Blot hybridization analysis of mouse DNA with gamma-crystallin-specific cDNAs has detected the presence of a multigene family comprised of at least four related genes. The detailed structure of one of these genes, mouse gamma 4-crystallin (M gamma 4.1), and its corresponding cDNA has been determined. The gene spans approximately 2.6 kilobases (kb) and contains two introns. The gene predicts a polypeptide of 174 amino acids that shares extensive sequence homology with gamma-crystallin polypeptides of other species. The two similar structural domains of the protein correspond exactly to the second and third exons of the gene, supporting an exon-duplication model of gene evolution. The similarity in structure of this gene to that recently reported for a gamma-crystallin gene of the rat (1) suggests that a common structure may exist for all gamma-crystallin genes of the two species. Moreover, a highly conserved region, 50 nucleotides in length, immediately precedes the TATA box of both the mouse and rat genes, suggesting that this sequence may be important in gene regulation.

The incidence of congenital heart disease in the children of 219 probands was determined. Each of these probands had one of four selected defects: atrial septal defect, coarctation of the aorta, aortic valve stenosis or complex dextrocardia. Of their children, 8.8% had substantial congenital cardiac defects. This is a much higher incidence than that reported in most comparable studies. The difference is highly significant statistically and therefore is likely to be genuine. The cause of the high recurrence is probably environmental.

402 grew Pseudomonas(Ps.) cepacia. I n 208 c u l t u r e s , i t was t h e s i n g l e i s o l a t e . and i n 194 i t grew together with Staphylococcus aureus andlor Ps. aeruginos a , o r t o g e t h e r w i t h other gram-negative organisms. A t o t a l of 54 p a t i e n t s , (24 t o 22 y e a r s ) , 32 females and 22 males, with mild (2). moderate(l5) and advanced(37) degrees of CF has Ps. cepacia i s o l a t e d from b r o n c h i a l o r sputum c u l t u r e s . Ps. cepacia has been found i n p a t i e n t s who have never been h o s p i t a l i z e d and i n those who r a r e l y used a e r o s o l therapy. I t was recovered c o n s i s t e n t l y f o r 2 t o 3 years from 17 p a t i e n t s . Nine females and 5 males have died from r e s p i r a t o r y f a i l u r e . Premortem c u l t u r e s i n 12 p a t i e n t s grew Ps. cepacia alone o r together with Ps. aeruginosa. I n 10 autopsied c a s e s , the lung c u l t u r e grew Ps. cepacia alone i n 3 and Pa. aeruginosa i n 4. Pa. cepacia is r e s i s t a n t t o almost a l l a n t imicrobials including n a l i d i x i c a c i d and g a n t r i s i n b u t a few a r e s e n s i t i v e t o chloramphenicol. trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SXT) and kanamycin. Good c l i n i c a l response has been observed i n those t r e a t e d w i t h TMP-SXT o r chloramphenicol. Transient d i sappearance of Ps. cepacia i n post-therapy c u l t u r e s has been achieved i n a few cases. The s i g n i f i c a n c e of t h i s f i n d i n g i s under study. The s u p e r i n f e c t i o n with Ps. cepacia of p a t i e n t s with CF with advanced d i s e a s e has made the a n t i m i c r o b i a l therapy more d i f f i c u l t . TEICHOIC ACID SEROLOGY I N VARIOUS STAPHYLO- COCCAL COAGULASE P O S I T I V E I N F E C T I O N S I N INFANTS AND CHILDREN.C h i n h T. Le a n d Edward B. Lewin ( S p o n . by M a r t i n R. K l e m p e r e r ) . U n i v . o f R o c h e s t e r S c h . o f Med. a n d D e n t . , S t r o n g M e m o r i a l H o s p i t a l , D e p a r t m e n t o f P e d i a t r i c s , R o c h e s t e r . N . Y .C o u n t e r i m m u n o e l e c t r o p h o r e s i s ( C I E ) a n d O u c h t e rl o n y g e l d i f f u s i o n w e r e u s e d f o r t h e d e t e c t i o n a n d t i t r a t i o n o f a n t i c o a g . p o s i t i v e (SC+) i n i n f a n t s a n d c h i l d r e n . Serum s a m p l e s w e r e o b t a i n e d o n a d m i s s i o n , a t 2 w e e k s , a n d up t o 1 2 w e e k s i n t o t h e i l l n e s s .TAA w e r e f o u n d by CIE i n 7 0 % ( 7 1 1 0 ) o f p a t i e n t s w i t h i n v a s i v e SC+ d is e a s e w i t h b a c t e r e m i a ( g r o u p A). 1 4 % ( 1 1 7 ) o f p at i e n t s w i t h SC+ i n f e c t i o n w i t h o u t b a c t e r e m i a ( g r o u p B ) , 0 % ( 0 1 1 9 ) o f p a t i e n t s w i t h b a c t e r e m i a a n d l o r i n v a s i v e i n f e c t i o n s n o t c a u s e d by SC+ ( g r o u p C ) a n d 0 % ( 0 1 1 3 ) o f n o n -i n f e c t e d , h o s p i t a l i z e d p a t i e n t s a n d h e a l t h y c h i l d r e...

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