A B S T R A C T Discordance between clinical phenotype and the level of a mutant enzyme activity may reflect differences between enzyme function in vivo and that measured by the customary enzyme assays on cell extracts. In the present study, the conversion of hypoxanthine to phosphorylated products was measured in intact skin fibroblasts and in cell extracts from seven patients with mutant hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) and six control subjects. The patient's phenotypes ranged from asymptomatic hyperuricemia to the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Although there was a general correlation between the HPRT activity in cell extracts assayed by the usual methods and the function of the purine salvage pathway in patients, as reflected by urinary oxypurine excretion, there were notable exceptions. A more accurate appraisal of the functioning of the pathway at the cellular level is achieved by measuring the conversion of substrate to product in the intact cell at physiological concentrations of substrates, activators, and product and metabolite inhibitors, and in a physiological ionic environment. In one of the seven patients, the standard enzyme assay indicated normal function, whereas measurements in the intact cell exposed severe dysfunction of the salvage system. In an-A preliminary report of this work appeared in Clinical

Induced molting in egg-laying hens is an important method for maximizing hen egg production and quality as well as hen health in commercial settings; however, there is growing societal concern over its effects on hen well-being. Using individual hens as their own controls, this research examined the behavior of hens subjected to different treatments of induced molting under premolt, molt, and postmolt conditions. Cage pecking increased in fast-induced subjects and aggression increased in fast-induced and nonfast-induced subjects during the molt. Gakel calling and several aspects of its acoustic structure were much higher during the molt condition in fast-induced subjects only. These data suggest that nonfast-induced molting treatments provide an effective method for inducing molting in hens and improving their well-being by minimizing discomfort due to food deprivation. In addition, these data further support that gakel vocalizations in hens may serve as an effective indicator for assessing well-being in a species otherwise behaviorally stoic in expressing stress or discomfort.

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Green tea polyphenols are antioxidants frequently used to promote good health. In this study green tea extracts were used to study the cytotoxicity and wound healing effect on human lung cells. Epigallocatechin (EGCG), a water soluble polyphenol in pure form, a group of water soluble polyphenols (GTP), a group of non water soluble polyphenols (LTP), and a mixture of all three (combo333) were used at 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100 μM concentrations. Results suggested that EGCG promoted lung cell proliferation at concentrations of 12.5 to 25 μM. GTP results suggest promoted lung cell proliferation at 12.5–50 μM. Combo333 shows increased proliferation and no morphology alteration. The results suggest that particulate green tea polyphenols may possess antitoxin abilities. Tests on the potency of antitoxin abilities of green tea against World Trade Center dust exposed human lung cells were conducted based on these findings. Previous studies indicated that WTC dust decreases cell proliferation and increases apoptosis of human lung cells. In the presence of green tea extracts, EGCG at 12.5 μM was the only concentration that showed some proliferation during the presence of the dust solution. All other extracts displayed no re‐growth into the wound region, however no morphological changes were detected. This suggests green tea polyphenols may protect the integrity of the cell.