Poly (A) polymerase of bovine lymphosarcoma.

Poly(A) polymerase has been extensively purified from low-salt extracts of bovine lymphosarcoma. The enzyme is Mn2+ dependent, requires an oligonucleotide or RNA primer, incorporates only adenosine triphosphate, and is inhibited by other ribonucleotides or deoxynucleotides. Oligoadenylate and ribosomal RNA are good primers for the enzyme; transfer RNA and poly(A) are poor. RNA transcribed in vitro by homologous RNA polymerase is an efficient primer. The properties of the enzyme are similar to the properties of the Mn2+ -activated poly(A) polymerase of calf thymus. Approximately the same amount of enzyme appears to be present in lymphosarcoma and calf thymus.

RNA polymerase isolated from bovine lymphosarcoma by sequential low- and high-salt extraction.

Bovine lymphosarcoma tissue has been extracted with low- and high-salt buffers [0.05 M Tris-C1 plus or minus 0.3 M (NH4) 2S04]. Diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex chromatography of both the high-salt and low-salt extracts yields RNA polymerases I and II, although low-salt extraction releases only one-third as much activity. Extraction by high salt of the residue from the low-salt extract, followed by diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex chromatography, yields additional enzyme activity with properties of Form II. Purification of the low-salt extract by protamine precipitation, elution with sodium succinate, and phosphocellulose chromatography yields a preparation of RNA polymerase (RNAP) with hybrid properties, combining the salt optimum of Form I, diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex elution pattern of form II, and alpha-amanitin sensitivity of Form III. RNAP. transcribes native D,A and chromatin efficiently. More RNAPL is recovered from lymphosarcoma tissue than from calf thymus.

Improved control of asthma in the office setting. A large-scale study of once-daily evening doses of theophylline.

A large-scale, multi-investigator open evaluation compared a once-daily regimen of controlled-release theophylline (Uniphyl tablets) with previous twice- or thrice-daily methylxanthine regimens. Three hundred asthmatic patients, 78 percent prone to nocturnal episodes during prior therapy, completed the investigation. Eighty-two percent of the patients were treated for moderate or severe disease. After a one-week evaluation of baseline theophylline therapy (with adjunctive medication), the patients substituted evening doses of the once-daily drug in approximate milligram-for-milligram equivalent doses. Concomitant medications were allowed as before. Nighttime and morning asthma control improved significantly without deterioration in the evening, and without increased side effects. Once-daily therapy resulted in markedly fewer night awakenings involving inhaler use (p less than 0.01), and near 60 percent reductions in the number of patients with nighttime or early morning exacerbations (p less than 0.01). Control of morning chest tightness, wheeze, and dyspnea improved significantly (p less than 0.01), and patients' as well as investigators' global evaluations favored once-daily treatment (p less than 0.01). Morning peak expiratory flow rates improved both at home (p less than 0.01) and at the office (p = 0.05). The forced expiratory volume in one second at the office increased modestly in the entire group. It is concluded that Uniphyl is effective and well tolerated when administered in once-daily evening doses.

Transcervical electrosurgical resection of submucous leiomyomas for chronic menorrhagia.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transcervical electrosurgical resection (TSR) of submucous leiomyomas with or without concomitant transcervical endomyometrial resection (TEMR) for chronic menorrhagia. DESIGN: Prospective observational study, with 6-month follow-up of all 208 women and up to 6-year follow-up of 185 (88.9%). SETTING: Gynecology departments of teaching, community, and proprietary hospitals. PATIENTS: Two hundred eight women with submucous leiomyoma requiring surgical treatment of menorrhagia between March 1988 and March 1994. INTERVENTIONS: All 208 women (age range 32-63 yrs) underwent TSR with a continuous-flow gynecologic resectoscope. In 88 of these women who had no desire to preserve fertility, concomitant TEMR was performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Six months postoperatively 113 (94.2%) of the 120 women who underwent only TSR reported normal menses and 85 (96.6%) had satisfactory results; 62 (70.5%) who had both TSR and TEMR were amenorrheic. Eleven (73%) of the 15 women who had TSR and wanted to conceive subsequently became pregnant. One hundred eighty-five (88.9%) of the 208 patients have been followed for as long as 6 years. Ninety (84.1%) of the 107 women who had only the initial TSR and 69 (88.5%) of the 78 who had initial TSR and TEMR had satisfactory results. Only five women (2.7%) required major abdominal surgery. Among those undergoing TSR and TEMR, 49 (62.8%) were amenorrheic for as long as 6 years after TSR and one or two TEMRs. Eight (3.8%) of the 208 women had perioperative complications: 6 (2.9%) had fluid overload, 1 (0.5%) had dilutional hyponatremia, and 1 (0.5%) had excessive postoperative bleeding requiring tamponade. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that TSR with or without concomitant TEMR is an effective and safe treatment for women with submucous leiomyomas suffering from chronic menorrhagia.