2 targets more effectively than autologous or allogeneic lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). The other population contained FCS-specific cytotoxic T cells which preferentially lysed the autologous LCLs and showed minimal lysis of K562. E-rosette separation and cold target competition experiments clearly established that NK cells were not involved in the self-reactive lysis. Moreover, the lytic activity of the E-rosetted T cells was reduced by up to 95% when autologous target cells were grown in human AB serum rather than FCS, showing that FCS-associated determinants on targets were essential in the cytolytic phase. Autologous LCLs grown in FCS were also considerably stronger competitors than human serum-grown LCLs. The consistent self-preferred lysis suggested that HLA antigen-related restriction was involved, but the patterns of lysis did not implicate HLA-A or B antigens, and monoclonal antibody (W6/32) to an A, B, and C monomorphic determinant failed to block FCS-specific lysis. In contrast, monoclonal antibody (DA.2) to a monomorphic determinant of DR effectively blocked FCS-specific lysis. Cytotoxicity tests with a small panel of DR-typed donors indicated that strong cross-reactions were invariably associated with sharing of DR antigens, particularly DR2, and to a lesser but significant extent DR7. Although DR antigen sharing did not always result in lysis of allogeneic targets, the overall evidence strongly suggests that FCS-specific T-cell cytotoxicity in humans is restricted by products encoded by or associated with the DR genes.     

Investigations of Molluscicidal Activity of Certain Sudanese Plants Used in Folk-Medicine. Part IV*

50 plants indigenous to the Sudan and of common use in Sudanese folk-medicine, were screened for their molluscicidal activity, using two local snail vectors, BULINUS TRUNCATUS and BIOMPHALARIA PFEIFFERI. At different concentrations 31 (62%) of these plant samples were found to be lethal to either one or both of the snail species. 28 (56%) proved to be lethal to BIOMPHALARIA PFEIFFERI, 22 (44%) gave 100% mortality to BULINUS TRUNCATUS; while 19 (38%) killed both snail hosts (Table I). The seven most active molluscicidal plants were phytochemically screened for their active constituents; four of them showed the presence of saponins.     

Efficiency of Soil Amendments for Copper Removal and Brassica Juncea (L.) Growth in Wastewater Irrigated Agricultural Soil

Wastewater irrigation is becoming a massive challenge for sustainable agriculture. Particularly, copper (Cu) presence in wastewater poses a great threat to the food chain quality. Thus, scientists need to address this issue by using chemical and organic soil amendments to restore the soil ecosystem. Therefore, this study aims to examine the efficacy of sulphur, compost, acidified animal manure and sesame straw biochar for Cu immobilization, adsorption and Brassica growth in wastewater irrigated soil. The current findings presented that all the soil amendments prominently improved brassica yield and significantly minimized the Cu uptake by Brassica shoots and roots in sesame straw biochar (SB) (64.2% and 50.2%), compost (CP) (48% and 32.5%), acidified manure (AM) (37% and 23.2%) and Sulphur (SP) (16% and 3.1%) respectively relative to untreated soil. In addition, Cu bioavailability was reduced by 51%, 34%, 16.6%, and 7.4% when SB, CP, AM, and SP were incorporated in wastewater irrigated polluted soil. The Cu adsorption isotherm results also revealed that SB treated soil has great potential to increase Cu adsorption capacity by 223 mg g^??1 over control 89 mg g^??1. Among all the treatments, SB and CP were considered suitable candidates for the restoration of Cu polluted alkaline nature soil.

     

Micropatterning of biomedical polymer surfaces by novel UV polymerization techniques

The "living" radical polymerization with an iniferter was used to create micropatterned biomedical surfaces. Novel, photosensitive biomedical polymers were created by the incorporation of dithiocarbamate groups from iniferters. A second monomer layer was then irradiated onto the photosensitive polymer substrate created with the iniferter to form a copolymer. Patterns were created on the films by application of modified microfabrication-based photolithographic techniques. The technique was used to create patterns with depths from 5 to 80 microm. In addition, various polymers were incorporated, including polyethylene glycol methacrylates, styrene, and methacrylic acid, to synthesize regions with different physico-chemical properties. Applications include novel surfaces for biosensors and biomaterials for the selective adhesion of cells and proteins.     

Steroidal Sapogenins from Tacca leontopetaloides

Diosgenin and its ring-F-hydroxylated derivatives isonarthogenin {spirost-5-ene-3,27-diol {3beta, 22 R, 25 S)} and isonuatigenin {spirost-5-ene-3,25-diol (3beta, 22 R, 25 S)}, together with the 22,25-epoxyfurost-5-ene isomer nuatigenin {furost-5-ene-3,26-diol-22,25-epoxy (3beta, 22 R, 25 S)}, were identified as the major steroidal sapogenins of the acid hydrolysate of an extract of leaves of TACCA LEONTOPETALOIDES by IR, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, and mass spectroscopy. A diosgenin ester was isolated which apparently arose by ring closure of a glycosylated furostene during hydrolysis.     

Induction of LTD in the adult hippocampus by the synaptic activation of AMPA/kainate and metabotropic glutamate receptors

It has been suggested that the induction of long-term depression (LTD) may be developmentally regulated since LTD can be readily induced by LFS in slices from young but not adult animals. However, we have recently reported that paired pulse low frequency stimulation (PP-LFS) can reliably induce LTD in the CA1 region of adult hippocampal slices. We now describe the role of glutamate receptors in the induction of LTD in adult hippocampus. The induction of LTD was prevented by the combined application of AMPA/kainate and metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor antagonists (CNQX and LY341495). However, LTD was not blocked by the co-application of NMDA and mGlu receptor antagonists nor by the co-application of NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptor antagonists. Taken together, the above results suggest that activation of either AMPA/kainate or mGlu receptors is sufficient to induce LTD. Therefore, these results suggest that PP-LFS can efficiently activate AMPA/kainate and mGlu receptors in order to induce long-lasting synaptic depression in the CA1 region of the adult hippocampus in vitro.     

Surgery for cervical spinal cord compression in patients with multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical and paraclinical features, treatment, and outcomes of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and coexisting spinal cord compression secondary to either cervical spondylosis or cervical disc disease. Patients with MS commonly experience neurological disabilities that present as myelopathy associated with bladder dysfunction. For some patients with MS, however, this neurological deterioration may result from coexisting spinal cord compression attributable to either spondylosis or a herniated disc. Overlapping symptoms of the two conditions do not allow clear clinical determination of the underlying cause of worsening. METHODS: Patients with MS who underwent cervical decompression surgery were selected. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, to collect data on their pre- and postoperative clinical courses. RESULTS: Nine women and five men with definite MS were selected for cervical decompression surgery to treat neurological deterioration considered to be at least partially attributable to spinal cord compression. The most common symptoms were progressive myelopathy (n = 13), neck pain (n = 11), and cervical radiculopathy (n = 10). Bladder dysfunction was notably absent among these patients with MS with moderate disabilities. Surgical intervention was frequently delayed because the neurological deterioration was initially thought to be attributable to MS. The majority of patients experienced either improvement or stabilization of their preoperative symptoms in the immediate postoperative period; three subjects (21%) maintained this improvement after a mean follow-up period of 3.8 years. No MS relapses, permanent neurological worsening, or serious complications resulting from surgery or general anesthesia were noted. CONCLUSION: Carefully selected patients with MS and cervical spinal cord compression secondary to either spondylosis or disc disease may benefit from surgical decompression, with minimal associated morbidity. Clinical features (especially neck pain and cervical radiculopathy) and magnetic resonance imaging may assist clinicians in differentiating between the two conditions and may guide appropriate treatment without undue delay.     

Lactone-rich fraction from Vernonia blumeoides: antitrypanosomal activity and alleviation of the parasite-induced anemia and organ damage

The anti-Trypanosoma brucei brucei activity in vitro and in vivo of a lactone-rich fraction of Vernonia blumeoides leaves (VBLF) and its potential in alleviating trypanosome-induced anemia and organ damage were investigated. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of VBLF revealed the presence of a number of lactone-containing compounds. In an in vitro study, VBLF showed concentration-dependent activity and was further used to treat T. brucei brucei-infected rats. The VBLF treatments, especially at 300 mg/kg body weight (BW), significantly (P < 0.05) kept the parasites reduced during the entire experimental period compared with the infected untreated group. At the end of the experiment, the trypanosome-induced anemia and hepatic damage were significantly (P < 0.05) alleviated in all the VBLF treatment groups, but renal damage was only prevented in the 200 and 300 mg/kg BW treatment groups. Furthermore, the trypanosome-induced increase in the relative weights of liver, spleen and kidney were significantly (P < 0.05) alleviated by the 300 mg/kg BW VBLF treatment. It was concluded that orally administered VBLF, especially at 300 mg/kg BW, possessed antitrypanosomal activity and could alleviate parasite-induced anemia and organ damage.