Formation of bioorganic compounds in aqueous solution induced by flames

Flames of flammable gases, when blown against a surface of an aqueous solution of organic compounds, were found to induce oxidation as well as other reactions in the solution. This reaction would be regarded as a new model for formation of bioorganic molecules in the primitive hydrosphere exposed to some radical-containing atmosphere.     

Excitation-energy distribution in green algae. The existence of two independent light-driven control mechanisms

Three distinct states can be identified for cells of the green alga Chlorella vulgaris; State 1 and State 2 obtained by preillumination in far-red and red light, respectively, and the dark state obtained by dark-adaptation. Addition of the inhibitor DCMU to algal cells leads to an initial rapid increase in chlorophyll-a fluorescence reflecting the closure of Photosystem II traps. This, in the case of dark and state-2-adapted algae is followed by a slow light-dependent increase to a fluorescence yield typical of State-1-adapted cells. Measurements of low temperature (77 K) emission spectra indicate that the low fluorescence yields of dark and State-2-adapted algae reflect similar balances in excitation-energy distribution between the two photosystems. In both cases, the balance favours PS I and the slow fluorescence increase seen in the poisoned algae reflects a redressing of this balance in favour of PS II. The low fluorescence yield of State-2-adapted algae is thought to be associated with the phosphorylation of chlorophyll a/b light-harvesting protein (Biochim. Biophys. Acta (1983) 724, 94–103). Measurements of the uncoupler and ATPase sensitivity of the light-dependent increases seen in DCMU-poisoned cells indicate that the low fluorescence yield of dark-adapted algae is of different origin. Evidence is presented showing that the light-driven changes in excitation-energy distribution seen in green algae involve two distinct processes; a low-intensity, wavelenght-independent change reflecting simple light/dark changes and a higher intensity, wavelength-dependent change reflecting State 1/State 2 adaptation. The former changes appear to be associated with changes in the local ionic environment within the algal chloroplast, whilst the latter appear to reflect changes in the phosphorylation state of chlorophyll a/b light-harvesting protein.     

The Position of Bud Differentiation on Protonema of the Moss, Physcomitrium sphaericum

The position of the gametophytic bud was examined in relationto the development of protonema in the moss, Physcomitrium sphaericum. Positions of protrusion formation, of the development of protrusionsinto lateral filaments, and of the differentiation of protrusionsinto buds are restricted within the narrow regions of the filaments.The number of cells from the apical cell of the filament tothese positions are constant in any size filament. The growth pattern of the protonema is shown as follow. As afilament grows one-dimensionally through divisions of the apicalcell, new protrusions are produced successively on the 5th cellfrom the apical cell or on its vicinity. The cells which intervenebetween the apical cell and this protrusion increase in numberas the apical cell divides. When this protrusion is positionedat the 8th or 9th cell from the apex, it differentiates intoa bud or a lateral filament. This growth pattern is common toboth the main and lateral filaments. Buds are differentiated not only on caulonema cells in the mainand lateral filament, but also on chloronema cells at the baseof the lateral filaments. (Received December 14, 1981; Accepted April 24, 1982)     

A simple method forin situ freezing of anchorage-dependent cells including rat liver parenchymal cells

We developed a simple method for freezing anchorage-dependent cells, including primary cultured rat liver parenchymal cells, without detaching the cells from the culture dish. The method consists of preculture of the cells to confluence, changing the growth medium to a conventional freezing medium, packaging in a container, and storage at –80°C. After thawing and changing the freezing medium to regular growth medium, cell growth was nearly identical to that of cells freshly seeded into a new dish.     

A novel Vero cell line for use as a mammalian host-vector system in serum-free medium

We have established a novel cell line from a Vero cell derivative that is useful for expression of exogenous genes and protein production. Parental Vero-317 cells can grow in biotin-containing Eagle's MEM without supplements. By transforming this cell line with replication origin-defective SV40 DNA, which contains a temperature-sensitive tsA58 large T antigen gene, we established the Verots S3 cell line that amplified a SV40-origin containing plasmid. The cell line expressed a human growth hormone (hGH) gene insert with higher efficiency than COS-7 cells in 5% serum-containing MEM and could grow and continue hGH expression in protein-free MEM. However, temperature-sensitive shut down of hGH production was observed not immediately but 3 days after the temperature shift from 33°C to 39.5°C.     

Metabolism of PG in man: Effect of furosemide on the excretion of the main metabolite of PG F2α

The excretion rates of main urinary metabolite of PG F₂α were measured radioimmunologically in 4 healthy persons and in 13 essential hypertensives. The resting values were 9.3±0.73 in the former and 10.4±2.17 ng/min in the latter. There was no significant differences between them. The excretion of the metabolite decresed prominently after the administration of furosemide. The percent decrease was 57% in healthy persons and 70% in essential hypertension. The percent result supports that furosemide inhibit the catabolism of PG F₂α.     

Influence of surface anesthesia on the pressure pain threshold measured with different-sized probes

Transcutaneous pressure with pressure probes of arbitrary diameters have been commonly used for measuring the threshold and magnitude of muscle pain, yet this procedure lacks scientific validation. To examine the valid probe dimensions, we conducted physiological experiments using 34 human subjects. Pin-prick pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT) to pressure probes of various diameters, heat pain threshold, and electrical pain threshold of deep tissues were measured before and after application of surface lidocaine anesthesia to the skin surface over the brachioradial muscle in a double-blinded manner. The anesthesia neither affected PPT with larger probes (diameters: 1.6 and 15?mm) nor increased electric pain threshold of deep structures, whereas it diminished pain count in pin-prick test and PPT with a 1.0?mm diameter probe, suggesting that mechanical pain thresholds measured with 1.6 and 15?mm probes reflect the pain threshold of deep tissues, possibly muscle. Pain thresholds to heat did not change after application of the anesthesia. These results suggest that larger pressure probes can give a better estimation of muscular pain threshold.