Effects of CB-154 (2-Br-alpha-ergocryptine) on prolactin and growth hormone release in an acromegalic patient with galactorrhea.

An acromegalic patient with galactorrhea was treated with an ergot alkaloid, 2-Br-alpha-ergocryptine (CB-154). Serum prolactin decreased rapidly to normal level by CB-154 and the complete cessation of galactorrhea was noted. The inhibitory effect of CB-154 On growth hormone (GH) release was also noted, but slight. The mechanism of inhibitory action of CB-154 on both prolactin and GH secretion was discussed in connection with the experimental model of pituitary tumors, in which both hormones were produced by a single type of tumor cells. The discontinuation of CB-154 treatment was associated with the return of both prolactin and GH levels to the initial high values with resumption of galactorrhea.     

Studies on live rubella vaccine. VI. Seroepidemiological surveillance and immunization of adolescents in high school.

The rubella seroimmunity status of a total of 1,204 students aged 12 to 19 in a junior and a senior high school in Osaka district was surveyed. Among these, 487 students (40.5%) were found to be seronegative (less than 1 : 8) by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. A total of 287 students were immunized with live rubella vaccine, Biken lot No.7233. This caused an increased titer in all except one of the 262 seronegative students, while among 25 students with an initial HI antibody titer of 1 : 8 it caused more than 4-fold increase in 20 and 2-fold increase in 5. The vaccine caused no clinical manifestations, such as fever, rash or arthralgia.     

The physiological significance of the xanthurenic acid-insulin comples.

The xanthurenic acid-insulin complex was found to have similar immunological properties to native Zn-insulin. This complex showed less hormonal activity on glucose metabolism in adipose tissue than native An-insulin, but its activity was increased by addition of Zn2+ ions.     

Studies of pesticides effects on Chlorella metabolism II. Effect of DCMU on galactolipid metabolism

DCMU (N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N, N-dimethylurea) was testedfor effects on the metabolism of galactolipids in Chlorellaand chloroplasts isolated from higher plants. In Chlorella,DCMU affected galactolipid synthesis in the light more thanthat of other lipids, but it showed no effect on lipid synthesisin the dark. DCMU did not affect the turnover of galactolipidsin the light. In vitro studies using ¹⁴C-acetate or ¹⁴C-UDP-galactoseas a precursor showed that DCMU had no effect on the synthesisof gross lipid or galactolipids in chloroplasts isolated fromhigher plants. The significance of these observations are discussed. (Received September 21, 1974; )     

Decreased expression of Apaf‐1 with progression of melanoma

Defects in apoptotic system may contribute in the pathogenesis and resistance of malignant melanoma cells to chemotherapy. Apoptotic protease‐activating factor‐1 (Apaf‐1) is a cell death effector that acts with cytochrome c and caspase‐9 to mediate apoptosis. Recently it was shown that metastatic melanomas often lose Apaf‐1 and are concomitantly resistant to apoptosis. It is not known, however, whether Apaf‐1 protein is lost during melanoma progression from localized to metastatic tumor. To this end, we evaluated Apaf‐1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry in 10 cases of human nevi, 11 melanomas in situ, 26 primary melanomas and 15 metastases. Significant decreases in Apaf‐1 expression was observed when comparing nevi and melanomas (chi‐square = 33.719; P < 0.0001). Moreover, primary melanomas with greater tumor thickness showed lesser expression of Apaf‐1 (chi‐square = 16.182; P < 0.003). Intriguingly, we were unable to detect Apaf‐1 expression in lesions of metastatic melanomas. These data demonstrated that there is an inverse correlation between Apaf‐1 expression and pathologic stage of melanoma. This suggests that the decreased expression of Apaf‐1 seen in correlation with melanoma progression renders melanoma more resistant to chemotherapy.     

Sulfated asparagine-linked sugar chains of hen egg albumin

The fraction of hen egg albumin glycopeptides mixture, which passes through a Dowex 50-H+ column, contains two sulfate-containing glycopeptides. Based on the structural studies of oligosaccharides released from the glycopeptides by hydrazinolysis, their structures were elucidated as follows. (formula; see text)     

Regulation of phosphorus stoichiometry and growth rate of consumers: theoretical and experimental analyses with Daphnia

Initial theories of ecological stoichiometry were based on the assumption that the mass-specific content of key nutrient elements (such as P), changes little within a consumer species. However, evidence has shown that this content changes substantially according to feeding conditions. To clarify how the specific P content (S _P) of a consumer species depends on food conditions and relates to the growth rate, we constructed a multiple mass-balance model incorporating feeding and metabolic costs and stoichiometrically regulated releases for C and P. The validity of the model was then tested experimentally by examining the growth rates and S _P of Daphnia pulicaria under various food conditions. The experimental observation agreed qualitatively well with the model, showing that the S _P of consumers relates positively to growth rate at high food C:P ratios but negatively at low food C:P ratios. Thus, within a consumer species, individuals with high S _P do not necessarily grow at high rates. The concordance in results between the model and our observation suggests that maintenance costs for both P and C are substantial regardless of food conditions and play crucial roles in determining the relationship between the S _P and growth rate of consumers.     

Colorimetric dimethyl sulfide sensor using Rhodovulum sulfidophilum cells based on intrinsic pigment conversion by CrtA

A colorimetric whole-cell sensor for dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was constructed based on the in vivo conversion of intrinsic pigments in response to the analyte. In a marine bacterium, Rhodovulum sulfidophilum, carotenoids are synthesized via the spheroidene pathway. In this pathway, demethylspheroidene, a yellow carotenoid, is converted to spheroidene under catalysis of O-methyltransferase. Spheroidene monooxygenase (CrtA) catalyzes the terminal step of the pathway and converts spheroidene to spheroidenone, a red carotenoid. Here, the CrtA gene in R. sulfidophilum was removed and then reintroduced downstream of the DMS dehydrogenase gene promoter. Using this whole-cell sensor, 3 μM DMS or dimethyl sulfoxide can be detected without adding any color-forming reagent. The ratio of the red spheroidenone to total carotenoids increased, as the DMS concentration was raised to 0.3 mM. Comparison of the signal to the background color indicated a shift in the color coordinate from a yellow to a red hue. An intense signal was obtained with 1-day incubation at a high cell density when sensor cells at the exponential growth phase were used. These results show that the genetically engineered R. sulfidophilum cells can be used to monitor the quality of marine aquacultural environments by the naked eye.