Pf

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between the five global factors and 16 dimensions of Cattell’s personality model and fluid and crystallized intelligence. A total of 105 third graders (45.7% males) of three high schools participated in the research. Fluid intelligence was measured by Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices and crystallized intelligence was measured by the Mill Hill Vocabulary Scale. Personality traits were measured by the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Anxiety is correlated neither with fluid nor with crystallized intelligence. Extraversion and Self-Control are negatively correlated with fluid intelligence whereas Tough-Mindedness is positively correlated with it. Independence is positively correlated with crystallized intelligence and Tough-Mindedness is negatively correlated with it. Regression analysis reveals that all broad personality factors, except anxiety, are significant predictors of fluid intelligence. When combined together, these factors account for 25% of the variance of fluid intelligence scores. The regression model with crystallized intelligence as a criterion variable is not statistically significant. The study results are consistent with the Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham’s (2005) two-level conceptual framework. Although using a different taxonomy of personality, the results are in accordance with the model’s presuppositions.

This chapter provides a description of generative syntax as a discipline within Slavic linguistic research from a theoretical, methodological and scientific-historical viewpoint, including those descriptive models and theoretical approaches which are also preferred in Slavic generative linguistics working within the Principles and Parameters framework (Chomsky 1995 passim).

A quantitative observational study was undertaken to examine the relationship between individual factors and level of gambling involvement, in particular problem gambling (PG). The specific factors under study were personality, perceived luck, and attitudes towards gambling. A sample of university students (N = 185) completed a battery of questionnaires, consisting of the 16PF, Canadian Problem Gambling Index, Belief in Good Luck Scale (BIGL), Gambling Attitudes Scale (GAS), and the Impulsive Non-Conformity subscale (ImpNon) from the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences. Four groups were formed (Non-PG, Low-Risk, Moderate-Risk, and PG). Personality profiles varied between groups, and there were significant main effects and interaction effects on gender and personality factors. The PG group was higher on impulsivity, and belief in luck, and had more positive attitudes towards gambling. Multiple Regression Analysis and Discriminant Functions Analysis, using variables including some 16PF factors, BIGL and GAS variables, produced models that were highly predictive of gambling severity and gambling membership. In both models, impulsivity was the strongest predictor. These results were discussed in terms of their implications for future research and treatment of PG.

Objective. We examined the personality correlates of accident-proneness of auto-rickshaw drivers in the Indian city of Ranchi. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study in which 50 male drivers aged 18-50 years, selected randomly from a list of licensed auto-rickshaw drivers in Ranchi, were assessed with a Hindi version of Cattell's 16 Personality Factors (16-PF) Questionnaire. Results. There was a significantly higher frequency of breaking rules, crossing speed limits, substance use and a trend towards a higher frequency of carrying extra persons (i.e., more than recommended) in accident-prone drivers. There was significant negative correlation of accident-proneness with 16-PF factors such as reasoning, rule consciousness, apprehension and emotional stability. Conclusion. Personality characteristics with lower scores of reasoning, rule consciousness, apprehension and emotional stability are common in commercial auto-rickshaw drivers with high accident-proneness.

AImtract--A typology of physically abusive parents was developed based upon personality characteristics measured by the 16-PF. Cluster analysis revealed five distinct patterns, accounting for 81 of 82 profiles submitted. Significant differences among the clusters were found on 14 of the 16 factors. The following types were described: (a) Shy, withdrawn, apprehensive, sober, and restrained; tending to have the least education, the greatest number of children.

A recent higher-order factor analysis of the Cattell, Comrey and Eysenck personality scales by Noller, in the J. Person. Soc. Psychol. 53, 775-782 provided a useful account of the number and nature of normal personality-type dimensions measured within the questionnaire, self-report domain. The analyses reported were based on an exemplary sample of Australian adults, matched carefully across sex, age, and social class, thereby providing a sound basis for investigating personality structure. Noller et al. extracted and rotated seven separate factors using procedures suggested by Comrey (A First Course in Factor Analysis. Academic Press, New York, 1973), thereby attaining moderate approximation of the final rotated solution to maximum simple structure. In an attempt to improve on the approximation to simple structure criteria, the present study reanalysed the Noller et al. data set and presents the results of a 6-factor oblique solution derived from the intercorrelations of all 33 variables included in the Noller et al. study, as well as a 5factor solution based on the intercorrelations of the 25 personality scales alone. The present findings agree strongly with the conclusions of Noller et al. that there are indeed five major personality-type dimensions within the normal trait sphere, but suggest a slightly different interpretation of these structural dimensions.

Resumo: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a validade de uma medida de inteligência emocional correlacionando-a com medidas de inteligência, personalidade e desempenho profissional. Participaram do estudo 119 sujeitos, com idade entre 17 e 64 anos, de ambos os sexos e que trabalham em empresas situadas em municípios do interior do estado de São Paulo. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: Versão em Português do Mayer-Salovey-Caruso-Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), o Questionário Dezesseis Fatores da Personalidade (16PF), Bateria de Provas de Raciocínio (BPR-5), Avaliação de Desempenho respondido por duas pessoas (um supervisor e um colega). Os resultados apontam baixa correlação entre inteligência emocional e personalidade, bem como com inteligência. Indicam também que a faceta regulação das emoções se correlaciona com o desempenho profissional e apresenta validade incremental em relação à inteligência. Em suma conclui-se que a inteligência emocional constitui um tipo diferenciado de inteligência útil na avaliação psicológica no contexto organizacional.

ABSTRACT This study is an extension of earlier research that investigated the nature of homonegativity among Italian people (Lingiardi, Falanga, & D’Augelli, 2005). We used the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS), adapted to be more appropriate for the Italian social and cultural context. Associations were examined between homophobic attitudes, demographics, and personality characteristics and contact with lesbians and gay men. Gender issues were considered twice, from the viewpoint of both the agent and the target of the prejudice. The findings indicated that people at higher risk of possessing homonegative attitudes are older; less educated; more involved in religion and politically conservative; characterized by a more conforming, moralistic, and rule-bound personality, according to Cattell’s personality factors; and have poor contact experience with lesbians and gay men. Males tended to have higher levels of homonegativity toward gay men but not toward lesbians. Proposals to reduce antigay bias in the Italian context will be briefly discussed.

The two most prominent individual differences researchers of the twentieth century were Hans J. Eysenck and Raymond B. Cattell. Both were giants of scientific psychology, each publishing scores of books and hundreds of empirical peer-reviewed journal articles. Influenced by Hebb's distinction between physiological (Intelligence A) and experiential (Intelligence B), Eysenck focused on discovering the underlying biological substrata of intelligence. Analogously, Cattell proposed the Gf-Gc theory which distinguishes between fluid and crystallised intelligence. Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFIT), a measure primarily of fluid intelligence, was constructed specifically to minimise differences in test bias in IQ scores between different ethnic/racial groups. Within the personality realm, Eysenck adopted a pragmatic three-factor model as measured via the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) and its variants. In contrast, Cattell employed a lexical approach that resulted in a large number of primary and secondary normal and abnormal personality trait dimensions, measured via the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF), and the corresponding Clinical Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ), respectively. Recent molecular genetics findings provide empirical confirmation of Eysenck and Cattell's positions on the biological underpinnings of personality and ability traits, allowing an improved understanding of the causes of individual differences.

There is growing evidence that the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii modifies behaviour of its intermediate hosts, including humans, where it globally infects about 20-60% of the population. Although it is considered asymptomatic in its latent stage, it was previously found to have remarkable and gender different effects on the personality factors A (warmth), G (rule consciousness), L (vigilance, mistrust) and Q3 (self-control, self-image) from Cattell's 16PF Questionnaire. We performed a double blind experiment testing 72 and 142 uninfected men and women, respectively, and 20 and 29 infected men and women, respectively, in order to verify these gender differences using behavioural experiments. Our composite behavioural variables Self-Control and Clothes Tidiness (analogue to the 16PF factors G-conscientiousness and Q3-self-control) showed a significant effect of the toxoplasmosis-gender interaction with infected men scoring significantly lower than uninfected men and a trend in the opposite direction in women. The effect of the toxoplasmosis-gender interaction on our composite behavioural variable Relationships (analogue to factor A-warmth) approached significance; infected men scored significantly lower than uninfected men whereas there was no difference in women. In the composite behavioural variable Mistrust (analogue to factor L), the pattern was affected by environment (rural versus urban). Possible interpretations of the gender differences are discussed.

IL-1 is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine that activates intracellular signaling cascades some of which may involve IL-1 receptor associated kinase-1 (IRAK1). Psoriasis is a T cell dependent chronic inflammatory condition of the skin of unknown cause. IL-1 has been implicated in psoriasis pathology, but the mechanism has not been elucidated. Interestingly, expression of IRAK1 is elevated in psoriatic skin. To identify a potential link between IL-1, keratinocytes and T cells in skin inflammation we employed pathway-focused microarrays to evaluate IL-1 dependent gene expression in keratinocytes. Several candidate mRNAs encoding known T cell chemoattractants were identified in primary keratinocytes and the stable keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. CCL5 and CCL20 mRNA and protein levels were confirmed up-regulated by IL-1 in concentration and time-dependent manners. Furthermore IL-1 synergized with IFN-γ and TNF-α. Expression of CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 mRNAs was also increased in response to IL-1, but protein could only be detected in medium from cells treated with IFN-γ alone or in combination with IL-1. Over-expression of IRAK1 led to increased constitutive and cytokine induced production of CCL5 and CCL20. Inhibition of IRAK1 activity through RNAi or expression of a dominant negative mutant blocked production of CCL5 and CCL20 but had no effect upon the IL-1 enhancement of IFN-γ induced CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 production. In conclusion IL-1 regulates T cell targeting chemokine production in keratinocytes through IRAK1 dependent and independent pathways. These pathways may contribute to acute and chronic skin inflammation.

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is characterized by hepatocellular damage, inflammation, and fibrosis. We performed a prospective study to associate hepatic expression of the CXC subfamily of chemokines with histology findings and prognosis of patients with AH. Methods: Liver biopsy samples from 105 patients with AH and 5 normal liver samples (controls) were evaluated for steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and cholestasis. Computer-based morphometric analysis assessed the numbers of infiltrating CD3 ؉ T cells and CD15 ؉ cells (neutrophils); terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nickend labeling staining was used to quantify apoptosis. Expression of CXC and CC chemokines and selected signaling components were assessed by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction; protein levels of interleukin (IL)-8 and Gro-␣ also were determined by immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of IL-8 and Gro-␣ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The Cox regression model identified variables associated with mortality. Results: Most patients (75%) had severe AH; their 90-day mortality rate was 21.9%. In AH liver samples, expression of the CXC subfamily members IL-8, Gro-␣, CXCL5, CXCL6, CXCL10, and platelet factor 4 was up-regulated and compared with controls. The CC chemokine CCL2, but not CCL5, also was up-regulated. Higher expression levels of IL-8, CXCL5, Gro-␥, and CXCL6 were associated with worse prognosis. Expression of CXC components correlated with neutrophil infiltration and the severity of portal hypertension. In the multivariate analysis, IL-8 protein levels were an independent predictor of 90-day mortality. IL-8 and Gro-␣ serum levels did not correlate with prognosis. Conclusions: Hepatic expression of CXC components correlates with prognosis of patients with AH. Reagents that target CXC chemokines might be developed as therapeutics.

Objectives: Infliximab is the first anti-TNFα accepted by the Food and Drug Administration for use in inflammatory bowel disease treatment. Few clinical, biological and genetic factors tend to predict response in Crohn's disease (CD) patient subcategories, none widely predicting response to infliximab. Design and methods: Twenty CD patients showing clinical response or non response to infliximab were used for serum proteomic profiling on Surface Enhanced Lazer Desorption Ionisation-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS), each before and after treatment. Univariate and multivariate data analysis were performed for prediction and characterization of response to infliximab. Results: We obtained a model of classification predicting response to treatment and selected relevant potential biomarkers, among which platelet aggregation factor 4 (PF4). We quantified PF4, sCD40L and IL-6 by ELISA for correlation studies. Conclusions: This first proteomic pilot study on response to infliximab in CD suggests association between platelet metabolism and response to infliximab and requires validation studies on a larger cohort of patients.

ABSTRACT This study is an extension of earlier research that investigated the nature of homonegativity among Italian people (Lingiardi, Falanga, & D’Augelli, 2005). We used the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS), adapted to be more appropriate for the Italian social and cultural context. Associations were examined between homophobic attitudes, demographics, and personality characteristics and contact with lesbians and gay men. Gender issues were considered twice, from the viewpoint of both the agent and the target of the prejudice. The findings indicated that people at higher risk of possessing homonegative attitudes are older; less educated; more involved in religion and politically conservative; characterized by a more conforming, moralistic, and rule-bound personality, according to Cattell’s personality factors; and have poor contact experience with lesbians and gay men. Males tended to have higher levels of homonegativity toward gay men but not toward lesbians. Proposals to reduce antigay bias in the Italian context will be briefly discussed.

Acrolein is a common air pollutant that is present in high concentrations in wood, cotton, and tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust and industrial waste and emissions. Exposure to acrolein containing environmental pollutants such as tobacco smoke and automobile exhaust has been linked to the activation of the coagulation and hemostasis pathways and thereby to the predisposition of thrombotic events in human. To examine the effects of acrolein on platelets, adult male C57Bl/6 mice were subjected acute (5 ppm for 6 h) or sub-chronic (1 ppm, 6h/day for 4 days) acrolein inhalation exposures. The acute exposure to acrolein did not cause pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress, dyslipidemia or induce liver damage or muscle injury. Platelet GSH levels in acrolein-exposed mice were comparable to controls, but acrolein-exposure increased the abundance of protein-acrolein adducts in platelets. Platelets isolated from mice, exposed to both acute and sub-chronic acrolein levels, showed increased ADP-induced platelet aggregation. Exposure to acrolein also led to an increase in the indices of platelet activation such as the formation of platelet-leukocyte aggregates in the blood, plasma PF4 levels, and increased platelet-fibrinogen binding. The bleeding time was decreased in acrolein exposed mice. Plasma levels of PF4 were also increased in mice exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Similar to inhalation exposure, acrolein feeding to mice also increased platelet activation and established a pro-thrombotic state in mice. Together, our data suggest that acrolein is an important contributing factor to the pro-thrombotic risk in human exposure to pollutants such as tobacco smoke or automobile exhaust, or through dietary consumption.

Background: Acrolein is a dietary aldehyde that is present in high concentrations in alcoholic beverages and foods including cheese, donuts and coffee. It is also abundant in tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust and industrial waste and is generated in vivo during inflammation and oxidative stress. Objectives: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of dietary acrolein on atherosclerosis. Methods: Eight-week-old male apoE-null mice were gavage-fed acrolein (2.5 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Atherosclerotic lesion formation and composition and plasma lipids and platelet factor 4 (PF4) levels were measured. Effects of acrolein and PF4 on endothelial cell function was measured in vitro. Results: Acrolein feeding increased the concentration of cholesterol in the plasma. NMR analysis of the lipoproteins showed that acrolein feeding increased the abundance of small and medium VLDL particles. Acrolein feeding also increased atherosclerotic lesion formation in the aortic valve and the aortic arch. Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased macrophage accumulation in the lesions of acroleinfed mice. Plasma PF4 levels and accumulation of PF4 in atherosclerotic lesions was increased in the acrolein-fed mice. Incubation of endothelial cells with the plasma of acrolein-fed mice augmented transmigration of monocytic cells, which was abolished by anti-PF4 antibody treatment. Conclusions: Dietary exposure to acrolein exacerbates atherosclerosis in apoE-null mice. Consumption of foods and beverages rich in unsaturated aldehydes such as acrolein may be a contributing factor to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.

This study evaluates relationship between personality, gender and departments of a random sample of 294 employees working in 5-star hotels in the Antalya Region of Turkey. Evaluation was conducted using Cattell's 16 PF (Sixteen Personality Factor) questionnaire. T-test assessed the relationship between personality and gender and one-way Anova analysed personality and department relationship. Results indicate that in the relationship between personality and gender there were significant variance for the subscales dominance, rule-consciousness, sensitivity and self-reliance. Sixteen Personality Factor (16 PF) showed significant differences for warmth, reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, social boldness, apprehension and tension subscales, in terms of personality and department relationship. Keywords Personality Tests • 16 PF • Tourism • Hotels 1 Introduction In todays' highly competitive commercial world, amongst production factors such as management, labor, technology, capital and natural resources, human related issues of 'management

Este artículo busca establecer el uso e impacto de la prueba de personalidad 16PF en publicaciones académicas durante el periodo 2000-2010. Para lograr dicho objetivo en esta investigación documental se utilizó la metodología de revisión sistemática de literatura en la que se encontraron 30 artículos que cumplen con los criterios de inclusión. Se observa que la prueba ha sido utilizada en diversas investigaciones alrededor del mundo de manera constante, aunque se discute el uso de la cuarta edición ya que no presenta buenas propiedades psicométricas. El país en el que más se encontraron estudios fue España seguido de Estados Unidos; en el primero priman investigaciones de identificación de rasgos de personalidad en diferentes poblaciones, mientras que en el segundo existe un importante número de artículos de investigaciones psicométricas. Se recomienda finalmente ampliar el criterio de tiempo de inclusión de los artículos con el fin de identificar el desarrollo del instrumento y su utilización de manera más completa. Palabras clave: 16PF, Cuestionario Factorial de Personalidad, personalidad, pruebas de personalidad, revisión sistemática.

Rabbits are frequently used as models for studying coagulation and platelet disorders. However, few reports on literature have dealt with the purification and characterization of rabbit platelet proteins. Herein a protocol for the simultaneous purification of rabbit platelet factor 4 (PF4) and platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa (GPIIb-IIIa, integrin a IIb h 3) is described. Specific antibodies were raised in laying chicken, which were used for assaying PF4 by ELISA, and GPIIb-IIIa by direct immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Furthermore, the binding of monoclonal antibodies specific for GPIIb-IIIa complex (P2), ligand-induced binding site of GPIIIa (LIBS1) and rabbit P-selectin (12A7), as well as of polyclonal IgY specific for rabbit GPIIb-IIIa, was compared in quiescent and thrombin-activated platelets. Polyclonal anti-rabbit PF4 IgY was a specific and sensitive probe that could be used for assaying PF4 in plasma samples. GPIIb-IIIa expression was increased in thrombinactivated platelets, as evaluated by flow cytometric analysis using P2 and polyclonal antibodies raised in chickens. Rabbit GPIIb-IIIa also exhibited a conformational modification that caused the appearance of ligand-induced binding sites. Increased P-selectin expression, used as a positive control, was also noticeable in thrombin-activated platelets. These data evidence that antibodies raised in laying chickens specific to rabbit PF4 and GPIIb-IIIa, as well as certain monoclonal antibodies specific for human GPIIb-IIIa, may be used for investigating rabbit platelet physiology.

The ratio between second and fourth finger (2D:4D) is sexually dimorphic; it is lower in men than in women. Studies using broad personality domains yielded correlations of 2D:4D with neuroticism, extraversion or agreeableness, but the obtained results have been inconsistent. We correlated 2D:4D of 184 women and 101 men with their scores in Cattell's 16 Personality Factor (16PF) Questionnaire. We found women with a higher (more ‘feminine’) right hand 2D:4D to score lower in emotional stability and social boldness and higher in privateness. Mediator analysis showed emotional stability to be probably primarily correlated with 2D:4D and to act as a mediator between 2D:4D and social boldness. Privateness appears to be mediated by an even more complex path. We discuss the usefulness of primary‐level personality questionnaires and mediator analyses in the investigation of psycho‐morphological associations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We investigated the effects of the ATP analogue and P2 receptor agonist 2-ClATP on growth and survival of different neuronal (PC12, PC12nnr5 and SH-SY5Y) and glial (U87 and U373) cell lines, by the use of direct count of intact nuclei, fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis (FACS) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). 2-ClATP lowered the number of cultured PC12nnr5, SH-SY5Y, U87 and U373 cells to almost 5%, and of PC12 cells to about 35% after 3-4 days of treatment. EC 50 was in the 5-25 mM range, with 2-ClATP behaving as a cytotoxic or cytostatic agent. Analysis of the biological mechanisms demonstrated that pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2 0 ,4 0 -disulphonic acid (P2 receptor antagonist and nucleotidases inhibitor), but not Caffeine or CGS-15493 (P1 receptor antagonists) effectively prevented 2-ClATP-induced toxicity. 2-ClATP metabolic products (2-ClADP, 2-ClAMP, 2-Cladenosine) and new synthesis derivatives (2-CldAMP, 2-Cldadenosine-3 0 ,5 0 -bisphosphate and 2-CldATP) exerted similar cytotoxic actions. Inhibition of both serum nucleotidases and purine nucleoside transporters strongly reduced 2-ClATP-induced cell death, which was conversely increased by the nucleotide hydrolyzing enzyme apyrase. The adenosine kinase inhibitor 5-iodotubericidin totally prevented 2-ClATP or 2-Cladenosine-induced toxicity.

Background: Acrolein is a dietary aldehyde that is present in high concentrations in alcoholic beverages and foods including cheese, donuts and coffee. It is also abundant in tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust and industrial waste and is generated in vivo during inflammation and oxidative stress. Objectives: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of dietary acrolein on atherosclerosis. Methods: Eight-week-old male apoE-null mice were gavage-fed acrolein (2.5 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Atherosclerotic lesion formation and composition and plasma lipids and platelet factor 4 (PF4) levels were measured. Effects of acrolein and PF4 on endothelial cell function was measured in vitro. Results: Acrolein feeding increased the concentration of cholesterol in the plasma. NMR analysis of the lipoproteins showed that acrolein feeding increased the abundance of small and medium VLDL particles. Acrolein feeding also increased atherosclerotic lesion formation in the aortic valve and the aortic arch. Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased macrophage accumulation in the lesions of acroleinfed mice. Plasma PF4 levels and accumulation of PF4 in atherosclerotic lesions was increased in the acrolein-fed mice. Incubation of endothelial cells with the plasma of acrolein-fed mice augmented transmigration of monocytic cells, which was abolished by anti-PF4 antibody treatment. Conclusions: Dietary exposure to acrolein exacerbates atherosclerosis in apoE-null mice. Consumption of foods and beverages rich in unsaturated aldehydes such as acrolein may be a contributing factor to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.

This study examined the personality characteristics of sixty Schizophrenics with and without criminal record on inpatients of Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences, Ranchi (RINPAS) India. A comparison of their personality profiles on 16 PF test revealed that Schizophrenics with criminal record were more assertive, less reserved, less conscientious, and more extraverted than Schizophrenics without criminal record. It indicates that Schizophrenics who commit offences may be differentiated from those who are not involved in criminal act on the basis of their personality characteristics.

Objective: Preexisting serum antibodies to heparin/platelet factor 4 complexes may predispose adult cardiac surgical patients to increased perioperative morbidity and mortality. We sought to determine the association between preoperative serum antibodies directed against platelet factor 4/heparin complexes and major complications (in-hospital death or length of stay Ͼ10 days) in adult cardiac surgical patients.

An oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) was identified as a contaminant to pharmaceutical heparin and severe anaphylactoid reactions were ascribed to this contaminant. An examination of the biochemistry underlying both the anticoagulant activity and the toxic effects of oversulfated chondroitin sulfate was undertaken. This study demonstrates that the anticoagulant activity of this oversulfated chondroitin sulfate is primarily dependent on heparin cofactor II mediated inhibition of thrombin. Heparin and oversulfated chondroitin sulfate binding to coagulation, kinin-kallikrein and complement proteins were studied by surface plasmon resonance. While oversulfated chondroitin sulfate binds tightly to antithrombin III, unlike heparin, OSCS does not induce antithrombin III to undergo the conformational change required for its inactivation of thrombin and factor Xa. In contrast to heparin, oversulfated chondroitin sulfate tightly binds factor XIIa suggesting a biochemical mechanism for the factor XIIa-based enhancement of vasoactive bradykinin production.

We report the isolation and partial characterization of a so far unidentified basic platelet protein. Delipidated bovine platelets were extracted at pH 2.1. The extract was subjected to differential precipitation at pH 5.4-5.5 and by ammonium sulfate, then it was further purified by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE and CM cellulose columns in an urea containing medium. The major protein peak eluted from the CM cellulose column by NaCl gradient contained a protein in electrophoretically homogeneous form. It consists of a single polypeptide chain with an Mr of 28,000 as estimated by SDS PAGE. It was shown to be extremely rich in lysine and cystine and possessed a highly basic character (pI 9.8-10.1). On this basis the term cystine-rich basic protein (CRBP) was proposed for the new protein. Unlike some other low Mr basic proteins it did not bind calmodulin and troponin C, however, it showed significant heparin neutralizing activity.