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Transporters expressed in the kidney play an important role in the excretion of endogenous substances and chemical drugs. The Pregnane X receptor (PXR) has been reported to be involved in regulating the expression of numerous transporters. In the present study, we examined the alteration in expression level of PXR, organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) in renal cell lines of rat origin and the kidney of rats when damaged by doxorubicin (DOX). The expression level of PXR in renal tubular epithelium NRK-52E cells was significantly increased by DOX at a concentration confirmed to cause cellular damage. The expression levels of OCT1 and BCRP were significantly lower in the DOX-treated cells than in the untreated cells. In model rats with DOX-induced nephrotoxicity, the alterations in renal expression of PXR, OCT1 and BCRP were similar to those in NRK-52E cells, although there was a difference in the degree of the changes.

We proposed a new separation and recovery process for RE metals from Nd magnet scraps using molten salt electrolysis. The present study focused on the electrochemical formation of RE–Ni (RE?=?Dy, Nd, Pr) alloys in a molten LiCl–KCl system at 723 K. Cyclic voltammetry was conducted using a Ni electrode in molten LiCl–KCl–RECl3systems at 723 K. In the negative scan for the DyCl3added system, a large cathodic current was observed from 0.70 V (vs. Li+/Li) as a result of the formation of Dy–Ni alloys. In contrast, large cathodic currents as results of the formation of Nd–Ni and Pr–Ni alloys were observed from 0.60 V. On the basis of these results, an alloy sample was prepared by potentiostatic electrolysis at 0.65 V for 1 h using a Ni plate cathode in a molten LiCl–KCl–DyCl3–NdCl3–PrCl3system. The mass ratio of Dy/Nd+Pr in the alloy sample was found to be 50 by ICP-AES. Finally, a Dy permeation experiment was conducted with a new electrolytic cell.

This paper presents the results from our recent development in cast bulk Mg nanocomposites. SiC nanoparticles reinforced magnesium and magnesium alloys including pure magnesium, and Mg-(2, 4)Al-1Si and Mg-4Zn were successfully fabricated by ultrasonic cavitation based dispersion of SiC nanoparticles in magnesium melt. As compared to un-reinforced magnesium alloy matrix, the mechanical properties including tensile strength and yield strength were improved significantly while the ductility was retained or even improved. In the microstructure, the grain size was refined considerably by SiC nanoparticles. While some micro SiC clusters still exist in the magnesium matrix, ultrasonic cavitation based processing is very effective in dispersing SiC nanoparticles. A SEM study showed that SiC nanoparticles were dispersed quite well in the areas outside micro SiC clusters. A TEM study on the interface between SiC nanoparticles and magnesium alloy matrix indicates that SiC nanoparticles bonded well with Mg matrices without forming an intermediate phase.

This paper is concerned with the active suspension design of one-wheel car models subject to excitation from a road profile using adaptive sliding mode control with the Variable Structure System (VSS) observer. The active control is composed of the equivalent and the switching controls, and the amplitude of the latter is adaptively changed according to the system performance. The active control force for the proposed suspension system is obtained by operating a pneumatic actuator due to the control signal that is computed by the measurement of the state variables for the car model. The experimental result indicates that the proposed active suspension system is relatively effective in the vibration suppression of the car model.

The aim of the present study was to examine changes in the expression and activity of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells after exposure to menthol, and their relationship to the cytotoxicity of and apoptotic responses to doxorubicin (DOX), a substrate of P-gp, in the cells. The expression of P-gp in HepG2 cells was significantly increased by menthol treatment. Intracellular accumulation of DOX in HepG2 cells was significantly lower in the menthol-treated group than in the control group, but this phenomenon was abolished in the presence of verapamil. Decreased cell viability by DOX was significantly attenuated by 24-h menthol treatment prior to DOX exposure, which coincided with the changes in mRNA expression of Bcl-xl and caspase-3. These results demonstrate that menthol causes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to acquire resistance to DOX by increasing its efflux through the upregulation of P-gp.

We present a case of recurrent saddle embolism 6 days and 9 days following corrective osteotomy of the left femur in a 64-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation. Although saddle embolism is a relatively rare event, orthopaedic surgeons should be aware of this condition.

Rice vacuolar membrane proteins changed by gibberellin (GA) were analyzed using a proteome approach. Vacuolar membrane fractions were isolated using a discontinuous sucrose/sorbitol system and 10 proteins increased in vacuolar membrane of the root, treated with GA3 as compared with control. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase C-1 and vacuolar H⁺-ATPase (V-ATPase) increased in root vacuolar membrane by GA3 interacted in rice roots. It suggests that aldolase C-1 regulates the V-ATPase mediated control of cell elongation that determines root growth. Keywords: rice • vacuolar membrane • gibberellin • root • aldolase • ATPase

The reaction between SiO and CO vapours in an argon atmosphere has been employed for the synthesis of SiC nanofibres. The raw materials for the vapour-state formation were silicon and graphite powders; during heating at high temperatures (1523 K), SiO and CO vapours were generated from reaction between silicon and graphite powders and residual oxygen in the chamber. By this simple process, SiC nanofibres with diameters ranging from 10 nm to 100 nm and the lengths more than 10μm have been grown on a graphite substrate with a large area and high surface density. The nanofibres consisted of coaxial two-phase structures: a crystalline β-SiC core and an amorphous silicon oxide (SiO2) shell. Thus, possible reaction for the growth of coaxial SiC/SiO2nanofibres was the following: 2SiO(g) + 2CO(g)(s) + SiO2(s) + CO2(g). The basic growth direction of nanofibres was the 111 of crystalline β-SiC core with a high density of microtwlns and stacking faults perpendicular to this growth direction. These nanofibres were synthesized by a vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism using iron catalyst. The process described appears to be suitable for mass production, and provides a potential technique for synthesizing SiC nanofibres.

Abstract Protein databases constructed using high-resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) were used to explore the proteome expressed in various rice tissues. Proteins from leaf sheath, root, and cultured suspension cells were systematically analyzed using 2D-PAGE, mass spectrometry and Edman sequencing, followed by database searching. In all, 79 of the 431 spots detected by 2D-PAGE in the leaf sheath, 73 of the 508 spots in the root and 140 of the 962 spots in the cultured suspension cells could be identified. Protein lists were constructed for each tissue and used to investigate the effects of gibberellin (GA) treatment. In the leaf sheath, root and cultured suspension cells, 8, 21, and 14 of the identified proteins, respectively, were regulated by GA. These proteins included polypeptides involved in general metabolism, energy production, transcriptional regulation and signal transduction in the leaf sheath; in metabolism and defense in the root; and in metabolism, energy production, cell growth, defense and signal transduction in the cultured suspension cells. These results indicate that the proteome databases assembled in these studies will be useful for the rapid assessment of changes in protein content in specific tissues, and that proteins regulated by GA may play a significant role in tissue growth.

We present measurements of the Cabibbo-suppressed decays Λc+→Λ0K+and Λc+→Σ0K+(both first observations), Λc+→Σ+K+π−(seen with large statistics for the first time), Λc+→pK+K−and Λc+→pφ(measured with improved accuracy). Improved branching ratio measurements for the decays Λc+→Σ+K+K−and Λc+→Σ+φ, which are attributed to W-exchange diagrams, are shown. We also present the first evidence for Λc+→Ξ(1690)0K+and set an upper limit on the non-resonant decay Λc+→Σ+K+K−. This analysis was performed using 32.6 fb−1of data collected by the Belle detector at the asymmetric e+e−collider KEKB.

The appearance mechanism of an electrochemical oscillation (previously called oscillation B), observed for Pt electrodes in H2O2-containing acidic electrolytes in a potential region of hydrogen evolution, has been investigated. Though it is reported that electrochemical oscillations in general appear in potential regions of negative differential resistance (NDR) or hidden NDR (HNDR), impedance analyses have shown that no NDR or HNDR is present in the potential region of oscillation B. Besides, oscillation B is observed only for Pt electrodes with atomically roughened surfaces, not for electrodes with atomically flat surfaces. A possible explanation is proposed by assuming the presence of small local “active” areas in the electrode surface, in which the H2O2 reduction is not prevented by a full coverage of under-potential deposited hydrogen, contrary to the other normal “nonactive” areas occupying the major part of the electrode surface. The appearance of oscillation B is reproduced by mathematical simulation based on the model, together with the consideration of electrical coupling between the active and nonactive areas as well as solution stirring by hydrogen-gas evolution. Oscillation B can be classified into a new category of oscillators, which may be called “coupled NDR” oscillators.

We report measurements for two-body charmless hadronic Bdecays with an η′ meson in the final state. Using 11.1×106BB̄pairs collected with the Belle detector, we find BF(B+→η′K+)=(79+12−11±9)×10−6and BF(B0→η′K0)=(55+19−16±8)×10−6, where the first and second errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. No signal is observed in the mode B+→η′π+, and we set a 90% confidence level upper limit of BF(B+→η′π+)<7×10−6. The CP asymmetry in B±→η′K±decays is investigated and a limit at 90% confidence level of −0.20

Based on a combination of regulation linearisation and H∞ theory, a novel nonlinear robust optimal excitation control for multimachine power systems is presented. The feedback variables of the derived control law are completely local measurements. Simulations performed on a 6-machine system demonstrate that the proposed nonlinear H∞ excitation controller is more effective than other types of excitation controllers for improving both dynamic performance and the stability of power systems suffering from large disturbances. In addition, the H∞ control for a regulation linearisation system is equivalent to a nonlinear H∞ control for the original nonlinear control system in the sense of a type of L2-gain.

The oxidative stability of fish oil blended with milk products was evaluated. Oxidation of the oil blend was determined by peroxide value and rancimat test. Improved oxidative stability was observed for fish oil blended with butter. Unsalted and salted butters showed no difference in improvement of effect on oxidative stability of fish oil. No influence on oxidative stability for the fish oil was observed with butter oil, which was the oil fraction of butter. These studies suggested that the improved oxidative stability of fish oil-butter blend was due to the hydrophilic fraction of butter and that butter could improve the oxidative stability of polyunsaturated oils such as fish oil.

We examined the inhibitory behavior of theophylline oxidations and a variety of cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent metabolism in the presence of mexiletine (MEX), using hepatic microsomes from both control mice and mice exposed to β-naphthoflavone (β-NF). Theophylline metabolism, which is mainly catalyzed by CYP1A2, was susceptible to competitive inhibition by MEX. The calculated inhibition constants (Ki) for theophylline 3-demethylation and its 8-hydroxylation were 4.3 μM and 8.3 μM, respectively, which are comparable to the recommended therapeutic serum range for MEX. The inhibitory potency of MEX on cytochrome P450-dependent enzyme activities diverged among the several metabolic reactions, which were probes for CYP1A, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, and 3A subfamilies. The Kivalue (6.7 μM) for methoxyresorufin O-demethylation mediated by CYP1A2 agreed with those from theophylline oxidations. These metabolic reactions exhibited the smallest Kivalues, 1–3 orders of magnitude lower than activities of other constitutive cytochrome P450 species. Similar degrees of inhibition were observed in CYP1A1, a β-NF-inducible isoform with a relatively high conformity to CYP1A2. These results indicate that MEX acts as a selective and potent inhibitor of the CYP1A enzymes responsible for oxidative biotransformation of chemicals such as theophylline. This evidence provides a fundamental explanation for the pharmacokinetic interactions experienced in clinical practice.

We studied the genomic structure of human T‐cell leukemia virus (HTLV) in the HTLV producer cell line MT‐2. Southern blotting revealed that at least eight HTLV proviruses were integrated in the chromosomes of MT‐2 cells. The genomic structure of these proviruses was analyzed using fragments of cloned HTLV that were specific to gag, pol, env, pXs and U3R genes as probes. We have identified a complete genome of HTLV in MT‐2 (non‐defective type). However, seven of the eight proviruses had defective genomes. Provirus T2‐a contains only the U3R (LTR) of HTLV and T2‐b corresponds to the non‐defective genome. T2‐c possesses only a portion of env, and pXs and U3R. T2‐d consists of gag, pol, part of env and U3R. On the other hand, T2‐e, f, g and h consist of gag, pXs and U3R. Northern blotting experiments with mRNA from MT‐2 cells supported the evidence of amplification of the gag‐pXs gene of HTLV. 26S mRNA is considered to be a subgenomic species of 35S RNA. 32S mRNA may represent the T2‐d provirus which lacks a portion of env and pXs, while 20S mRNA was a subgenomic species. The gag‐pXs gene may correspond to 24S mRNA, the amount which was amplified in MT‐2 cells.

The photooxidation of soybean oil was determined and correlated with triacylglycerol composition and structure. Purified triacylglycerols were photooxidized at room temperature under fluorescent light. Rates of peroxide formation and total headspace volatiles were related positively (P<0.5 significance) to oxidizability (r=0.75, r=0.76); content of linolenic acid (r=0.80, r=0.85) and linoleic acid (r=0.61, r=0.57); linoleic acid on carbon 2 (r=0.64, r=0.64); and average number of double bonds (r=0.76, r=0.76). Negative correlations were observed with respect to oleic acid (r=-0.70, r=-0.70). Soybean oil stability was decreased by linolenic acid-containing triacylglycerols and increased by oleic acid-containing triacylglycerols. Trilinoleoylglycerol and dilinoleoyl-oleoylglycerol were the most important oxidation product precursors. However, for high-linolenic acid soybean oil, dilinoleoyl-linolenoylglycerol and trilinoleoylglycerol were the most important oxidation product precursors. The most abundant volatile produced from thermal decomposition at 140°C of photooxidized triacylglycerols was 2-heptenal, except for high-linolenic acid oils, where the most abundant volatile was propanal. The photooxidative stability of soybean oil triacylglycerols with respect to composition and structure is of interest for the development of soybean varieties with oils of improved odor and flavor stability.

Whether the eye of quail is a driving oscillator or not was studied by examining the locomotor activity rhythm. The circadian rhythmicity was assessed by the actogram and chi-square periodogram. The bird showed clear diurnal rhythmicity under 24 h light-dark (LD) condition. By bilateral enucleation, the activity during dark phase increased, and the diurnal rhythmicity became obscure in some birds when the actogram was inspected visually. The periodogram showed, however, that the significant daily rhythm was maintained in all birds examined in this condition. Thus, the brain photoreceptor could mediate LD information responsible for the locomotor activity. Under constant dim light condition, the circadian rhythmicity was found in intact quail. Unilateral enucleation has no substantial effect on these circadian rhythmicities. However, there was a disruption of circadian rhythmicity following bilateral enucleation. These observations suggest that the ocular system of quail may be classified as one of the driving oscillators, and is involved in the expression of the circadian rhythmicity of locomotor activity.

The circadian change of the encephalic photosensitivity of quail has been demonstrated. In this study the diurnal variation of the retinal photosensitivity was investigated by the electroretinogram (ERG) to explore the phase relation between the retinal and encephalic systems. The b-wave, a major component of the ERG, was used as a measure of retinal photosensitivity. In the bird maintained in LD12:12 the b-wave amplitude of the ERG stayed at a high level for the first 10 h of the light period, and decreased abruptly around the time of light-off. The decreased level continued until midnight. Thenceforth the b-wave amplitude recovered progressively to the daytime level before the time of next light on. In the bird maintained in LD16:8, the decrease of the retinal sensitivity in the light phase was initiated prior to the time of expected light-off, and the onset time of decreasing tendency was advanced by 2 h, with dark adaptation for 30 min given immediately before the ERG measurement. Upon continuous light exposure, the b-wave amplitude always remained at low level. Periodic changes in retinal sensitivity persisted when the environmental dark phase was temporarily extended for 19 to 30 h.These observations suggest that the diurnal rhythm of the neural retina in quail might be generated endogenously and appears to control the encephalic photosensitive system.

cDNAs of RAC protein kinases (RAC-PK) α and β were cloned from a rat testis cDNA library. The predicted open reading frames encode 480 and 481 amino acids of RAC-PK α and β, respectively, and the rat RAC-PK α and β have sequences conserved among different mammalian species such as the pleckstrin homology domain at their amino-terminal region and the protein-serine/threonine kinase catalytic domain at their carboxy-terminal region. RNA blot analysis showed wide distribution of two RAC-PK in rat tissues. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that RAC-PK α and β associate with protein kinase Cζ through the pleckstrin homology domain in vitro, suggesting the interaction between RAC-PK and protein kinase C.

Binding proteins to the pleckstrin homology domain of RAC protein kinase were screened by using glutathione S-transferase fusion protein system. Proteins in CHO cell extract of approximate molecular mass of 76 kD and 200 kD bound specifically to the pleckstrin homology domain of RAC protein kinase in vitro. The 76 kD protein was identified as protein kinase C ζ by immunoblot analysis. Studies of the association between the pleckstrin homology domain-truncated mutants and protein kinase C ζ indicated that the amino-terminal portion of the pleckstrin homology domain is essential for the binding and the whole structure of the domain is important for the efficient binding to protein kinase C ζ. The pleckstrin homology domain of RAC protein kinase was shown to recognize the regulatory domain of protein kinase C zeta. The protein-protein interaction between RAC protein kinase and protein kinase C through the pleckstrin homology domain might be important for the regulation of these protein kinases.Copyright 1994, 1999 Academic Press, Inc.

The developmental expression of C3 receptor, an important surface marker of murine epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs), was quantitatively studied using an immunohistochemical technique on epidermal sheets and then compared with developmental expression of Ia antigen and membrane ATPase. Anti-Mac-1 monoclonal antibody associated with CR3 was used for detecting C3 receptor and proved positive for LCs by immunoelectron microscopy. Mac-1 positive (Mac-1+) cells showed quite a different distribution from those of ATPase+ and Ia+ cells. Almost the same number of Mac-1+ and ATPase+ cells were present during the embryonic period. The number of Mac-1+ cells gradually decreased from day 1 to day 5 of postnatal life, after which they increased again. Using the doublelabeling technique on epidermal sheets at day 1 of postnatal life, it was shown that Ia+ cells possessed membrane ATPase activity and some Mac-1+ cells expressed Ia antigen. On days 4 and 7 of postnatal life all Mac-1+ cells expressed Ia antigen. These findings suggest that Mac-1 antigen observed during the embryonic period gradually fades after birth and is re-expressed after day 5 of postnatal life.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Precise quantitative and spatial analysis of cell cycle-related biomarkers in colonic crypts is often vital for studies of colon carcinogenesis and cancer prevention. To overcome the limitations of histology, confocal laser microscopy of microdissected whole crypts was used to quantitate S phase and mitotic cells. METHODS: Microdissected distal colonic crypts were studied in a modified rat starvation refeeding model. S phase cells were labeled in vivo with 5- bromodeoxyuridine. Mitotic cells were labeled with MPM2 (antibody to mitosis-specific epitope) and also assessed for chromatin morphology with propidium iodide. Sequential optical crypt sections, produced by confocal microscopy, were digitally imaged. S phase labeling indices per whole crypt were also compared with those derived by conventional immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: S phase and mitotic cells were clearly discriminated without background staining. The labeled S phase cell number and fraction per whole crypt were significantly decreased with starvation and increased with refeeding. Variability in the labeling index between whole crypts analyzed by confocal microscopy was significantly smaller than between histological crypt sections. Consequently, the intervention contributed to 92.2% of the total variability of the labeling index in whole crypts but only to 59% of the variability in histological sections. CONCLUSIONS: Major limitations of histology are overcome by crypt microdissection and confocal microscopic analysis. The total crypt cell population as well as labeled M phase and S phase cells can be imaged, localized, and quantitated with improved precision. (Gastroenterology 1996 Dec;111(6):1493-500)

We have previously shown that sustained phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase activity is necessary for neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells induced by nerve growth factor (NGF). Microinjection of a constitutively active mutant of PI-3 kinase induced process formation suggesting that PI-3 kinase is indeed involved in the neurite outgrowth. However, the processes appeared to be incomplete neurites as they had very poor organization of F-actin and GAP43 antigen. The microtubule network was enhanced in the process-bearing cells and process formation was inhibited by colchicine suggesting that microtubules play an important role in process formation downstream of PI-3 kinase. These cell responses were inhibited by dominant-negative mutants of Rac and Sek1/SAPK but not by a dominant-negative mutant Ras and PD98059, a MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor, suggesting that not the Ras-MAP kinase pathway but the Rac-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway is involved in process formation.

Polymerization kinetics of 7-(alkoxycarbonyl)-7-cyano-1,4-benzoquinone methides with alkoxy groups such as methoxy (3a), butoxy (3b), isopropoxy (3c), and sec-butoxy (3d) was investigated in chloroform in the presence of 2,2‘-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as an initiator. Their polymerizations were found to be typical equilibrium polymerization reactions, and on the basis of this polymerization behavior, the thermodynamic parameters of polymerization such as the enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) of polymerization were determined. To get information about the substituent effect on the homopolymerizability of 7-(alkoxycarbonyl)-7-cyano-1,4-benzoquinone methides, the ΔH values were compared with the substituent parameters for the alkyl group of the alkoxy substituents by means of a linear free energy relationship and the homopolymerizability was found to be determined mainly by the steric hindrance of the alkoxy groups. The copolymerization of 3a with styrene in chloroform with AIBN as an initiator was carried out above and below the equilibrium monomer concentration of 3a. Above the equilibrium monomer concentration of 3a, 3a copolymerized with styrene in a random fashion to afford the monomer reactivity ratios, r1(3a) = 4.70 ± 0.85 and r2(styrene) = 0.01 ± 0.01 at 60 °C. Alfrey−Price's Q and e values of 3a were calculated to be Q = 32 and e = +1.05, respectively, indicating that 3a is a highly conjugative (reactive) and electron-accepting monomer. On the other hand, below the equilibrium monomer concentration of 3a, 3a copolymerized with styrene in a perfectly alternating fashion. The change from random fashion to alternating one for this copolymerization was explained well in connection with the equilibrium polymerization behavior of 3a.

To estimate whether melatonin is involved in gonadal activity in the male quail, the dynamics of plasma melatonin at an early stage of the photoperiodic response were investigated. Nocturnal levels of melatonin were manipulated by treatment with anti-melatonin (anti-M). By means of 4 additional hours of photic stimulation of the brain (provided by a red light-emitting diode inserted through the back of the head) after the environmental lights (8L:16D, lights-on, 1000 h) were turned off, the elevation of levels of melatonin after lights-off was significantly suppressed on Days 1 and 2 (p<0.01); after 5 days of brain-lighting, gonadal growth first became noticeable. However, 4 h of brain-lighting before lights-on elicited no change in levels of melatonin or in gonadal growth. The injections of anti-M just before lights-off (at 1800 h) for the first 3 days caused significant gonadal growth (p<0.01), whereas injections at 2200, 0200, or 0600 h were without effect. In addition, 4 h of brain-lighting before lights-on became gonadostimulatory (p<0.01) when it was accompanied by the injection of anti-M at 1800 h, but remained without effect when anti-M was injected at 0600 h. These results suggest that melatonin is involved in the initial stage of photoperiodism in birds, and the timing of suppression of the elevation of melatonin levels is critical in gonadal development.

Canola oil triacylglycerols from genetically modified canola lines (InterMountain Canola Co., Cinnaminson, NJ) have been evaluated for their photooxidative and autoxidative stabilities, as influenced by their fatty acid compositions and their triacylglycerol compositions and structures. Purified canola oil triacylglycerols were oxidized in duplicate in fluorescent light at 25°C and in the dark at 60°C under oxygen, and their oxidative deterioration with time was monitored by determining colorimetric peroxide values. Also monitored with time, oxidation products were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance detection. Total volatiles, generated by thermal decomposition of the oxidized triacylglycerols, were quantitated by static-head-space gas chromatography. These experimental parameters were statistically correlated with predicted oxidizability, fatty acid composition, position of fatty acids on glycerol carbons and triacylglycerol composition. Oxidative deterioration of canola triacylglycerols correlated negatively with oleic acid composition, with oleic acid content at carbon 2 and with trioleoylglycerol content of the oil. Deterioration was positively correlated with the amount of linolenic acid on nonspecific locations on glycerol carbons 1,2 and 3, the amount of linoleic acid on glycerol carbon 2 and withsn-oleoyllinoleoyllinolenoyl glycerol content. Differences in character or quantity of volatile product and triacylglycerol hydroperoxides were low, whether generated during autoxidation or photooxidation of the canola triacylglycerols.

The structures of (NH3)n(n= 1–5) and NH4+(NH3)n(n= 0–5) are determined by ab initio MO calculation. For the ammonia dimer, the stability of the linear form is comparable to that of the cyclic form at all levels of calculation. For the polymer (n > 3), the cyclic form is favored. The present calculations support the high values of —ΔHfor NH4+(NH3)nobtained by ion equilibria measurements, and are in disagreement with photoionization measurements of neutral clusters. The stabilization of NH4+(NH3)4…NH3is ascribed to anenhancement effectof charge polarization.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility that the biological changes observed in connective tissue matrix components of photoaging skin may be induced by an alteration of biosynthesis in fibroblasts damaged by reactive oxygen species (ROS). We investigated the effect of ROS induced by xanthine and the xanthine oxidase system on the biosynthesis of connective tissue matrix components, collagen and glucosaminoglycans (GAGs) in cultured human dermal fibroblasts. ROS decreased collagen production and increased GAGs synthesis. Interestingly, these changes were consistent with the biological alterations of connective tissue matrix components observed in photoaging skin. Moreover, catalase and alpha-tocopherol completely prevented the ROS-induced alterations of collagen and GAGs biosynthesis, whereas superoxide dismutase had no effect on the ROS-induced changes. These results suggest that ROS may be one of the factors which cause the biological changes of connective tissue matrix components observed in photoaging skin.

Abstract: The triacylglycerols ofVernonia galamensis andCrepis alpina seed oils were characterized because these oils have high concentrations of vernolic (cis-12,13-epoxy-cis-9-octadecenoic) and crepenynic (cis-9-octadecen-12-ynoic) acids, respectively. The triacylglycerols were separated from other components of crude oils by solid-phase extraction, followed by resolution and quantitation of the individual triacylglycerols by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an acetonitrile/methylene chloride gradient and flame-ionization detection. Isolated triacylglycerols were characterized by proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance and by capillary gas chromatography of their fatty acid methyl esters. The locations of the fatty acids on the glycerol moieties in the oils were obtained by lipolysis. TheVernonia galamensis oil contained 50% trivernoloyl and 21% divernoloyllinoleoyl glycerols along with 20% triacylglycerols with one vernolic and two other fatty acids. TheCrepis alpina oil contained 36% tricrepenynoyl and 33% dicrepenynoyllinoleoyl glycerols, 17% triacylglycerols with two crepenynic and one other fatty acid and 7% triacylglycerols with one crepenynic acid and two other fatty acids. Vernolic acid was found at both the 1(3)- and 2-glycerol carbons but was more abundant at the 1,(3)-position in theVernonia galamensis oil. Crepenynic acid was found at both glycerol carbon positions but was more abundant at the 2-position in theCrepis alpina oil.

It has been shown that inhibition of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase blocks neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells stimulated with nerve growth factor. To further assess the role of PI 3-kinase, the active form of PI 3-kinase was expressed in PC12 cells by the adenovirus mediated introduction of a site-specific recombinase, Cre. After expression of the active PI 3-kinase, elevation of the levels of PI 3,4-diphosphate and PI 3,4,5-trisphosphate as well as formation of neurite-like processes was observed. The process formation was inhibited by wortmannin, a selective inhibitor of PI 3-kinase, which suggests that a high activity of PI 3-kinase was responsible for the formation of these processes. The processes lacked accumulation of F-actin and GAP43 at the growth cone, which suggests that the processes were incomplete compared with neurites. Instead, the bundling of microtubules was enhanced, which suggests that organization of the microtubules might be driving the process of elongation in the cells expressing the active PI 3-kinase. Induction of active PI 3-kinase resulted in activation of Jun N-terminal kinase but not of mitogen-activated protein kinase or protein kinase B/Rac protein kinase/Akt. These results suggest that PI 3-kinase is involved in neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and that activation of Jun N-terminal kinase cascade may be involved in the cell response.

The triacylglycerols ofVernonia galamensisandCrepis alpinaseed oils were characterized because these oils have high concentrations of vernolic (cis-12,13-epoxy-cis-9-octadecenoic) and crepenynic (cis-9-octadecen-12-ynoic) acids, respectively. The triacylglycerols were separated from other components of crude oils by solid-phase extraction, followed by resolution and quantitation of the individual triacylglycerols by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an acetonitrile/methylene chloride gradient and flame-ionization detection. Isolated triacylglycerols were characterized by proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance and by capillary gas chromatography of their fatty acid methyl esters. The locations of the fatty acids on the glycerol moieties in the oils were obtained by lipolysis. TheVernonia galamensisoil contained 50% trivernoloyl and 21% divernoloyllinoleoyl glycerols along with 20% triacylglycerols with one vernolic and two other fatty acids. TheCrepis alpinaoil contained 36% tricrepenynoyl and 33% dicrepenynoyllinoleoyl glycerols, 17% triacylglycerols with two crepenynic and one other fatty acid and 7% triacylglycerols with one crepenynic acid and two other fatty acids. Vernolic acid was found at both the 1(3)- and 2-glycerol carbons but was more abundant at the 1,(3)-position in theVernonia galamensisoil. Crepenynic acid was found at both glycerol carbon positions but was more abundant at the 2-position in theCrepis alpinaoil.

Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly (BSK) II medium containing fosfomycin, 5-fluorouracil, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole was evaluated for the selective isolation of theBorrelia species responsible for Lyme disease and relapsing fever. The maximum noninhibitory concentrations of fosfomycin, 5-fluorouracil, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole for six strains of borreliae were 500 to >1000 µg/ml, 250 to >500 µg/ml, 125 to 500 µg/ml and 125 to 500 µg/ml, respectively. The combination of four agents (fosfomycin 400 µg/ml, 5-fluorouracil 100 µg/ml, trimethoprim 10 µg/ml, sulfamethoxazole 50 µg/ml) did not inhibit the growth of borreliae, allowing growth in cultures inoculated with a few organisms (theoretically a single organism). In contrast, the fouragent combination completely inhibited the growth of 12 of 13 other bacterial strains tested as possible contaminants. This combination also allowed the selective growth of borreliae in experimentally contaminated specimens. The four-agent combination in BSK II medium may be useful for selective isolation ofBorrelia species responsible for Lyme disease and relapsing fever from clinical and environmental samples.

Several structural isomers of vinylsalicylic acid and the corresponding methyl vinylsalicylates have been synthesized in this laboratory previously and have been polymerized and copolymerized with methacrylic acid and with methyl methacrylate. The monomer-ic as well as the polymeric compounds have been tested for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. This article also deals with the sunscreening properties of some polymeric salicylic acid derivatives and their possible use as the effective ultraviolet-absorbing agent in skin protection formulations. The results show that making homopolymers and especially copolymers is a way of increasing one property and decreasing another, making new compounds with more specific properties.

The LIM domain comprising two zinc-finger motifs is found in a variety of proteins and has been proposed to direct protein-protein interactions. During the identification of protein kinase C (PKC)-interacting proteins by a yeast two-hybrid assay, a novel protein containing three LIM domains, designated ENH, was shown to associate with PKC in an isoform-specific manner. Deletion analysis demonstrated that any single LIM domain of ENH associates with the NH2-terminal region of PKC. ENH associated with PKC in COS-7 cells and was phosphorylated by PKC in vitro. Upon treatment of the cells with phorbol ester, ENH in the membrane fraction was translocated to the cytosol fraction in vivo. Other LIM domain-containing proteins, such as Enigma and LIM-kinase 1, also interacted with PKC through their LIM domains. These results suggest that the LIM domain is one of the targets of PKC and that the LIM-PKC interaction may shed light on undefined roles of LIM domain-containing proteins.