Origin of the widely and discontinuously distributed mitochondrial genotypes of Oryzias latipes: introduced or native genotypes?

Ichthyological Research - A mitochondrial cytochrome b genotype of Oryzias latipes, “mitotype B15”, is widely and discontinuously distributed in various localities in Japan. To...     

Secretory protein 7B2. A novel tumor marker of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid

Mean plasma concentrations of 7B2 in three patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT) (294 +/- 38 pg/ml) were significantly higher than those in age-matched normal subjects (107.2 +/- 7.2 pg/ml, n = 11). The intravenous infusions of pentagastrin (0.5 microgram/kg) markedly increased the plasma concentrations of 7B2 as well as calcitonin in all three MCT patients but it caused no significant rise of the plasma 7B2 concentration in any healthy subjects. The peak times and rates of increase of plasma 7B2 concentrations were different from those of plasma calcitonin concentrations in MCT patients. The plasma 7B2 concentration in one of the patients with MCT showed a marked reduction and no further elevation from the pentagastrin infusion following a total thyroidectomy (preop. 226 pg/ml; postop. 112.1 pg/ml). The above evidence suggests that the increased levels of plasma 7B2 in MCT patients may be attributed to the release from parafollicular cells of thyroid. Therefore, 7B2 is considered to be clinically useful as a tumor marker of MCT.     

Visualisation of Phosphate in Subcalicoblastic Extracellular Calcifying Medium and on a Skeleton of Coral by Using a Novel Probe,Fluorescein-4-Isothiocyanate-Labelled Alendronic Acid

Marine Biotechnology - The overload of nutrients of anthropogenic origin, including phosphate, onto coastal waters has been reported to have detrimental effects on corals. However, to the best of...     

A new glycolipid from Mycobacterium avium--Mycobacterium intracellulare complex.

From a nonpolar lipid fraction of Mycobacterium avium--Mycobacterium intracellulare complex cell mass, a new glycolipid was obtained, which was shown to be 5-mycoloyl-beta-arabinofuranosyl-(1-->2)-5-mycoloyl-alpha-ar abinofuranosyl- (1-->1')-glycerol. When examined by TLC, all the 12 strains of this species tested, including clinical isolates, were found to contain this glycolipid. But the glycolipid was not detected in Mycobacterium bovis BCG or Mycobacterium tubrculosis H37Rv.     

Epizoanthidae (Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) associated with Granulifusus gastropods (Neogastropoda: Fasciolariidae) from the Indo-West Pacific

Organisms Diversity & Evolution - There have been few detailed studies on the associations between cnidarians and gastropod mollusks. Several hypotheses have been suggested to explain the...