Interactions of thiyl free radicals with oxygen: a pulse radiolysis study

A pulse radiolysis study of glutathione in aqueous solution at pH 5.5 containing N2O/O2 mixtures at various ratios indicates that oxygen rapidly adds to the thiyl glutathione radical yielding a transient absorption, with a maximum at 540 nm, whose characteristics appear to be compatible with assignment to the GSOO. radical. The reaction (Formula: see text) appears to be an equilibrium whose kinetic constants have been estimated (kf = 2.0 X 10(9) dm3 mol-1, kb = 6.2 X 10(5) s-1). Evidence for electron transfer from ascorbate to the GSOO. radical has been obtained and the respective rate constant has been determined to be 1.75 +/- 0.15 X 10(8) dm3 mol-1 s-1.     

Crystallization of human plasma apo-retinol-binding protein

Crystals of three forms of human plasma apo-retinol-binding protein have been obtained using the procedure described for the holoprotein. The apoprotein was prepared by a novel method, which uses hydrophobic interaction and immobilized dye chromatography. The three forms were separated by fast protein liquid chromatography. All of the crystals are isomorphous and diffract to 2.5 Å resolution. These crystals will be useful for studies of the mechanism of binding of retinol to its carrier using X-ray diffraction techniques.     

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray data of human plasma retinol-binding protein

Crystals of human plasma retinol-binding protein have been obtained from 4.5 m-NaCl buffered at pH 6.8 with 20 mm-cacodylate. The crystals are trigonal with space group R3 and unit cell dimensions, referred to the hexagonal system. $\text{a = b = 104.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 74.5}\text{A}\text{?}$. The crystals diffract to a resolution of 2.0 Å.     

Neuroendocrine modulation of haloperidol-induced catalepsy

Evidence has been accumulated implicating sex hormones as possible modulators of extrapyramidal motor function. In the present study we have investigated the effects of estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin and calcitonin on behavioral parameters related to nigro-striatal dopaminergic system, such as haloperidol-induced catalepsy in male rats. It was found that 7-days estradiol benzoate treatment (5 micrograms/rat/day) significantly increases haloperidol-induced catalepsy, suggesting a possible antidopaminergic activity of estrogens. On the other hand, prolactin facilitates nigro-striatal dopaminergic transmission. Interestingly, 7 day treatment with medroxy-acetate progesterone (MAP, 5 mg/Kg, i.p.) brings about a trend to a decrease in haloperidol-induced catalepsy, while no significantly effect was observed following acute MAP administration at the same dose. So, it is tempting to speculate that chronic progestinic treatment may result in an increase in dopaminergic tonus. Testosterone, acutely administered (5mg/kg.s.c.) induces changes similar to those observed following progesterone administration. Finally, also calcitonin is able to influence haloperidol-induced catalepsy by markedly increasing it.     

Étude de quelques bacilles homolactiques isolés de vins

Résumé Les auteurs ont étudié 750 bactéries lactiques isolées de vins, en utilisant les tests et le système de classification de Rogosa et Sharpe. Parmi ce grand nombre de souches vingt-trois appartiennent au groupe des bacilles homolactiques et font l'objet du présent travail. Elles se répartissent de la façon suivante: 9 souches de Lactobacillus plantarum, 2 souches de Lactobacillus casei var. casei, 4 souches de Lactobacillus casei var. alactosus et 8 souches de Streptobacterium non classées, différentes des espèces précédentes.Les auteurs discutent la valcur de cette classification, lorsqu'on se place au point de vue technologique. Ils montrent qu'elle s'applique mal aux bactéries lactiques isolées de milieux fermentés acides comme le vin. Elle a peu d'intérêt pratique, car elle ne permet pas de repérer une souche et de prévoir par sa position systématique les constituants du vin que cette souche est susceptible de métaboliser.

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A study of some homofermentative lactic acid bacteria isolated from wines

Summary The authors have studied 750 strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from wines. In this study the test and classification of Rogosa and Sharpe were used. Of the strains mentioned 23 belonged to the homolactie bacteria, including 9 strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, 2 strains of Lactobacillus casei var. casei, 4 strains of Lactobacillus casei var. alactosus, and 8 strains of a non-identified Streptobacterium species.The authors discuss the value of the classification mentioned from the point of view of wine technology. They conclude that it cannot be applied in the case of lactic acid bacteria isolated from acid fermentation products such as wine. It is only of little practical interest because it does not render the identification of the strains possible, nor does it permit a prediction of the wine constituents which the strains concerned are able to metabolize.

     

Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

Summary A family carrying the X-linked gene for hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (hereditary ectodermal polydysplasia or Christ-Siemens-Touraine syndrome) over three generations was monitored for more than 15 years. Two prenatal diagnoses were carried out by fetoscopy on skin biopsies. Polymorphic probes were used in the segregation analysis of the Xq11–21 region carried out on 30 members of the family. Current screening possiblitities for the carriers and prenatal diagnosis are discussed.