Human atrial natriuretic polypeptide in plasma of patients with anorexia nervosa

To examine the effects of chronic dehydration and starvation on plasma levels of human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (hANP) in human subjects, the basal level and saline-induced rise of plasma hANP in 7 patients with anorexia nervosa were compared with those in age-matched healthy subjects. The unstimulated level of plasma hANP was markedly high in the patients with anorexia nervosa (patients vs. control; 55.4 +/- 9.0 pg/ml vs. 11.4 +/- 6.1 pg/ml, P less than 0.01). However, no significant increase of plasma hANP in the anorectic patients was observed in response to saline-infusion, while a 3-fold increase over the basal level of plasma hANP was noted in the saline-infused normal young subjects. These results show that hANP may be secreted to an inadequate extent, hence the release would be resistant to volume-loading. The pathophysiological meaning of such a high plasma concentrations of hANP in anorexia nervosa is the subject of ongoing studies.     

Hyaluronic acid in rabbit pericardial fluid and its production by pericardium

High-Mr (greater than 2 X 10(6)) hyaluronic acid (about 82 micrograms/ml) was found for the first time in rabbit pericardial fluid. Biosynthetic experiments with minced pericardium from rabbit showed that the high-Mr hyaluronic acid in the pericardial fluid was actively synthesized by the pericardium from [3H]glucosamine.     

Localization of enzyme for heme attachment to apocytochrome c in yeast mitochondria

Fractionation of yeast mitochondria by controlled hypotonic treatment revealed that the enzyme for heme attachment to apocytochrome c was localized in mitochondrial inner membrane. Trypsin digestion of mitoplasts resulted in a considerable loss of enzymatic activity, whereas the enzyme in intact mitochondria resisted the digestion. Triton X-100 solubilized the enzyme from the membrane but high concentration of salt did not. These results reveal that the enzyme for heme attachment is localized in mitochondrial inner membrane facing the cytoplasmic surface.     

Glucosylation of Salicyl Alcohol by Gardenia jasminoides Cell Cultures

Cultured cells of Gardenia jasminoides produced both salicinand isosalicin from exogenously supplied salicyl alcohol. Theglucosylation activity of the cells was highest in the exponentialphase of growth and ca. 70% of the added substrate was convertedto the glucosides within 4 days. The rate of glucosylation wasalso dependent on the medium composition such as auxin and sucroseconcentrations. The ratio of salicin to isosalicin formed fromsalicyl alcohol was influenced by the growth stage of the culturedcells. Salicin was converted to isosalicin when exogenouslyadded to the culture. (Received October 11, 1985; Accepted March 10, 1986)     

Triterpenes from Periandra dulcis roots

Three oleanane triterpenes were isolated from the roots of Periandra dulcis,and identified as 3β-hydroxy-25-al-olean-18-en-30-oic acid (periandric acid I), 3β-hydroxy-25-al-olean-12-en-30-oic acid (periandric acid II) and 3-oxo-25-hydroxy-olean-12-en-30-oic acid. The former two compounds (periandric acids I and II) were identical with the aglycones obtained by hydrolysis of periandrin I and II, respectively and the latter one was a new triterpene.     

Contributions of cytoplasmic free and membrane-bound ribosomes to the synthesis of NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin of bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria

Cytoplasmic free and membrane-bound ribosomes were isolated from bovine adrenal cortex, and characterized. Contributions of free and bound ribosomes to the synthesis of NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase (AdR) and adrenodoxin (Ad) were determined by examining the presence of their nascent peptides on isolated ribosomes. Nascent peptides were released from the ribosomes by [3H]puromycin in a high salt buffer in the presence of a detergent, and the nascent peptides of AdR and Ad were separately isolated by immunoprecipitation using antibodies. AdR nascent peptides were associated with free and loosely-bound ribosomes, whereas Ad nascent peptides were associated with free, loosely-bound and tightly-bound ribosomes. Smaller nascent peptides of AdR were carried by free ribosomes, whereas larger nascent peptides were preferentially carried by loosely-bound ribosomes. In the case of Ad, smaller nascent peptides were more abundant in free ribosomes than in bound ribosomes. The nascent peptides of Ad were released from bound ribosomes of rough microsomes to the aqueous milieu by puromycin treatment, suggesting the release of completed Ad peptides into the cytoplasm in cells.     

Systematic revision of the catfish genusSilurus,with description of a new species from Thailand and Burma

On the basis of external morphology and anatomy, 17 scpeies of the genusSilurus Linnaeus including a new species,S. torrentis from Thailand and Burma, are recognized as valid.S. bedfordi Regan is synonymized withS. asotus, andS. goae Haig is transferred to the genusOmpok. From an anatomical study of 12 species, the diagnostic feature of the genusParasilurus Bleeker is revealed to be invalid, and the genus is synonymized withSilurus. From the phylogenetic analysis, the genusSilurus is divided into two major species groups, thecochinchinensis group which is disributed mainly in Southeast Asia, and theglanis group which is further separated into three subgroups occurring separately in East Asia and Europe. The pattern of distribution and relationships between ontogeny and phytogeny in the genusSilurus are briefly discussed.     

Increased choline acetyltransferase activity by Chinese herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to-go-keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to in aged rat brain

The effect of a Chinese herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to-go-keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to (TJ-960) on the brain choline acetyltransferase (CAT) activity was studied in adult (3.5 months of age) and aged (24 months of age) rats. After oral administration of 5% TJ-960 solution for 3 months, CAT activity in the hippocampus, pons-medulla oblongata and striatum of aged rats was significantly lower than that of adult rats. CAT activity in the cerebellum, however, was significantly higher in the aged rats, as compared to the adult rats. TJ-960 significantly increased CAT activity in the hippocampus and striatum of aged rats, but did not affect the activity of the enzyme in the adult rat brain.     

Chronopharmacological study of furosemide; (VI). Influence of prolonged exposure to continuous light

We have previously reported that a time-dependent variability is observed in the diuretic effects of furosemide in rats. The present study was undertaken to examine the influence of prolonged exposure to continuous light on chronopharmacological profiles of furosemide in Wistar rats. In study I, rats were maintained for more than 2 weeks under conditions of light (0700-1900 hrs) and dark (1900-0700 hrs) (L-D). Furosemide (30 mg/kg) was orally given at 1200 hrs or at 2400 hrs. Urine was collected for 8 hours after the drug and urinary excretion of sodium and furosemide were determined respectively. Thereafter, these rats were exposed to continuous light (L-L) for the next 4 weeks, and were again maintained under the L-D cycle. The identical trial of study I was repeated at the end of the L-L (study II) and the second L-D (study III) conditions. Urine volume and urinary excretion of sodium and furosemide following the drug were significantly greater at 1200 hrs than at 2400 hrs under conditions of L-D (study I and III). However these administration time-dependent changes in the effects of furosemide and its urinary amount disappeared with L-L condition (study II). These findings indicate that the mode of the time-dependent changes in the effects of furosemide is altered by prolonged exposure to continuous light.