An Epstein-Barr virus-producer line Akata: Establishment of the cell line and analysis of viral DNA

An Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-producer line, designated Akata, was established from a Japanese patient with Burkitt's lymphoma. The Akata line possessed the Burkitt's-type chromosome translocation, t(8q-; 14q+), and was derived from the tumor cell. Akata cells produced a large quantity of transforming virus upon treatment of cells with anti-immunoglobulin antibodies (Takada, 1984). Southern blot analysis of viral DNA indicated that the Akata EBV is nondefective and more representative of wild-type viruses. Akata cells should be useful as a source of EBV.     

Real-time PCR method for the quantitative analysis of human T-cell receptor gamma and beta gene rearrangements

Analyzing the status of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements has been an essential part of deciphering the stages of thymocyte development, understanding the β vs. γδ lineage decision, and characterizing T-cell leukemias. Methods such as PCR and quantitative Southern blotting provide useful information, but also have significant shortcomings such as lack of quantitation in the case of PCR and technical challenges in the case of Southern blotting. Here we describe a real-time PCR method that overcomes many of these shortcomings. This new method shows comparable results for the fraction of unrearranged TCRγ and TCRβ genes in human thymocytes and peripheral blood T cells as Southern blotting, and has the advantages of being simple to perform, highly quantitative, and requiring nanogram quantities of DNA. We also describe a real-time PCR method to quantitate T-cell receptor excision circles formed during TCRβ rearrangements.     

Human papillomavirus types in anogenital warts of children

Tissue from anogenital warts of 25 children, 10 of whom were suspected of being victims of sexual abuse, was investigated by dot blot and Southern blot techniques for human papillomavirus (HPV) types. HPV DNA was detected in 22 children, two of whom had double infections. The genital HPV types 6 and/or 11 were detected in 20 children, and in three children other HPV types were found. One had HPV 18 (as well as 11); in a second child a possible skin type, HPV 2, was detected; and the third child was infected with an unidentified type. In three cases genital wart material was available from one of the parents, and in all three the HPV type was the same as that of the child. For nine other children one or both parents were reported to have genital warts. The source of infection appeared to be the adult genital tract, but sexual contact might not be the only means of transmission.     

Skin Conductance Response Conditioning with High CS Intensities: Additional Evidence with New Controls

In an effort to determine whether or not conditioning is possible when CS intensity is at least as high as US intensity, nine groups of human subjects were employed in a skin conductance conditioning study. White noise CS and US intensities of 95- and 115-dB were varied orthogonally in the experimental groups, while control groups were incorporated to control for overall signal frequency and differences in habituation rates attributable to differences in intertrial interval. By conventional contrasts first interval response (FIR) conditioning was observed, but when controls for differential habituation rates were incorporated in the contrasts there was no evidence of FIR conditioning. Second interval response (SIR) conditioning was obtained, but it was manifest as an anticipatory response to the higher of two US intensities rather than in conventional conditioning vs control group comparisons. It was also shown that high CS intensities induce suppression of SIR levels, with greater suppression associated with the higher intensity. Several conclusions were made: 1) in a simple trace conditioning paradigm with skin conductance responding as the measure, it is not clear that what we have typically called a conditioning effect is separable from an habituation effect; 2) conditioning is possible even when CS intensity is as high as or higher than US intensity; and 3) the use of time sample measurement in the absence of signals provides a useful baseline for determining overall increases and decreases in SIR level.     

上海人群面肩肱型肌营养不良症相关位点的D4Z4多态性

目的 对上海人群4p35位点D4Z4重复序列进行研究，分析D4Z4的多态性。方法 191名正常上海人的基因组DNA经EooR I/Bln I双酶水解后，应用脉冲场凝胶电泳及Southem印迹测定其染色体4p35位点的D4Z4片段长度，并对短的D4Z4片段Kpn I酶进行部分酶切以计数其D4Z4串联重复序列数。结果 在191名正常上海人群中，有17人（占8.9％）携带短的D4Z4片段，其长度在22－34kb之间；其中16人携带的短D4Z4片段位于4q35位点，1人携带的短D4Z4片段为4q35→10q26。结论 面肩肱型肌营养不良症的发病虽与4q35位点D4Z4片段的串联重复序列数减少有关，但上海人群中携带4q35位点短的D4Z4片段个体的比例明显高于西方人群，提示其他因素可能也参与面肩肱型肌营养不良症的发病。     

Recombination pattern of the TCR γ locus in human peripheral T-cell lymphomas

The recombination events of the γ and β T-cell receptor (TCR) loci were analysed in a series of 39 peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) in association with the expression of TCR chains. In TCR αβ PTCLs, 22/23 cases showed a γ-gene rearrangement while only 18/23 showed a concomitant β-gene rearrangement. The germline configuration of the β locus was found in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy and lymphoepithelioid lymphomas. Three γδ PTCLs rearranged both γ and β genes. TCR silent PTCLs showed three different patterns of γ- and β-gene rearrangements. Three cases were in germline configuration for both loci; five cases had a rearranged γ and a germline β locus; and five cases had the two loci rearranged. Regarding the variable genes in the γ-rearranged alleles, members of the VγI subgroup were the most frequently presented (39/50), followed by VγII, VγIII, and VγIV (9/50, 1/50, and 1/50, respectively). Joining segment usage was as follows: J1 or J2 (32/50), JP1 or JP2 (17/50), and JP (1/50). Taken together, these data demonstrate that the γ locus is more frequently rearranged whatever the TCR expression. The γ-locus analysis provides a better diagnostic yield than the β locus in the study of PTCL clonality.     

Antifluoridationists Persist: the Constitutional Basis for Fluoridation

The controversy surrounding fluoridation persists. In recent years opponents of fluoridation have resorted to the courts with increasing frequency and have achieved a few victories in the trial courts. To date, however, no appellate court has ruled against fluoridation. This article discusses the constitutional basis for the court decisions upholding fluoridation and the main arguments put forth by the antifluoridationists. Five of the more recent cases are summarized, as is the first fluoridation case to be appealed to the US Supreme Court. The article concludes that the legal validity of fluoridation in the United States has been thoroughly tested in the courts and confirmed. It appears that the antifluoridationists will concentrate their future legal attacks on the "harmful effects" of fluoridation on health and the environment. If they can convince the courts that even a few people were truly harmed, the delicate balance between the rights of the state to fluoridate in order to protect the public's health and the rights of the individual not to be harmed could well shift. In closing, the question is raised whether the US Congress has the power to pass legislation either to mandate or forbid fluoridation.     

Increasing Egg Consumption at Breakfast Is Associated with Increased Usual Nutrient Intakes: A Modeling Analysis Using NHANES and the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program School Breakfast Guidelines

The objective of the current modeling analysis was three-fold: (1) to examine usual nutrient intakes in children when eggs are added into dietary patterns that typically do not contain eggs; (2) to examine usual nutrient intakes with the addition of eggs in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) school breakfast; and (3) to examine nutrient adequacy when eggs are included in routine breakfast patterns and with the addition of eggs to the CACFP school breakfast program. Dietary recall data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2016 (children aged 1–18 years-old; n = 9254; CACFP n = 159) were used in the analysis. The usual intakes of pantothenic acid, riboflavin, selenium, and vitamin D increased ≥10 percent (relative to the baseline values) with the addition of one egg at breakfast. The usual intakes of protein and vitamin A at breakfast were also increased by more than 10 percent compared to the baseline values with the addition of two eggs. Similar outcomes were observed with the addition of eggs to the CACFP school breakfast. The percent of children above the adequate intake for total choline increased to 43.6 and 57.8% with one and two eggs, respectively, compared to 22.6% at the baseline. The addition of eggs at breakfast can contribute to nutrient intakes and overall dietary adequacy and play a role in public health initiatives aimed at increasing the intake of under-consumed nutrients and nutrients of concern.     

Regulatory review time and pharmaceutical research and development

In the United States, all newly developed drugs undergo a lengthy review process conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These regulatory delays have direct immediate costs for drug manufacturers and patients waiting for treatment. Under certain market conditions, regulatory delays may also affect future research and development (R&D) strategies of pharmaceutical companies. To estimate the magnitude of this effect, we match data on drugs in the development pipeline in 2006 to data that we collect on FDA review times for all drugs approved between 1999 and 2005. Employing a rich and novel set of controls that affect drug R&D decisions and, potentially, regulatory review lags, we find that on average, three additional months of delay result in one fewer drug in development in that drug category. Our results suggest that the length of the regulatory delay matters for pharmaceutical firms' R&D decisions and that the firms are likely unable to pass on these costs onto consumers.