Anisodamine induces the hexagonal phase in phospholipid liposomes

The effects of anisodamine on the polymorphic phase behaviour of cardiolipin and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes have been investigated by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Anisodamine induces the formation of lipidic particles in cardiolipin liposomes at pH 7.0 and hexagonal HII tubes at pH 8.8. When the molar ratio of anisodamine and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine is 4 to 1, lipidic particles can be observed in the fracture faces.     

Studies on the phospholipid composition of pathogenic cell membranes of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

The membrane phospholipid and fatty acid compositions of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, a pathogen of porcine enzootic pneumoniae isolated in China, was studied by thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The results showed that membrane phospholipids consisted predominantly of diphosphatidylglycerol. The percentage of C16 - C18 fatty acids comprised 79% of the total fatty acids, of which oleic acid as well as palmitic acid are the major fatty acids. Some differences were shown in fatty acid composition as compared with membranes of other species of Mycoplasma.     

Action of polyethylene glycol on the fusion of human erythrocyte membranes

Summary Factors affecting the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced membrane fusion were examined. Human erythrocyte membrane ghosts, cytoskeleton-free vesicles budded from erythrocytes, mechanically disrupted erythrocyte vesicles, and recombinant vesicles from glycophorin and egg phosphatidylcholine were used as models. Fusion was monitored by darkfield light microscopy and by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Osmotic swelling was found necessary for fusion between membrane ghosts following PEG treatment. The sample with the highest fusion percentage was sealed ghosts incubated in hypotonic media after at least 5 min of treatment in <25% PEG. At similar osmolarity, glycerol, dextran and PEG produced progressively more pronounced intramembranous particle (IMP) patching, correlating with their increasing fusion percentages. The patching of IMP preceded cell-cell contact, and occurred without direct PEG-protein interaction. The presence of cytoskeletal elements in small vesicles had no significant effect on fusion, nor on the aggregation of intramembranous particle (IMP) upon PEG treatment. Disrupting the membrane by lysolecithin, dimethylsulfoxide, retinol or mild sonication resulted in the fragmentation of ghosts without an increase in fusion percentage. The purity of the commercial PEG used had no apparent effect on fusion. We concluded that the key steps in PEG-induced fusion of cell membrane are the creation of IMP-free zones, and the osmotic swelling of cells after the formation of bilayer contacts during the PEG treatment. Cell cytoskeleton affects PEG-induced fusion only to the extent of affecting IMP patching.     

A comparative study of the tapetum, retina and skull of the ferret, dog and cat

Results of this investigation indicate that the ferret (Mustela putorius) closely resembles the dog (Canis familiaris) and should be a useful research animal alternative. The tapetum lucidum is a common structure present in the eyes of dogs, cats (Felis catus) and other nocturnal animals. Our study showed that this structure was present in ferret eyes. The color or reflection of the ferret and dog tapetum was remarkably reduced by the general fixation with glutaraldehyde. However, this color fading phenomenon was not observed in the cat tapetum. These observations led to this comparative study on several morphological, histochemical and biochemical parameters on mature ferrets, dogs and cats including: (1) the number of center tapetum cell layers, (2) thickness of center tapetum, (3) presence of a microtubule-like structure in each tapetal rod, (4) presence of electron-dense cores in tapetal rods after prolonged fixation in glutaraldehyde, (5) retention of reflection or color of tapetum after prolonged glutaraldehyde fixation, (6) zygomatic bones of eye orbits, (7) zinc content in tapetum, (8) cysteine in the tapetum, (9) cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase in liver, (10) thickness of retina from center tapetum, (11) anterior view of skull configuration, and (12) lateral view of skull configuration (jaw and teeth). Among these 12 parameters, ferret and dog were similar in the first nine points; ferret and cat were similar to each other only in the last two points. There was no difference in retinal thickness among these three animals.     

The biological relevance of HPLC-purified vasoactive intestinal polypeptide monoiodinated at tyrosine 10 or tyrosine 22

Three major forms of monoiodinated VIP (M125I-VIP) were isolated after chloramine-T iodination and HPLC purification. The iodinated tyrosine residue was located in each form of M125I-VIP using arginase C and trypsin digestion for obtaining defined fragments containing only one tyrosine residue. The HPLC isolated iodinated fragments thus obtained were used for HPLC comigration studies with iodinated synthetic C and N terminal VIP fragments and for amino acid analysis. The first two eluting peaks 1 and 2 are (M125I-Tyr10-VIP); peak 1 has an oxidized methionine; peak 3 is a (M125I-Tyr22-VIP) which also has an oxidized methionine. A reduced counterpart of peak 3 named peak 4 was isolated by further HPLC analysis. The ability of the different species of M125I-VIP to stimulate adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cAMP) production in transformed colonic cells in culture (HT-29) was compared to that of native VIP. The mean potencies of the M125I-VIP species expressed as a percentage relative to the potency of native VIP were, peak (1): 0.98; (2): 0.84; (3): 1.38; (4): 1.48, in the range of concentrations tested (2-60 pM). The M125I-Tyr22-VIP are significantly more active than native VIP (P less than 0.01). Oxidation of methionine or iodination of tyrosine 10 does not significantly modify the biological activity of VIP. We conclude that iodination of Tyr-22 located in the apolar helical COOH-terminal of VIP increases the effectiveness of VIP interaction with its receptors. Thus the tyrosyl residue and the localized hydrophobic features of VIP are critically involved in the function of this neurotransmitter.     

亮叶杨桐(石芽茶)中黄酮类成分的研究

从广西产亮叶杨桐(Adinandra nitida Merr.ex H.L.Li)中,分得三种黄酮类成分:Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅲ。经IR、UV(位移诊断)、熔点、混熔点、薄层层析鉴定:Ⅰ为芹菜素(Apigenin);Ⅱ为芹菜素-5-0-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖基(1→4-6~(?)-乙酰基-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖吡;Ⅲ为芹菜素-5-0-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖基(1→4)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙。     

The groin flap in reparative surgery of the hand

The historical literature of the use of axial vascular pattern flaps from the hypogastric and iliofemoral regions in reparative surgery of the hand is concisely reviewed. Thirty-six iliofemoral (groin) flaps were utilized for delayed primary resurfacing and secondary reconstruction of defects of the hand and forearm. Two flaps (6 percent) were complicated by partial necrosis. We caution against the immediate resurfacing (within 24 hours of injury) of acute crushed hand wounds by distant flaps. The immediate application of a healthy flap on a soiled or crushed wound invites complications of local tissue necrosis, infection, and subsequent loss of the flap. When distant flaps are indicated for coverage of acute hand wounds, delayed primary coverage following complete removal of all nonviable tissue is a safe and reliable regimen. It is advantageous to design the serviceable portion of the flap on the distal area of the vascular territory of the groin flap. Thoughtful yet "radical" defatting can be performed on the lateral portion of the groin flap territory. Constructed in this way, the long medial base of the groin flap allows freedom for movement at the wrist and metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints, thus decreasing edema and stiffness. In the management of soft-tissue defects in the hand requiring distant flap coverage, we choose to utilize the conventional groin flap in preference to the microvascular free flap when both techniques will deliver equal results.     

水蒸汽蒸馏巴柑檬叶和果皮精油化学成分的研究

巴柑檬是我们第一次从国外引种成功的一种名贵香料植物。用色谱-质谱-计算机联用技术、毛细管气相色谱保留指数法和标准品叠加法分析了水蒸汽蒸馏巴柑檬叶和果皮精油的化学成分。从叶和果皮精油分离出来的220个和200个成分中,分别鉴定出48个和57个成分。鉴定组分的含量分别占叶和果皮精油的99.80％和98.54％。叶精油与果皮精油在化学成分方面的主要区别是叶油中萜烃化合物含量较低,而萜醇类化合物含量较高。     

Induction of heavy metal binding groups by dexamethasone and Zn in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells

Cd binding capacity and pulse polarography were used to study the inducibility of sulfhydryl groups in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells (wild type and a Cd-resistant mutant) in response to dexamethasone (dex) and Zn. Evidence is presented that both the wild type and the mutant responded to dex and Zn treatment by induction of sulfhydryl groups. In wild type for Zn and dex as well as in the mutant for dex, this induction seems to be in the form of sulfhydryls attached to particulate or membrane fractions in the cells. For Zn in the Cd-resistant mutant the induction was in the form of metallothionein.     

Effect of ethionine on synthesis and methylation of ribosomal ribonucleic acid in regenerating rat liver

Ethionine, a hepatocarcinogen, was administered into rats 24 h before partial hepatectomy and immediately thereafter. Hepatic precursor ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) obtained 20 h after the operation of rats injected with ethionine and adenine resulted in methyl deficiency as judged by the incorporation of [3H]methyl group of S-adenosylmethionine into nuclear rRNA by partially purified rRNA methylase. The ethionine and adenine treatment causes methyl deficiency of nuclear rRNA at 2'-hydroxyribose sites of cytidine and uridine, but not at base sites. Although the ethionine and adenine treatment produced no significant change in total hepatic RNA synthesis in vivo assayed by the incorporation of labeled orotate, a one-third increase in nuclear rRNA synthesis as well as a one-third decrease in microsomal rRNA synthesis was found under the treatment. These results suggest that the undermethylation at 2'-hydroxyribose of pre-rRNA in liver nucleus, which is caused by ethionine and adenine administration into rats, causes an inhibition of the processing of nuclear pre-rRNA to cytoplasmic rRNA.