Our results suggest that OUES may provide an objective, effort-independent estimation of cardiorespiratory functional reserve that is related both to pulmonary dead space and to metabolic acidosis.

We have carried out a large-scale identification and characterization of human genes that activate the NF-kappaB and MARK signaling pathways. We constructed full-length cDNA libraries using the oligo-capping method and prepared an arrayed cDNA pool consisting of 150 000 cDNAs randomly isolated from the libraries. For analysis of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, we introduced each of the cDNAs into human embryonic kidney 293 cells and examined whether it activated the transcription of a luciferase reporter gene driven by a promoter containing the consensus NF-kappaB binding sites. In total, we identified 299 cDNAs that activate the NF-kappaB pathway, and we classified them into 83 genes, including 30 characterized activator genes of the NF-kappaB pathway, 28 genes whose involvement in the NF-kappaB pathways have not been characterized and 25 novel genes. We then carried out a similar analysis for the identification of genes that activate the MARK pathway, utilizing the same cDNA resource. We assayed 145 000 cDNAs and identified 57 genes that activate the MARK pathway. Interestingly, 27 genes were overlapping between the NF-kappaB and the MAPK pathways, which may indicate that these genes play cross-talking roles between these two pathways.

Transforming growth factor-␤ (TGF-␤

No abstract

Type III group B streptococci (GBS) isolated from Tokyo and Salt Lake City were classified according to the similarity of HindIII and Sse83871 restriction digest patterns (RDPs) of bacterial DNA. The bacteria were clustered into three RDP types, with excellent correlation between subtyping based on the two enzymes. The majority (91%) of invasive isolates obtained from neonates were RDP type III-3. The mean sialic acid content of the III-3 strains was higher than that of other type III strains. Closely related isolates were concordant for expression of the bacterial enzyme C5a-ase, but invasive strains were no more likely to be C5a-ase positive than were strains isolated from the genitourinary tract of pregnant women. These data indicate that a group of genetically related organisms with increased capsule production causes the majority of invasive type III GBS disease. Group B streptococci (GBS) 3) causes most serotype III neonatal sepsis, suggesting the RDP typing. DNA was extracted from GBS suspended in agarose existence of a genetically related subgroup of serotype III GBS gel plugs (InCert; FMC BioProducts, Rockland, ME) according to that are intrinsically more virulent than other serotype III strains the manufacturer's instructions except that mutanolysin and SDS con- [4]. The purpose of these studies was to determine whether taining proteinase K were used for digestion of the bacteria. DNA in invasive serotype III isolates from Salt Lake City, as well as the agarose gel plugs was digested with HindIII, extracted from the more recently isolated clinical isolates from Japan, are also agarose with phenol, and redigested with HindIII. The DNA sample RDP III-3. We also validated the HindIII typing by typing the was then subjected to electrophoresis in a conventional ethidium bromide-agarose gel. The similarity between densitometric RDPs from individual strains was expressed as a Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (PPMCC) and clustered by the unweighted