UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We have identified five acyl coenzyme A (CoA) oxidase isozymes (Aox1 through Aox5) in the n-alkane-assimilating yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, encoded by the POX1...Full Text Available

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This quarterly update contains information on the National Bioenergy Center Biochemical Platform Integration Project, R&D progress and related activities.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundPregnancy is accompanied by several hemodynamic, biochemical and hematological changes which revert to normal values after labor. The mean values of these parameters have...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The data set consists of the following: - Biochemical analysis of Deschampsia leaves and root; - Chromatographic Analysis of membrane lipids (lipid profile) ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... atp-ase azido compounds biochemical reaction kinetics endoplasmic reticulum

Science.gov (United States)

will be derived from biochemical analyses of molluscs, ostracodes, foraminifera and corals. The corals will allow us to compare marine and estuarine trends, examine the linkage...

Science.gov (United States)

... 05). In contrast with the information available for Penaeus monodon Fabricius, 1798 (Ferraris et al., 1987) and L. vannamei ( ... ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Two-way communication between the conceptus and the mother during early pregnancy is essential if the pregnancy is to survive. In this review, our primary focus is on biochemical communication...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe aim of this report was to describe duodenal obstruction caused by a rubber foreign body in a cow.Case PresentationThe clinical, biochemical...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This randomised study aimed to compare the biochemical tolerance of three parenteral regimens administered during the first 48 hours of life. Twenty nine infants were randomised to either: (a) glucose...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Measurement of serum biochemical parameters in response to metal exposures can be especially useful to help identify target organs of toxicity as well as the general health status of animals. Oreochromis niloticus were exposed to 5.0?mg/L?Zn, 1.0?mg/L?Cd, and 5.0?mg/L?Zn?+?1.0?mg/L?Cd mixture for 7 and 28?days, and alterations in serum enzyme activities and ion levels were measured. Significant changes in all the biochemical parameters were found to be time dependent. Following metal exposure, alkaline phosphatase activity was elevated at both exposure periods. No changes in activities of lactate dehydrogenase and lipase were observed in response to single or combined Zn and Cd exposure at 7?days while they increased at 28?days. Fish exposed to metals showed a decrease in cholinesterase ac...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The interactions between biochemical processes and mechanical signaling play important roles during various cellular processes such as wound healing, embryogenesis, metastasis, and cell migration. While...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Post-transcriptional nucleoside modifications fine-tune the biophysical and biochemical properties of transfer RNA (tRNA) so that it is optimized for participation in cellular processes. Here we report...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The world's oceans contain a complex mixture of micro-organisms that are for the most part, uncharacterized both genetically and biochemically. We report here a metagenomic study of the marine planktonic...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Surface glandular trichomes distributed throughout the aerial parts of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) produce and store monoterpene, sesquiterpene, and phenylpropene volatiles. Three...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Methylation of RNA by methyltransferases is a phylogenetically ubiquitous post-transcriptional modification that occurs most extensively in transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Biochemical...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In mice and humans the circadian rhythm of many biochemical reactions, physiology, and behavior is generated by a transcriptional-translation feedback loop (TTFL) made up of the so-called core clock...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A detailed molecular characterization of nuclear mRNA export will require an in vitro system, allowing a biochemical reconstitution of transport. To this end, an mRNA export assay has...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Auxin modulates diverse plant developmental pathways through direct transcriptional regulation and cooperative signaling with other plant hormones. Genetic and biochemical approaches have clarified...Full Text Available

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This is an internal DOE Geothermal Program document. This document contains summaries of projects related to exploration technology, reservoir technology, drilling technology, conversion technology, materials, biochemical processes, and direct heat applications. [DJE-2005

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Self-incompatibility (SI) is widespread in the angiosperms, but identifying the biochemical components of SI mechanisms has proven to be difficult in most lineages. Coffea (coffee;...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

1. This study analyzes the mechanisms involved in the responses to ouabain in cat cerebral and femoral arteries and characterizes the electrogenic Na+ pump present in these vessels. The latter was accomplished...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Drugs used for the inhibition of DNA viruses, such as iododeoxyuridine, adenine arabinoside, or trifluorothymidine, are not biochemically selective in their action and also interfere with normal cellular...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Cytokinins are hormones that regulate cell division and development. As a result of a lack of specific mutants and biochemical tools, it has not been possible to study the consequences of cytokinin...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

DYF-13, originally identified in C. elegans within a collection of dye-filling chemosensory mutants, is one of several proteins that have been classified as putatively involved...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Two nitrate reductase (NR) mutants were selected for low nitrate reductase (LNR) activity by in vivo NR microassays of M₂ seedlings derived from nitrosomethylurea-mutagenized...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

There is increasing evidence of a biochemical link between lipid oxidation and bone metabolism. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and metabolizes biologically...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundType A1 Clostridium botulinum strains are a group of Gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacteria that produce a genetically, biochemically, and biophysically...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Observations made during biochemical and toxicological studies of the housefly, in which the WHO standard reference (SR) strain was used as a standard, indicated that this strain differs from other...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The biochemical compositions of 465 Sepia officinalis mantles from the Mediterranean waters off Alexandria Egypt, were studied from September 1989 to August 1990. Water contents of males and females were not significantly different, and followed the same pattern showing a sharp decrease in summer. Lipid contents of males and females were similar, showing two peaks in summer and autumn. A clear reverse relationship between water and lipid contents was found. Protein and ash contents showed irregular patterns. Protein contents were increased in early spring and mid-summer. The relationship between body compositions and mantle size, gonads maturation and environmental conditions was discussed.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques coupled with multivariate data analysis were used to conduct monitoring of biochemical changes of black raspberry fruits at different stages of maturation and under various extraction and NMR dissolution solvent conditions: extraction with 50% methanol and D"2O as an NMR dissolution solvent, extraction with 50% methanol and 50% methanol-d"4 as an NMR dissolution solvent, and extraction with 100% ethyl acetate and 100% methanol-d"4 as an NMR dissolution solvent. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis reliably distinguished black raspberry fruits according to the maturation stage, whereby the relative levels of various compounds such as amino acids, organic acids, sugars and phenolic compounds were compared using analysis of variance. Sucrose ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The molybdenum iron-sulphur protein originally isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas by Moura, Xavier, Bruschi, Le Gall, Hall & Cammack [(1976) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 72, 782-789] has been...Full Text Available

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The special features of prostaglandin biochemistry, of importance for investigation of the possible physiological roles of prostaglandins, are briefly reviewed. The formation of prostaglandins and related compounds from endogenous and exogenous arachidonic acid in homogenates of human gastric mucosal and muscle-serosal layers is described. These preliminary data seem to indicate that a low conversion of exogenous precursor does not necessarily mean that the capacity of the tissue to synthesize prostaglandins from endogenous precursor is low.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The etching method developed made it possible to observe under the microscope the finest components of the anatomical structure of coal-forming plants. The dependence of the effectiveness of etching of tissues on the concentrations of geopolymers (protocellulose and protolignin) in them was found. The study of tissues of this kind by the methods of local analysis (for example, X-ray microanalysis) allowed us to obtain the characteristics of the above geopolymers and to use them for the identification of the primary biochemical composition of fossil organic matter.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Fifteen strains of CDC group 1 coryneform and biochemically similar bacteria were isolated from clinical specimens. Of the 15 strains isolated, 11 were derived from abscesses and purulent lesions, mostly...Full Text Available

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Intracervical application of prostaglandin E2 in the late first trimester induces (1) softening of the cervix tissue; (2) increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans (18 +/- 12%, mean +/- SEM); (3) no change in hyaluronic acid and water; (4) decrease in pepsin-extractable collagen, and (5) apparent decrease in collagenase. A high activity of collagenase in combination with a replacement of collagen with sulfated glycosaminoglycans may be of importance for the ripening process.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of various forms of treatment of renal osteodystrophy was evaluated in 25 dialysis patients by quantitative bone scintigraphy, using 99m-Tc-HEDP. The results were compared with those of biochemical and bone morphometric studies. The total skeletal activity (TSA) decreased in 5 patients after transplantation, in 11 after parathyroidectomy and in 6 out of 9 treated conservatively, but did not normalize in any of the patients. Bone morphometric evaluation of treatment, which could be performed in 19 of the 20 patients who did not receive a transplant, demonstrated a reduction in the degree of hyperparathyroidism in 17 patients (89 percent). Osteoid excess was reduced in 13 patients (68 percent) but an evident reduction of osteomalacic osteoid, i.e. improvement of osteomalacia, occurred in only 4 patients (21 percent). Changes in the TSA correlated significantly with the changes in the biochemical and histological parameters of ...

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To identify radio-protective agent candidate among medicinal plants and to elucidate the mechanism of action of the candidate material by using modern biochemical and molecular biological methods, we screened radio-protective activity among 48 medicinal plants. Seven samples showed above 20% protective activities against oxidative cell damage: Euryale ferox, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Eucomia ulmoides, Paeonia suffruticosa, Spirodela polyrrhiza, and Nelumbo nucifera. We also screened for oxidative stress sensitizing activity among other 51 medicinal plants. Among those samples, 11 samples showed good sensitizing effect; Melia azedarach, Agastache rugosa, Catalpa ovata, Prunus persica, Sinomenium acutum, Pulsatilla koreana, Oldenlandia diffusa, Anthriscus sylvestris, Schizandra chinensis, Gleditsia sinensis, and Cridium officinale. We also reported the radio-protective effect of DTT. The treatment of DTT increased cell survival after ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effect of UV radiation in the wavelength region 230 nm to 302 nm on the ability of an irradiated mammalian cell to reactivate UV-irradiated mammalian virus was tested. An action spectrum for radiation enhanced reactivation (RER) is presented. The shape of the action spectrum points to a combined nucleic acid-protein target for UV radiation effects on this cellular parameter. An analysis of the results of others involving the biochemical and photobiological events involved in RER does not allow us to distinguish which macromolecule is the major contributor to this effect. Studies involving an analogous phenomenon in bacteris (Weigle reactivation) imply that RER and WR amy involve similar mechanisms. (author).

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An azido-[sup 125]iodo-ansamycin (1) in the geldanamycin family was prepared in two steps in one reaction vessel from 17-amino-22-(4'-aminophenacyl)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (3). The title compound was suitable for photoaffinity labeling proteins that interacted with ansamycins. An alternative synthesis is reported for preparation of unlabeled title compound in order to afford practical amounts of (1) for conventional biochemical studies. (Author).

CERN Document Server

The existence of a global attractor for the solution semiflow of the extended Brusselator system in the $L^2$ phase space is proved, which is a cubic-autocatalytic and partially reversible reaction-diffusion system with linear coupling between two compartments. The method of grouping and re-scaling estimation is developed to deal with the challenge in proving the absorbing property and the asymptotic compactness of this typical multi-component reaction-diffusion systems. It is also proved that the global attractor is an $(H, E)$ global attractor with the $L^\\infty$ regularity and that the Hausdorff dimension and the fractal dimension of the global attractor are finite. The results and methodology can find many applications and further extensions in complex biological and biochemical dynamical systems.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The use of Gadolinium-DTPA as a paramagnetic contrast agent in MRI with adults and juveniles concerning brain and spinal cord pathology is well proven since years. In the FRG it is only introduced for children over two years of age. Therefore this report deales with the experience in four infants and small children under the age of two. They all were suffering from neurological tumors and got additional diagnostic information in three cases. Clinical side-effects like urticaria, vomiting or convulsions had not been observed nor had pathologic changes of the biochemical parameters been noticed. (orig./GDG).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spectral appearance and concentrations of the most prominent metabolites are affected by brain development. This knowledge is essential for the detection of pathological changes in pediatric patients. This paper discusses specific conditions of MR spectroscopic examination of children and the effects of age on MR spectra quality and quantitation of the studied metabolites. Clinical examples show several diseases that are reflected in changes in "1H MR spectra due to pathological alterations in the biochemical pathways of the observed metabolites. Attention is given to the main metabolites such as N-acetylaspartate, creatine/phosphocreatine, cholines, lactate, inositol, etc.

Science.gov (United States)

Objective:? Primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is characterised by autonomous secretion of PTH from enlarged parathyroid glands leading, in most patients, to asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by inactivating mutations in the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) gene; it is characterised by lifelong and usually asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Establishing the correct diagnosis is important because surgery can be curative in HPT, but ineffective in FHH. There is overlap in the diagnostic criteria for the two disorders and some patients carrying inactivating mutations in the CaSR gene, which is suggestive of FHH, also have HPT with hyperplastic parathyroid glands or adenomas. Design and Patients:? CaSR gene mutations were analyzed and clinical and biochemical parameters evaluated in 139 consecutive out-patients presenting with hypercalcaemia and suspected of having HPT. Results:? Six different ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Although the intracellular ultrastructural processing of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor have been described in cell culture systems, very few studies have examined this phenomenon in intact tissues. We have examined the ultrastructural and biochemical handling of ["1"2"5I]EGF in the epidermis and hair follicle bulb of intact, viable, 3- to 5-day-old rat skin the EGF receptor distribution of which has already been documented and in which EGF has been shown to be biologically active. After incubation of explants with 10 nM ["1"2"5I]EGF for 2.5 h at 25 degrees or 37 degrees C, radiolabel was detected over the basal cells of the epidermis and hair follicle outer root sheath, confirming previous light microscope observations. More specifically, silver grains were observed near coated and uncoated plasma membrane and coated membrane invaginations, Golgi apparatus, lysosomal structures, and nuclei. Sodium azide inhibited internalization of label, whereas a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renal osteodystrophy is a metabolic bone disease and a common complication of end-stage chronic renal failure and maintenance dialysis treatment. In this study, we examined the correlation between quantifying bone scintigraphy and serum biochemical markers in hemodialysis patients. Bone scintigraphy with technetium-99m-hydroxy-methylene-diphosphonate ("9"9"mTc-HMDP) was performed on 28 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Bone scintigraphy was performed using a standard protocol and was quantified by setting regions of interest (ROIs) over selected regions. The bone-to-soft-tissue ratio (B/ST ratio) at each region was calculated in all patients. The B/ST ratios were then compared with serum biochemical markers. The B/ST ratio for the skull correlated well with serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) (r=0.735, p<0.001), serum deoxypyridinoline (DPD) (r=0.806, p<0.001) and intact parathyroid hormone (intact PTH) (r=0.701, ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The aim of this study was to estimate the sensitivity of biomarkers of stress and exposure in the bivalve mollusk Anodonta cygnea to spontaneous anthropogenic activities typical for the Western Ukraine. Three sites were examined during spring, summer and autumn: an agricultural site (A); the cooling pond of nuclear power plant (N) and a forestry close to the municipal water inlet (F). Common temporal changes of a battery of biochemical markers in the gills and hemolymph and morphological characteristics were shown by discriminant functional analysis. Classification trees built on the basis of the screened biomarkers demonstrated persistent peculiarities at each site: genotoxicity (nuclear abnormalities) at site A and endocrine disruption (high levels of vitellogenin-like proteins (Vtg-LP) ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Introduction: Research indicates that music can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance. Music can stimulate central emotions in the brain and release biochemical materials that change the physiologic state. We sought to compare changes in the electrical function of the heart in response to music. Method: Subjects were asked to listen to 2 types of music, namely, sedative and arousal music, in conjunction with two 30-second periods of complete silence. The experiment was conducted in 4 segments: the first and third parts were silence, and the second and fourth parts were music. First, the response to each type of music was compared with that to the preceding period of silence. Next, the responses to both types of music were compared. Finally, the response to music regardles...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Cu(II)-ATSM continues to be investigated, both in the laboratory and in the clinic, as a tumor hypoxia imaging agent. However, meaningful interpretation of these images requires a more complete understanding of the mechanism by which the tracer is trapped within the cell. Cu(II)-ATSM is a simple molecule and its biochemical interaction with cells is similarly simple, mainly based upon redox chemistry. Here we suggest that the trapping mechanism is biphasic. The first phase is a reduction/oxidation cycle involving thiols and molecular oxygen. This can be followed by interaction with proteins in the mitochondria leading to more permanent retention of the tracer. The uptake mechanism is complicated by this second step because of the changes in the cell resulting from hypoxia, such as an incre...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Mentha pulegium L. is a medicinal and aromatic plant belonging to the Labiatae family present in the humid to the arid bioclimatic regions of Tunisia. We studied the effect of different salt concentrations on plant growth, mineral composition and antioxidant responses. Physiological and biochemical parameters were assessed in the plant organs after 2?weeks of salt treatment with 25, 50, 75 and 100?mM NaCl. Results showed that, growth was reduced even by 25?mM, and salt effect was more pronounced in shoots (leaves and stems) than in roots. This growth decrease was accompanied by a restriction in tissue hydration and K+ uptake, as well as an increase in Na+ levels in all organs. Considering the response of antioxidant enzymes to salt, leaves and roots reacted differently to saline conditions...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Ozone is the most important regional-scale air pollutant causing risks for vegetation and human health in many parts of the world. Ozone impacts on yield and quality of crops and pastures depend on precursor emissions, atmospheric transport and leaf uptake and on the plant?s biochemical defence capacity, all of which are influenced by changing climatic conditions, increasing atmospheric CO2 and altered emission patterns. In this article, recent findings about ozone effects under current conditions and trends in regional ozone levels and in climatic factors affecting the plant?s sensitivity to ozone are reviewed in order to assess implications of these developments for future regional ozone risks. Based on pessimistic IPCC emission scenarios for many cropland regions elevated mean ozone lev...

CERN Document Server

Community ecologists are principally occupied with the proposition that natural assemblages of species exhibit orderliness and with identifying its causes. Plant-pollinator networks exhibit a variety of orderly properties, one of which is 'nestedness'. Nestedness has been attributed to various causes, but we propose a further influence arising from the phylogenetic structure of the biochemical constraints on the pollen diets of bees. We use an artificial assemblage as an opportunity to isolate the action of this mechanism. The properties of the network that we studied are consistent with the proposition that nestedness is caused by the phylogeny of diet range in bees, but the claim is preliminary and we propose that valuable progress in understanding plant-pollinator systems may be made through applying the techniques of chemical ecology at the community scale.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Although photosynthetic thermotolerance has been investigated extensively in cotton leaves, reports on the biochemical influence of the pistil in promoting fertilization thermostability are limited. To evaluate the effect of temperature, genotype, and exogenous calcium application on fertilization and pistil biochemistry in cotton, thermosensitive (cv. ST4554 B2RF) and thermotolerant (cv. VH260) plants were grown under control (30/20-C) or high-temperature (38/20-C) conditions during flowering, and exogenous CaCl2 was applied to flowers 1-day prior to anthesis. Measured pistil parameters included fertilization efficiency; protein concentration; glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and NADPH oxidase activities; and ATP and calcium levels. Exogenous calcium had no effec...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Within the past decade two important groups of radiopharmaceuticals labelled with /sup 123/I were introduced into the clinical application opening new areas of metabolic studies in nuclear medicine: radioiodinated fatty acids were developed for metabolic studies of the myocardium and radioiodinated amphetamine derivatives were prepared for studying brain diseases by means of SPECT. It must be emphasized that the radiochemical problems with both groups of compounds are practically the same since both are radioiodinated by a nucleophilic substitution mechanism using /sup 123/I directly in its anionic form. The clinical application of brain imaging agents, particularly the one of p-/sup 123/I-iodo-N-isopropylamphetamine, is important and will presumably increase as soon as the details of the individual biochemical steps, which are involved in brain uptake mechanisms, are evaluated. It is felt that the potential of the clinical IMP application is greater than the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

One of the research challenges in oncology is to develop new biochemical methods for noninvasive tumor therapy evaluation to determine whether the chemotherapeutics is effective. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was labeled with radioiodine and evaluated in vitro as well as in vivo, using A2058, a melanoma cell line overexpressing VEGFR-1 and -2. Saturation binding analysis with [{sup 125}I]-VEGF resulted in a K {sub d} of 0.1 nM. Internalization assays indicate the preserved ligand induced internalization and metabolization of the tracer. Biodistribution studies with [{sup 123}I]-VEGF in wild type and A2058 tumor-bearing athymic mice showed low background activity and a tumor to reference tissue ratio of maximum 6.12. These results suggest that [{sup 123}I]-VEGF is a potentially suitable tracer for tumor therapy evaluation.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Background In chordates, retinoid metabolism is an important target of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs). It is not known whether SDRs play a role in retinoid metabolism of protostomes, such as Drosophila melanogaster. Methods Drosophila genome was searched for genes encoding proteins with ?50% identity to human retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12). The corresponding proteins were expressed in Sf9 cells and biochemically characterized. Their phylogenetic relationships were analyzed using PHYLIP software. Results A total of six Drosophila SDR genes were identified. Five of these genes are clustered on chromosome 2 and one is located on chromosome X. The deduced proteins are 300 to 406 amino acids long and are associated with microsomal membranes. They recognize all-trans-retinaldehyd...

Science.gov (United States)

Flow cytometric techniques were used to measure the cytological and biochemical damage to respiratory tract cells in animals exposed to particulates. Hamsters were exposed to raw and spent oil shale particulates and silica by intratracheal instillation. Exfoliated lung cells were obtained by sacrificing the animals and lavaging the respiratory tract posterior to the trachea with saline. Cell samples were fixed in ethanol and stained with mithramycin for fluorescence analysis of DNA content. DNA content distributions from hamsters exposed to spent oil shale and silica particulates showed atypical changes 28 to 35 days later. Cell counts and total numbers of macrophages, leukocytes, and epithelial cells in the lavage fluid also showed marked changes related to time after exposure.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Rationale Hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal axis dysregulation predicts poor clinical and biochemical response to antidepressants. Antiglucocorticoids have therapeutic benefits but most have a troublesome adverse event profile. Aspects of neuropsychological performance, notably working memory, are susceptible to corticosteroid modulation and are impaired in depression. Aspirin has been shown to attenuate the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol response to physiological challenge suggesting its potential to act as an augmenting agent in depression. Objectives To examine the effect of sub-acute (300?mg daily for 7?days) aspirin pre-treatment on the cortisol awakening response and the effect of acute (600?mg) and sub-acute aspirin on the neuroendocrine and neuropsychological response...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Thirty bacterial isolates were obtained from different sources and sites at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on chitin agar medium; 9 of the 30 isolates were cultured in liquid medium containing chitin as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. Isolate SM21, which was isolated from shrimp shells, showed the best growth and chitinase production in liquid medium. According to its morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, SM21 belongs to the genus Streptomyces and was identified as Streptomyces anulatus SM21. Identification was confirmed using 16S rDNA analysis. The chitinase enzyme was precipitated with 80% NH4SO4 and purified using DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography followed by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. The molecular weight determined using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylam...

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Analyses of food-borne pathogens are of great importance in order to minimize the health risk for customers. Thus, very sensitive and rapid detection methods are required. Current conventional culture techniques are very time consuming. Modern immunoassays and biochemical analysis also require pre-enrichment steps resulting in a turnaround time of at least 24 h. Biomagnetic separation (BMS) is a promising more rapid method. In this study we describe the isolation of high affine and specific peptides from a phage-peptide library, which combined with BMS allows the detection of Salmonella spp. with a similar sensitivity as that of immunomagnetic separation using antibodies.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Background Adrenal incidentaloma remains a diagnostic challenge. Despite well-established management guidelines, the long-term results of following these guidelines are unknown. We sought to determine how accurately these guidelines identify functioning incidentalomas and how often these guidelines result in adrenalectomy for benign tumors. Methods We catalogued adrenal incidentalomas from a retrospective review of 500 consecutive adrenalectomies at a single institution. The outcome measures studied were patient demographics, preoperative biochemical analysis, imaging characteristics, tumor size, type of operation performed, and postoperative histologic diagnosis. Results Eighty-one of the 500 adrenalectomies performed were for incidentalomas. Size was the only significant characteristic t...

CERN Document Server

We propose a combined experimental (Atomic Force Microscopy) and theoretical study of the structural and dynamical properties of nucleosomes. In contrast to biochemical approaches, this method allows to determine simultaneously the DNA complexed length distribution and nucleosome position in various contexts. First, we show that differences in the nucleo-proteic structure observed between conventional H2A and H2A.Bbd variant nucleosomes induce quantitative changes in the in the length distribution of DNA complexed with histones. Then, the sliding action of remodeling complex SWI/SNF is characterized through the evolution of the nucleosome position and wrapped DNA length mapping. Using a linear energetic model for the distribution of DNA complexed length, we extract the net wrapping energy of DNA onto the histone octamer, and compare it to previous studies.

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..cap alpha..-2 adrenergic agents have been shown to influence blood pressure, heart rate and other physiological and behavioral functions through interactions with adrenergic pathways within the central nervous system. Pharmacologically relevant ..cap alpha..-1 adrenergic receptors were biochemically characterized and radiohistochemically analyzed in intact tissue sections of the rat and human central nervous system. The anatomical distribution of the ..cap alpha..-2 receptors, labeled with the agonist (/sup 3/H)para-aminoclonidine, verified the concept that ..cap alpha..-2 receptors are closely associated with adrenergic nerve terminals and that ..cap alpha..-2 agents can influence autonomic and endocrine function through an action in the central nervous system. Since ..cap alpha..-2 agonists can influence sympathetic outflow, ..cap alpha..-2 binding sites were closely analyzed in the intermediolateral cell column of the thoracic spinal cord. The transport of ...

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The functional interaction between the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma} (PPAR{gamma}) and its coactivator PGC-1{alpha} is crucial for the normal physiology of PPAR{gamma} and its pharmacological response to antidiabetic treatment with rosiglitazone. Here we report the crystal structure of the PPAR{gamma} ligand-binding domain bound to rosiglitazone and to a large PGC-1{alpha} fragment that contains two LXXLL-related motifs. The structure reveals critical contacts mediated through the first LXXLL motif of PGC-1{alpha} and the PPAR{gamma} coactivator binding site. Through a combination of biochemical and structural studies, we demonstrate that the first LXXLL motif is the most potent among all nuclear receptor coactivator motifs tested, and only this motif of the two LXXLL-related motifs in PGC-1{alpha} is capable of binding to PPAR{gamma}. Our studies reveal that the strong interaction of PGC-1{alpha} and PPAR{gamma} is mediated through both ...

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To evaluate and compare MRI-based ovarian morphology in groups of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and controls. All PCOS cases (n = 44) had oligo-amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism irrespective of ovarian morphology, and fulfilled NIH/Rotterdam diagnostic criteria for PCOS. All control women (n = 40) had normal menses and normoandrogenaemia. All subjects were of white British/Irish origin and pre-menopausal. Group comparisons were based on independent-sample t tests. Polycystic ovarian morphology was defined by at least 12 follicles 2-9 mm in diameter and/or an ovarian volume greater than 10 cm{sup 3}. Ovarian morphology differed significantly in PCOS cases and controls (follicle number geometric mean [SD range] 18.6 [9.9, 35.0] vs 6.6 [3.1, 14.2], unadjusted P = 1.3 x 10{sup -16}; calculated ovarian volume 8.8 cm{sup 3} [5.0, 15.5] vs 5.1 cm{sup 3} [2.5, 10.3], unadjusted P = 3.0 x 10{sup -7}; peripheral follicle location in 55% vs 18% of ovaries, P = 7.9 x 10{sup -6}; ...

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Our group is interested in evaluating early effects of dietary interventions on bone loss. Postmenopausal women lose bone following reduction in estrogen which leads to increased risk of fracture. Traditional means of monitoring bone loss and effectiveness of treatments include changes in bone density, which takes 6 months to years to observe effects, and changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover, which are highly variable and lack specificity. Prelabeling bone with {sup 41}Ca and measuring urinary {sup 41}Ca excretion with accelerator mass spectrometry provides a sensitive, specific, and rapid approach to evaluating effectiveness of treatment. To better understand {sup 41}Ca technology as a tool for measuring effective treatments on reducing bone resorption, we perturbed bone resorption by manipulating dietary calcium in rats. We used {sup 3}H-tetracycline ({sup 3}H-TC) as a proxy for {sup 41}Ca and found that a single dose is feasible to study bone ...

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The microbial process of converting organic matter into methane and carbon dioxide is so complex that anaerobic digesters have long been treated as {open_quotes}black boxes.{close_quotes} Research into this process during the past few decades has gradually unraveled this complexity, but many questions remain. The major biochemical reactions for forming methane by methanogens are largely understood, and evolutionary studies indicate that these microbes are as different from bacteria as they are from plants and animals. In anaerobic digesters, methanogens are at the terminus of a metabolic web, in which the reactions of myriads of other microbes produce a very limited range of compounds - mainly acetate, hydrogen, and formate - on which the methanogens grow and from which they form methane. {open_quotes}Interspecies hydrogen-transfer{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}interspecies formate-transfer{close_quotes} are major mechanisms by which methanogens obtain their ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lectin is a generic name of sugar binding protein in living organisms. With an objective to clarify physiological functions of lectin in marine invertebrates and utilize it as a useful material in the bio-chemical industry, studies were carried out on the chemical structure, distribution in living organisms and structural changes of lectin. Lectin is involved with such physiological actions as immunity reactions, generation and differentiation, Ca fixation and symbiosis. Lectin is one of the main components of lymph fluid in shellfish and crustacean, and is a multi-functional polymer that is related with foreign substance recognition, Ca transport, and shell formation. Lectin of a certain kind shows strong actions to accelerate cell division. Organs and cells were cultivated for lectin producing organs and lectin producing cells to verify the production thereof. Elucidation was attempted in a molecular level on such physiological functions as foreign substance ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Emerging evidence suggests that E3 ligases play critical roles in diverse biological processes, including innate immune responses in plants. However, the mechanism of the E3 ligase involvement in plant innate immunity is unclear. We report that a rice gene, OsBBI1, encoding a RING finger protein with E3 ligase activity, mediates broad-spectrum disease resistance. The expression of OsBBI1 was induced by rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, as well as chemical inducers, benzothiadiazole and salicylic acid. Biochemical analysis revealed that OsBBI1 protein possesses E3 ubiquitin ligase activity in vitro. Genetic analysis revealed that the loss of OsBBI1 function in a Tos17-insertion line increased susceptibility, while the overexpression of OsBBI1 in transgenic plants conferred enhanced resi...

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Targeted studies completed include the evaluation of tritiated N-0437, evaluation of /sup 35/S-cysteamine, evaluation of /sup 18/F-FDG and initiation of synthetic efforts towards the synthesis of iodinated N-0437 and pergolide analogs. The direction of the project has been changed due to several factors which include the decided lack of favorable experimental results, the excellence of results using muscarinic receptor ligands in pituitary, brain and heart and the contention of the DOE review panel that the original grant proposal was based on flawed assumptions together with their perceived lack of importance to pituitary imaging. In the final year of this grant, three studies will be completed. The first study is the continuation of synthetic efforts to prepare iodinated N-0437 and pergolide analogs for possible use as brain imaging agents. The second study is directed towards completion of biochemical evaluation of various muscarinic receptor analogs for heart, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quantitative bone scans were evaluated in 16 patients with osteoporosis and in a control group of 7 healthy subjects. Along with a detailed biochemical analysis of calcium-phosphorus metabolism and standartized reongenographs, a quantitative dynamic bone scintigraphy was performed according to the method proposed by the authors. The bone-accumulating factor K_b was determined on the base of mathematical analysis of the graph reflecting activity changes in bone tissue unit during the investigation, the blood-elimination factor K_h and kidney-elimination factor K_k. In addition the accumulation index AI (in %) was calculated as a relation between the activity in bone tissue unit, registered in 20 min interval, and the activity in soft tissues for the same time. Whereas the static gamma camera scintigraphy, made 3-4 hrs after injecting of the osteotrope radiopharmaceuticals, showed no specific changes in the patients examined, the method proposed realised higher K_b ...

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Skeletal radiotracer (sup(99m)Tc-HEDP) uptake was quantitated with and without the aid of a computer in 30 chronic dialysis patients with histologic evidence of renal osteodystrophy. Before scintigraphy, elevated soft-tissue activity due to the absence of renal radiotracer excretion was reduced by hemodialysis. The results were compared with those of a normal group and with the results of the biochemical and the bone morphometric studies of these patients. In all patients the radiotracer uptake was elevated, often markedly. In several patients with minimal histologic bone disease, however, soft-tissue activity could not be normalized by hemodialysis although its influence on the quantitative data could be further reduced (but not excluded) by computer evaluation of skeletal radiotracer uptake. Since the latter technique clearly distinguished the majority of the patients from the normals, it appears that computerized quantitative skeletal analysis is a potentially ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Constitutive activation of the oncogenic transcription factor STAT3 frequently occurs in various human malignancies. STAT3 activation involves dimerization via intermolecular pTyr-SH2 interaction. Thus, antagonizing this interaction is a feasible approach to inhibit STAT3 activation for cancer therapy. In order to identify selective STAT3 inhibitors, we developed a biochemical HTS system based on AlphaScreen technology, which measures the abilities of test compounds to antagonize pTyr-SH2 interactions. We screened our chemical libraries using this system and identified 5,15-diphenylporphyrin (5,15-DPP) as a selective STAT3-SH2 antagonist. Selective inhibition of STAT3 nuclear translocation and DNA biding activity was observed in cells treated with 5,15-DPP. IL-6-dependent dimerization of STAT3, c-myc promoter binding and c-myc protein expression were all suppressed by 5,15-DPP, whereas no decrement in either expression or phosphorylation level of STAT3 was ...

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Transcriptional regulation of the galactose-metabolizing genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on three core proteins: Gal4p, the transcriptional activator that binds to upstream activating DNA sequences (UASGAL); Gal80p, a repressor that binds to the carboxyl terminus of Gal4p and inhibits transcription; and Gal3p, a cytoplasmic transducer that, upon binding galactose and adenosine 5'-triphosphate, relieves Gal80p repression. The current model of induction relies on Gal3p sequestering Gal80p in the cytoplasm. However, the rapid induction of this system implies that there is a missing factor. Our structure of Gal80p in complex with a peptide from the carboxyl-terminal activation domain of Gal4p reveals the existence of a dinucleotide that mediates the interaction between the two. Biochemical and in vivo experiments suggests that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) plays a key role in the initial induction event.

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New oxomolybdenum(V) complexes MoOClL (where LH_2 = Schiff base) derived from ethanolamine and salicylaldehyde, 5-chlorosalicylaldehyde, 5-bromosalicylaldehyde, 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde, 3-ethoxysalicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde have been synthesized and characterised by elemental analyses, conductance, molecular weight, i.r. and electronic spectra and magnetic measurements. The Schiff bases behave as dibasic tridentate ONO donor ligands. The complexes are non-electrolytes and dimers. The complexes exhibit subnormal magnetic moments and are involved in antiferromagnetic exchange with S = 0 ground state. The complexes exhibit electronic spectral bands at ca. 13000 and ca. 17000 cm"-"1 due to the transitions dsub(xy)->dsub(xz,yz) ("2B_2->"2E) and dsub(xy)->dsub(x2-y2) ("2B_2->"2B_1), respectively. The #nu#(Mo=O) frequency of the complexes is observed in the 900-970 cm"-"1 region. On the basis of the magnetic susceptibility, i.r. and molecular weight data a ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

High surface ozone concentration is increasingly being recognized as a factor that negatively affects crop yields in Asia. However, little progress has been made in developing ozone-tolerant genotypes of rice-Asias major staple crop. This study aimed to identify possible tolerance mechanisms by characterizing two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that were previously shown to influence visible leaf symptoms under ozone exposure (120 nl l-1, 7 h d-1, 13 d). Two chromosome segment substitution lines (SL15 and SL41) that carried introgressions of the QTLs OzT3 and OzT9, respectively, were exposed to ozone at 120 nl l-1 along with their parent Nipponbare. In accordance with the expected QTL effect, SL15 showed stronger visible symptoms of ozone damage than Nipponbare, whereas SL41 had fewer sympt...

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The mechanism of trypsin inactivation by intact Hymenolepis diminuta has been investigated by biochemical and autoradiographic methods. Although worms inactivate trypsin and chymotrypsin in vitro, no inactivation of other endoproteases (subtilisin, pepsin and papain) could be demonstrated. Trypsin inactivation, as demonstrated by macromolecular substrates (azoalbumin, hemoglobin and casein), could not be detected using low molecular weight synthetic substrates such as N-p-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPA) or N-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (TAME). In addition, the kinetic parameters (K/sub m/ and k_3) for H. diminuta-inactivated trypsin, using BAPA as the substrate, were not different from those of the native enzyme. The number of active sites for both native and inactivated trypsin were determined by titration with p-nitro-phenyl-p'-guanidinobenzoate. Absorbance values for both titrations were found to be identical. Dialysis, heating to 50 C, or repeated ...

Science.gov (United States)

We presented a simple approach for in-situ synthesis of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-gold nanoparticles composite film based on the special characteristics of PDMS itself. It is an environmentally safe synthesis method without the requirement of additional reducing/stabilizing agents. The region where the resulting gold nanoparticles distribute (in the matrix or on the surface of the polymer) and the size of the nanoparticles, as well as the colour of the free-standing films, can be simply controlled by adjusting the ratio of curing agent and the PDMS monomer. The chemical and optical properties of these composite films were studied. Using such a method, gold nanoparticle micropatterns on PDMS surfaces can be performed. And based on the gold nanoparticles micropattern, further modification with antibodies, antigens, enzymes and other biomolecules can be achieved. To verify this ability, an immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx) reactor in microchannels was built and its performance was ...

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Eight patients, one male and seven females, with no pre-existing hypothalamic-pituitary disease, who developed symptoms of hypopituitarism following cranial irradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were studied 5 years or more after radiotherapy. All were GH deficient. Four of the patients with no GH response during insulin tolerance tests (ITT) showed increased GH in response to synthetic human growth hormone releasing factor (GRF-44). Four patients had impaired cortisol responses to ITT, and gradual but diminished cortisol responses to ovine corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF-41). There was no significant difference between mean peak increments in response to ITT and those in response to CRF-41. TSH responses to TRH were delayed in five and absent in two patients; four of these had low free T4 index. Prolactin was raised in all seven women and increased further in response to TRH. Two patients had impaired gonadotrophin responses to LHRH. None of the patients had clinical or ...

Science.gov (United States)

The aim of the present study focuses on experimentally demonstrating the efficacy of using angularly-variable fiber geometry to achieve the desired tissue-layer selection and probing depths with the further objective of enhancing the sensitivity and specificity of spectral diagnosis in stratified architectures that resemble human cervical epithelia. The morphological and biochemical features of epithelial tissue vary in accordance with tissue depths; consequently, the accuracy of spectroscopic diagnosis of epithelial dysplasia may be enhanced by probing the optical properties of this tissue. When correlated to cellular dysplasia, layer-specific changes in tissue optical properties may be deciphered by reflectance spectroscopy coupled with angularly-variable fiber geometry. This study addresses the utility of using such angularly-variable fiber geometry for resolving spatially-specific spectral signatures of tissue pathology. This is accomplished by interpreting and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

For ages, herbs have been used as medicine and food. Nowadays, the interest in phytotherapeutics is increasing as well as the consumer attention. Some biochemical compounds synthesized by plants as alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, essential oils, tannins and vitamins, influence the composition of these plant pharmacologicals, which may produce various reactions in the human body. The microbial contamination in these raw plant materials is common, and the radiation processing is one appropriate technique for the reduction of microorganism. In herbs used as food products, the changes in total #beta#-carotene and flavonoids upon the radiation treatment were tested. The powdered and dehydrated herbs were irradiated with "6"0Co gamma rays applying doses of 0, 10, 20 and 30 kGy. The botanical species investigated were rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linne), watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br), artichoke (Cynara scolymus Linne) and sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macrophage differentiation antigen associated with complement three receptor function (Mac-1) belongs to #beta#_2 subfamily of integrins that mediate important cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Biochemical studies have indicated that Mac-1 is a constitutive heterodimer in vitro. Here, we detected the heterodimerization of Mac-1 subunits in living cells by means of two fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) techniques (fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy) and our results demonstrated that there is constitutive heterodimerization of the Mac-1 subunits and this constitutive heterodimerization of the Mac-1 subunits is cell-type independent. Through FRET imaging, we found that heterodimers of Mac-1 mainly localized in plasma membrane, perinuclear, and Golgi area in living cells. Furthermore, through analysis of the estimated physical distances between cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) fused ...

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Production of hydrogen sulfide in produced waters due to the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is a potentially serious problem. The hydrogen sulfide is not only a safety and environmental concern, it also contributes to corrosion, solids formation, a reduction in produced oil and gas values, and limitations on water discharge. Waters produced from seawater-flooded reservoirs typically contain all of the nutrients required to support SRB metabolism. Surface processing facilities provide a favorable environment in which SRB flourish, converting water-borne nutrients into biomass and H{sub 2}S. This paper will present results from a field trial in which a new technology for the biochemical control of SRB metabolism was successfully applied. A slip stream of water downstream of separators on a produced water handling facility was routed through a bioreactor in a side-steam device where microbial growth was allowed to develop fully. This slip stream was then ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the functional properties of cartilaginous tissues generated by porcine MSCs isolated from different tissue sources, and to compare these properties to those derived from chondrocytes (CCs). MSCs were isolated from bone marrow (BM) and infrapatellar fat pad (FP), while CCs were harvested from the articular surface of the femoro-patellar joint. Culture-expanded CCs and MSCs were encapsulated in agarose hydrogels and cultured in the presence of TGF3. Samples were analysed biomechanically, biochemically and histologically at days 0, 21 and 42. After 42 days in free swelling culture, mean GAG content was 1.50% w/w in CC-seeded constructs, compared to 0.95% w/w in FP- and 0.43% w/w in BM-seeded constructs. Total collagen accumulation was hig...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In May 1990 a group of scientists representing several federal agencies, the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, the private sector, and academia met to develop a strategy to encourage the study of the biological effects of low level exposures (BELLE) to chemical agents and radioactivity. A workshop was held in 1991 with seven invited speakers focusing on the toxicological implications of biological adaptations. The selection of topics and speakers was designed to consider critically the concept of hormesis, not only in a broad, conceptual manner, but also at the molecular and biochemical levels. These presentations offered a complementary perspective on the diverse range of molecular mechanisms that can become activated at low levels of toxicant exposure. In addition to chemical toxicology research, an overview of current research on 'Effects of low-dose radiation on the immune response' was presented as well as 'Cellular adaptation as ...

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We reported the radio-protective effect of DTT. The treatment of DTT increased cell survival after gamma-irradiation, decreased in the frequencies of micronucleus, and reduction in DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cells. Induction of apoptosis after UV-C irradiation was revealed by the changes in the relative cell death, increase in the relative amount of apoptotic cells, and the induction of DNA fragmentation. About 100 medicinal plants were purchased and methanol extract samples were prepared. Radio-protective and radio-sensitizing activities of these samples were screened. Seven samples showed above 20% radio-protective activities: Salvia miltiorrhiza, Areca catechu, Cornus officinalis, Alpiniae officinari rhizoma, Meliae fructus, Alpiniae katsumadaii semen, Betulae cortex. Acanthopanax sessiliflous showed the highest radio-sensitizing effect and 10 other samples revealed moderate activities: Melia japonica, Agastache rugosa, Platycodon gradiflorum, Broussonetia bazinoki, Angelica ...

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A collaboration initiated in 1989 between Judy Lachvayder and Chris Cullis in response to an application for a Christa McCauliffe Fellowship has grown into a substantial program. A one week course in biotechnology, using the Cold Spring Harbor Vector van, was run in 1990. A similar one week summer course was run by Cullis for high school freshmen and sophomores. Both programs (teachers and students) have continued with support from the Edison Biotechnology Center (EBTC), U.S. Biochemical, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and CWRU. A core of teachers from these courses were brought together by the EBTC and the Cleveland Regional Area of Biologists (CRABS) was formed. This group holds regular meetings and develops new classroom exercises. A group of master teachers from the participants have also held their own workshops at local and national meetings. A Science and Society Symposium was held in February 1994 and an equipment loan program for teachers has been ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The aim of the present study was to test a mathematical model of the biochemical processes in the parathyroid glands responsible for the secretion of parathyroid hormone resulting from extracellular calcium reduction. A double exponential curve described the parathyroid hormone secretion induced by rapid lowering of blood-ionized calcium in humans with normal as well as abnormal parathyroid tissue. Our data show that it was possible to establish a simple mathematical model of the parathyroid hormone response to blood-ionized calcium lowering, sufficient to fit experimental data obtained from patients with abnormal and normal parathyroid tissue. The fitted parameters showed no significant differences between patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and controls. In primary hyperparathyroidism, the parathyroid hormone production and steady-state transport across the cell membrane were increased, probably due to the larger amount of parathyroid tissue in ...

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This report describes the accomplishments of the University of Georgia in establishing an academic program geared toward the emerging biobased products industry. By virtue of its strengths and structure, the University of Georgia is particularly well-suited for developing a program focused on plant- and microbial-based bioproducts, and it was in this general area that this program was developed. The program had several unique characteristics. First, we implemented a distinguished lecture series that brought outstanding scientists and engineers to our University to interact with students and share their vision of the biobased economy. Second, we offered industrially-oriented and multidisciplinary courses that provided students with a broad background on various facets of biobased business and technology. Third, we provided the students with opportunities to expand beyond the classroom by engaging in research lab rotations and industrial internships. Fourth, each student was engaged in a ...

Science.gov (United States)

S100A4, a member of the Ca(2+)-activated S100 protein family, regulates the motility and invasiveness of cancer cells. Moreover, high S100A4 expression levels correlate with poor patient survival in several cancers. Although biochemical, biophysical, and structural data indicate that S100A4 is a noncovalent dimer, it is unknown if two functional S100A4 monomers are required for the productive recognition of protein targets and the promotion of cell invasion. To address this question, we created covalently linked S100A4 dimers using a glycine rich flexible linker. The single-chain S100A4 (sc-S100A4) proteins exhibited wild-type affinities for calcium and nonmuscle myosin-IIA, retained the ability to regulate nonmuscle myosin-IIA assembly, and promoted tumor cell invasion when expressed in S100A4-deficient colon carcinoma cells. Mutation of the two calcium-binding EF-hands in one monomer, while leaving the other monomer intact, caused a 30-60-fold reduction in ...

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In the bacterial reversion assay with S. typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537, gamma irradiated hyaluronic acid (10 and 50 kGy) did not induce a significant increase in the number of revertant colonies in the presence of S9 metabolic activation system. In chromosomal aberration tests with CHO cells, gamma irradiated hyaluronic acid (10 and 50 kGy) did not result in an increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations. In vivo mouse micronucleus assay, gamma irradiated hyaluronic acid (10 and 50 kGy) did not show an increase in the frequency of polychromatic erythrocytes with micronuclei. These results indicate that hyaluronic acids irradiated at 10 and 50 kGy did not show any genotoxic effects under these experimental conditions. In order to evaluate their possible subacute toxicity, the male and female of ICR mouse were given to methanol extract of 50 kGy irradiated red ginseng and 20 kGy irradiated water extract of mistletoe for three months. During the experimental periods, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metabolic profile is an important biological marker of neoplastic processes not only in the tumor itself but also in the host organism. The neuro-hormone melatonin has been implicated in the experiments as an oncostatic agent. Female Wistar:Han SPF rats (Velaz, Prague, Czech Republic) were irradiated continuously for 15 days using a daily gamma rays dose of 96 mGy. At the end of exposure one group of rats was administered 5 mg/kg b.w. of dimethylbenz/a/anthracene (DMBA) intragastrically. During the period of exposure to ionizing radiation a part of the animals was supplied with melatonin (M) at a concentration of 20 #mu#l/ml in drinking water. Selected parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and levels of selected hormones were determined 2, 30 and 100 days post-irradiation. The irradiation itself caused only small changes in tissue lipids. The application of a single low dose (subthreshold from the point of view of induction of mammary tumors) of DMBA caused more pronounced ...

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Trihydroxynaphthalene reductase catalyzes two intermediate steps in the fungal melanin biosynthetic pathway. The enzyme, a typical short-chain dehydrogenase, is the biochemical target of three commercial fungicides. The fungicides bind preferentially to the NADPH form of the enzyme. Three X-ray structures of the Magnaporthe grisea enzyme complexed with NADPH and two commercial and one experimental fungicide were determined at 1.7 {angstrom} (pyroquilon), 2.0 {angstrom} (2,3-dihydro-4-nitro-1H-inden-1-one, 1), and 2.1 {angstrom} (phthalide) resolutions. The chemically distinct inhibitors occupy similar space within the enzyme's active site. The three inhibitors share hydrogen bonds with the side chain hydroxyls of Ser-164 and Tyr-178 via a carbonyl oxygen (pyroquilon and 1) or via a carbonyl oxygen and a ring oxygen (phthalide). Active site residues occupy similar positions among the three structures. A buried water molecule that is hydrogen bonded to the ...

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This research programme has been under way since 1990 to study the long-term synergistic effects of air pollutants and changing climatic conditions on the northern forest ecosystem and to increase the knowledge of climatic change and its consequences for the fragile northern nature. Ecological, physiological, morphological and biochemical methods have been used to study the responses of forest trees, dwarf shrubs, lichens and soil biology to environmental changes. The research programme is divided into four subprojects concentrating on different ecosystem levels. The subprojects are: (1) life, growth and survival strategies of northern dwarf shrubs under the pressure of a changing environment, (2) forest trees under the impact of air pollutants, increasing CO{sub 2} and UV-B, (3) susceptibility of lichens to air pollution and climatic change and (4) impact of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} and O{sub 3} on soil biology with special reference to carbon allocation and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation-induced enteritis is a well-recognized sequel of therapeutic irradiation. Therefore we examined the radioprotective properties of Punica granatum peel extract (PPE) on the oxidative damage in the ileum. Rats were exposed to a single whole-body X-ray irradiation of 800 cGy. Irradiated rats were pretreated orally with saline or PPE (50 mg/kg/day) for 10 days before irradiation and the following 10 days, while control rats received saline or PPE but no irradiation. Then plasma and ileum samples were obtained. Irradiation caused a decrease in glutathione and total antioxidant capacity, which was accompanied by increases in malondialdehyde levels, myeloperoxidase activity, collagen content of the tissue with a concomitant increase 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (an index of oxidative DNA damage). Similarly, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-?, IL-1? and IL-6) and lactate dehydrogenase were elevated in irradiated groups as compared to control. PPE treatment reversed all these ...

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The objective of this research is to study the effects of elevated ozone, carbon dioxide and their combination on ultrastructural, physiological and biochemical responses of Scots pine needles and how these effects are reflected to photosynthesis, carbohydrate and nutrient allocation and finally to shoot and root growth of trees. In addition the interactions of the studied trees and mycorrhizal fungi as well as insect herbivores are studied. The exposures have been running only for two growing periods and it seems necessary to continue the experiment over the third growing season in 1996. Since the analyses are partially incomplete, only preliminary conclusions are possible at the moment. The slightly increased shoot growth and needle width and increased amount of starch in chloroplasts point to the slight stimulating effect of elevated CO{sub 2} among the chamber treatments. Altogether the growth of the seedlings was best in the chamberless treatment indicating a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cinnabar, a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS), has long been used in combination with traditional Chinese medicine as a sedative for more than 2000 years. Up to date, its pharmacological and toxicological effects are still unclear, especially in clinical low-dose and long-term use. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the effects of cinnabar on the time course of changes in locomotor activities, pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, motor equilibrium performance and neurobiochemical activities in mice during 3- to 11-week administration at a clinical dose of 10 mg/kg/day. The results showed that cinnabar was significantly absorbed by gastrointestinal (G-I) tract and transported to brain tissues. The spontaneous locomotor activities of male mice but not female mice were preferentially suppressed. Moreover, frequencies of jump and stereotype-1 episodes were progressively decreased after 3-week oral administration in male and female mice. Pentobarbital-induced sleeping time ...

Science.gov (United States)

The advancement of bioprocess monitoring will play a crucial role to meet the future requirements of bioprocess technology. Major issues are the acceleration of process development to reduce the time to the market and to ensure optimal exploitation of the cell factory and further to cope with the requirements of the Process Analytical Technology initiative. Due to the enormous complexity of cellular systems and lack of appropriate sensor systems microbial production processes are still poorly understood. This holds generally true for the most microbial production processes, in particular for the recombinant protein production due to strong interaction between recombinant gene expression and host cell metabolism. Therefore, it is necessary to scrutinise the role of the different cellular compartments in the biosynthesis process in order to develop comprehensive process monitoring concepts by involving the most significant process variables and their interconnections. Although research ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An attempt was made for early quantitative assessment of the severety of an injury, using the nuclear acids (NA) content as a biochemical indicator. Sexually mature male rats with body mass 160-180 g were irradiated with doses 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 Gy of "1"3"7Cs source. Uneven irradiation was achieved by shielding the abdominal-lumbar area with lead rings, measuring 2,5/50 mm. A 28-30% fall of the dose beneath the shielded zone was thus provided. Dose-dependent quantitative changes in Na content were determined on hours 24 and 72 within the range from 0.5 to 8 Gy and followed up until day 30 after irradiation with nonlethal (2 Gy) and lethal (8 Gy) doses. The total NA content in the leucocytes was determined by the method of Kritski and Aleksandrov. The uneven irradiation of rats within the 0,5-8 Gy range induced early dose-dependent changes in NA content. The nature of their post-irradiation dynamics also depended on the radiation dose and adequately reflected the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the distal tissues in a newt limb stump is completely reorganized in the 2-3-week period following amputation. In view of numerous in vitro studies showing that extracellular material influences cellular migration and proliferation, it is likely that the changes in the limb's ECM are important activities in the process leading to regeneration of such limbs. Using biochemical, autoradiographic, and histochemical techniques we studied temporal and spatial differences in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) during the early, nerve-dependent phase of limb regeneration. Hyaluronic acid synthesis began with the onset of tissue dedifferentiation, became maximal within 1 weeks, and continued throughout the period of active cell proliferation. Chondroitin sulfate synthesis began somewhat later, increased steadily, and reached very high levels during chondrogenesis. During the first 10 days after amputation, distributions of sulfated ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studies investigated whether changes in omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxylation (OH) of lauric acid (LA) occurred in renal microsomes prepared from SHR compared to Wistar-Kyoto (WK) control rats. Systolic blood pressure in age-matched adult SHR and WKR were 189 +/- 3 and 123 +/- 4 mm Hg(anti X +/- SE) respectively (p < 0.001). No significant differences between SHR and WKR were seen in body weight, kidney weight or renal microsomal protein content. Renal microsomes, prepared from whole kidneys, were incubated with 10 mM NADPH and ["1"4C]LA at concentrations between 5-50 #mu#M. The 11- and 12-OH metabolites of LA were separated by HPLC using a reverse phase column with a methanol:water:acetic acid (62:37.8:0.2) mobile phase. Apparent (app) V/sub max/ values for 12-OH in WKR and SHR were 0.87 +/- 0.19 vs 1.48 +/- .11 nmoles/mg protein/min (p < 0.05), respectively, while values for 11-OH were 0.51 +/- 0.12 vs 0.60 +/- .07, respectively. No significant differences were found in app K/sub ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadmium is an environmental toxic metal implicated in human diseases. The mechanism of its toxicity is not fully understood. Therefore, the role of cadmium in renal toxicity, and the protective role of selenium against this toxicity were investigated. Forty-five male rats were used through out the study and divided into three groups of 15. The first group received saline solution daily for 10 days. The second group, received cadmium chloride (CdCl_2) (2 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally daily for a period of 10 days. The third group, received sodium selenite (1 mg/kg body weight, twice a day) and CdCl_2 (once a day) for a period of 10 days. The results showed that cadmium treatment increased renal lipid peroxidation (measured as malondialdehyde, MDA) which was associated with a significant decrease in the antioxidant systems such as reduced glutathione levels and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). On the other hand, pretreatment of rats ...

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer is a severe threat to human health. Early detection is considered the best way to increase the chance for survival. While the traditional cancer detection method, biopsy, is invasive, noninvasive optical diagnostic techniques are revolutionizing the way that cancer is diagnosed. Reflectance spectroscopy is one of these optical spectroscopy techniques showing promise as a diagnostic tool for pre-cancer detection. When a neoplasia occurs in tissue, morphologic and biochemical changes happen in the tissue, which in turn results in the change of optical properties and reflectance spectroscopy. Therefore, a pre-cancer can be detected by extracting optical properties from reflectance spectroscopy. This dissertation described the construction of a fiberoptic based reflectance system and the development of a series of modeling studies. This research is aimed at establishing an improved understanding of the optical properties of mucosal tissues by analyzing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are an important group of pollutants with adverse effects on humans and the environment. Primary air pollution abatement measures aim at prevention or reduction of pollutant production in industrial production processes, e.g. by improved processes but also by other methods (closed cycle processes, different process materials, etc.). If these measures have been implemented and emissions are still too high, an off-air purification unit must be installed. Biological purification is the method of choice for low pollutant concentrations. Biological purification processes are based on the activity of microorganisms which are capable of biochemical oxidation of organic and some inorganic gaseous compounds into non-polluting or non-odorous compounds. These processes have the advantage that they work at ambient conditions and therefore remove relatively low pollutant concentrations at low investment and operating cost. Lately, biological ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic imaging tool relies on the generation of magnetic fields, whereas the computerized tomography (CT) uses X-radiation. The fundamental principle of MRI is the magnetic resonance of paramagnetic atomic nuclei. These nuclei, as e.g. protons (= hydrogen nuclei), are aligned in required orientation by application of a strong magnetic field. Upon simultaneous application of an electromagnetic high-frequency field perpendicular to the axis of the basic magnetic field, and in response to periodical changing of the electromagnetic field at a given frequency, the originally aligned paramagnetic nuclei are forced into a movement similar to that of a ``whipping top``. When the resonance frequency is shut off, the nuclei return to their former, aligned positions, inducing a weak signal in a coil. The series of signals generated by multiple repetition of this process of excitation of nuclei and their return to aligned rest is used as input to a ...