Free carnitine and acetyl carnitine plasma levels and their relationship with body muscular mass in athletes

Summary The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between plasma carnitine concentration and body composition variation in relation to muscular and fat masses since there is no experimentally proved correlation between plasma carnitine and body masses. We used bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), to determine body composition and to have a complete physical fitness evaluation. The post-absorptive plasma free carnitine and acetyl carnitine plasma levels, body composition as Fat-Free Mass (FFM) and Fat Mass (FM) in kg, as well as in percent of body mass, were analysed in 33 healthy subjects. A significant negative correlation was found between plasma acetyl carnitine and FFM in weight (kg) as well as in percent of body mass (respectively p < 0.0001; p < 0.01); a significant positive correlation was found only between FM in percent and plasma acetyl carnitine (p < 0.01). The observed negative correlation between plasma acetyl carnitine and muscular mass variation might reflect an oxidative metabolic muscle improvement in relation to muscular fat free mass increment and might be evidence that muscle metabolism change is in relation to plasma acetyl carnitine concentration.     

Multiple myeloma and occupation: A pooled analysis by the International Multiple Myeloma Consortium

Objective: We investigated occupational risk of multiple myeloma (MM) in a pooled analysis of five international case–control studies. Methods: We calculated the odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval for selected occupations with unconditional regression analysis in 1959 MM cases and 6192 controls, by pooling study-specific risks using random-effects meta-analysis. Exposure to organic solvents was assessed with a job-exposure matrix (JEM). Results: Gardeners and nursery workers combined, most likely exposed to pesticides, showed a 50% increase in risk (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 0.9–2.3), while other farming jobs did not. Metal processors (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 0.9–2.3), female cleaners (OR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.0–1.8), and high level exposure to organic solvents (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 0.96–1.8) also showed moderately increased risks. Conclusions: Additional case–control studies of MM aetiology are warranted to further investigate the nature of the repeatedly reported increase in MM risk in several occupational groups.     

Trichodorus persicus n. sp. (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) from Iran

Trichodorus persicus n. sp. is described from the Caspian region of Iran, where it was found in woodland and orchard soil. Males of the new species usually have two ventral cervical papillae anterior to the excretory pore but posterior to the base of the onchiostyle; there are three ventromedian preanal supplements, the posterior one lying near the heads of the retracted spicules; the spicules are 51–61 m long with faint transverse striations distally. Females have two pairs of lateral body pores, large rounded sclerotized thickenings at the vulva and the vagina tapers inwards in lateral view.     

PKC alpha regulates the hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes through extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2)

Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme family are important signal transducers in virtually every mammalian cell type. Within the heart, PKC isozymes are thought to participate in a signaling network that programs developmental and pathological cardiomyocyte hypertrophic growth. To investigate the function of PKC signaling in regulating cardiomyocyte growth, adenoviral-mediated gene transfer of wild-type and dominant negative mutants of PKC alpha, beta II, delta, and epsilon (only wild-type zeta) was performed in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Overexpression of wild-type PKC alpha, beta II, delta, and epsilon revealed distinct subcellular localizations upon activation suggesting unique functions of each isozyme in cardiomyocytes. Indeed, overexpression of wild-type PKC alpha, but not betaI I, delta, epsilon, or zeta induced hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes characterized by increased cell surface area, increased [(3)H]-leucine incorporation, and increased expression of the hypertrophic marker gene atrial natriuretic factor. In contrast, expression of dominant negative PKC alpha, beta II, delta, and epsilon revealed a necessary role for PKC alpha as a mediator of agonist-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, whereas dominant negative PKC epsilon reduced cellular viability. A mechanism whereby PKC alpha might regulate hypertrophy was suggested by the observations that wild-type PKC alpha induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), that dominant negative PKC alpha inhibited PMA-induced ERK1/2 activation, and that dominant negative MEK1 (up-stream of ERK1/2) inhibited wild-type PKC alpha-induced hypertrophic growth. These results implicate PKC alpha as a necessary mediator of cardiomyocyte hypertrophic growth, in part, through a ERK1/2-dependent signaling pathway.     

六盘山林区几种土地利用方式下土壤活性有机碳的比较

 应用KMnO4氧化法测定分析了六盘山林区天然次生林（杂灌林、山杨（Populus davidanda）和辽东栎（Querces liaotungensis）林）、农田、草地和人工林（13、18和25年华北落叶松（Larix principis-rupprechtii））土壤活性有机碳含量及分配比例的差异。结果表明：农田和草地土壤活性有机碳含量比天然次生林分别低60%和36%,差异主要在0～70 cm土层;人工林比农田和草地分别高129%和29%,差异主要在0～50 cm土层。农田和草地土壤活性有机碳分配比例比天然次生林分别低11%和4%以上, 差异主要在0～20 cm与70～110 cm土层;人工林比农田和草地分别高13.3%和5.3%,差异主要在0～110 cm土层。土壤活性有机碳含量和分配比例随土层加深而递减,其中天然次生林和人工林土壤活性有机碳含量随土层加深而递减的幅度比农田和草地中大,农田土壤活性有机碳分配比例随土层加深而递减幅度较大。不同土地利用方式间土壤活性有机碳含量的差异比活性有机碳分配比例的差异大,土壤活性有机碳含量随土层加深而递减的幅度比分配比例随土层加深而递减的幅度大。这可能由土壤有机碳的输入、稳定性、质量和根系分布等差异所致。结果说明土壤活性有机碳含量和分配比例随天然次生林变成农田或草地而降低,随农田或草地中造林而增加,且土壤活性有机碳含量的变化幅度比分配比例大。另外,土壤活性有机碳含量和分配比例在土壤剖面的分布也随土地利用变化而改变,其中活性有机碳含量的变化幅度比分配比例大。     

Interaction of quinacrine mustard with calf thymus histone fractions

1. Interactions of histone fractions with quinacrine mustard were investigated by fluorimetry and spectrophotometry and the results were interpreted with the aid of thinlayer chromatography. 2. Characteristic differences were found between the various histone fractions of calf thymus. The conditions that favoured histone conformational changes and aggregation, also favoured interaction between histones and the dye; low concentrations of SO(4) (2-) brought about more interaction than did Cl(-); urea, guanidinium and iodide ions were inhibitory to binding. 3. Changes in the physical state of all the quinacrine mustard-protein complexes occurred as a function of ionic strength and pH. The most salt-dependent interaction was found in the arginine-rich histone fraction. 4. The interaction of the calf thymus histone fractions with quinacrine mustard was compared with the interaction of bovine plasma albumin and protamine with quinacrine mustard. 5. The relationship between dye-binding and the aggregation of histone fractions was discussed.     

温度和水分对无芒隐子草和条叶车前种子萌发的影响

研究了无芒隐子草 (Cleistogenessongorica)和条叶车前 (Plantago lessingii)种子萌发对不同温度和水分渗透势的响应。温度在 10℃恒温至 5 0 /2 0℃变温范围内设 11个处理 ,水分渗透势在 0～ - 1.8MPa区间以 0 .2 MPa为间隔设 10个处理。结果显示 :无芒隐子草鞘内小穗的种子具有很高的生活力 ,其萌发温度幅较宽 ,在 10～ 5 0 /2 0℃温度区间 ,较高温度促进萌发 ;条叶车前种子萌发温度幅较窄 ,在 10～ 30℃温度区间 ,较低温度促进其萌发。无芒隐子草和条叶车前种子的最佳萌发温度分别为35 /2 0℃变温和 2 0℃恒温 ,在此条件下的发芽率分别达 94 %和 6 1% ,后者发芽率低的原因是种子存在生理休眠。两种植物种子萌发的最低水分阈值为 - 1.6 MPa,发芽率皆随渗透势降低而呈直线下降趋势 ,但条叶车前较无芒隐子草下降缓慢。发芽率 (y)与渗透势 (x)的回归方程 ,无芒隐子草为 y1 =- 10 .976 x1 98.4 (r2 =0 .95 4 ) ,条叶车前为 y2 =- 5 .90 9x2 6 0 .2 (r2 =0 .96 4 )。随着水分胁迫的加剧 ,供试种胚芽长呈逐渐下降趋势 ,但胚根长呈先增加 (无芒隐子草在 - 0 .6 MPa,而条叶车前在 - 0 .4 MPa)而后下降的趋势。讨论了两种植物种子萌发对不同温度和水分响应的生态学意义     

Synthesis and antiplatelet activity of gemfibrozil chiral analogues

The chiral analogues of gemfibrozil 5-(2,5-dimethylphenoxy)-2-methylpentanoic acid and 5-(2,5-dimethylphenoxy)-2-ethylpentanoic acid were synthesized in optically active form using (S)-4-(1-methylethyl)-2-oxazolidinone as chiral auxiliary. All compounds inhibit human platelet aggregation. From these data, one can surmise that all tested compounds and gemfibrozil act at the platelet level with different mechanism than that of ASA, even if with a different potency.     

Heavy metals and arsenic uptake by wild vegetation in the Guadiamar river area after the toxic spill of the Aznalcóllar mine

On 25 April 1998, approximately 4.5 hm(3) of pyritic sludge, containing 5000 mg of As kg(-1) among other pollutants, was spilled into the Agrio and Guadiamar rivers and the surrounding agricultural areas (Aznalcóllar, Seville, Southern Spain). Many trace metals such as Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Tl, Sb and As reached the Do?ana National Park, the largest wetland area in Europe, affecting soils, different plant and animal species. In order to recuperate the affected lands by employing plants capable of accumulating high levels of contaminants in shoots, periodical field surveys have been made to identify the metal-tolerant species that are spontaneously growing in the polluted soils, and are able to uptake one or various of the contaminants. Among the 99 different plant species studied, Anchusa azurea, Beta vulgaris, Chamaemelum fuscatum, Convolvulus arvensis, Cynodon dactylon, Diplotaxis virgata, Erodium aethiopicum, Lavatera cretica, Malva nicaeensis, Silybum marianum and, above all, Amaranthus blitoides highlight as the most promising to be used in the remediation of the affected area.