The electrical conductivities of transition metals namely, cobalt, nickel and lead polymethacrylates determined experimentally have been compared. The polymers were synthesized by free radical solution polymerization. These polymeric salts act as semi-conducting materials. The electronic mode of conduction determined from the experimental results has been discussed to elaborate the mechanism of conduction.

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Nitrogen fractions such as amino-N, peptide-N, ammonia-N, total soluble-N, protein-N as well as total-N of six fungal species exposed to three pesticides were measured. The fungicide Afugan (Pyrazofos) induced a significant increase in the total-N of Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium solani whereas a significant decrease was observed with Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum. Certain doses of the herbicide Brominal (Bromoxynil) caused a significant decrease in the total-N of A. niger, F. solani, T. harzianum and Mucor racemosus. Total-N of Stachybotrys chartarum showed a significant increase in response to Brominal. The insecticide Selecron (Profenfos) caused a significant reduction in the total-N of p. chrysogenum. Other nitrogen fractions showed different responses depending on the type and dose of the pesticide as well as on the fungal species itself.

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Thermophilic campylobacters were isolated at "Saddam's Central Hospital for Children" from the stool of 120 children having diarrhea. Specimens were watery or bloody mucous. Twelve isolates were identified according to colonial morphology, Gram stain, motility, oxidase, catalase, biochemical tests and cell morphology using light and electron microscopes. The isolation percentage was 10%.

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In rats, an aqueous extract of the seeds of Nigella sativa was administered orally under light ether anesthesia for 7 and 14 days. Blood glucose, insulin level and key hepatic enzyme concentrations in serum an histopathological changes in the liver in both treatment groups for 7 and 14 days were compared with a control group which received normal saline under identical conditions for 14 days and with a group of normal animals. The data obtained indicate that blood glucose level exhibited significant decreases in both treatment groups after 7 and 14 days. Significant increases were recorded in insulin level in serum especially after 7 days post-treatment. Serum glutamate pyruvic acid transaminase (SGPT) concentrations were significantly higher following administration of N. sativa for 7 and 14 days when compared with the normal group but not when compared with the control group. On the other hand, serum glutamate oxaloacetic acid transaminase (SGOT) concentrations were not significantly different from one another. Serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase concentrations were significantly increased in both extract groups while serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations did not have a significant effect in both treatment groups after 7 and 14 days.
Histopathological examination of livers showed no evidence of degenerative changes following administration of N. sativa.

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An alkaline protease was purified from culture broth Penicillium expansum by fractioning with acetone and column chromatography on Sephadex G-100 and DEAE-Sephadex A-50. The homogeneity of the final product was demonstrated on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecylsulphate which showed a single protein band. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of about 20500 on polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis. The optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity were found to be 10.5 and 35°C, respectively. The activity was found to be enhanced by addition of cysteine, mercaptoethanol and Co2+ whereas inhibition was observed in the presence of Hg2+ and Ag2+. Addition of Ca2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+ did not produce any significant effect on enzyme activity.

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Two cases of tumoral calcinosis occurring in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis are described. The aetiology of tumoral calcinosis is described with particular reference to the patients presented. The metastatic calcification occurring in these two cases is most likely related to hyperphosphataemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism possibly aggravated by vitamin D therapy. Treatment was with withdrawal of vitamin D therapy, parathyroidectomy and stricter control of serum phosphate levels.

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The purpose of investigation was to assess the effect of captopril on both systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP) and lipoprotein metabolism in patients with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Seventeen patients (mean age 44 ± 6.8 years) with HAPH and mild-moderate systemic arterial hypertension were included into the study. All the patients underwent right heart catheterization with measurements of systolic PAP (PAPs), mean PAP (PAPm), diastolic PAP (PAPd). After 4 weeks placebo phase patients with PAPs>25 mm Hg, PAPm>15 mm Hg and systemic diastolic blood pressure (DBP)> 100 mmHg received captopril (50-75 mg at 8 am) for a period of 12 weeks. Following both the placebo and at the 12-week treatment periods, at 8 am and after 12 hours fasting, blood samples were obtained for analysis of total cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B. Patients with preexisting hypercholesterolemia (>250 mg/dl) and/or triglyceridemia (•200 mm/dl) were excluded from the analysis. The statistical evaluation of the results were made using the Student's t tests. It was found that captopril significantly decreases pulmonary and systemic arterial hypertensions without any side effects on lipoprotein metabolism.

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Electrical field stimulation (EFS) caused voltage dependent relaxations in the isolated frog upper oesophageal circular segments precontracted with carbachol (CCh). The influence of NG-nitro L-arginine (L-NOARG) on these relaxations was investigated. 10-6 M, 10-5 M, 5x10-5 M and 10-4 M concentrations of this substance inhibited them in a dose dependent manner. 4x10-4 M L-arginine (L-ARG) prevented the inhibitory action of 5x10-5 M and 10-4 M L-NOARG while 4x10-4 M D-arginine (D-ARG) did not protect against the effect of L-NOARG. Neither L-ARG nor D-ARG had any significant effects on the electrically-induced
relaxations. The results suggested that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the relaxations induced by EFS possibly mediated by non adrenergic non cholinergic (NANC) nerves.

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The results obtained with various plant and animal tissues as well as pathogenic cells demonstrate that lectin-gold complexes enable localization of sugar residues at the ultra structural level. Provided that sugar residues are not altered during processing, the lectin- gold method represents undoubtedly a simple and powerful approach for localizing glyco-conjugates. Because of the electron dense gold marker, the labeling obtained is always of high resolution and a good correlation of markers and the cellular compartments can be easily and repeatedly established. In our studies, incubation of thin sections of the human conjunctival goblet cells having N. acetyl D-Galactoseamine rich mucus droplets with the HPA-GC revealed numerous gold particles in the electron micrographs.

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During the past five years, the important role of cyclin/cdk heterodimers has been discovered. Regulation of G2/M transition by p34cdc2/cyclin B is summarized in Figure 1. The newly identified cdk genes, together with the emerging large family of cyclins will allow clarification of the molecular interactions in cell cycle control which involve suppressor genes, oncogenes and the true molecular basis of cancer. This information will be extremely valuable in our attempts to control the growth of cancer cells and tissues.

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A study to compare the relationship between strength and durability of cement stabilized Melaka Series (modified with river sand) was carried out. Reduction in fines percentage and increase in cement content improved the strength characteristics. Cement content had a greater influence on durability compared to percentage of fines. The percentage of weight loss obtained was well within the durability limit even though the unconfined compressive strength was 1.6 MN/m2 ( below the recommended strength for roadbases of lightlytraficked roads, 1.7MN/m2). Thus durability will simultaneously be satisfied if the strength criterion is met, within the fines percentage of 37 and 56 were studied.

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