Early results of one-stage knee extensor realignment and autologous osteochondral grafting.

We treated 49 patients with recurrent patellar dislocations or persistent patellar subluxations. Chondral defects were graded according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS). Thirty patients (group I) had chondral defects grade I or II, and 19 patients (group II) had chondral defects grade III or IV. All patients were treated with proximal and distal realignment of the knee extensor mechanism, but group II also had a simultaneous autologous osteochondral grafting of the chondral defect. Patients were followed for 2 years and clinically assessed using the Marshall score comparing the two groups. Apart from a slower recovery in group II, the clinical and functional results were almost the same at the final follow-up.

[Postero-medial release in surgical treatment of congenital clubfeet: a comment to Turco's method based on personal experience]. / Leczenie operacyjne wrodzonej stopy konsko-szpotawej technika uwolnienia tylno-przysrodkowego--odniesienie do metody turco na podstawie wlasnych obserwacji.

Complete correction of congenital clubfeet by conservative treatment is often impossible. Surgical treatment plays a major role in treatment of this deformity. At the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics in Lublin between 1970 and 1999 1041 children (1253 feet) were treated surgically with Turco's method, in the authors' own modification. The paper presents the technically optimal procedure, the range of tendon elongation. The way the wound is closed is particularly stressed, as well as the need to achieve muscle balance, along with a description of proper post-op care. The material was analysed as a whole, although particular attention was given to three periods: 1970-1975, 1980-1985, 1990-1995. The results were assessed according to the Turco classification, the Magone classification in accordance with the injunctions of the Scientific Committee Meeting of the Pediatric Section of the Polish Orthopedic Society held in Poznan. Good and very good results were achieved in 65-67% of the cases, while satisfactory and bad results were found in 23-30% of the cases.

Primate antibodies to components of the human immune system.

The feasibility to raise nonhuman primate antibodies against selected components of the human immune system was tested. The immunogens were whole cells (human T lymphocytes) or purified, recombinant human proteins (cytokines: TNF alpha or GM-CSF; soluble forms of cell surface antigens: sCD4 or sCD25). Significant immunizations, yielding functionally relevant antibodies, were readily achieved in rhesus monkeys, but, not surprisingly, may be less frequent in chimpanzees. The results suggest a general strategy for production of therapeutically useful MAB.

Conserved residues Pro-109 and Asp-116 are required for interaction of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase protein with its viral DNA substrate.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase protein can be specifically cross-linked to viral long terminal repeat substrate oligonucleotides in vitro by using UV light. Site-directed mutagenesis and deletion analyses were used to define the domains involved in the interaction of integrase with the viral DNA substrate. Our results showed that mutation of conserved residues Pro-109 and Asp-116, which are found to be critical for the endonuclease and integration activities of IN protein, abolished the ability of the protein to cross-link to its DNA substrate. Furthermore, deletion analysis experiments showed that removal of 39 amino acids from the amino terminus and deletion of 15 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus abolished DNA cross-linking.

Identification of amino acid residues critical for endonuclease and integration activities of HIV-1 IN protein in vitro.

HIV-IN protein, tagged with a hexahistidine tail was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by a one-step nickel chelate affinity chromatography procedure. The purified IN protein was characterized in terms of its endonuclease and integrase properties in vitro. Specific cleavage and integration of HIV U5 LTR ends were observed in the presence of 2-5 mM Mg2+ or Ca2+. In the presence of 2 mM Mn2+, cleavage and integration occurred at additional sites indicating a decreased specificity. The properties of mutant IN proteins were examined in vitro. Deletion of 39 amino acids from the N-terminus and a minimum of 25 residues from the C-terminus impaired IN-mediated cleavage and integration activities. The results of site-directed mutagenesis experiments showed that residues critical for IN function are highly conserved. Mutations of conserved residues Asp64, Pro109, Asp116, and Glu152 adversely affected IN function in vitro. Mutations of nonconserved residues Gly189 and Thr112 had no effect. Mutation of a conserved Thr115 to Ala caused a near complete loss of Mg(2+)-dependent integration activity, but only partially effected endonucleolytic cleavage activity of IN. These results suggest that not all conserved residues are involved in both endonucleolytic cleavage and integration activities of HIV-IN.