Reorganization of human evoked potentials during automatization of motor reactions

Evoked electrocortical activity appearing during rhythmic stimulation and its correlation with the level of expectancy of the signal next in turn (expressed in values of reaction time), were studied in nine grown up subjects. Reorganization of auditory evoked potentials (EPs), mostly expressed during reactions preceding the stimulus or coinciding with it occurs at motor responses to rhythmical stimuli. The character of correlation between EPs and perception is satisfactorily explained by a cyclic model of the sensory information processing. Adaptive behaviour is provided by the cyclic processes promoting engrams formation and adequate pretuning to probable events.     

Structural simplification of bioactive natural products with multicomponent synthesis: dihydropyridopyrazole analogues of podophyllotoxin

A three-component condensation of 5-amino-3-methylpyrazole, tetronic acid, and various aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic aldehydes leads to the formation of dihydropyridopyrazole analogues of a cytotoxic lignan podophyllotoxin. This new heterocyclic scaffold-based library allows a drastic reduction of the structural complexity of the natural product with the retention of its potent cytotoxic properties. Similarly to podophyllotoxin, the presented analogues induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells.     

Developmental aspects of senescence

Different types of senescence and major theories of aging are reviewed, and mechanisms of this complex biological phenomenon are discussed. Emphasis is placed on changes in the nervous systems of mammals and humans with age. Experimental animal models for studying aging and modern approaches to the correction of age-related deterioration are considered. Chemicals and other factors that may alleviate agerelated disorders and slow down senescence are critically reviewed.     

Increase in glucoamylase productivity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus awamori</Emphasis> strain by combination of radiation mutagenesis and plasmid transformation methods

Increase in the expression level of amylolytic genes activator protein encoded by amyR gene was shown to result in enhancement of glucoamylase productivity of A. awamori strain by 30%. However, the same effect equal to 30% increase can be achieved by introduction of extra copies of gla gene encoding glucoamylase. These two effects were not additive, which gave the possibility to suggest an additional limitation in the regulation mechanism of glucoamylase gene expression in A. awamori strain while introducing an additional copies of amyR and gla genes.     

Chemical modification of lysine epsilon-NH2-groups in horseradish peroxidase. Its effect on enzyme stability. Temperature dependence of thermo-inactivation constants for native and modified peroxidase]

Thermostability of horseradish peroxidase modified by acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric and succinic anhydrides and trinitrobenzolsulfonic acid (TNBS) is studied within the temperature range of 56-80 degrees C. Acylation of 4 amino groups and arylation of 3 amino groups with TNBS are found to stabilize the enzyme, while modification of 6 groups decreases the enzyme stability. Chemical modification of peroxidase does not change its pH-dependence with respect to enzyme thermostability. Thermodynamic activation parameters of irreversible thermoinactivation are determined for native and modified peroxidase. Native peroxidase has deltaH not equal to = 30+/-1 kcal/mole and deltaS not equal to = 14 e. e.; modified by acid anhydrides peroxidase has deltaH not equal to within 64-87 kcal/mole and deltaS not equal to within 110-178 e. e. depending on the nature of a modifying agent. The effect of the structure of a radical introduced into the enzyme molecule, and of a number of modified epsilon-amino groups on thermoinactivation deltaH not equal to and deltaS not equal to values is discussed.