A comparative study in vitro of physiological activity of triterpene glycosides of marine invertebrates of echinoderm type

1. The cytostatic and antimicrobial activity of triterpene glycosides of 19 holothurian species of the Pacific tropical zone has been studied. 2. It has been demonstrated that yeast and tumor cells display a comparable sensibility to the action of triterpene oligosides of sea cucumbers. 3. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are not sensible to the action of glycosides in doses to 500 mkg/ml. 4. Triterpene glycosides-stichoposides, thelothurins and oligosides of Holothuria of genus Bohadschia are the most active in relation to fungal, yeast microflora and tumor cells.     

Spatiotemporal patterns of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (Mif) expression in the mouse placenta

Background  

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has special pro-inflammatory roles, affecting the functions of macrophages and lymphocytes and counter-regulating the effects of glucocorticoids on the immune response. The conspicuous expression of MIF during human implantation and early embryonic development also suggests this factor acts in reproductive functions. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate Mif expression by trophoblast and embryo placental cells during mouse pregnancy.     

Method of determining the microbial flora of the small intestinal cavity and mucosa in different gastrointestinal tract diseases]

Intestinal microflora in patients with chronic enterocolitis and duodenal ulcer was studied. Both the cavity of the small intestine and the structures of its mucosa were investigated. The method of aspiration biopsy was used, the samples of multiple washings of the intestinal mucosa and its homogenate were used for seeding. The results thus obtained in indicated that the structures of the mucosa contained microorganisms similar to those isolated from the intestinal cavity, but in lesser amounts and with different characteristics. The proposed method of detecting the microflora in the intestinal cavity and mucosa is simple and can be used in clinical practice.     

Influence of the fungus Trichoderma harzianum on the enzyme and polysaccharide composition of Silene vulgaris callus

Activities of polygalacturonase and 1,3-β-glucanase increased in campion (Silene vulgaris) callus cells during co-cultivation with the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. This was associated with a decrease in galacturonic acid residues in the pectic polysaccharide of campion silenan and also in the production of pectin by the callus. Co-cultivation of the callus and the fungus resulted in an increase in contents of arabinose residues in the intracellular arabinogalactan and in contents of galactose residues in the extracellular arabinogalactan.     

RhoA Regulates Calcium-Independent Periodic Contractions of the Cell Cortex

When microtubules are depolymerized in spreading cells, they experience morphological oscillations characterized by a period of about a minute, indicating that normal interactions between the microfilament and microtubule systems have been significantly altered. This experimental system provides a test bed for the development of both fine- and coarse-grained models of complex motile processes, but such models need to be adequately informed by experiment. Using criteria based on Fourier transform analysis, we detect spontaneous oscillations in spreading cells. However, their amplitude and tendency to operate at a single frequency are greatly enhanced by microtubule depolymerization. Knockdown of RhoA and addition of various inhibitors of the downstream effector of RhoA, Rho kinase, block oscillatory behavior. Inhibiting calcium fluxes from endoplasmic reticulum stores and from the extracellular medium does not significantly affect the ability of cells to oscillate, indicating that calcium plays a subordinate regulatory role compared to Rho. We characterized the dynamic structure of the oscillating cell by light, fluorescence, and electron microscopy, showing how oscillating cells are dynamically polarized in terms of their overall morphology, f-actin and phosphorylated myosin light chain distribution, and nuclear position and shape. Not only will these studies guide future experiments, they will also provide a framework for the development of refined mathematical models of the oscillatory process.     

Changes in late components of somatosensory evoked potentials in humans during repetitive stimulation

Human evoked potentials to somatosensory stimuli of non-painful and painful intensity recorded from the vertex have been studied. The indices of variability of N150 and P250 components registered in the same subject as well as indices of interrelationship between spontaneous changes of these components decreased when stimulus intensity increased. A supposition is advanced that the role of general source responsible for generations N150 and P250 components diminished when stimulus intensity increased, accordingly participation of autonomic sources became more prominent.