Negative transcriptional regulation of the human periostin gene by YingYang-1 transcription factor.

Periostin (POSTN), an osteoblast-specific secreted protein known to be associated with cell adhesion activity for bone formation and development by the epithelial cell-derived tumors, leads to a significant enhancement in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. At present, little is known about the mechanisms underlying its transcriptional control either in physiological or neoplastic conditions. In this study we demonstrate that the ability of the human POSTN promoter to drive transcription mostly depends on the activity of YingYang-1 (YY1) zinc finger transcription factor. YY1, whose regulatory role in biology includes, besides transcriptional control, also chromatin remodeling, DNA damage repair and tumorigenesis, acts as a strong negative modulator of the POSTN expression. We retain that the identification of the functional role of YY1 in the transcriptional control of the human POSTN gene adds new insights in the studies focused on gene expression in normal and transformed cells.

HPLC method to characterize cyanogen bromide collagen fractions containing pyridinoline groups.

The HPLC method here described allows to separate CNBr collagen peptides within 2.5 h by reversed phase and gradient elution. The method is useful to determine both peptide bond and pyridinoline groups by absorbance spectophotometry. The fractions can be recovered and then submitted to other characterization techniques.

Data base management system for tracking occupational health.

An Occupational Health Information System (OHIS), a data base management system for tracking occupational health, has been developed. A primary feature is its ability to correlate employee workplace environment with health. Hardware implementation of OHIS is on a minicomputer with application programs written in ANSI standard MUMPS language. OHIS integrates personnel, medical and industrial hygiene/toxicology information into one data base. The personnel module is comprised of demographic information collected and updated by the personnel department. The medical module utilizes an interactive video display terminal (VDT)-driven questionnaire and multiphasic testing subsystems which are accessed selectively by authorized users. The backbone of OHIS is a parameter dictionary of all possible data elements. A final medical report includes a medical history summary, physical findings and X-ray interpretation, highlighted and normal test findings, computer interpretations, and a final one-page summary of problem and health-risk information. Information characterizing the workplace environment is captured and reported by the questionnaire subsystem. This questionnaire is designed to define: 1) monitoring conditions, 2) sample analysis, 3) measurement results, and 4) personal protective equipment used. These data provide a means of assigning environmental exposure measurements to appropriate employees.

Monitoring of workers exposure to low levels of airborne monomers in a polystyrene production plant.

Exposure of workers to sub-ppm levels of airborne monomers, namely ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, in a polystyrene production plant was measured in the same sample on a single gas chromatographic column. The best separation and sensitivity were obtained with a 3 m X 3.175 mm stainless steel column packed with 10% FFAP on Chromosorb and a temperature programmed from 70 degrees C to 110 degrees C. A total of 106 air samples were collected on 150 mg charcoal tubes from the breathing zone of workers, from areas near reactors, and from places where monomers were unloaded from trucks and tank cars. Samples were analyzed in a manner similar to the method recommended by NIOSH. The mean TWA concentrations in a worker's breathing zone were 89, 66, 49, 120, 41 and 1 ppb for ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, respectively. The highest TWA breathing zone concentration was 14.8 ppm for styrene, which occurred during unloading and sampling of the monomer for a quality check. The mean TWA concentration of monomers in the air of the workplace were 1.1 ppm, 169, 36, 54, 10, and 30 ppb for the same 6 compounds mentioned above. The highest area TWA concentration was 57 ppm for ethyl acrylate, which occurred outdoors at the truck and tank car unloading site. It was concluded that use of two separate local exhaust ventilating systems in this polymerization process were effective in maintaining negative pressure within the reactors under all circumstances of use. These engineering controls and care in handling monomers have resulted in a relatively safe working environment.