Comparison of DNA isolation methods from blood for use in trypanosome specific polymerase chain reaction

Conclusions The three methods tested are convenient for the preparation of samples to be analyzed by PCR for the repetitive satellite DNA sequences of trypanosomes. Despite a slightly reduced sensitivity of detection of free trypanosome DNA, the preparation method based on the isolation of cell nuclei seems to be the most suitable and rapid technique for the routine analysis of a large number of blood samples.     

Effect of choline salicylates and some other analogues of salicylic acid on the replication of EMC virus in vitro

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine 90–99,9%ige Hemmung in vitro der Replikation des EMC-Virus durch 0,5–2 m molare Lösungen folgender Salicylsäurederivate festgestellt: Cholinsalicylat, Cholinacetoxysalicylat und der Natriumsalze von 2-Merkaptobenzoesäure, Salicylsäure sowie Acetylsalicylsäure. Ferner wurde eine etwa 70%ige Hemmung des Natriumsalzes der Sulphosalicylsäure, des Cholin-p-chlorobenzoates, sowie des Cholin-o-chlorobenzoates beobachtet. Cholin-p-oxybenzoat und Cholin-p-acetoxybenzoat zeigten hingegen keine Hemmungsaktivität.

---

---

Acknowledgements: We are indebted to Drs. Z.Macho and T.Zawisza from the Department of Synthesis of Drugs, School of Medicine, Wroclaw, for donating of choline salicylates and other derivatives of benzoyl-choline⁶.     

Suppressive effects of graft versus host reaction on humoral immunity: consequences of homograft of chicken spleen on differentiation of the bursa of Fabricius

By engrafting the chorio-allanto?s of Chick embryos with spleen fragments from homologous adult donors, one elicits a graft-versus-host disease. When the graft is performed before the bursa of Fabricius has reached the lymphoid differentiation state, the final follicular organization is greatly reduced. It seems that this suppression effect cannot be related to a diminution of the stem cell compartment available in the anlage but is a result of a direct impact on the mesenchyme and/or the epithelium of the bursa.     

A simple diagnostic method for the differentiation of Tamm-Horsfall glycoproteins from healthy probands and those from recurrent calcium oxalate renal stone formers

Tamm-Horsfall glycoproteins (THPs)^* from healthy probands, and those from a majority of recurrent calcium oxalate renal stone formers, reveal different properties when analyzed using isoelectric focusing. The pl-values of THPs from healthy probands are approximately 3.5 while THPs from recurrent renal stone formers have pl-values between 4.5 and 6. The two groups of THPs exhibit completely different protein patterns in IEF. This proves the structural difference of these THPs. The differences in IEF analysis allow the differentiation between THPs from healthy probands and those from recurrent calcium oxalate stone formers. These differences could possibly by used as a simple diagnostic method for the recognition of recurrent calcium oxalate renal stone formers.     

Condensation of an alkyl chain on 1,7,7-trimethylbicycloheptane: A model for the effect of camphor on lipid membranes

Summary Enthalpies of mixing of the hydrocarbon portion of camphor with n-octane show that it exerts a condensation interaction on adjacent alkyl chains. This is a similar interaction to that displayed by cholesterol in cell membranes which results in an alteration of the membrane fluidity.Acknowledgments. I thank Professor K. Marsh for his hospitality and assistance in the use of his microcalorimeter.     

The effect of five proteins on stem cells used for osteoblast differentiation and proliferation: a current review of the literature

Bone-tissue engineering is a therapeutic target in the field of dental implant and orthopedic surgery. It is therefore essential to find a microenvironment that enhances the growth and differentiation of osteoblasts both from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and those derived from dental pulp. The aim of this review is to determine the relationship among the proteins fibronectin (FN), osteopontin (OPN), tenascin (TN), bone sialoprotein (BSP), and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP2) and their ability to coat different types of biomaterials and surfaces to enhance osteoblast differentiation. Pre-treatment of biomaterials with FN during the initial phase of osteogenic differentiation on all types of surfaces, including slotted titanium and polymers, provides an ideal microenvironment that enhances adhesion, morphology, and proliferation of pluripotent and multipotent cells. Likewise, in the second stage of differentiation, surface coating with BMP2 decreases the diameter and the pore size of the scaffold, causing better adhesion and reduced proliferation of BMP-MSCs. Coating oligomerization surfaces with OPN and BSP promotes cell adhesion, but it is clear that the polymeric coating material BSP alone is insufficient to induce priming of MSCs and functional osteoblastic differentiation in vivo. Finally, TN is involved in mineralization and can accelerate new bone formation in a multicellular environment but has no effect on the initial stage of osteogenesis.     

A further proof of polarization vision ofNotonecta glauca and a note on threshold intensity for eliciting the plunge reaction

Summary Polarized UV light from a platform on the ground can attract backswimmers and elicit plunge reactions. Threshold intensity is independent of the overall UV-intensity in the surrounding space. Unpolarized UV light attracts the animals only when the intensity is higher than that of the surroundings. These results show that polarized UV light can be discriminated from unpolarized UV light independently of intensity.     

A method for the determination of free neuraminic acid split from red blood cell receptors by attached Newcastle disease virus during simultaneous elution and hemolysis

Summary Determination of free neuraminic acid in chicken red blood cell (RBC) hemolysate becomes possible after deproteinization of the hemolysate by ethanol-chloroform followed by removal of the solvents by evaporation. This procedure permits the determination of in situ neuraminidase activity of virons preadsorbed on RBC receptors when the virus elution and hemolysis proceed simultaneously.