The assessment of pain in rheumatoid arthritis: disease differentiation and temporal stability of a behavioral observation method.

An observation method for the assessment of pain behaviors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been developed. We investigated the extent to which the frequencies of pain behaviors differentiated patients with RA and patients with chronic low back pain from depressed and nondepressed, pain free, control subjects. The reliability of the pain behavior frequencies of patients with RA across 2 observation sessions also was determined. Total pain behavior scores clearly differentiated patients with RA and low back pain from depressed and nondepressed, pain free, control subjects. Pain behavior observed in patients with RA showed a high degree of stability over time. The results of our study suggest that the behavioral observation method will prove useful in the assessment of RA pain in clinical and research settings.

Treatment of lithium tremor with metoprolol.

Two patients with bipolar affective disorder and a history of bronchospastic phenomena experienced tremor during lithium carbonate therapy. In both, metoprolol produced objective and subjective improvement of the tremor without producing bronchospasm. Objective improvement of tremor after use of metoprolol was documented by accelerometry. The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

Intermediates and enzymes between alpha-ketoarginine and gamma-guanidinobutyrate in the L-arginine catabolic pathway of Pseudomonas putida.

In Pseudomonas putida P2 grown on L-arginine as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen, catabolism of L-arginine forms of alpha-ketoarginine, gamma-guanidinobutyrate, and gamma-aminobutyrate. A previously undetected intermediate, gamma-guanidinobutyraldehyde, is identified as the product of alpha-ketoarginine decarboxylase. An 86-fold purification of this enzyme is described. Activity is thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent and cofactor reassociation is facilitated by divalent cations. The order of effectiveness is Mn-2+ greater than Mg-2+, Co-2+ greater than Ca-2+ greater than Ni-2+ greater than Zn-2+. An inducible enzyme that catalyzes conversion of gamma-guanidinobutyraldehyde to gamma-guanidinobutyrate has been studied in cell-free extracts. NAD-+, but no other cofactors, is required. By differential nutritional growth experiments, 4 regulatory units for the L-arginine pathway are proposed and inducers of 2 units are identified.

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity associated with subviral particles of polyhedral cytoplasmic dexoyribovirus.

Polyhedral cytoplasmic deoxyribovirus virions contain a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase which catalyzes the incorporation of ribonucleotides into an acid-precipitable product. Treatment of virions with sodium deoxycholate and dithiothreitol resulted in the formation of subviral particles which could be separated from virions by rate zonal centrifugation in sucrose gradients. Subviral particles were RNA polymerase-positive and more active per unit mass of protein than virions. In vitro enzyme activity associated with subviral particles required addition of ribonucleotides, Mg(2+), and exogenous denatured DNA template. Optimal enzyme activity occurred over a broad pH (7.2 to 8.8) and Mg(2+) concentration (2 to 10 mumol) range. The specific activity of the RNA polymerase was maximal at 37 C. Addition of DNase or actinomycin D to the reaction mixture reduced the incorporation of [(3)H]UMP into an acid-precipitable product. The product of the reaction was sensitive to degradation by RNase but not to DNase or Pronase. These data suggest that the enzyme copies DNA into RNA.