Trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 8: Association with translocation between chromosomes 8 and 22 46,XY,22−,t(8p22q)+

The case of a retarded child with trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 8 associated with translocation between the short arm of chromosome 8 and the long arm of chromosome 22 is reported. Balanced translocation involving the same chromosomes was present in the mother and brother of the propositus. The specific chromosomes involved in the abnormality in this family were identified by use of fluorescence microscopy with quinacrine mustard staining, autoradiography and Giemsa banding. This appears to be the first case report of this anomaly, although trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 9 has been reported previously.     

The effect of Levamisole on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Although Levamisole, an antihelmintic drug, has shown to have some modulatory effect on the immune response in clinical trials and experimental models, its mode of action remains obscure. In a group of fifteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis receiving Levamisole on an intermittant regime, simultaneous determinations of the lymphocyte subpopulations were made prior to Levamisole administration and 3 months thereafter. No significant changes were observed either in the absolute or in the relative number of T- and B-cell populations, while a statistically significant reduction was found in the "null" cells. These findings suggest that the immune potentiating effect of Levamisole may at least partially be due to a maturation process of the "null" cells.     

Psychosis as a predictor of response to lithium maintenance treatment in bipolar affective disorder

Sixty-six bipolar I lithium clinic patients were studied for a history of psychotic symptoms at some time during the course of their illness. Agreement between different sources of information was calculated, and the patient population was divided into psychotic and non-psychotic subgroups. Probability of remaining well on lithium for the different subgroups was analyzed by the life table method. Psychosis during mania appeared to be associated with especially good early lithium prophylaxis.     

A block in glycoprotein processing correlates with small plaque morphology and virion targetting to cell-cell junctions for an oral and an anal strain of herpes simplex virus type-1

Summary The characteristics of two clinical isolates of HSV-1 obtained from an oral (424) and an anal (490) lesion were compared with the highly passaged KOS strain. In contrast to KOS, the clinical isolates produced small plaques, were more cell-associated and the predominant viral glycoprotein species for gC and gD in infected cell lysates was the precursor, high mannose glycoform. Total virus production in Vero cells was equivalent for the three virus strains in one-step growths. Pulse-chase studies of glycoprotein C processing showed a reduction in rate at 7.5h post infection and a significant block in processing at 10.5h post infection for 424 and 490 but not KOS. Similar results were obtained for gD. The significant reduction in glycoprotein processing for 424 and 490 suggests a block in transport of viral glycoproteins or virions to and through the Golgi apparatus. Extracellular virions and the cell surface, prior to cell lysis, contained the processed gC glycoform suggesting a competent cellular glycan processing system. Upon co-infection of 424 or 490 with KOS or a gC^– KOS strain, gC was processed to levels equivalent to KOS indicating that 424 and 490 are not inhibitory but that an activity(s) encoded by KOS facilitates maturation of gC from 424 and 490. Unlike KOS infected Vero cells, virion-containing vacuoles were observed in the cytoplasm at 12h p.i. and extracellular virions were concentrated at cell-cell junctions of 424 or 490 infected cells but not in the perinuclear region. These results suggest that intracellular transport of viral glycoproteins and virions in 424 and 490 infected cells is different from KOS infected cells. The reduced level of viral glycoprotein maturation, virus release, cell surface presence and presence of virions at cell-cell junctions are consistent with small plaque production in tissue culture cells.Portions of this work were presented in the 17th International Herpesvirus Workshop, Pittsburgh, PA, 1993.     

Cardiac isoenzyme methodology and the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

In view of rapidly evolving technology, a thorough appreciation of the subtle nuances of isoenzyme analysis is mandatory in the selection of appropriate methods. The effectiveness of a given laboratory in diagnosing and monitoring ischemic heart disease is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the methods employed. The occurrence of variants of creatine kinase will decrease the specificity of some isoenzyme methods. This study compares the sensitivity and efficiency of four methods for CK-MB and two methods for LD isoenzymes currently available to the laboratory community. The significance of isoenzyme patterns in confirming myocardial infarction was compared with other cardiac diagnostic parameters to determine the most effective laboratory methods. The selection of methods for measurement of cardiac isoenzymes will determine the effectiveness of the laboratory in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.     

Confirmation of Leishmania infantum MON-24, agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in southern France

Leishmania infantum MON-24, an agent causing cutaneous leishmaniasis, has only been reported once in Southern France. The authors report an additional case which confirms the presence of this zymodeme as agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this area. Treatment with a single course of liposomal amphotericine B did not show convincing efficacy.     

The complex repeats of Dictyostelium discoideum

In the course of determining the sequence of the Dictyostelium discoideum genome we have characterized in detail the quantity and nature of interspersed repetitive elements present in this species. Several of the most abundant small complex repeats and transposons (DIRS-1; TRE3-A,B; TRE5-A; skipper; Tdd-4; H3R) have been described previously. In our analysis we have identified additional elements. Thus, we can now present a complete list of complex repetitive elements in D. discoideum. All elements add up to 10% of the genome. Some of the newly described elements belong to established classes (TRE3-C, D; TRE5-B,C; DGLT-A,P; Tdd-5). However, we have also defined two new classes of DNA transposable elements (DDT and thug) that have not been described thus far. Based on the nucleotide amount, we calculated the least copy number in each family. These vary between <10 up to >200 copies. Unique sequences adjacent to the element ends and truncation points in elements gave a measure for the fragmentation of the elements. Furthermore, we describe the diversity of single elements with regard to polymorphisms and conserved structures. All elements show insertion preference into loci in which other elements of the same family reside. The analysis of the complex repeats is a valuable data resource for the ongoing assembly of whole D. discoideum chromosomes.     

Copolymerization of ethylene with 1-hexene and 1-octene: correlation between type of catalyst and comonomer incorporated

The behaviour of catalytic systems based on zirconium compounds for the copolymerization of ethylene with 1-hexene and 1-octene is reported. The metallocenes (CH₃)₂SiCp₂ZrCl₂, Cp₂ZrCl₂ (Cp = η⁵-cyclopentadienyl), C₂H₄[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ and (Ind = η⁵-indenyl) were chosen for this study. The bridged catalysts, (CH₃)₂SiCp₂ZrCl₂ and C₂H₄[Ind]₂ZrCl₂, and the metallocene Cp₂ZrCl₂ showed similar catalytic activities for home- and copolymerization of ethylene with 1-hexene. ¹³C NMR analysis showed that the composition of copolymerization products depends on the catalytic system, in other words, on the ligand structure of the transition metal. Copolymers obtained using the bridged catalysts have greater incorporation of comonomer. Thermal analysis and viscosity measurements demonstrated that an increase of the comonomer concentration reduces the melting point, the crystallinity and the molecular weight of the copolymer. Results from infrared spectroscopy showed that β-elimination is one of the possible termination reactions. The monomer reactivity ratios r were determined for all catalytic systems using Fineman-Ross and ¹³C NMR methods. The values of r₁ (M₁ = ethylene) and r₂ (M₂ = α-olefin) showed an effect of the type of metallocene and of α-olefin on the structure of the copolymer obtained.     

Extensive surgical excision of large hemispheric “malignant” astrocytoma in a 6-week-old infant

A massive hemispheric high-grade astrocytoma, diagnosed in a 6-week-old infant, was totally excised by means of two craniotomies. The child is still alive and well with minimal neurological dysfunction 1.5 years after operation. This case report illustrates the benefit of aggressive surgical excision (without radiation or chemotherapy) of massive malignant neonatal astrocytomas. While surgical deficits may be minimized by the plasticity of the developing nervous system, extensive excision may yield occasional long-term palliation.