Unusual 2-aminopurine fluorescence from a complex of DNA and the EcoKI methyltransferase.

The methyltransferase, M.EcoKI, recognizes the DNA sequence 5'-AACNNNNNNGTGC-3' and methylates adenine at the underlined positions. DNA methylation has been shown by crystallography to occur via a base flipping mechanism and is believed to be a general mechanism for all methyltransferases. If no structure is available, the fluorescence of 2-aminopurine is often used as a signal for base flipping as it shows enhanced fluorescence when its environment is perturbed. We find that 2-aminopurine gives enhanced fluorescence emission not only when it is placed at the M.EcoKI methylation sites but also at a location adjacent to the target adenine. Thus it appears that 2-aminopurine fluorescence intensity is not a clear indicator of base flipping but is a more general measure of DNA distortion. Upon addition of the cofactor S-adenosyl-methionine to the M.EcoKI:DNA complex, the 2-aminopurine fluorescence changes to that of a new species showing excitation at 345 nm and emission at 450 nm. This change requires a fully active enzyme, the correct cofactor and the 2-aminopurine located at the methylation site. However, the new fluorescent species is not a covalently modified form of 2-aminopurine and we suggest that it represents a hitherto undetected physicochemical form of 2-aminopurine.

Childhood problems of alcoholic women.

A sample of three hundred and nine alcoholic and non-alcoholic women in South Carolina were asked three family-of-origin questions that were thought to relate to the development of alcoholism. Specifically the women were asked: "While you were growing up did anyone in your family: (1) drink a lot? (2) use drugs? or (3) serve a jail sentence?" Results of multivariate odds ratio analyses indicate that alcoholic women were 7.31 times more likely to indicate a family member who drank a lot, 3.57 times more likely to report a family member who used drugs, and 5.6 times more likely to report a family member who served a jail sentence in their families of origin. The prediction of alcoholism by any of these family of origin variables did not differ as a function of age or race. These data suggest that policy makers may contribute to improved outcome measures by providing attention to children passing through these difficulties.

Childhood problems of alcoholic women.

A sample of three hundred and nine alcoholic and non-alcoholic women in South Carolina were asked three family of origin questions that were thought to relate to the development of alcoholism. Specifically the women were asked: "While you were growing up did anyone in your family (1) drink a lot, (2) use drugs, and (3) serve a jail sentence." Results of multivariate odds ratio analyses indicate that alcoholic women were 7.31 times more likely to report a family member who drank a lot, 3.57 times more likely to report a family member who used drugs, and 5.6 times more likely to report a family member who served a jail sentence in their families of origin. The prediction of alcoholism by any of these family of origin variables did not differ as a function of age or race.

Antihypertensive regimen and quality of life in a disadvantaged population.

A sample of family practice patients with essential hypertension (N = 106) who were predominantly elderly, black, and disadvantaged were studied to determine psychosocial and physiological side effects from antihypertensive therapy regimens. Patients were assigned randomly to one of four monotherapy treatment groups: Hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene, metoprolol, captopril, and methyldopa. These medications have been reported to have contrasting effects on quality of life. Measurements of quality of life, physical symptoms, and depression taken at baseline and during therapy revealed few significant changes in these indicators. Changes in mean levels of diastolic and systolic hypertension over time were clinically and statistically significant. Findings raise issues regarding medication effectiveness and cost given the disadvantaged population studied.

Recognition of cognitive impairment in primary care outpatients.

We evaluated 100 primary care outpatients for signs of cognitive impairment using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The 23 subjects scoring abnormal values (less than 24/30) were found to be cognitively impaired. Seventeen had previously undetected cognitive impairment, while six had prior diagnoses consistent with cognitive impairment. Independent psychiatric evaluation identified these 23 outpatients as cognitively impaired, confirming the MMSE as a reliable, rapid instrument for cognitive assessment.

Mini-object test: a new brief clinical assessment for aphasia-apraxia-agnosia.

Primary degenerative dementia (Alzheimer's disease) is characterized by intellectual decline with impairment of memory, judgment, and abstract thinking. Also common are personality changes and disturbances of higher cortical function such as aphasia, apraxia, and agnosia. Standardized brief cognitive tests are useful for evaluating mental status, which is often limited by short attention span, distractibility, fatigability, mental retardation, illiteracy, and/or confusion. Data from 225 institutionalized patients support the mini-object test (MOT) as a valid, reliable, cost-effective, portable screening procedure for confirming the clinical diagnosis of aphasia-apraxia-agnosia associated with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the diagnostic value of the MOT in other dementing disorders.

Closed capsulotomy causing fractures of the scar capsule and the silicone bag of a breast implant. Case report.

We present a case in which the silicone rubber bag of a bag-gel breast implant was ruptured during the performance of a closed capsulotomy.