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Biomedical subjects

D Hsu

Publications and source records attributed to D Hsu.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Protection of cattle against rinderpest with vaccinia virus recombinants expressing the HA or F gene.

Rinderpest is a highly contagious ruminant viral disease manifested by a rapid course and greater than 90% mortality. Infectious vaccinia virus recombinants were constructed that express either the hemagglutinin or the fusion gene of rinderpest virus. All cattle vaccinated with either recombinant or with the combined recombinants produced neutralizing antibodies against rinderpest virus and were protected against the disease when challenged with more than 1000 times the lethal dose of the virus.

Animals↗

A new A4 amyloid mRNA contains a domain homologous to serine proteinase inhibitors.

The amyloid proteins isolated from neuritic plaques and the cerebrovasculature of Alzheimer's disease are self-aggregating moieties termed A4 protein and beta-protein, respectively. A putative A4 amyloid precursor (herein termed A4(695] has been characterized by analysis of a human brain complementary DNA. We report here the sequence of a closely related amyloid cDNA, A4(751), distinguished from A4(695) by the presence of a 168 base-pair (bp) sequence which adds 57 amino acids to, and removes one residue from, the predicted A4(695) protein. The peptide predicted from this insert is very similar to the Kunitz family of serine proteinase inhibitors. The two A4-specific messenger RNAs are differentially expressed: in a limited survey, A4(751) mRNA appears to be ubiquitous, whereas A4(695) mRNA has a restricted pattern of expression which includes cells from neuronal tissue. These data may have significant implications for understanding amyloid deposition in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Cloning of the fusion gene of rinderpest virus: comparative sequence analysis with other morbilliviruses.

We have cloned the cDNA of the fusion (F) gene of the virulent (Kabete O) strain of rinderpest virus and provided a comparative analysis of its sequence with that of the F genes of measles and distemper viruses. The gene has an open reading frame of 2241 nucleotides with two potential initiation codons in-frame. Use of the first ATG would produce a polypeptide 747 amino acids long with a calculated molecular weight of 81,068. However, we suggest that the second ATG is used to generate the Fo protein, which is 546 amino acids long with a calculated molecular weight of 58,754. During maturation, the cleavage of F0 gives rise to the functional F1 and F2 polypeptides. The F1 polypeptide is 438 amino acids long and has a calculated molecular weight of 46,791, with a single (potential) glycosylation site in its cytoplasmic domain. The F2 polypeptide, probably 89 amino acids long after the signal sequence is cleaved, is estimated to be 9,800 Da and has three potential glycosylation sites. There is a divergence of 18.7% in amino acid sequences between rinderpest and measles virus F0 polypeptides; between distemper and rinderpest viruses the divergence is 31.8%. No significant homology in nucleotide sequences of rinderpest DNA to measles or distemper DNA was found in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions.

Base Sequence↗

Cloning and sequence analysis of the hemagglutinin gene of the virulent strain of rinderpest virus.

We have cloned the cDNA of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of the virulent (Kabete O) strain of rinderpest virus and produced a comparative analysis of its sequence with that of the HA genes of rinderpest (lapinized strain) and measles viruses. The gene has an open reading frame of 1827 nucleotides, and the derived protein is 609 amino acids long with a calculated molecular weight of 68,006. The Kabete O HA polypeptide is identical in length to the HA of the lapinized strain of rinderpest virus and has a similar hydropathy profile. The nucleotide divergence between the lapinized and the Kabete O HA genes is 11.4% within the coding region, and 34.3% in the 3' untranslated region. The two rinderpest HA polypeptides differ at 74 amino acid residues for a divergence of 12.2%. Three-way comparison of the two rinderpest HA molecules with the measles virus HA polypeptide indicates that 56.6% of the residues are conserved.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of gastric bubble as a weight reduction device: a controlled, crossover study.

In spite of the widespread use of the Garren-Edwards gastric bubble as an adjuvant device in weight reduction, its efficacy has not been established. Therefore, our purpose was to conduct a randomized, double-blind, crossover study of this device in the management of exogenous obesity. The study group consisted of 23 patients, 21 women and 2 men, ranging in age from 21 to 53 yr. Patients were 25%-111% above their ideal body weight. They were studied for 24 wk, consisting of two separate 12-wk evaluation periods. Patients were randomly assigned either to receive the gastric bubble or to have a sham procedure. After the first 12-wk evaluation period, the gastric bubble and sham were administered in crossover fashion, so that those who had received the gastric bubble initially received the sham later and vice versa. The study coordinator remained blind to the kind of treatment, weighed each patient biweekly, enforced dietary counseling, and provided behavior modification. Those who had passed or were found to have a deflated bubble at the end of the treatment period were excluded from the study. Mean weight reduction in the two evaluation periods did not differ significantly. Patients lost 5.4 +/- 1.7 kg (mean +/- SE) during the gastric bubble period and 5.20 +/- 0.8 kg during the sham period. The order of administration of the gastric bubble and sham did not significantly affect the result. The time-course of mean biweekly values, however, revealed that with the gastric bubble, weight loss was significantly greater only during first (p less than 0.005) and second (p less than 0.025) 2-wk evaluation periods. This difference, however, disappeared after the initial 4 wk of treatment. These observations suggest that although gastric bubble implantation reduced weight significantly more than the sham procedure initially, the mean weight loss during 12 wk of evaluation was not different between the two periods. In our opinion, the gastric bubble is of no value as an adjuvant device in weight reduction.

Adult↗

Health human resources in Canada.

The article scrutinizes the different health professions in the socioeconomic setting of Canada. This country has a surplus of physicians and, at the same time, shortages in some specialties. In the discussion of the imbalance in the numbers and distribution of this manpower, it is indicated that certain factors affect all occupational groups including: the development of a data system on the health field, the effects of new technologies, and the size of education institutions. In the past, many physicians and other health professionals, attracted by the labor market, have come to practice in Canada. In addition, the supply of home-grown professionals has greatly increased. Based on a national study, four proposals are made to reduce the current and future surpluses: restrict the immigration of physicians, develop regional graduate training programs, reduce medical school enrollments, and address the joint problems of distributing and reducing the supply of health manpower.

Canada↗

Regan isoenzyme in ovarian cancer: reappraisal with a new assay method.

A new assay method was designed to determine the Regan isoenzyme in sera of patients with ovarian carcinoma. An attempt was made to improve the specificity and sensitivity of the assay. Serum was heated at 65 degrees C for 2 hr to complete the inactivation of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, then incubated with 2'-AMP at 37 degrees C for 20 hr. Adenosine produced was then quantified by anion-exchange column chromatography. Seventy-nine percent of patients with ovarian carcinoma showed elevated activity of the Regan isoenzyme.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Variable nature of cartilage proteoglycans.

Cartilage proteoglycan aggregates are separated from collagen and other non-proteoglycan protein by preparative rate zonal sedimentation under associative conditions. Dissociative rate zonal sedimentation produces sedimented proteoglycan of lower protein content with a corresponding increase in the amount of less sedimentable protein-rich proteoglycan. An extensive number of sequential rate zonal sedimentations discloses that the proceess of disaggregation involves the separation of proteoglycans varying continuously in composition with no apparent discontinuities in distribution to indicate the presence of distinctively different macromolecules. The variations encompass proteoglycans of low protein content containing less than 2% keratan sulfate and proteoglycans with keratan sulfate as the predominant polysaccharide (present in concentrations greater than 2-fold that of the chondroitin sulfate) and more than a 10-fold increase in protein content.

Amino Acids↗

Observations on the association of helical polyribosomes and filaments with vincristine-induced crystals in Earle's L-cell fibroblasts.

Earle's L-929 fibroblasts from cultures treated with 5-10 microg/ml of vincristine sulfate have a large number of eosinophilic, proteinaceous crystals in their cytoplasm. In electron micrographs, large arrays of helical polyribosomes, stacks of Golgi lamellae, and membranes of granular endoplasmic reticulum are seen in the cytoplasm of these cells. "Stalks" of fine granular material, approximately 300 A wide, are often seen in association with the arrays of the helical polyribosomes. In many sections rows of helical polyribosomes and filaments emerging from individual polyribosomes are seen in intimate contact with the crystals. A gradual reduction in the number of crystals and crystal-bearing cells is seen in cultures removed from the drug-containing medium and reincubated in fresh medium. In electron micrographs, these reincubated cells show large aggregates of filamentous material in the cytoplasm, and in many sections filaments are seen in continuity with the crystals.

Crystallization↗