A long-term study examining the antibacterial effectiveness of Agion silver zeolite technology on door handles within a college campus.

Laboratory studies have shown that small concentrations of silver are effective at inhibiting the growth micro-organisms through the disruption of important cell structures and processes. The additional ability to incorporate silver into surfaces has increased the usage of silver in the medical field and expanded its use into the consumer market. To understand the impact of increased silver-containing antimicrobial use, it is important to determine whether silver-based consumer goods are effective at reducing bacterial populations. Our study examined the antibacterial effectiveness of Agion silver zeolite technology applied to 25 silver- and control-coated door handles across a college campus. Door handles were sampled for 6 week periods in both the fall and spring semester, and bacteria were cultured and enumerated on tryptic soy agar (TSA), MacConkey agar (MAC) and mannitol salt agar (MSA). A significant difference was observed between the bacterial populations isolated from silver- and control-coated door handles after 3 years. However, bacteria were consistently isolated from silver-coated door handles suggesting that the silver zeolite was only effective against a portion of the bacterial populations, and further studies are necessary to determine the identities of the isolated bacteria and the prevalence of silver resistance.

Localization of the gene for familial primary pulmonary hypertension to chromosome 2q31-32.

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), an often fatal disease, is characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressures in the absence of a secondary cause. Endovascular occlusion in the smallest pulmonary arteries occurs by proliferation of cells and matrix, with thrombus and vasospasm. Diagnosis is often delayed because the initial symptoms of fatigue and dyspnea on exertion are nonspecific and definitive diagnosis requires invasive procedures. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is two to three years with death usually due to progressive right heart failure. The aetiology of the disease is unknown. Although most cases appear to be sporadic, approximately 6% of cases recorded in the NIH Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Registry are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with reduced penetrance. Following a genome-wide search using a set of highly polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) markers and 19 affected individuals from six families, initial evidence for linkage was obtained with two chromosome 2q markers. We subsequently genotyped patients and all available family members for 19 additional markers spanning approximately 40 centiMorgans (cM) on the long arm of chromosome 2. We obtained a maximum two-point lod score of 6.97 at theta = 0 with the marker D2S389; multipoint linkage analysis yielded a maximum lod score of 7.86 with the marker D2S311. Haplotype analysis established a minimum candidate interval of approximately 25 cM.

Alterations in oestrogen metabolism: implications for higher penetrance of familial pulmonary arterial hypertension in females.

Mutations in bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) cause familial pulmonary arterial hypertension (FPAH), but the penetrance is reduced and females are significantly overrepresented. In addition, gene expression data implicating the oestrogen-metabolising enzyme CYP1B1 suggests a detrimental role of oestrogens or oestrogen metabolites. We examined genetic and metabolic markers of altered oestrogen metabolism in subjects with a BMPR2 mutation. Genotypes for CYP1B1 Asn453Ser (N453S) were determined for 140 BMPR2 mutation carriers (86 females and 54 males). Nested from those subjects, a case-control study of urinary oestrogen metabolite levels (2-hydroxyoestrogen (2-OHE) and 16alpha-hydroxyoestrone (16alpha-OHE(1))) was conducted in females (five affected mutation carriers versus six unaffected mutation carriers). Among females, there was four-fold higher penetrance among subjects homozygous for the wild-type genotype (N/N) than those with N/S or S/S genotypes (p = 0.005). Consistent with this finding, the 2-OHE/16alpha-OHE(1) ratio was 2.3-fold lower in affected mutation carriers compared to unaffected mutation carriers (p = 0.006). Our findings suggest that variations in oestrogens and oestrogen metabolism modify FPAH risk. Further investigation of the role of oestrogens in this disease with profound sex bias may yield new insights and, perhaps, therapeutic interventions.

Computational Modeling of Anthocyanin Pathway Evolution: Biases, Hotspots, and Trade-offs.

The alteration of metabolic pathways is a common mechanism underlying the evolution of new phenotypes. Flower color is a striking example of the importance of metabolic evolution in a complex phenotype, wherein shifts in the activity of the underlying pathway lead to a wide range of pigments. Although experimental work has identified common classes of mutations responsible for transitions among colors, we lack a unifying model that relates pathway function and activity to the evolution of distinct pigment phenotypes. One challenge in creating such a model is the branching structure of pigment pathways, which may lead to evolutionary trade-offs due to competition for shared substrates. In order to predict the effects of shifts in enzyme function and activity on pigment production, we created a simple kinetic model of a major plant pigmentation pathway: the anthocyanin pathway. This model describes the production of the three classes of blue, purple, and red anthocyanin pigments, and accordingly, includes multiple branches and substrate competition. We first studied the general behavior of this model using a naïve set of parameters. We then stochastically evolved the pathway toward a defined optimum and analyzed the patterns of fixed mutations. This approach allowed us to quantify the probability density of trajectories through pathway state space and identify the types and number of changes. Finally, we examined whether our simulated results qualitatively align with experimental observations, i.e., the predominance of mutations which change color by altering the function of branching genes in the pathway. These analyses provide a theoretical framework that can be used to predict the consequences of new mutations in terms of both pigment phenotypes and pleiotropic effects.

Identification and pharmacological characterization of the prostaglandin FP receptor and FP receptor variant complexes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A prostamide analogue, bimatoprost, has been shown to be effective in reducing intraocular pressure, but its precise mechanism of action remains unclear. Hence, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of this effect of bimatoprost, we focused on pharmacologically characterizing prostaglandin FP receptor (FP) and FP receptor variant (altFP) complexes. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: FP receptor mRNA variants were identified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The FP-altFP4 heterodimers were established in HEK293/EBNA cells co-expressing FP and altFP4 receptor variants. A fluorometric imaging plate reader was used to study Ca2+ mobilization. Upregulation of cysteine-rich angiogenic protein 61 (Cyr61) mRNA was measured by Northern blot analysis, and phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) by western analysis. KEY RESULTS: Six splicing variants of FP receptor mRNA were identified in human ocular tissues. Immunoprecipitation confirmed that the FP receptor is dimerized with altFP4 receptors in HEK293/EBNA cells co-expressing FP and altFP4 receptors. In the studies of the kinetic profile for Ca2+ mobilization, prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) elicited a rapid increase in intracellular Ca2+ followed by a steady state phase. In contrast, bimatoprost elicited an immediate increase in intracellular Ca2+ followed by a second phase. The prostamide antagonist, AGN211335, selectively and dose-dependently inhibited the bimatoprost-initiated second phase of Ca2+ mobilization, Cyr61 mRNA upregulation and MLC phosphorylation, but did not block the action of PGF2alpha. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Bimatoprost lacks effects on the FP receptor but may interact with the FP-altFP receptor heterodimer to induce alterations in second messenger signalling. Hence, FP-altFP complexes may represent the underlying basis of bimatoprost pharmacology.

The reduction of N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl by the intestinal microflora of the rat.

The role of the intestinal flora in the conversion of N-hydroxy-4-acetyl-aminobiphenyl (N-OH-AABP) to 4-acetylaminobiphenyl has been examined. This reaction, which reverses the metabolic activation of the parent carcinogen, can be demonstrated in cultures of some bacteria indigenous to the intestinal microflora. These include cultures of Clostridium sp., Clostridium perfringens, Peptostreptococcus productus I, and Bacteroides fragilis ss. thetaiotaomicron and ss. vulgatus. In contrast, cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum and Escherichia coli show little or no capacity for this reaction. The reduction of N-OH-AABP is also carried out by homogenates of liver, kidney, and brain. On a weight basis, the cecal flora is considerably more active in reducing N-OH-AABP than are homogenates of tissues of the gastrointestinal tract. The cecal flora also has a greater activity for reducing N-OH-AABP than the stomach flora, an observation which may relate to the induction of tumors in the forestomach but not in the cecum of rats fed this compound. The products of the metabolism of N-OH-AABP have been compared in germ-free and conventional animals. Glucuronide conjugates of N-OH-AABP are found in the cecal contents and feces only of the germ-free rats, while 4-acetylaminobiphenyl is found in the feces only of conventional rats. These results suggest that the flora, by hydrolyzing glucuronides and reducing N-OH-AABP, may influence the level of metabolities of 4-acetylaminobiphenyl which are critical for carcinogenesis.

The effects of additional flora on the response of salmonella mutants lodged in the gastrointestinal tract.

A histidine auxotroph of Salmonella typhimurium, strain TA1538, will lodge for several months in the gastrointestinal tract of otherwise germ-free rats and of rats additionally associated with bacteria characteristic of the normal flora such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacteroides vulgatus. In the presence of the additional flora, the concentration of strain TA1538 is diminished in the stomach but not in the lower gastrointestinal tract or in the feces. Following the ingestion of 2-nitrofluorene, there is an increase in the concentration of revertants in the feces which reflects that observed in the colon and cecum. A dose-response relationship can be demonstrated between the amount of 2-nitrofluorene ingested and the concentration of revertants in the feces. A given dose of 2-nitrofluorene, however, produces fewer revertants in the feces of rats with the additional flora than in the feces of rats associated only with strain TA1538. It is not clear whether the decreased number of revertants in the feces in the presence of the additional flora is a result of metabolic transformations of 2-nitrofluorene by B. vulgatus, which can be demonstrated in vitro, or a result of the displacement of strain TA1538 from the stomach. The rat associated with strain TA1538, or other Ames tester strains, may be useful for detecting carcinogens as mutagens within the gastrointestinal tract and for determining the influence of various constituents of the bacterial flora on the concentration of mutagenic compounds.

Transformation of 4-androsten-3,17-dione by growing cultures and cell extracts of Clostridium paraputrificum.

Growing cultures of Clostridium paraputrificum transformed 4-androsten-3,17-dione to 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-androstan-17-one in a sequential manner with 5 beta-androstan-3,17-dione as an intermediate. The addition of 1.5 mM menadione to log-phase cultures which had formed 5 beta-androstan-3,17-dione resulted in a partial reoxidation of this steroid to 4-androsten-3,17-dione. However, this treatment also resulted in transient inhibition of culture growth. Resumption of growth was accompanied by complete reduction of 4-androsten-3,17-dione to 5 beta-androstan-3,17-dione. Cell extracts of C. paraputrificum were capable of carrying out these reductive transformations in the absence of added cofactors. However, Sephadex G-25 treated extracts required NADH or NADPH for these reactions. A flavin nucleotide, either FAD (plus NADH or NADPH) or FMN (plus NADH) was highly stimulatory for 4-androsten-3,17-dione reduction to 5 beta-androstan-3,17-dione. NADH was the preferred reduced pyridine nucleotide for reduction of the C4-C5 double bond, while time-course measurements suggested that NADPH was the preferred donor for reduction of the 3-keto group.

Age-adjusted analysis of insulin responses during normal and abnormal glucose tolerance tests in children and adolescents.

This report analyzes age-specific glucose (PG) and immunoassayable insulin (IRI) responses during oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) and examines test results in children and adolescents with OGTT abnormality using the age-appropriate control data. Controls' (n = 93) and patients' (n = 63) results were compared on the basis of statural age (SA) at the time of testing. Control tests (n = 101) showed significant positive correlation of fasting and four-hour postingestion PG with SA (p less than 0.001), but mean area under the PG curves did not vary between the SA groups (I--18.69 months, II--70-131 months, III--132+ months). The absence of differences of other sampling times permits uniform diagnostic criteria for this age group. IRI was positively correlated with SA at all testing times, and mean levels differed significantly between each SA group at every sampling time; the mean areas under the IRI curve also differed significantly between SA groups as did the mean ratios of IRI area to PG area (group I--0.2639 +/- 0.0175 S.E.M., group II--0.3864 +/- 0.0235, group III--0.6262 +/-0.0491). Patient tests (n = 110) were separated into normal (N), borderline (B), and chemical-diabetic (C) for each SA group. IRI means were above control data for each test type in each SA group at all sampling times; one fourth of these differences were significant. IRI responses also increased within each SA group from N to B to C tests. Mean IRI areas and IRI area to PG are mean ratios were higher than in controls, and this difference was greatest with the most abnormal (C) test type in each SA group. A subgroup of three patients who had low IRI responses from the outset and developed overt diabetes in one to three years was excluded from the analysis. In contrast to apparent relative insulin inefficiency with normal maturation and with chemical diabetes, they had exceptional responsiveness to their low IRI levels. Variable involvement of alpha as well as beta cells in the pathophysiology of diabetes is suggested as one explanation for these paradoxic observations. Changing receptor affinity might also be implicated.

Sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension is associated with germline mutations of the gene encoding BMPR-II, a receptor member of the TGF-beta family.

BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), resulting from occlusion of small pulmonary arteries, is a devastating condition. Mutations of the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II gene (BMPR2), a component of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family which plays a key role in cell growth, have recently been identified as causing familial PPH. We have searched for BMPR2 gene mutations in sporadic PPH patients to determine whether the same genetic defect underlies the more common form of the disorder. METHODS: We investigated 50 unrelated patients, with a clinical diagnosis of PPH and no identifiable family history of pulmonary hypertension, by direct sequencing of the entire coding region and intron/exon boundaries of the BMPR2 gene. DNA from available parent pairs (n=5) was used to assess the occurrence of spontaneous (de novo) mutations contributing to sporadic PPH. RESULTS: We found a total of 11 different heterozygous germline mutations of the BMPR2 gene in 13 of the 50 PPH patients studied, including missense (n=3), nonsense (n=3), and frameshift (n=5) mutations each predicted to alter the cell signalling response to specific ligands. Parental analysis showed three occurrences of paternal transmission and two of de novo mutation of the BMPR2 gene in sporadic PPH. CONCLUSION: The sporadic form of PPH is associated with germline mutations of the gene encoding the receptor protein BMPR-II in at least 26% of cases. A molecular classification of PPH, based upon the presence or absence of BMPR2 mutations, has important implications for patient management and screening of relatives.

Computer-planned menus for patients with diabetes mellitus.

A computer program has been developed that has the capability to plan menus for diabetic patients. Program input includes the patient's diet prescription, usual daily meal pattern, and food preferences. The program uses a food selection algorithm that combines patient food preferences and randomization to produce menus that include foods the patient likes and that vary from day to day. The amount of each food item served at a meal is determined by an integer programming algorithm that satisfies the dietary prescription. Program output includes daily menus, weekly nutrient summaries, and a weekly shopping list. The menus includes for each food item: food name, amount in household units, numbers and types of exchanges, calories, and a space in which to write exchanges. The menu serves as a diet plan, exchange concept instructional model, and diabetic diary.

Evaluation of computer-based diet education in persons with diabetes mellitus and limited educational background.

A study was conducted to determine whether computer-based techniques for meal planning and diet education could be an effective supplement to diabetes diet counseling in a group of inner-city subjects with limited educational background. Sixteen individuals with diabetes mellitus who were newly referred to an inner-city outpatient diet clinic and who demonstrated ninth-grade reading ability were given computer-based nutritional education. They received meal planning information through use of individualized computer-planned menus and education about the diabetes diet by computer-assisted instruction (CAI) combined with an interactive videodisc system (VIDEO). Total contact time was 180 min of CAI/VIDEO, 50 min of dietitian/patient education, and 20 min of dietitian/patient computer time (the last function could have been performed by a clerk). At the end of 4 wk, the group performance was improved in Exchange Lists knowledge (P less than 0.001), recognition of foods containing concentrated carbohydrate (P less than 0.05), and reduction of reported fat intake (P less than 0.05). In addition, average group weight declined by 4.6 lb (P less than 0.005). No improvement was found in food-measuring skills or in calorie-consumption compliance during a standardized buffet lunch. It appears that computer-based techniques are an acceptable supplement to traditional methods of education in this patient group and can improve the effectiveness of diabetes education programs without a significant increase in dietitian time.

Amputation prevention by vascular surgery and podiatry collaboration in high-risk diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The Operation Desert Foot experience.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a unique multidisciplinary outpatient intervention for patients at high risk for lower-extremity amputation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with foot ulcers and considered to be high risk for lower-extremity amputation were referred to the High Risk Foot Clinic of Operation Desert Foot at the Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs' Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, where patients received simultaneous vascular surgery and podiatric triage and treatment. Some 124 patients, consisting of 90 diabetic patients and 34 nondiabetic patients, were initially seen between 1 October 1991 and 30 September 1992 and followed for subsequent rate of lower-extremity amputation. RESULTS: In a mean follow-up period of 55 months (range 3-77), only 18 of 124 patients (15%) required amputation at the level of the thigh or leg. Of the 18 amputees, 17 (94%) had type 2 diabetes. The rate of avoiding limb loss was 86.5% after 3 years and 83% after 5 years or more. Furthermore, of the 15 amputees surviving longer than 2 months, only one (7%) had to undergo amputation of the contralateral limb over the following 12-65 months (mean 35 months). Compared with nondiabetic patients, patients with diabetes had a 7.68 odds ratio for amputation (95% CI 5.63-9.74) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A specialized clinic for prevention of lower-extremity amputation is described. Initial and contralateral amputation rates appear to be far lower in this population than in previously published reports for similar populations. Relative to patients without diabetes, patients with diabetes were more than seven times as likely to have a lower-extremity amputation. These data suggest that aggressive collaboration of vascular surgery and podiatry can be effective in preventing lower-extremity amputation in the high-risk population.

Depletion of cutaneous glutathione and the induction of inflammation by 8-methoxypsoralen plus UVA radiation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the dose response and time course relationships between PUVA (psoralen + UVA) depletion of skin glutathione (GSH) and the induction of inflammation. Dorsal skin fold thickness (DSFT), an index of cutaneous edema, was used as a noninvasive measure of inflammation. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) was used as a measure of epidermal damage. Female hairless mice were given 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) (dissolved in corn oil) by gavage at different doses, and 2 h later the mice were irradiated with 5 J/cm2 UVA. At 24 h, DSFT measurements were taken, the mice were killed, and reduced GSH, glutathione disulfide (GSSG), and glutathione-S-transferase were measured in the epidermis and dermis. Epidermal GSH was depleted 0, 11, 45, 87, and 98% from vehicle and/or UVA-treated levels (0.7 mM) after 0.1, 0.5, 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg, respectively. In the dermis GSH decreased from 0.3 mM by 47, 87, and 91% after 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg 8-MOP, respectively. Increases in DSFT of 20, 141, and 242% were observed after 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg doses, respectively. GSSG accounted for a small portion of total GSH in the skin after PUVA treatment. The maximal decreases in GSH were not observed until 24-48 h after PUVA treatment. PUVA treatment leads to dose-related increases in dermal edema, epidermal ODC, and depletion of GSH levels from both compartments in the skin. The time course of glutathione loss suggests that PUVA may interfere with its resynthesis or utilization from the circulation.

Differential effects of retinoids on DNA synthesis in calcium-regulated murine epidermal keratinocyte cultures.

To study the possibility that the state of proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes can influence the action of retinoids, the rate of proliferation of murine epidermal keratinocytes was manipulated by growing the cells in media containing high or low concentrations of Ca++. In contrast to what other investigators have reported, keratinocytes cultured in medium containing 1.4 mM Ca++ proliferate faster, instead of slower, than cells cultured in medium with 0.09 mM Ca++. Other experiments showed that Ca++ was stimulatory to keratinocytes in medium containing a low level of growth factors, and inhibitory in medium containing a high level of growth factors, suggesting that the discrepancy could be due to a difference in the sera used. The high Ca++ cells prominently expressed the 48kD/56kD pair of keratin, showing that they were in a hyperproliferative state. Exposure of the faster growing high Ca++ cells to all-trans retinoic acid, 13-cis retinoic acid, etretinate, etretin, and arotinoid ethyl ester caused dose-dependent inhibition of DNA synthesis. In contrast, exposure of the slower growing low Ca++ cells to these retinoids resulted in dose-dependent stimulation of DNA synthesis. In addition, all-trans retinoic acid caused dose-related increases in cell number in the low Ca++ cultures. These findings correlate with the reported differential effects of retinoids on normal and hyperproliferative epidermis, and suggest that Ca++ and low growth factor-regulated keratinocyte cultures are useful for studying the mechanism of hyperproliferation and retinoid actions.

Mutagenicity of urine from psoriatic patients undergoing treatment with coal tar and ultraviolet light.

The possible percutaneous absorption of the mutagens from patients receiving crude coal tar (CCT) and ultraviolet light was investigated. Urine samples were collected from nonsmoking volunteers, smoking, and nonsmoking psoriatic patients. Patients were treated with 1% CCT U.S.P. or 1 to 10% CCT in petrolatum in the evening. The following morning, patients received coal tar baths and then ultraviolet light (mainly 290-320 nm, UVB). Nonpolar organics in urine samples were extracted by adsorption onto XAD-2 resin and the extracted organics assayed in the Ames Salmonella/Microsome test. TA98 was the most sensitive bacterial strain to detect mutagenicity. Except for smoking psoriatic patients, the addition of liver homogenate was necessary to see mutagenicity. No increase in the number of revertants was observed when B-glucuronidase was added to the assay. Of 14 patients studied 12 had at least one mutagenic urine sample. Typical values for nonsmoking psoriatics treated with CCT ranged from 42 to 496 his +/20 ml of urine after the subtraction of spontaneous his + counts (26 +/- 6). Two nonsmoking normal volunteers were found to excrete mutagenic urines. Smoking psoriatic patients ranged from 213 to 1,100 his +/20 ml urine. This study demonstrates the percutaneous absorption of mutagens from CCT and indicates that its effects may not be limited to the skin.

Trans retinoic acid enhances the growth response of epidermal keratinocytes to epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor beta.

Retinoids have been shown to either stimulate or inhibit epidermal keratinocyte proliferation. We have observed that in serum and growth factor free medium (basal medium), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) stimulated DNA synthesis in mouse epidermal keratinocyte cultures (mKC) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Incubation with all-trans retinoic acid (RA) greatly enhanced the stimulatory effect of EGF. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) inhibited the EGF-induced DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibition was greatly enhanced by a low dose of RA. Treatment of growth-factor deprived human keratinocyte cultures (hKC) with RA before incubation in basal medium containing EGF or a mixture of EGF, bovine pituitary extract (BPE), and insulin caused a dose-related increase in DNA synthesis and cell growth (cell number), respectively. A low concentration of RA also enhanced the inhibitory effect of TGF beta on growth-factor-induced DNA synthesis and cell growth in hKC. These findings suggest that the differential effects of retinoids on epidermal keratinocyte proliferation are in part due to an enhancement of the response of keratinocytes to positive and negative peptide growth factors.