On the dynamics of a toxicant-individual system

The dynamics of a toxicant-individual model where the individual is represented by von Bertalanffy dynamics and the uptake model component is one developed by Barber, Suarez & Lassiter is discussed. A sufficient condition for the death of an individual subjected to chemical stress is found. Another possible behavior of the system is an oscillatory mode of individual size and internal chemical concentration determined by a limit cycle. These fluctuations are a consequence of formulations of growth, maintenance, and the dose-response functions in the model system.     

Characterization of a protease with alpha- and beta-fibrinogenase activity from the Western diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox.

A metalloprotease from the rattlesnake Crotalus atrox venom was isolated and purified from multiple-step chromatographies including anion-exchange chromatography, gel permeation and reversed-phase HPLC. The fraction was shown to be homogeneous as judged by SDS-gel electrophoresis. It also showed a high proteolytic activity against alpha- and beta-chains of fibrinogen molecules. Further characterization of the purified fraction with fibrinogenase activity indicated that it is a single-chain protease with a molecular mass of about 24 kDa and an acidic isoelectric point. It is relatively heat stable up to about 65 degrees C, inhibited by EDTA, beta-mercaptoethanol, but not by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, N alpha-p-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone and N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, soybean trypsin inhibitor and aprotinin. Amino acid analysis showed that the enzyme possesses an amino acid composition very similar to some metalloproteases characterized before from the closely related rattlesnake venoms. N-Terminal sequence analysis of the enzyme corroborated some similarity between this enzyme and the reported sequences of these enzymes characterized from the Crotalidae snake family. This study indicated the presence of a novel fibrinogenase (termed Catroxase) with N-terminal sequence different from the metalloprotease with hemorrhagic activity isolated from the same Western diamondback rattlesnake.     

Hepatitis B virus DNA integration and expression of an erb B-like gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Southern blot studies on Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA integration in 13 human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) patients revealed the presence of several distinct HBV integration sites in different human liver disease patients. In one HCC patient the DNA fragment containing the HBV integration also hybridized to an erb B probe. The erb B/HBV co-migrating DNA fragment was cloned and sequenced, and showed that HBV DNA is integrated next to a cellular DNA fragment which is homologous to the tyrosine protein kinase domain of the human epidermal growth factor receptor gene and other cell surface receptor genes. The virus-integrated cellular DNA sequence is expressed in this HCC patient, suggesting a possible role for this gene in hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Fe2+ and phosphate interactions in bacterial ferritin from Azotobacter vinelandii.

Fe2+ binding to both apo- and holo- bacterial ferritin from Azotobacter vinelandii (AVBF) was measured as a function of pH under carefully controlled anaerobic conditions. Fe2+ binding to apo-AVBF is strongly pH dependent with 25 Fe2+ ions/apo-AVBF binding tightly at pH 5.5 and over 150 Fe2+/apo-AVBF at pH 9.0. Holo-AVBF gave a similar pH-dependent binding profile with over 400 Fe2+/AVBF binding at pH of 9.0. Proton release per Fe2+ bound to either AVBF protein increases with increasing pH until a total of about two protons are released at pH 9.0. These binding results are both qualitatively and quantitatively different from corresponding measurements (Jacobs et al., 1989) on apo- and holo- mammalian ferritin (MF) where less Fe2+ binds in both cases. The high level of Fe2+ binding to holo-AVBF relative to that of mammalian ferritin is a consequence of the higher phosphate content in the core of AVBF. Reduction of AVBF by either dithionite or methyl viologen in the absence of chelating agents demonstrated that phosphate, but not Fe2+, is released from the AVBF core in amounts commensurate with the degree of iron reduction, although even at 100% reduction considerable phosphate remains associated with the reduced mineral core. Fe2+ binding to holo-AVBF made deficient in phosphate was lower than that of native AVBF, while the addition of phosphate to native holo-AVBF increased the Fe2+ binding capacity. These results clearly support the role of phosphate as the site of interaction of Fe2+ with the AVBF mineral core.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Phospholipase D activity in nontransformed and transformed fibroblasts.

Rat embryo fibroblasts (REF52 cells) and the simian virus 40 transformed derivative (WT6 Ag6) were employed to characterize phospholipase D (PLD) activity in normal and transformed cells. In cells prelabeled with [3H]myristic acid or [3H]glycerol and treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 50 ng/ml medium) or vasopressin (VP, 100 ng/ml medium) in the presence of ethanol, the formation of labeled phosphatidylethanol (PEt) was 3- to 5-fold higher in REF52 cells than in the transformed cells. The transphosphatidylation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to PEt was further examined in cell-free assay systems. Results demonstrated that the formation of PEt in the cell-free assays was dependent on the mode of substrate presentation and the source of the PC. With endogenous membrane-bound substrate, the formation of [3H]myristoyl-PEt was 5-fold higher in homogenates derived from normal cells as compared to transformed cell homogenates. In experiments using exogenous labeled PC isolated from either REF52 or transformed cells as substrate, cell-free PLD activity differed greatly with regard to the source of the PC. The formation of PEt from REF52-derived PC was approx. 4-fold higher as compared to PEt formed with PC derived from the transformed cells, irrespective of enzyme source. The results demonstrate that PLD in intact nontransformed fibroblasts is activatable by TPA and VP to a greater extent than in the transformed counterpart. The results from cell-free assays suggest that PLD activity is more dependent on the type of PC substrate than on the source of the enzyme.     

Intervention trial with selenium for the prevention of lung cancer among tin miners in Yunnan,China

This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of conducting a double-blind clinical trial for the prevention of lung cancer with selenium (Se) in Yunnan Tin Corporation, the People's Republic of China, where the incidence rates of lung cancer are extraordinarily high among the miners. Forty healthy miners were randomized to either 300 μg of Se in high Se malt cakes or an identical placebo of malt cakes daily for one year. Subjects consumed their usual daily diet. The low Se concentrations in plasma (0.05±0.008 μg/mL) and hair (0.442±0.085 μg/g) reflected their low dietary Se intake in the control subjects. In Se-supplemented group, the Se status was increased by 178% for serum and 194.8% for hair. The serum GSHpx activity was increased by 155.7%, whereas the lipid peroxide level was reduced by 74.5% compared to the placebo. The results of UDS assay indicated that the lymphocyte DNA damage induced by ultraviolet irradiation and carcinogen 3,4-benzpyrene could be protected by Se supplementation. Se-supplementation did not affect the liver function test (SGPT), as well as the concentrations of hemoglobin, albumin, and cholesterol. Thus, daily intake of 300 μg Se in form of Se-malt as a chemopreventive measure is safe and effective to humans with low Se status.     

Oxidation and cleavage of 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate with periodate

Treatment of 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate with sodium periodate in the neutral pH resulted in oxidation of the ribose linked to 3-aminopyridine and cleavage of the dinucleotide into adenosine- and 3-aminopyridine-containing moieties. Separation of these moieties was afforded by thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and fast protein liquid chromatography. From fast atom bombardment mass spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, the adenosine-containing moiety was identified as 2'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate while the aminopyridine moiety was present in a mixture of the hydrated 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide/nucleoside dialdehyde. Separation of the completely oxidized product by Pharmacia fast protein liquid chromatography gave three major peaks corresponding to 2'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate, 2'-phosphoadenosine 5'-diphosphate and oxidized 3-aminopyridine nucleoside, with minor amount of oxidized 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide. Thus the oxidized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate was shown to cleave by two pathways: it may either undergo beta-elimination to give 2'-phosphoadenosine 5'-diphosphate and oxidized 3-aminopyridine nucleoside; or the phosphodiester linkage may be hydrolyzed to give 2'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate and oxidized 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide. The latter compound may further undergo beta-elimination and eventually give oxidized 3-aminopyridine nucleoside. Hydrolysis could be prevented by storing the sample as lyophilized powder, while beta-elimination was diminished by lowering the storage temperature. We found that the lyophilized powder of oxidized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate can be stored at -50 degrees C for several months with minimum decomposition.     

Flow cytometric detection of ornithine decarboxylase activity in epidermal cell subpopulations

Using flow cytometry in combination with membrane permeabilization techniques to enhance binding of antibodies with immunoreactive protein within the cytoplasm, we have developed a method to examine the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity present within subpopulations of epidermal cells following acute and chronic exposure to the phorbol ester tumor promoter 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The method described has the sensitivity to detect basal levels of ODC as well as increases in ODC at early time points following treatment with TPA and has the additional advantage of allowing subpopulation identification and characterization.     

中国大白蚁亚科壤白蚁新属新种（等翅目：白蚁科）

壤白蚁属Parahy potermes Zhu et Huang,新属 模式种:曼允壤白蚁Parahy potermes manyunensis,新种。 属征:兵蚁头近卵圆形,头背面被毛稀少,两侧缘于触角前骤然狭缩,头中部最宽,后缘宽圆,头背面中部明显隆起;左上颚内缘中部第1缘齿上方具2—3枚小齿。 比较与讨论:本新属与地白蚁属Hypotermes Holmgren较接近。但Hypotermes头两侧缘触角前不呈狭缩状;左上颚第1缘齿上方不具锯齿状小齿;头背面中部呈弧状隆起。