Nonoxidative ethanol metabolism in human leukocytes: detection of fatty acid ethyl ester synthase activity

Oxidative pathways of alcohol metabolism such as alcohol dehydrogenase usually are not present in human blood and therefore clinical studies correlating ethanol metabolism with alcohol abuse syndromes have not been performed. To assess the activity of nonoxidative ethanol metabolism in blood, we assayed for the activity of fatty acid ethyl ester synthase, a pathway recently described as abundant in the human organs most commonly damaged by alcohol. Indeed, peripheral human leukocytes contain detectable fatty acid ethyl ester synthase activity: 1.2 X 10(6) leukocytes from 10 ml blood catalyze the synthesis of ethyl oleate at 1.4 nmol/4 hr. The reaction is linear with respect to cell number and expended time; Km oleate = 600 microM, Km ethanol = 600 mM. DEAE cellulose chromatography partially purifies synthase activity into a minor and major form (activity ratio = 10/1). Thus, gene products exist in human blood that recognize ethanol and whose biological activity is conveniently assayable for clinical investigations of alcohol metabolism and abuse.     

Digital transformation—life cycle assessment of digital services,multifunctional devices and cloud computing

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment -     

Range-wide analysis of eastern massasauga survivorship

Decisions affecting wildlife management and conservation policy of imperiled species are often aided by population models. Reliable population models require accurate estimates of vital rates and an understanding of how vital rates vary geographically. The eastern massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) is a rattlesnake species found in the Great Lakes region of North America. Populations of the eastern massasauga are fragmented and only a few areas harbor multiple, sizable populations. Eastern massasauga research has typically focused on single populations or local metapopulations but results suggest that demographic parameters vary geographically. We used 21 radiotelemetry datasets comprising 499 telemetered snakes from 16 distinct locations throughout the range of the eastern massasauga to characterize geographic patterns of adult survival using the known-fate model in Program MARK. Annual adult survival ranged from 0.35 to 0.95 (mean = 0.67) and increased along a southwest to northeast geographic axis. Further analysis of 6 datasets indicated no consistent difference in survival between males and females. Our results provide a better understanding of the relationship between survivorship and geography for the eastern massasauga and suggest that such variation should be incorporated into population models as well as local and regional management plans. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.