To test the hypothesis that psoriasis is associated with an increased incidence of occlusive vascular disease (thrombophlebitis, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolization, and cerebrovascular accident), the clinical records of 323 psoriatic and 325 non-psoriatic patients admitted to the dermatology service of the Roger Williams General Hospital were examined. The data obtained in this study suggest that (1) the occurrence rate of occlusive vascular disease is significantly greater in the psoriatic than in the non-psoriatic dermatological patient. This is particularly true in the male population; (2) psoriasis predisposes to occlusive vascular disease; and (3) the psoriatic patient with certain predisposing factors is at greater risk of experiencing an occlusive vascular episode than both the non-predisposed psoriatic and the non-psoriatic dermatological patient.

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The modification of an emulsion polymerization with a water-miscible alcohol and a hydrocarbon nonsolvent for the polymer can influence the morphology of the particles. The formation of monodispersed particles with a hollow structure or diffuse microvoids is possible. Both kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of the polymerization dictate which particle morphology is obtained. Complete encapsulation of the hydrocarbon occurs provided low molecular weight polymer is formed initially in the process. Subsequent addition of a cross-linking monomer stabilizes the morphology. The final particle size can be defined by small nucleating latex seed particles. Monodispersed hollow particles with diameters from 0.2 to 1 μm are possible. Void fractions as high as 50% are feasible. The phase separation of polystyrene within the styrene−isooctane dispersion has been modeled with the Flory−Huggins theory. The encapsulation has been discussed in terms of interaction parameters, transport processes, polymer molecular weight, and interfacial tension effects.

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A chromosome is a single long DNA molecule assembled along its length with nucleosomes and proteins. During interphase, a mammalian chromosome exists as a highly organized supramolecular globule in the nucleus. Here, we discuss new insights into how genomic DNA is packaged and organized within interphase chromosomes. Our emphasis is on the structural principles that underlie chromosome organization, with a particular focus on the intrinsic contributions of the 10-nm chromatin fiber, but not the regular 30-nm fiber. We hypothesize that the hierarchical globular organization of an interphase chromosome is fundamentally established by the self-interacting properties of a 10-nm zig-zag array of nucleosomes, while histone post-translational modifications, histone variants, and chromatin-associated proteins serve to mold generic chromatin domains into specific structural and functional entities.

Under the influence of testosterone, rat seminal vesicles synthesise large amounts of a tissue specific protein, S. Recombinant X clones have been isolated containing overlapping sequences covering a 27.5 kilo base region of the rat genome within which the gene for protein S is located. Recombinant plasmids bearing cDNA sequences for protein S were constructed in pBR328. One (pcS2) contains a 690 nucleotide insert and is probably full length. Detailed restriction maps of the S-gene are presented and the structure was confirmed by analysis of R-loops and heteroduplexes. The S-gene covers a 2 kbp region of the genome and consists of a 5' intron (490 bp) separating a leading exon (120 bp) containing the 5' untranslated region from a central exon (310 bp) containing most of the coding sequence and part of the 3' untranslated region.

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