The effects of mono- and bifunctional furocoumarins plus UVA radiation (PUVA and related treatments) on the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) promoter were studied using HeLa cells stably transfected with the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene under the control of the HIV-1 promoter. The experiments were performed with three psoralens (5-methoxypsoralen, 5-MOP; 8-methoxypsoralen, 8-MOP; and 4'-aminomethyl-4,8,5'-trimethylpsoralen, AMT) and four angelicins (angelicin; 4,5'-dimethylangelicin, 4,5'-DMA; 6,4'-dimethylangelicin, 6,4'-DMA; and 4,6,4'-trimethylangelicin, TMA). The drugs alone and UVA radiation alone showed no effect on the HIV promoter. However, when the cells were incubated with the furocoumarins at 0.1-40 micrograms/mL and then irradiated, the HIV promoter was activated in distinct fluence ranges, i.e. (1) no promoter activity was discernible at low fluences (e.g. at 0.1 microgram/mL of 8-MOP up to 100 kJ/m2), (2) as the fluence was increased, the promoter activity increased to reach a maximum (10-50-fold with respect to the unexposed samples), and (3) as the fluence was further increased, the promoter activity decreased. Similar (although shifted on the fluence scale) patterns were observed with either > 340-nm UVA radiation or with UVA radiation contaminated with a small amount of UVB radiation (typical for PUVA lamps). The effective fluences were inversely related to the drug concentration. Experiments with 5-MOP and 8-MOP indicated reciprocity of the drug concentration and radiation fluence. The HIV promoter response patterns were similar for monofunctional angelicins and bifunctional psoralens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Four chemical preservatives commonly used in ophthalmic solutions were tested for their toxic and mutagenic potential in mouse lymphoma cells with and without exposure of the cells to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation. The preservatives tested were benzalkonium chloride (BAK), chlorhexidine, thimerosal and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Cell survival and mutagenesis were measured using the L5178Y mouse lymphoma (TK +/-) system. Cells were exposed to varying amounts of preservatives for 1 h at 37 degrees C, and then aliquots were irradiated with UVA radiation (during the exposure to preservative). Cells were then assayed for survival, and for mutagenesis at the thymidine kinase (TK) locus. In concentrations commonly found in ophthalmic solutions, BAK, chlorhexidine, and thimerosal were toxic to cells, and thimerosal was slightly mutagenic. When cells were exposed to preservative and UVA radiation, chlorhexidine was mutagenic and the mutagenic activity of thimerosal was enhanced.

Photochemical decontamination of red blood cell concentrates (RBCC) with the silicon phthalocyanine Pc 4 and red light is being studied to enhance the viral safety of blood transfusion. Recent reports indicate that treatments with radiation and various phototsensitizing agents can activate the promoter of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This raises the possibility that an inadequate, sublethal photochemical treatment of RBCC could induce HIV in latently infected cells. This question has been addressed using HeLa cells stably transfected with the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene under the control of the HIV promoter. In control studies, 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) excited by UVA light caused activation of the HIV promoter in a dose- and time-dependent manner. At 0.1 microgram/mL of 8-MOP, maximal activation occurred with 18 J/cm2, 30 h after light exposure, With Pc 4 at 20 nM, over 90% of HeLa cells were killed after 24 h when exposed to 1 J/cm2 of red light. During that time interval and over a wide range of light doses no activation of the HIV promoter occurred. It is concluded that RBCC sterilization with Pc 4 and red light is unlikely to induce HIV production in latently infected cells.

Summary: Résumé: Zusammenfassung Over a period of three seasons the effectiveness of rouging wild oats in cereal crops with a patented herbicide glove was compared with hand pulling. Time spent by one operator in searching for the wild oats was found to remain relatively constant at 1.25–1.5 h/ha over a wide range of wild oat populations. If this searching time was excluded, treatment of the actual wild oat panicles was about three times as fast with the glove (1450/h) as by hand‐pulling (538/h). The implications of this and of the saving in time spent in carrying off and disposing of’pulled’ wild oats are discussed. Solutions of 5% and 10% w/v glyphosate applied to either the stem or the panicle of the wild oats prevented the formation of viable seed. It did not, however, prevent some inviable wild oat seed appearing in the harvested grain; without additional cleaning these would have prevented the sale of the grain for seed but not into E.E.C. intervention. Extirpation de la folle‐avoine Durant one période de trios saisons, les auteurs ont compare l'efficacité de l'extirpation de la folle avoine dans des cultures de céréales au moyen d'un gant herbicide breveté et en pratiquant I'arrachage manuel. Le temps passé par un opérateur à la recherche des pieds de folle‐avoine s'est révélé relativement constant: 1,25 à 1.5 h/ha pour un large échantillonnage de populations de folle‐avoine. Si l'on enlève ce temps de recherehes, I’operation sur les panicles présentes de folleavoine a été environ 3 fois plus rapide avec le gant (1 450/h) quä la main (538/h). Les conséquences de ce résultat et de lëconomie de temps passéâ transporter et â détruire les plants de folleavoine arrachees sont discutées. Des solutions de glyphosate à 5% ou 10% (poids pour volume) appliquées soit sur la tige soit sur la panucle des follesavoines ont empèche la formation de semences viables. Toutefois, cette opération n'empeche pas la présence d'un certain nombre de semences non viables de folle‐avoine dans le grain recolté; sans nettoyage supplémentaire, ces graines d'adventices auraient empéché la commercialisation du grain récolté comme semence, mais pas à I'intérieur de la C.E.E. Manuelle Bekämpfung von Flughafer über drei Vegetationsperioden wurde die effizienz der manuellen Flughaferbekämpfung in Getreidebestanden mit hilfe eines ‘herbizid‐Handschuhs’ verglichen mit dem Aufwand beim Jäten von Hand. Die von einer Arbeitskraft benötigte Zeit für das auffinden der Flughaferpflanzen blieb über einen weiten Bereich der Besatzdichte an Flughafer mit 1,25–1,5 h/ha verhältnismässig konstant. Lässt man diesen Zeitaufwand uberücksichtigt, dann erfolgte die Behandlung der Flughaferrispen mit dem Handschuh etwa dreimal so schnell (1450/h) wie durch Jäten von hand (538/h). Die hieraus sowie aus der Ersparnis an Zeit, die sonst für Abtransport and Ablagerung der gejateten Flughaferpflanzen benötigt worden wäre, zu ziehenden Folgerungen werden diskutiert. Lösungen von 5% oder 10% (Gew./Vol.) Glyphosat entweder am Halm oder an der Rispe der Flughaferpfl...

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