PYCNOGENOL chewing gum minimizes gingival bleeding and plaque formation.

PYCNOGENOL is an antioxidant phytochemical shown to have antiinflammatory activity in both the in vitro and in vivo models. This study compared the effects of chewing gums with and without PYCNOGENOL on gingival bleeding and plaque formation in 40 human subjects. In this double-blind study, subjects were assigned randomly to receive either control gums without PYCNOGENOL or experimental gums containng 5 mg PYCNOGENOL. Subjects used chewing gums for 14 days. Gingival bleeding and plaque scores were taken before and after the experiment. PYCNOGENOL chewing gums significantly reduced gingival bleeding, while no changes were noted in bleeding indexes in control subjects who used regular chewing gums. Subjects using regular control gums had significant increases of dental plaque accumulation during the two-week period. No increases in plaque accumulation were noted in subjects using PYCNOGENOL chewing gums. The data of this study suggest that the use of Pycnogenol chewing gums can minimize gingival bleeding and plaque accumulation.     

Characterization of the Erwinia carotovora pelB gene and its product pectate lyase.

The pelB gene encodes pectate lyase B, one of three pectate lyases identified in Erwinia carotovora EC. Pectate lyase B was purified from Escherichia coli containing the pelB gene on a recombinant plasmid. The activity of the protein was optimal at a pH of 8.3. The amino acid composition, N-terminal amino acid sequence, and C-terminal peptide sequence were determined and compared with the polypeptide sequence deduced from the DNA sequence of pelB. Purified pectate lyase B started at amino acid 23 of the predicted sequence, suggesting that a 22-amino-acid leader peptide had been removed. Pectate lyase B of E. carotovora EC and pectate lyase B of E. chrysanthemi EC16 contain 352 and 353 amino acids, respectively (N. T. Keen, S. Tanaki, W. Belser, D. Dahlbeck, and B. Staskawicz, J. Bacteriol. 168:595-606, 1986). The two proteins are 72% homologous on the basis of DNA sequence data, and 75% of the amino acids are identical.     

Structural analysis of the locus containing the human C-reactive protein gene and its related pseudogene

The gene for human C-reactive protein (CRP) is mapped within a 34-kilobase pair genomic DNA segment identified by chromosome walking through overlapping DNA fragments cloned into a lambda phage library. Within 16 kilobase pairs upstream and downstream of the locus for the authentic CRP gene, only one other sequence homologous to that for CRP could be found. Sequencing analysis indicates this sequence to be a pseudogene with 50-80% region-specific homology. Comparison of the authentic CRP gene cloned from genomic DNA libraries independently prepared from three patients indicates no difference in the 5' and 3' flanking region, promoter region, or coding sequence. Only a polymorphism in the length of the poly(GT) stretch located in the intron is observed. There appears to be only one gene locus and copy per haploid chromosome for the authentic CRP gene and its pseudogene.     

In vivo apoprotein catabolism of high density lipoproteins in copper-deficient, hypercholesterolemic rats

High density lipoprotein (HDL) apoprotein catabolism was examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats deficient in dietary copper. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into two groups: copper-adequate (control, 5 mg of copper/kg diet) and copper-deficient (0.6 mg of copper/kg diet). After 5 weeks, animals were administered a tracer dose of iodinated HDL protein previously isolated from donor rats that were subjected to the same dietary treatments as the test animals. Copper-deficient rats exhibited a 54% increase in plasma volume and a 26% increase in HDL protein concentration above controls. Consequently, the intravascular pool of total HDL protein was increased 2-fold. The fractional catabolic rate of total HDL protein was similar between groups. However, because of the increased intravascular HDL pool in copper-deficient animals, the absolute catabolic rate was greater (640 +/- 49 micrograms/hr vs 316 +/- 12 micrograms/hr in controls). Tissue uptake of total HDL protein in copper-deficient rats tended to be greater in the kidneys, spleen, and testes compared with controls; the heart exhibited a significant 2.3-fold increase. In contrast, the catabolic rate of HDL protein in the liver and adrenal gland were not different between treatment groups. That an obligatory increase in HDL protein uptake was not observed in the liver and adrenal gland (organs which are sensitive to and can further metabolize cholesterol) suggests that these organs may be regulated, possibly contributing to the observed hypercholesterolemia in this model. These data imply that total HDL apoprotein catabolism is increased in response to the increased intravascular pool of HDL in copper-deficient rats.     

Ion channel expression by white matter glia: the type-1 astrocyte.

We describe the electrophysiological properties of acutely isolated type-1 astrocytes using a new "tissue print" dissociation procedure. Because the enzymes used did not destroy or modify the ion channels, and the cells retained many processes, the properties may reflect those in vivo. The types of ion channels in type-1 astrocytes changed rapidly during the first 10 postnatal days, when they attained their adult phenotype. This change was dependent on the presence of neurons. In culture, most of these channel types were not expressed, but a phenotype more typical of that in vivo could be induced by co-culture with neurons. The electrophysiological properties of astrocytes make some existing hypotheses of astrocyte function less likely.     

Specific binding and uptake of apolipoprotein E-free high density lipoproteins by cultured liver parenchymal cells of copper-deficient rats

The influence of copper deficiency on the binding and uptake of apolipoprotein E-free high density lipoprotein (apo E-free HDL) in cultured rat hepatic parenchymal cells was examined in this study. Male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two treatments, a Cu-adequate (7.33 mg Cu/kg diet) or a Cu-deficient (1.04 mg Cu/kg diet) group. After 7 weeks, plasma apo E-free HDL were isolated by a combination of ultracentrifugation, gel filtration, and heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Parenchymal cells were isolated from collagenase perfused liver of Cu-deficient and adequate rats and cultured for 16 hours at 37 degrees C prior to incubation with iodinated apo E-free HDL from the same treatment group. Cells were incubated with 5 microg/ml(125) I-apo E-free HDL for 2, 6, or 12 hours in the presence or absence of 200 microg/ml (40-fold) excess unlabeled apo E-free HDL. Increases in specific binding at 4 degrees C and specific cell-associated uptake at 37 degrees C as a function of time were observed with cells and HDL from Cu-deficient rats. Cells were also incubated for 6 hours with 8 concentrations of (125)I-apo E-free HDL in the presence or absence of excess unlabeled HDL. Although no significant increase in specific binding was detected at 4 degrees C as a function of ligand concentration, the response tended to be higher at 5 to 15 microg HDL/ml for the Cu-deficient treatment. However, at 37 degrees C the specific cell-associated uptake was increased markedly with cells and HDL from Cu-deficient rats. The observed increases in HDL binding and uptake indicate that these processes may be enhanced in Cu-deficient rats. These data are also consistent with recent in vivo results which indicate that plasma clearance and tissue uptake of HDL are increased in Cu-deficient rats.     

国产磨芋属的染色体核型报道(1)

本文报道了磨芋属(Amorphophallus Blume)六个种的染色体数目和核型,其中5个种属于首次报道。其核型公式如下: 1.滇磨芋 K(2n)=2x=26=26m.2.磨芋 K(2n)=2x=26=26m.3.攸落磨芋K(2n)=2x=26=22m(2SAT)+4sm.(2SAT).4.西盟磨芋 K(2n)=2x=26=20m+4sm+2st.5.勐海磨芋 K(2n)=2x=26=22m+4sm.6.白磨芋 K(2n)=2x=26=20m(2SAT)+6sm。     

Early-blocked sporulation mutations alter expression of enzymes under carbon control in Bacillus subtilis

Summary The physiological roles of the gene subset defined by early-blocked sporulation mutations (spo0) and their second-site suppressor alleles (rvtA11 and crsA47) remain cryptic for both vegetative and sporulating Bacillus subtilis cells. To test the hypothesis that spo0 gene products affect global regulation, we assayed the levels of carbon- and nitrogen-sensitive enzymes in wild-type and spo0 strains grown in a defined minimal medium containing various carbon and nitrogen sources. All the spo0 mutations (except spo0J) affected both histidase and arabinose isomerase levels in an unexpected way: levels of both carbon-sensitive enzymes were two- to six-fold higher in spo0 strains compared to wild type, when cells were grown on the derepressing carbon sources arabinose or maltose. There was no difference in enzyme levels with glucose-grown cells, nor was there a significant difference in levels of the carbonindependent enzymes glutamine synthetase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. This effect was not due to a slower growth rate for the spo0 mutants on the poor carbon and nitrogen sources used. The levels of carbon-sensitive enzymes were not simply correlated with sporulation ability in genetically suppressed spo0 mutants, but the rvtA and crsA suppressors each had such marked effects on wild-type growth and enzyme levels that these results were difficult to interpret. We conclude that directly or indirectly the spo0 mutations, although blocking the sporulation process, increase levels of carbon-sensitive enzymes, possibly at the level of gene expression.