Autopsy reports of pulmonary carcinoma; survey in Los Angeles County Hospital for 1951

Of the 1,972 deaths investigated by autopsy at the Los Angeles County Hospital in 1951, 64 were attributed to bronchogenic carcinoma. However, in some of these cases the protocols did not contain sufficient data to substantiate the diagnosis or the tissue specimens were not conclusive evidence. Although the survey left no doubt that the lung was the most common site of primary carcinoma in the series studied, a wider application of the findings is limited by the facts that patients with bronchogenic carcinoma are more likely than others to die in hospitals and that selection of cases for autopsy depends on the interest of the physician and the consent of the patient's survivors.     

Structures of ascaroside aglycones

Free and derivatized aglycones and parent ascarosides of Ascaris lumbricoides and A. columnaris (Nematoda) were isolated by thin-layer and gas chromatography and analyzed by mass spectrometry and polarimetry. Results for monol aglycones confirmed previous chain-length assignments and the location of the l-hydroxyl group at C-2. The major monols of even carbon number possessed a methyl branch on the penultimate carbon (ω ? 1). Diol alycones were entirely unbranched homologues, mainly 31 and 33 carbons long, and had hydroxyl groups on C-2 and C-(ω ? 1). These aglycones were truly symmetrical, for they were optically inactive with the center bearing the glycone in diol ascaroside (C-2), being mostly or entirely the l configuration. Three major features of ascaroside structure—chain length composition of the aglycones, molecular weight of the unusual glycone (a dideoxyhexose), the kind and position of acyl groups—were clearly discernible in the spectra of intact ascarosides.     

Further evidence for a cell surface proteinase essential to the growth of cultured fibroblasts

Specific antibodies and protein proteinase inhibitors will inhibit cell-surface proteinase activity on human fibroblasts and cause a concomitant inhibition of DNA synthesis and of cell multiplication. An insolubilized proteinase inhibitor also inhibits cell multiplication. The same reagents partially inhibit the multiplication of mouse L cells, both in monolayer and suspension culture, and inhibit the mitogenic effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on both types of cell.     

Highlights in Biocatalysis – Historical Landmarks and Current Trends

Biocatalysis has ancient roots, yet it is developing into a key tool for synthesis in a wide range of applications. Important events in the history of enzyme technology from the 19^th century onwards are highlighted. Considering the most relevant progress steps, the production of penicillanic acid and the impact of genetic engineering are traced in more detail. Applied biocatalysis has been defined as the application of a biocatalyst to achieve a desired conversion selectively, under controlled, mild conditions in a bioreactor. Biocatalysts are currently used to produce a wide range of products in the fields of food manufacture (such as bread, cheese, beer), fine chemicals (e.g., amino acids, vitamins), and pharmaceuticals (e.g., derivatives of antibiotics). They not only provide access to innovative products and processes, but also meet criteria of sustainability. In organic synthesis, recombinant technologies and biocatalysts have greatly widened the scope of application. Examples of current applications and processes are given. Recent developments and trends are presented as a survey, covering new methods for accessing biodiversity with new enzymes, directed evolution for improving enzymes, designed cells, and integrated downstream processing.     

Interaction and thermal stability of fluorescent labeled derivatives of thrombin and antithrombin III

Derivatives of human thrombin and antithrombin III with fluorescent labels covalently attached to their carbohydrate moieties were prepared by reaction of periodate-oxidized proteins with amino derivatives of dansyl, fluorescein and pyrene. The labeled derivatives retained full biological activity, including their ability to form stable enzyme-inhibitor complexes, a reaction whose rate could be monitored by the increase in fluorescence polarization. When the dansyl-labeled derivatives were heated, they exhibited sigmoidal increases in polarization with midpoints near 50 degrees C for thrombin and 60 degrees C for antithrombin III. By contrast, a complex between antithrombin III and dansyl-thrombin showed no change in polarization up to 70 degrees C, suggesting that the individual components are more stable in the complex. These studies show that fluorescent labels attached to carbohydrate moieties of glycoproteins provide convenient probes for monitoring conformational changes and protein-protein interactions with minimum interference by the probe.     

High hydrostatic pressure and the dissection of fertilization responses : I. The relationship between cortical granule exocytosis and proton efflux during fertilization of the sea urchin egg

High hydrostatic pressure applied between sperm attachment and the onset of cortical granule exocytosis will inhibit this exocytotic event in sea urchin eggs. Such pressure-treated zygotes, nevertheless, are activated and capable of development. Thus, this technique can be used as a tool to study the relationship between cortical granule breakdown and other fertilization-related responses. We have studied whether the exocytosis of cortical granules is necessary for proton efflux (acid release) to occur. Our results indicate that although Ca²⁺ is released while the eggs are under pressure (a prerequisite for the following events to take place), cortical granule exocytosis and acid release are pressure-sensitive and completely inhibited at pressures above 400 atm (6000 psi) and 275 atm (4000 psi), respectively. However, upon decompression, acid release is initiated which amounts to 65–70% of that seen in the unpressurized controls, suggesting that the efflux mechanism does not require cortical granule exocytosis and must result from some modification of the original plasma membrane of the egg. The remaining 30–35% of the acid release is related to cortical granule exocytosis, since it can be obtained upon induction of the cortical granule fusion 30 min later under atmospheric pressure. The initiation of acid release after decompression indicates that the efflux mechanism is not transiently turned on at fertilization, but undergoing long-term modification; the recovery of the ability to induce cortical granule fusion after fertilization under pressure suggests a refilling of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ stores within this time course.     

Xenobiotic oxidation by cytochrome P-450-enriched extracts of Streptomyces griseus

Crude extracts of Streptomyces griseus grown on soybean flour-enriched medium contain high levels of cytochrome P-450. The cytochrome P-450-enriched fractions, obtained by ammonium sulfate fractionation (30-50% saturation), catalyze the NADPH-dependent oxidation of a variety of xenobiotics when complemented with both spinach ferredoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductase and spinach ferredoxin. Reactions observed are aromatic, benzylic and alicyclic hydroxylations, O-dealkylation, non-aromatic double bond epoxidation, N-oxidation and N-acetylation.