A murine model for the study of the impact ofAspergillus fumigatus inoculation on the foeto-placental unit

The mycotoxin cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) is a potential contaminant of processed foods, grain and poultry. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were given oral doses of 0, 0.2, 0.6, 2.0 or 4.0 mg CPA/kg body weight/day for 13 consecutive weeks to study its potential subchronic toxicity. No dose-related mortality or morbidity occurred. General appearance, behavior, body weight gain and food consumption of all groups were similar. CPA had no definite adverse hematologic or serum chemistry effects, although serum creatinine concentrations of rats given 2.0 and 4.0 mg CPA/kg BW were increased after seven and 13 weeks. Mild to focally moderate acute inflammation of the lamina propria and submucosa of the gastric epithelium was found in animals given 0.6 mg CPA/kg BW. No other dose-related microscopic lesions were found. Ultrastructural examination of the livers revealed subtle disruption of the cisternal pattern of the endoplasmic reticulum with ribosomal detachment in animals receiving 4.0, but not 2.0, mg CPA/kg BW. These data suggest that the toxic effects in rats of repeated, daily oral exposure to CPA may be less than previously reported. The possible relationship between toxicity and CPA epimerization is considered.     

N2-Succinylornithine in ornithine catabolism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Most Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO mutants which were unable to utilize l-arginine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source (aru mutants) under aerobic conditions were also affected in l-ornithine utilization. These aru mutants were impaired in one or several enzymes involved in the conversion of N²-succinylornithine to glutamate and succinate, indicating that the latter steps of the arginine succinyltransferase pathway can be used for ornithine catabolism. Addition of aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of the N²-succinylornithine 5-aminotransferase, to resting cells of P. aeruginosa in ornithine medium led to the accumulation of N²-succinylornithine. In crude extracts of P. aeruginosa an ornithine succinyltransferase (l-ornithine:succinyl-CoA N²-succinyltransferase) activity could be detected. An aru mutant having reduced arginine succinyltransferase activity also had correspondingly low levels of ornithine succinyltransferase. Thus, in P. aeruginosa, these two activities might be due to the same enzyme, which initiates aerobic arginine and ornithine catabolism.Abbreviations OAT ornithine 5-aminotransferase - SOAT N²-succinylornithine 5-aminotransferase - Oru ornithine utilization - Aru arginine utilization     

Synthesis and physicochemical properties of oligonucleotides built with either alpha-L or beta-L nucleotides units and covalently linked to an acridine derivative.

Modified deoxynucleosides 2'-deoxy-beta-L-uridine, beta-L-thymidine, alpha-L-thymidine, 2'-deoxy-beta-L-adenosine and 2'-deoxy-alpha-L-adenosine were synthesized and assembled as homooligomers, respectively: octa-beta-L-deoxyuridylates, octa beta-L and alpha-L-thymidylates and tetra beta-L and alpha-L-deoxyadenylates. These unnatural oligomers were then substituted with an acridine derivative. The binding studies of these modified oligonucleotides with D-ribo- and D-deoxyribopolynucleotides were carried out by absorption spectroscopy. While beta-L-d(Up)8m5Acr, beta-L-(Tp)8m5Acr, alpha-L-(Tp)8m5Acr did not interact with poly(rA) and poly(dA), beta-L-d(Ap)4m5Acr and alpha-L-d(Ap)4m5Acr did form double and triple helices with poly(rU) and poly(dT), respectively. Their stability towards nuclease digestion was studied through comparison with that of octa-beta-D-thymidylate and tetra beta-D-deoxyadenylate covalently linked to an acridine derivative. One endonuclease (nuclease P1 from Penicillium citrinum) and two exonucleases (a 3'-exonuclease from Crotalus durissus venom and a 5'-exonuclease extracted from calf thymus) were employed. beta-L- and alpha-L-oligomers demonstrate a high resistance toward nuclease digestion.     

Fluorimetric determination of d-amino acid oxidase

1. A sensitive fluorimetric procedure for the assay of d-amino acid oxidase has been developed. 2. The method depends on the formation of a fluorescent derivative, 2-hydroxy-3-methylquinoxaline, on condensation of pyruvate with o-phenylenediamine in acid medium. 3. 2-Hydroxy-3-methylquinoxaline fluoresces strongly in 50% (v/v) sulphuric acid after excitation at 375mmu. A single emission peak is observed at 480mmu. 4. Formation of the quinoxaline is dependent on time, temperature, acidity and relative concentration of reactants. 5. A particulate preparation from mouse kidney required FAD for optimum activity at pH8.5; K(m) was 3.8x10(-3)m; K(FAD) was 1.4x10(-7)m and the reaction was strongly inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and phenylmercuric acetate. 6. Subcellular fractionation on a sucrose density gradient confirmed that the d-amino acid oxidase was localized on small granules.     

Induction of pregnancy-associated murine protein-1 in dwarf mice by human growth hormone

Pregnancy-associated murine protein-1 (PAMP-1) could not be detected in peripheral blood of female dwarf mice (genotype dw/dw of the DW strain). By contrast the normal size females of the DW strain (genotypes +/+ and +/dw) had PAMP-1 serum levels of 18.9 AU +/- 15.7 AU/ml. Following administration of biosynthetic human growth hormone (hGH) every 2 h for 52 h PAMP-1 was detected in all dwarf females at concentrations of 16.0 AU +/- 3.3 AU/ml. The albumin levels in the circulation of DW females of normal size were significantly higher (P less than 0.05) than those of DW dwarfs, and the hGH administration did not change the serum albumin levels. The present experiment adds weight to the suggestion that the PAMP-1 serum level is regulated by GH.     

Conservation evaluation of nine Hong Kong mangals

A comparative analysis of the conservation value of nine Hong Kong mangals spread across Hong Kong has been undertaken. The analysis is based on both biological and socio-economic attributes. Biological attributes used in the analysis include plant species richness, benthic and arboreal gastropod species richness, occurrence of rare species within each site, and site representativeness. A review of the past and present development and development plans around and within each site has been undertaken to assess the comparative degree of hazard to each mangal. The drastic decline of mangal habitats throughout Hong Kong highlights the need for conservation of what remains today. Priorities and strategies for conservation of these nine mangals are discussed with particular emphasis on the preservation of biodiversity and the management of these habitats as education and research sites.Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic     

Drug Withdrawal Syndromes: A Literature Review

Drug withdrawal syndromes reportedly have been caused by numerous pharmacological agents, but only a few drugs have been adequately studied in this regard. Criteria for evaluating drug withdrawal syndromes have been proposed. Sedative-hypnotic agents, opiates, corticosteroids, clonidine, tricyclic antidepressant medications and beta-adrenergic blocking agents meet the criteria for such syndromes. Gradual tapering of the dose of these drugs is recommended when therapy must be discontinued. Whether or not other drugs cause rebound reactions is questionable, but caution should be used when discontinuing drugs for which numerous reports of withdrawal syndromes exist.