Smoking,health and ageing

On March 19, 2008 a Symposium on Pathophysiology of Ageing and Age-Related diseases was held in Palermo, Italy. Here, the lecture of V. Nicita-Mauro on Smoking, health and ageing is summarized. Smoking represents an important ageing accelerator, both directly by triggering an inflammatory responses, and indirectly by favoring the occurrence of several diseases where smoking is a recognized risk factor. Hence, non-smokers can delay the appearance of diseases and of ageing process, so attaining longevity.     

(−)-(S)-4-dimethylsulfonio-2-methoxybutyrate from the red alga Rytiphloea tinctoria

An unusual compound (?)-(S)-4-dimethylsulfonio-2-methoxybutyrate, was identified in aqueous—ethanolic extracts of the red alga Rytiphloea tinctoria.     

Neurotensin-induced miosis: The role of dopaminergic pathways

In this study we investigated the role that dopaminergic pathways play in the miotic effect exerted by neurotensin after intracameral administration. Neurotensin was injected into the anterior chamber (AC) at a dose of 30 μg to 4 groups of albino rabbits which had previously undergone the following treatment: a) desmethylimipramine IM and, after 30 min, 6-hydroxydopamine IV 7 days prior to the neurotensin administration; b) haloperidol IM for 15 days; c) haloperidol AC 10 minutes before the neurotensin administration. Our data confirm previous observations regarding the miotic activity of neurotensin and suggest that the dopaminergic system plays an important role in the miotic effect of neurotensin.     

Acylated betacyanins from Drosanthemum floribundum

Four new acylated betacyanins have been isolated from flowers of Drosanthemum floribundum (Haw.) Schwant. These pigments were characterized as hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives of betanin and isobetanin.     

Studies on the bioactivity of radiolabeled,highly-purified bovine thyrotropin

Bovine thyrotropin radiolabeled stoichiometrically with chloramine T was subjected to high pressure liquid chromatography on a Waters' Protein I-125 column. More than 80% of the radioactivity eluted after the Na¹²⁵I (“salt”) peak. In contrast, thyrotropin bioactivity eluted before the salt peak. Radiolabeled thyrotropin affinity-purified with thyroid plasma membranes eluted after the salt peak. Discordance between the thyrotropin bioactivity and radioactivity elution profiles was confirmed by labeling thyrotropin with ¹²⁵I by lactoperoxidase and then measuring both bioactivity and radioactivity in each chromatographic fraction. These data suggest that the bioactivity in radiolabeled thyrotropin may not be inherent in the radiolabeled molecules.