Endocrine function in a case of beta-adrenergic hyperdynamic circulatory state.

Endocrine functions were investigated in a case of "beta-adrenergic hyperdynamic circulatory state". This state was diagnosed by (1) typical symptoms of cardiac awareness, (2) physical findings (increments of pulse rate and blood pressure by changing positions or walking), (3) increase in cardiac output (5.25 l/min leads to 14.03 l/min) and decrease in circulatory time (10.8 sec leads to 5.5 sec) by isoproterenol infusion (0.02 mug/min/kg body weight), (4) rapid loss of symptoms and above findings by propranolol treatment (30 mg per os daily) and reappearance by discontinuing medication. The mechanism of insulin response to glucose has been a controversy as to whether the secretion is transmitted by beta-receptor or independent glucose receptor. And in this physiologic beta-adrenergic state, it was found that insulin responses in IVGTT and OGTT were within normal limit. When beta-adrenergic condition was corrected by propranolol treatment, insulin responses were shown lowered, though in the normal range. This could be reproduced by discontinuing medication. Insulin, glucagon and growth hormone secretions caused by arginine were also found normal, but during the period the patient was on propranolol therapy, all responses were decreased, within the normal range. These results do not positively support the idea that glucose receptor is linked to beta-receptor. They do not either agree with the contention that secretions of insulin, glucagon and growth hormone induced by arginine are mediated through beta-receptors.     

Genetic polymorphisms of blood proteins in the troops of Japanese macaques,Macaca fuscata: IV. Erythrocyte esterase polymorphism inMacaca fuscata

Genetic variation at the locus controlling A₁ band of erythrocyte esterase was found in the Japanese macaque,Macaca fuscata. Existence of four alleles,Es-A ₁ ¹ ,Es-A ₁ ² ,Es-A ₁ ³ , andEs-A ₁ ⁴ , controlling the mobility of the band and codominance relation between them were postulated. A majority of the troops examined were monomorphic inEs-A ₁ 1-1 phenotype, and the variant phenotypes were observed to occur only in Yugawara-Ihama, Arashiyama, and Koshima areas.     

Genetic polymorphisms of blood proteins in the troops of Japanese macaques,Macaca fuscata: III. Erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase polymorphism inMacaca fuscata

In order to clarify the genetic relationships between troops of Japanese macaques, the authors have been looking for the genetic variation of blood proteins by electrophoretical technique. In this work the genetic variants of erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isozymes of 1273 blood samples from 34 troops of this species were examined. The genetic polymorphisms were observed in several troops. The variable troops of CA I were Fukushima, Takasakiyama, Kohchi, Shimane, Shodoshima I, K, and T, Kashima, Kawara, Takasakiyama A, B, and C, and Tomogashima. The variant allele found in these troops is onlyd ₂ allele, which was probably identical with that reported byTashian et al. (1971). The frequencies ofd ₂ allele in the Shodoshima and Kashima troops were very high, and this phenomenon was interpreted as being a result of the founder effect and the random fluctuation of gene frequencies in these troops.     

Carbohydrate composition of the isolated cell walls of dermatophytes

In an attempt to evaluate taxonomic character of sugar composition of dermatophytes, the purified cell walls from 13 species are analyzed on neutral sugar composition by gas liquid chromatography. The results were principally compatible with those obtained by conventional morphological examination. Neutral sugar components of dermatophytes cell walls were mannose and glucose in the ratio of 1∶2.7 for Epidermophyton and 1∶1.4 for Microsporum. There were two types in Trichophyton, in which the ratios of mannose to glucose were 1∶1.6 and 1∶3.8. The cases of Trichophyton ferrugineum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes were exceptional. The ratio of the former was 1∶1.4, which implied the relation to Microsporum group, and the ratio of the latter was 1∶2.3, which was supposed to be the intermediate of two types of Trichophyton group. Albino type cell wall of Epidermophyton floccosum was more rich in glucose than pigmented type one.     

Diversification of CpG-Island Promoters Revealed by Comparative Analysis Between Human and Rhesus Monkey Genomes

Mammalian Genome - While CpG dinucleotides are significantly reduced compared to other dinucleotides in mammalian genomes, they can congregate and form CpG islands, which localize around...     

Stochastic combinations of actin regulatory proteins are sufficient to drive filopodia formation

Assemblies of actin and its regulators underlie the dynamic morphology of all eukaryotic cells. To understand how actin regulatory proteins work together to generate actin-rich structures such as filopodia, we analyzed the localization of diverse actin regulators within filopodia in Drosophila embryos and in a complementary in vitro system of filopodia-like structures (FLSs). We found that the composition of the regulatory protein complex where actin is incorporated (the filopodial tip complex) is remarkably heterogeneous both in vivo and in vitro. Our data reveal that different pairs of proteins correlate with each other and with actin bundle length, suggesting the presence of functional subcomplexes. This is consistent with a theoretical framework where three or more redundant subcomplexes join the tip complex stochastically, with any two being sufficient to drive filopodia formation. We provide an explanation for the observed heterogeneity and suggest that a mechanism based on multiple components allows stereotypical filopodial dynamics to arise from diverse upstream signaling pathways.     

Structure Analysis of Proteins and Peptides by Difference Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy

The Protein Journal - Difference circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was used here to characterize changes in structure of flexible peptides upon altering their environments. Environmental changes...     

Synthesis of Methylenecyclobutyl- and Cyclobutenyl Adenine,Potent Antiviral Carbocyclic Analogues of Oxetanocin A

Abstract

9-Cyclobutyladenines bearing both methylene and hydroxymethyl groups, 3 and 4, were prepared by dehydration of carbocyclic oxetanocin A (1a). Introduction of a double bond into cyclobutane ring was achieved by allylic oxidation of N ⁶-benzoyl-9-[3-methylenecyclobutyl]adenine (12), which after several steps, afforded 9-[3-(hydroxy-methyl)-2-cyclobutenyl)adenine (5).