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Human fibroblasts have exhibited enhanced DNA synthesis when exposed to sinusoidally varying magnetic fields for a wide range of frequencies (15 hertz to 4 kilohertz) and amplitudes (2.3 X 10(-6) to 5.6 X 10(-4) tesla). This effect, which is at maximum during the middle of the S phase of the cell cycle, appears to be independent of the time derivative of the magnetic field, suggesting an underlying mechanism other than Faraday's law. The threshold is estimated to be between 0.5 X 10(-5) and 2.5 X 10(-5) tesla per second. These results bring into question the allegedly specific magnetic wave shapes now used in therapeutic devices for bone nonunion. The range of magnetic field amplitudes tested encompass the geomagnetic field, suggesting the possibility of mutagenic interactions directly arising from short-term changes in the earth's field.

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The primary structure of papain-solubilized human histocompatibility antigen HLA-B40 (-Bw60) has been determined. Its comparison with that of the cross-reactive HLA-B7 antigen allows for the first time a direct sequence comparison between two HLA-B locus products and an outline of the location of their alloantigenic sites. Overall sequence homology between HLA-B40 and HLA-B7 is 93%. Of 19 detected differences, 18 are located in the two amino-terminal domains (residues 1-182). Half of them are clustered in two short segments spanning residues 63-74 and 147-156, respectively, which suggests that they may encompass major sites of their alloantigenic determinants. The first of these segments is highly polymorphic in HLA and H-2 molecules. It is proposed that it may belong to a hypervariable region of class I histocompatibility antigens. The remaining substitutions are scattered through the N-terminal portions of the two external domains. Thus, in addition to the above-mentioned segments, other positions may contribute significantly to the antigenic polymorphism of these molecules.