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The transport of Fe(2+) and other divalent transition metal ions across the intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) was investigated using brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) as a model. This transport is an energy-independent, protein-mediated process. The divalent metal ion transporter of the BBM is a spanning protein, very likely a protein channel, that senses the phase transition of the BBM, as indicated by a break in the Arrhenius plot. The transporter has a broad substrate range that includes Mn(2+), Fe(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+). Under physiological conditions the transport of divalent metal ions is proton-coupled, leading to the acidification of the internal cavity of BBMVs. The divalent metal ion transporter can be solubilized in excess detergent (30 mM diheptanoylphosphatidylcholine or 1% Triton X-100) and reconstituted into an artificial membrane system by detergent removal. The reconstituted membrane system showed metal ion transport characteristics similar to those of the original BBMVs. The properties of the protein described here closely resemble those of the proton-coupled divalent cation transporter (DCT1, Nramp2) described by, Nature. 388:482-488). We may conclude that a protein of the Nramp family is present in the BBM, facilitating the transport of Fe(2+) and other divalent transition metal ions.

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Inhibition of beta-glucosidase activity by Cu(II), Zn(II) and Ni(II) was investigated as a function of pH and buffer type. Both factors were found to exert a strong effect on the activity of the enzyme. All three of the investigated heavy metals inhibited the enzyme activity in acetate buffer. At metal concentrations of 0.6 mM, Zn and Ni reduced the enzyme activity by 25-30% under optimal pH conditions (pH 5-5.2). Under the same conditions, Cu showed an even more pronounced inhibitory effect than Zn and Ni. In presence of 0.6 mM Cu, the enzyme activity was lowered by more than 90% in comparison to metal free systems. In contrast to these results, no enzyme inhibition was observed in citrate buffer, even in the presence of 1 mM Cu. The inhibition of beta-glucosidase activity by Cu increased with increasing pH. Inhibition by Zn and Ni was less pH-dependent in the observed pH range (pH 4-5.5). Copper caused a distinct shift in the pH optimum of enzyme activity, whereas this was not the case for Zn or Ni. The effects of buffer and pH on enzyme inhibition by Cu, Zn and Ni were successfully described using a chemical speciation model, based on the assumption that enzyme activity depends on the protonation of the amino acids at the reactive site and that enzyme activity is inhibited by complexation of the reactive sites by the heavy metal cations. The results show the importance of taking chemical conditions and speciation into account when investigating the effect of heavy metal cations on biological systems.

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Iron uptake in rabbit brush border membrane vesicles was measured in the presence of nitrilotriacetate. The complexes formed ranged from stable mononuclear species to hydrolyzed polynuclear complexes and are considered as a good model for nutritional iron compounds with respect to their chemical reactivity. Uptake includes both binding to and penetration through the membrane. A strategy was developed to localize iron in the following four compartments: outer membrane surface, membrane interior, inner membrane surface and aqueous phase within the vesicles. Both surfaces as well as the membrane interior revealed a high metal binding capacity. After an incubation for 10 min with 182 mumol/L iron and 364 mumol/L nitrilotriacetate, 35% of total vesicle iron was found to be bound to the outer membrane surface, 34% to the inner membrane surface, and 23% was not accessible to EDTA. Thus, by adsorption of polynuclear iron complexes to the outer surface, the residence time of iron may be prolonged. The remaining 8% of total iron was in the aqueous phase within the vesicles. Nitrilotriacetate enters the rabbit vesicles in a concentration-dependent manner. As a consequence, iron concentration in the aqueous phase within the vesicles will be driven to the medium equilibrium concentration.

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LINES ONE (L1) is a family of movable DNA sequences found in mammals. To measure the rate of their movement, we have compared the positions of L1 elements within homologous genetic loci that are separated by known divergence times. Two models that predict different outcomes of this analysis have been proposed for the behavior of L1 sequences. (i) Previous theoretical studies of concerted evolution in L1 have indicated that the majority of the 100,000 extant L1 elements may have inserted as recently as within the last 3 million years. (ii) Gene conversion has been proposed as an alternative to a history of prolific recent insertions. To distinguish between these two models, we cloned and characterized two embryonic beta-globin haplotypes from Mus caroli and compared them with those of M. domesticus. In 9 of 10 instances, we observed an L1 element to be present in one chromosome and absent at the same site in a homologous chromosome. This frequency is quantitatively consistent with the known rate of concerted evolution. Therefore, we conclude that gene conversion is not required for concerted evolution of the L1 family in the mouse. Furthermore, we show that the extensive movement of L1 sequences contributes to restriction fragment length polymorphism. L1 insertions may be the predominant cause of restriction fragment length polymorphisms in closely related haplotypes.

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Many techniques for ligamentous reconstruction have been developed in recent years. In the United States, injuries of the knee have been increasingly treated with innovative methods of surgical reconstruction, most of which have used normal structures. There are obvious theoretic advantages in using synthetic materials that might simplify surgery, spare normal tissues, and possibly facilitate stronger repairs. To these ends, several synthetic substances have been used experimentally and clinically. This is a brief summary of eight of the materials that have been or are being investigated in the United States. Some are no longer in use, others are currently being used in clinical trials. As of this writing, only the Gortex ligament has received a general device release from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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The rates of reaction of various exogenic iron(III) complexes with deuteroporphyrin IX in isolated mitochondria to form deuterohaem were measured. Ferritin was shown to supply iron readily for haem synthesis if the ferritin iron was reductively mobilised by the mitochondrial respiratory chain with succinate as substrate and FMN as mediator. In contrast, polynuclear complexes of iron(III) were able to form deuterohaem without added FMN. Rates of haem formation are about five times higher for the lowest polynuclear units than for ferritin. Sorbitol, gluconate, and bovine serum albumin were used as scavengers for polynuclear complexes with restricted size. Strong chelators of iron(II) compete favourably for deuterohaem formation, which supports the multistep mechanism for haem formation suggested by a priori arguments. Rates of deuterohaem formation were measured in homologous and heterologous systems of ferritins and mitochondria. Slightly differing rates of haem formation were shown to originate in different rates of iron mobilisation from the ferritins. The lack of species specificity in the interaction of ferritin with mitochondria also shows up in the linear dependence of ferritin binding on its bulk concentration as measured using 3H-labeled ferritin. Rates of haem formation are virtually the same in mitoplasts and mitochondria which indicates insignificant influences of the outer membrane. The hypothesis of low polynuclears as major components of the intracellular transit iron pool implies that both ferritin and transit iron pool species are largely equivalent sources of iron for mitochondrial haem synthesis.

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The reductive mobilisation of iron from ferritin, the principal protein of iron storage, was studied. The kinetic characteristics of iron release by dithionite, thioglycollate, and dihydroriboflavin 5'-phosphate (FMNH2) were found to differ widely. The dependence on pH is most pronounced for the dithionite reduction which proceeds 100 times faster at pH 4 than at pH 7. The experimental data can be consistently explained in terms of specific interactions of products or educts with interfacial iron(III) hydroxide of the ferritin core. Surface complexes with the product sulfite are postulated in the dithionite reaction, and with the educt in the thioglycollate reaction. Iron(II) complexes with the radical anion FMN-. are suggested to be involved in the iron release by FMNH2. The mobilisation of iron by a series of thiols of different size and coordinative properties confirmed the importance of surface complex formation. No evidence was found for predominant effects of hindered shell penetration.

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The pattern of knee surgery has changed dramatically in the past eight years as a result of arthroscopy and an appreciation of the possible devastating effects in the knee in which the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is lost. The magnitude of the problem has not been clearly defined, and the long-term benefits and liabilities with reconstructive surgery are unknown. The records of 284 patients treated by reconstructive surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee were reviewed to determine the incidence of ligament injury. In approximately 8%, a significant ligament injury had occurred that possibly could be implicated in the subsequent osteoarthritis.

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The kinetics of replication of five strains of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) were studied to determine the influence of (i) temperature, (ii) virus strain, (iii) m.o.i. and (iv) cell type. Relative to growth at 37 degrees C (m.o.i. = 3 to 9) eclipse periods were extended from 24 to 48 h at 33 degrees C and to 72 h at 40.5 degrees C. Yields were reduced at 33 degrees C and almost eliminated at 40.5 degrees C. No replication occurred in most instances at 40.5 degrees C and with 0.05 p.f.u./cell. Temperature shift studies (40.5 to 37 degrees C) indicated that the block to replication at 40.5 degrees occurred about 12 to 16 h p.i. resulting in little synthesis of CMV DNA or late antigens. The degree of inhibition of late functions at 40.5 degrees C is virus strain and m.o.i. dependent, but is not dependent on the type of fibroblastic cell used. These data suggest that persistent CMV infections are favoured at 40.5 degrees C.

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It has previously been established that the functional gene A product of phi chi X 174 is required for double-stranded DNA replication and that mutants in gene A affect the lysis of the host cell. We report here other alterations of normal phenotype for a subset of gene A mutants suggesting additional functions of gene A. Mutants in the subset failed to terminate cellular DNA synthesis and were unable to efficiently inactivate the colony-forming ability of the host. Two mutants in a second group retained the ability to kill the infected cell, although only one of these mutants efficiently terminated cellular DNA synthesis. Normal termination of cellular DNA synthesis did not occur by the production of random multiple breaks in the DNA, although it may have occurred by the selective production of breaks in newly synthesized DNA. It has previously been shown that two protein products are produced from the gene A region, the smaller of which is a C-terminal fragment of the larger. The separate phenotypes reported here for the two groups of mutants in gene A are consistent with separate functions for the two gene products previously reported.

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The neck is a vulnerable area in contact sports in general and in football in particular. The type of injuries encountered often vary with the age and development of the players. Five well-established mechanisms of injury have been identified. Most injuries appear to occur during the act of tackling when the well protected head sustains violent trauma which is transferred directly to the neck. The most dangerous single mechanism is that of flexion, but lateral deviation, extension and impaction also have been identified as mechanisms of injury. The pattern of injuries would suggest that several measures should be undertaken. First, coaches, officials and doctors associated with football teams need to be aware of the dangers of head-on tackling and the value of "heads-up" football to avoid flexion injuries. Deliberately butting players with the head or "spearing" is illegal but head-on tackling and blocking of the so-called "stick-blocking" type is specifically taught at the high school and college levels. In the immature neck this is a dangerous maneuver and should be discouraged. The development of strong neck musculature could reasonably be expected to prevent many neck injuries and isometric and resistance exercises to develop neck strength should be a part of all preseason conditioning. All players who have neck symptoms should be thoroughly evaluated both clinically and radiologically to rule out damage or predisposing structural weakness. This is particularly important in the atlanto-axial area in immature players. Finally, it is recommended that protective collars be worn by all players with a history of neck injury. The authors have gained the impression in surveying a large number of injuries that most serious neck injuries, particularly those involving fracture-dislocation are incurred in the act of open field tackling by defensive players making head-on tackles. Neck flexion is the usual mechanism. A light-weight sponge rubber collar is presently available. It is designed to be used to prevent extension and lateral flexion but it can be easily modified to extend anteriorly where it should aid in preventing the extreme flexion which is responsible for many serious injuries in the young players at the high school level.

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