Deuterium-depleted water stimulates GLUT4 translocation in the presence of insulin,which leads to decreased blood glucose concentration

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Deuterium (D) is a stable isotope of hydrogen (H) with a mass number of 2. It is present in natural waters in the form of HDO, at a concentration of...     

Nucleic acids as a basis for creating biosensors

Here we present a brief conception of biosensors. Structural peculiarities and properties of single- and double-stranded nucleic acids that are to be taken into account when creating biosensors on the basis of these biomolecules are considered. On the example of two biologically active compounds a possibility is shown for constructing biosensors on the basis of liquid-crystalline dispersions of low molecular mass DNA and on the basis of liquid-crystalline DNA dispersions immobilized due to their inclusion into the synthetic polymeric matrix.     

The effect of haptoglobin on prostaglandin H synthase from ram vesicular glands

It was shown that the ability of sheep and horse haptoglobins differing in their immunological properties to inhibit PGH synthetase is about the same. It was found that haptoglobin inhibits the PGH synthetase-catalyzed enzymatic reaction, the inhibiting effect being non-competitive with respect to the electron donor, adrenaline. The degree of PGH synthetase inhibition by haptoglobin depends on the glycoprotein concentration, incubation time and enzyme activity.     

Biochemical Activities of the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Homology Region 2 Domains of Sarcomere Length Short (SALS) Protein

Drosophila melanogaster sarcomere length short (SALS) is a recently identified Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homology 2 (WH2) domain protein involved in skeletal muscle thin filament regulation. SALS was shown to be important for the establishment of the proper length and organization of sarcomeric actin filaments. Here, we present the first detailed characterization of the biochemical activities of the tandem WH2 domains of SALS (SALS-WH2). Our results revealed that SALS-WH2 binds both monomeric and filamentous actin and shifts the monomer-filament equilibrium toward the monomeric actin. In addition, SALS-WH2 can bind to but fails to depolymerize phalloidin- or jasplakinolide-bound actin filaments. These interactions endow SALS-WH2 with the following two major activities in the regulation of actin dynamics: SALS-WH2 sequesters actin monomers into non-polymerizable complexes and enhances actin filament disassembly by severing, which is modulated by tropomyosin. We also show that profilin does not influence the activities of the WH2 domains of SALS in actin dynamics. In conclusion, the tandem WH2 domains of SALS are multifunctional regulators of actin dynamics. Our findings suggest that the activities of the WH2 domains do not reconstitute the presumed biological function of the full-length protein. Consequently, the interactions of the WH2 domains of SALS with actin must be tuned in the cellular context by other modules of the protein and/or sarcomeric components for its proper functioning.     

Effects of low intensity infra-red laser irradiation on ultrastructure and proliferation of liver cells in experimental hepatitis and cirrhosis]

With the aid of light, electron transmission and scanning electron microscopy and radioautography and stereometry, the influence of low-intensive laser irradiation (LILI) (infrared) was studied in normal rat liver and in experimental cirrhosis and hepatitis. It was revealed that arsenide-gallium laser irradiation causes the change of intracellular structure. These changes show the intensification on their specific function manifest in an increase of relative volume of intracellular structures. The changes of microvessels show the activation of microcirculation. The elevation of the index of the labelled nuclei testify to increased proliferation. The similar influences of LILI on the liver ultrastructure and proliferation in hepatitis and cirrhosis are accompanied by the reduction of the pathological changes of the liver--the hepatocytes oedema, granular, vacuolar and fatty dystrophy.     

Immunomodulating action of neuropeptides in in vitro systems

The work presents the data on the immunostimulating properties of neuropeptides. As revealed in this study, the leu-enkephalin level in blood sera (taken from 55 patients) inversely correlates with the intensity of the proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin. In in vitro systems dalargin promotes the increase or decrease of the proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin, depending on the proliferative activity of cells in response to this mitogen, and also leads to an increase in the number of rosette-forming cells. Leu-enkephalin in doses of 100, 10, 1, 0.1 micrograms/ml and dalargin in a dose of 0.1 microgram/ml inhibit the migration of leukocytes.     

Physical working capacity and energy supply of muscle function during postnatal human ontogeny

On the basis of the results of our studies and literature data, an analysis of the physiological mechanisms responsible for the multifold increase in the physical working capacity during human development has been performed. Physiological and biochemical studies have shown that the aerobic energy system already has a high capacity during the second period of childhood, and the further increase in working capacity is mainly provided by the development of anaerobic mechanisms of energy supply. The maturation of mechanisms of energy production is related to considerable changes in the activity of tissue enzymes and radical rearrangement of the composition of muscular fibers. Puberty considerably influences the development of anaerobic muscle energetics in boys due to stimulation of the growth of type II fibers by testosterone. It has been shown that widespread tests for assessment of physical working capacity mainly reflect changes in the power of energy systems and only in rare cases may be used to characterize changes in their capacity. However, the capacity parameters, which depend to a greater extent on the quality of regulation at the cellular, tissue, and body levels, show multifold growth during ontogeny, which corresponds to the actual increase in the working capacity in the period from childhood to youth. A classification of tests of physical working capacity is proposed. The use and development of this classification may facilitate the development of new tests and an increased efficiency of testing involved in solving various applied and fundamental problems.     

Multichannel Thomson scattering diagnostics for the GOL-3 facility

A multichannel Thomson scattering diagnostics for measuring the plasma parameters in the GOL-3 facility was designed and created at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The diagnostics operates at the fundamental harmonic of a neodymium laser (1.06 μm) and allows one to perform measurements over a wide range of electron temperatures and densities with high spatial and time resolutions. A special multipulse oscillator is developed that makes it possible to perform up to 20 measurements of the plasma temperature and density over a period of 300 μs during one shot. The laser used to generate probing radiation, the recording system, and the calibration procedure are described. Results from measurements of the temporal evolution of the plasma density in the GOL-3 in different stages of the discharge are presented to illustrate the system operation. Original Russian Text ? S.V. Polosatkin, A.V. Burdakov, M.V. Ivantsivskiĭ, V.S. Koĭdan, V.K. Ovchar, A.F. Rovenskikh, V.V. Semionov, M.G. Fedotov, 2006, published in Fizika Plazmy, 2006, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 128–133.     

Association between genetic variants of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (GRM3) and cognitive set shifting in healthy individuals

Set‐shifting and maintenance are complex cognitive processes, which are often impaired in schizophrenia. The genetic basis of these processes is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the association between genetic variants of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (GRM3) and cognitive set‐shifting in healthy individuals. The relationship between 14 selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the GRM3 gene and cognitive set‐shifting as measured by perseverative errors using the modified card sorting test (MCST) was analysed in a sample of N = 98 young healthy individuals (mean age in years: 22.7 ± 0.19). Results show that SNP rs17676277 is related to the performance on the MCST. Subjects with the TT genotype showed significantly less perseverative errors as compared with the AA (P = 0.025) and AT (P = 0.0005) and combined AA/AT genotypes (P = 0.0005). Haplotype analyses suggest the involvement of various SNPs of the GRM3 gene in perseverative error processing in a dominant model of inheritance. The findings strongly suggest that the genetic variation (rs17676277 and three haplotypes) in the metabotropic GRM3 is related to cognitive set‐shifting in healthy individuals independent of working memory. However, because of a relatively small sample size for a genetic association study, the present results are tentative and require replication.