RATIONALE Evaluation of the T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta-chain repertoire by PCR-based CDR3 length analysis allows fine resolution of the usage of the TCR V beta repertoire and is a sensitive tool to monitor changes in the T-cell compartment. A multiplex PCR method employing 24 labeled upstream V beta primers instead of the conventionally labeled downstream C beta primer is described. METHOD ...

Leukocytes and leukocyte membranes isolated from the blood of carotenemic (serum carotene, 4.0 mg/liter) and non-carotenemic individuals were found to contain small amounts of carotenoid pigments. The principal pigment isolated from the leukocyte membranes of carotenemic individuals was beta-carotene. Traces of beta-carotene and other carotenoids were found in the leukocytes and leukocyte membr...

BACKGROUND Pre- and postoperative rehabilitation are important to the management of patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, but little attention has been given to the costs. This study evaluated the pre- and postoperative rehabilitation charges in patients with ACL reconstruction in the United States. HYPOTHESIS Patients receive preoperative rehabilitation less commonly...

Several beta-lactamases, enzymes that play an important part in antibiotic resistance, have been purified by affinity chromatography on boronic acid gels. The procedure is rapid, appears to be selective for beta-lactamases, and allows a one-step purification of large amounts of enzyme from crude cell extracts. We have found the method useful for any beta-lactamase that is inhibited by boronic a...

The production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and IL-1 beta by the monocytic cell line THP-1, productively infected with HIV-1, was investigated using specific RIA and Northern blot analysis. HIV-infected cells, like uninfected cells, did not constitutively produce any detectable amounts of protein or mRNA for TNF alpha or IL-1 beta. After stimulation with LPS or a combination of LP...

The biotransformation of Hg(II) by cyanobacteria was investigated under aerobic and pH-controlled culture conditions. Mercury was supplied as HgCl(2) in amounts emulating those found under heavily impacted environmental conditions where bioremediation would be appropriate. The analytical procedures used to measure mercury within the culture solution, including that in the cyanobacterial cells, ...

Friend erythroleukemia cells, grown in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide for 3 d, synthesize unequal amounts of the two chains (alpha and beta) of spectrin with approximately 15-30% more beta than alpha spectrin. When cells were ruptured by nitrogen cavitation, nascent alpha and beta spectrin were found to be associated with a membranous cell fraction and were not detected in the soluble cytop...

Functional messenger RNA for human hemoglobin synthesis was prepared from reticulocyte lysates of patients with homozygous beta thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. The messenger RNA stimulated the synthesis of human globin chains by a cell-free system derived from Krebs mouse ascites cells. In the presence of beta thalassemia messenger RNA, the system synthesized much less beta chain than alpha...