The steroidal glycoalkaloid α-tomatine

The literature relating to chemical, biochemical and biological aspects of the steroidal glycoalkaloid, α-tomatine, is reviewed. The alkaloid, which can be used as a starting compound for the synthesis of steroidal hormones, is toxic to a wide range of living organisms. The significance of tomatine to plants which elaborate it is discussed and some possible uses of the compound are mentioned.     

Change in electron and spin density upon electron transfer to haem

Haems are the cofactors of cytochromes and important catalysts of biological electron transfer. They are composed of a planar porphyrin structure with iron coordinated at the centre. It is known from spectroscopy that ferric low-spin haem has one unpaired electron at the iron, and that this spin is paired as the haem receives an electron upon reduction (I. Bertini, C. Luchinat, NMR of Paramagnetic Molecules in Biological Systems, Benjamin/Cummins Publ. Co., Menlo Park, CA, 1986, pp. 165-170; H.M. Goff, in: A.B.P. Lever, H.B. Gray (Eds.), Iron Porphyrins, Part I, Addison-Wesley Publ. Co., Reading, MA, 1983, pp. 237-281; G. Palmer, in: A.B.P. Lever, H.B. Gray (Eds.), Iron Porphyrins, Part II, Addison-Wesley Publ. Co., Reading, MA, 1983, pp. 43-88). Here we show by quantum chemical calculations on a haem a model that upon reduction the spin pairing at the iron is accompanied by effective delocalisation of electrons from the iron towards the periphery of the porphyrin ring, including its substituents. The change of charge of the iron atom is only approx. 0.1 electrons, despite the unit difference in formal oxidation state. Extensive charge delocalisation on reduction is important in order for the haem to be accommodated in the low dielectric of a protein, and may have impact on the distance dependence of the rates of electron transfer. The lost individuality of the electron added to the haem on reduction is another example of the importance of quantum mechanical effects in biological systems.     

Reproductive ecology and growth of a population of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in an aquifer-fed stream of Old Castile (Spain)

In the River Lobos-Ucero and its tributary the River Avión-Milanos (Duero basin, Old Castile, Central Spain), two limestone streams fed by aquifers, the population of brown trout, as compared with the populations of other European streams, shows a high growth rate, high condition coefficients, short life-span and early age at first maturity. Gonad cycle was also studied. Size distributions of unshed eggs exhibit a dynamic activity with a bi-modal distribution from June onwards, spawning occurred in the last days of November. Fecundity (F) can be predicted from trout length (L, mm) according to the equation: F= –646.47+5.6167 · L. Numbers and standing crop of trout range from 18 to 3903 ind. ha^–1 and 3.6 to 452.9 Kg ha^–1, reaching higher values in the sites close to the aquifers. Egg production had values of 22.4 and 18.0 eggs m^–2 in the Rivers Ucero and Avión-Milanos respectively. Some factors suggested as regulators of these demographical characteristics are discussed in the light of recent literature.     

Hematology, serum chemistry values, and rectal temperatures of adult greater galagos (Galago garnetti and G. crassicaudatus)

Hematological and serum chemistry values, as well as rectal temperatures, were obtained from greater galagos (Galago garnettii and G. crassicaudatus), in order to establish normative values. No species or sex differences were found for four hematological parameters and 15 serum chemistry parameters. Species differences were seen in phosphate, magnesium, cholesterol, alkaline phosphate, G-glutamyl transferase, mean corpuscular volume and leucocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte number. Significant sex differences were observed in glucose, hemoglobin, and hematocrit values. Species and sex differences were seen in chloride and erythrocyte number.     

Consumption of leaf detritus by a stream shredder: Influence of tree species and nutrient status

Four species of riparian vegetation (alder, birch, willow and poplar) were fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus, nitrogen + phosphorus, or no fertilizer (control). The resulting leaf detritus (leached but not microbially colonized) was offered to a stream shredder, Hydatophylax variabilis (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae). In one experiment, shredder consumption of leaf detritus from different nutrient treatments (within tree species) was compared, and in a second experiment, consumption of different tree species (within nutrient treatments) was compared. Larvae preferred leaf detritus from nitrogen + phosphorus treatments (except in poplar where nitrogen treatment was preferred). Alder was preferred over other tree species for all treatments. Chemical and physical analyses of leaf litter showed differences between tree species and nutrient treatments in nutrient content, tannins and leaf toughness. Leaf consumption by larvae was positively associated with nitrogen content and negatively associated with condensed tannin content. Species composition and nutrient status of riparian vegetation may strongly influence detrital food webs in streams.     

Peat and water chemistry at Big Run Bog,a peatland in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia,USA

At Big Run Bog, aSphagnum-dominated peatland in the unglaciated Appalachian Plateau of West Virginia, significant spatial variation in the physical and chemical properties of the peat and in surface and subsurface (30 cm deep) water chemistry was characterized. The top 40 cm of organic peat at Big Run Bog had average values for bulk density of 0.09 g · cm^–3, organic matter concentration of 77%, and volumetric water content of 88%. Changes in physical and chemical properties within the peat column as a function of depth contributed to different patterns of seasonal variation in the chemistry of surface and subsurface waters. Seasonal variation in water chemistry was related to temporal changes in plant uptake, organic matter decomposition and element mineralization, and to varying redox conditions associated with fluctuating water table levels. On the average, total Ca, Mg, and N concentrations in Big Run Bog peat were 33, 15, and 1050 mol · g^–1, respectively; exchangeable Ca and Mg concentrations were 45 and 14 eq · g^–1 , respectively. Surface water pH averaged 4.0 and Ca⁺⁺ concentrations were less than 50 eq · L^–1 . These chemical variables have all been used to distinguish bogs from fens. Physiographically, Big Run Bog is a minerotrophic fen because it receives inputs of water from the surrounding forested upland areas of its watershed. However, chemically, Big Run Bog is more similar to true ombrotrophic bogs than to minerotrophic fens.     

Limnology and plankton periodicity of Jos Plateau water reservoir,Nigeria, West Africa

Limnological data (Dec. 1980–Jan. 1982) on the plankton and water chemistry of Lamingo Dam, located within the Jos biotite granite area of the Plateau State (Nigeria) are presented. The water-body falls in Beadle's (1981) category I of African lakes (conductivity < 40 µS cm^–1). Alkalinity (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGak0Jf9crFfpeea0xh9v8qiW7rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGabmiEayaara% aaaa!3914!\[\bar x\] = 0.3 meq l^–1), principally composed of bicarbonates, dominated the anions % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGak0Jf9crFfpeea0xh9v8qiW7rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaaK4waiaajI% eacaqIdbGaaK4tamaaxababaGaeyOeI0caleaacaaIZaaabeaakiaa% b6dacaqIdbGaaKiBaiaaj2cacaqG+aGaaK4uaiaaj+eadaqhaaWcba% GaaKinaaqaaiaajkdacaqITaaaaOGaaKyxaaaa!4657!\[\user1{[HCO}\mathop -\limits_3 {\text{ > }}\user1{Cl - }{\text{ > }}\user1{SO}_\user1{4}^{\user1{2 - }} \user1{]}\]The plankton were characterized by a moderate standing crop of phytoplankton, and zooplankton were, generally, very limited in species and abundance. The order of dominance for the categories of phyto and zooplankton was: [Bacillariophyceae > Chlorophyceae > Dinophyceae] and [Rotifera > Crustacea] respectively. A diel cycle was characterized by nocturnal upward migration of the zooplankton, and the reverse behaviour in the phytoplankton.Interrelations between the biotic assemblages of plankters and various physical and chemical variables are discussed.     

Peptides with NH2-terminal tryptophan in the adenohypophysis

Summary In the mammalian pituitary formaldehyde-ozone treatment induces strong fluorescence in the cells of the pars intermedia and moderate to strong fluorescence in numerous cells of the pars distalis. Maximum excitation is at 370–375 nm and maximum emission at 495–505 nm. The properties of the cellular fluorescence are indistinguishable from those of tryptamine or peptides with NH₂-terminal tryptophan. From chemical analysis such peptides seem to occur abundantly in the mammalian pituitary. The concentration of these peptides agrees very well with the number and fluorescence intensity of the cells in all species studied. Furthermore, the tryptophyl peptides in the various parts of the pig pituitary have a distribution quite parallel to that of the fluorescent cells. As we have failed to detect tryptamine in the pituitary, we conclude that the formaldehyde-ozone-induced fluorescence in the adenohypophysis reflects the presence of tryptophyl peptides.This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (04X-1007; 04X-3764), the Ford Foundation, Harald and Greta Jeanssons stiftelse and Riksföreningen mot Cancer (660-K73-01X).For brevity occasionally referred to as tryptophyl peptides.     

Measurement of nutrient spiralling during a period of continuous surface flow in a Mediterranean temporary stream (Arroyo de La Montesina, Spain)

Uptake rate of calcium, potassium, nitrate-N and phosphorus were measured in a second order Mediterranean temporary stream, in February and March 1992. This study analyzed a period of continuous surface flow between two hydrologic disturbance events (flood and drought) of an annual hydrological cycle (1991–92).The lowest values of uptake length were recorded for nitrate-N in February 92 and calcium in March 92. Nitrate had the highest uptake rate in both release performances, and potassium showed the lowest uptake rate values. The increase of calcium and nitrate uptake rate between February 92 and March 92 suggested a higher ecosystem efficiency in nutrient retention with a higher temperature and light intensity and slower water velocity, discharge and water depth. These results obtained were similar to those reported in permanent streams, indicating that in periods of continuous surface flow (without extreme hydrologic disturbance), abiotic factors can influence nutrient retention in temporary streams.     

Supramolecular platinum complexes for cancer therapy

The rise of supramolecular chemistry offers new tools to design therapeutics and delivery platforms for biomedical applications. This review aims to highlight the recent developments that harness host-guest interactions and self-assembly to design novel supramolecular Pt complexes as anticancer agents and drug delivery systems. These complexes range from small host-guest structures to large metallosupramolecules and nanoparticles. These supramolecular complexes integrate the biological properties of Pt compounds and novel supramolecular structures, which inspires new designs of anticancer approaches that overcome problems in conventional Pt drugs. Based on the differences in Pt cores and supramolecular structures, this review focuses on five different types of supramolecular Pt complexes, and they include host-guest complexes of the FDA-approved Pt(II) drugs, supramolecular complexes of nonclassical Pt(II) metallodrugs, supramolecular complexes of fatty acid-like Pt(IV) prodrugs, self-assembled nanotherapeutics of Pt(IV) prodrugs, and self-assembled Pt-based metallosupramolecules.