Protein metabolism and strength performance after bovine colostrum supplementation

Summary. This study was designed to determine the responses of muscle protein, serum amino acids, and strength performance to bovine colostrum supplementation in physically active men. The rest (R) group (n=6) and the exercise (E) group (n=6) carried out twice a 2-week experiment randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion with either placebo (PLA; consuming daily 20g maltodextrin) or bovine colostrum (COL; consuming daily 20g colostrum supplement) treatment with one month between. On the test day after the treatment period the measurements were carried out in fasting conditions and E carried out a strength training session (STS). The methods involved the infusion of ring-²H₅-phenylalanine, femoral arterial and venous blood sampling, and biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle. Serum concentration of essential amino acids during recovery was greater (p<0.05) in the COL groups compared with the PLA groups. Both muscle protein synthesis and breakdown increased (p<0.05) with COL. There were no differences in phenylalanine net balance or strength performance between the PLA and COL groups. It was concluded that a 2-week supplementation with bovine colostrum in physically active men increases serum concentration of essential amino acids but has no effect either on strength performance or protein net balance in fasting conditions during recovery after STS.     

A synthetic approach to the generation of quercetin sulfates and the detection of quercetin 3'-O-sulfate as a urinary metabolite in the rat

To study the biological effects of quercetin, authentic products of quercetin metabolism are required as standards. The synthesis of quercetin sulfate standards is thus described. Quercetin was reacted with a 10-fold molar excess of sulfur trioxide-N-triethylamine, and the products were analyzed by HPLC and mass spectrometry. Four monosulfates and three disulfates were identified, and structural inferences were drawn by ¹H NMR spectrometry of HPLC peak isolates. Analysis of the urine of rats that had received quercetin (1.9 g/kg po) yielded a single peak, which by comparison with the products of the reaction between quercetin and sulfur trioxide-N-triethylamine was identified as quercetin 3′-O-sulfate.     

Immunolocalization of retinoic acid biosynthesis systems in selected sites in rat

Vitamin A deficiency leads to focal metaplasia of numerous epithelial tissues with altered differentiation from columnar (in general) to stratified squamous cells. This process can be reversed with vitamin A repletion. Previously, we described a system of retinoic acid (RA) synthesis in the cycling rat uterus consisting of cellular retinol binding protein (Crbp), epithelial retinol dehydrogenase (eRoldh), retinal dehydrogenase 2 (Aldh1a2), and cellular retinoic acid binding protein type II (Crabp2). Western blot analysis, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were performed to test whether this retinoic acid synthesis system was also present in other vitamin A sensitive tissues. We found that combinations of Crbp, eRoldh, Aldh1a2 or Aldh1a3, and Crabp2 were present in all vitamin A sensitive tissues examined. In the ureter, while eRoldh was present, another short chain alcohol dehydrogenase reductase (possibly Roldh 1, 2, or 3) was in higher concentration in the transitional epithelia. In several tissues, Crbp, Aldh1a2, and/or Aldh1a3 localized to mesenchyme and/or epithelial cells, while eRoldh and Crabp2 were expressed only in epithelial cells. This suggests that mesenchymal-epithelial interactions may be as important in the adult as they are during development and that local synthesis of RA is important in maintenance of these tissues.     

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials constructed from copper-organoimine subunits and molybdoarsonate clusters

The hydrothermal reactions of MoO₃, As₂O₅, Cu(CH₃CO₂)₂ · H₂O and an appropriate organonitrogen ligand in the presence of HF as mineralizer yield a series of bimetallic oxides of the Cu/Mo/O/As system. The compounds [{Cu₂(4,7-phen)(4,7-phenH)₂}Mo₁₂AsO₄₀] · 2.66H₂O (1 · 2.66H₂O) and [{Cu₃(qtpyr)₂}Mo₁₂AsO₄₀] · 0.4H₂O (2 · 0.4H₂O) (qtpyr = 2,4′:5′, 3″:4″,2?-quaterpyridine) are two-dimensional phases constructed from Keggin clusters linked through binuclear {Cu₂(4,7-phen)(4,7-Hphen)₂}²⁺ units in metal organic networks in 2. In contrast, the structure of [{Cu₂(2,4′-Hbpy)₄}Mo₁₈As₂O₆₂] · 2H₂O (3 · 2H₂O) is one-dimensional, consisting of Dawson clusters linked through binuclear {Cu₂(Hbpy)₄}⁶⁺ subunits. In the case of the compounds [{Cu(5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bpy)}₂Mo₂O₄F₂(AsO₄)₂] (4) and [{Cu(phen)}₂Mo₂O₄F₂(AsO₄)₂] (5), the fluoride mineralizer has been incorporated into the structure to give one-dimensional phases constructed from oxyfluoride {Mo₂O₄F₂(AsO₄)₂}²⁻clusters bridged through {Cu(organonitrogen)}²⁺ units.     

Target syntheses of saturated Keggin polyoxometalate-based extended solids

By the approach of target synthesis, three infinitely extended hybrid compounds based on the saturated Keggin polyoxoanions have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions: , and (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, trea = triethylamine). The isostructural compounds 1 and 2 belong to the monoclinic space group P2₁/c and both contain neutral 2D layers and discrete polyoxometalate clusters decorated by transitional metal complexes. They represent an important example of the family of intercalated solids, in which both the 2D layers and the intercalated molecules are polyoxometalates with covalently linked transitional metal complex fragments. Compound 3, crystallizing in the monoclinic space group C2/c, consists of 1D zigzag chains constructed from alternating polyoxoanions and [Ni(phen)₂]²⁺ fragments. More interestingly, these three compounds are constructed directly from saturated polyoxometalates, in which the intact skeletons of Keggin clusters are maintained under hydrothermal conditions. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of compounds 1 and 2 reveal the feature of antiferromagnetic exchange interaction in these compounds.     

Rate of follicle growth,change in follicle volume and stages of macromolecular synthesis during ovarian development in Musca domestica

At 21°C the first egg generation takes 6 days to develop. During this period the oöcyte volume increases by a factor of ×5000, and compared with an oögonium the growth factor amounts to ×100,000. The growth rate of the oöcyte increases with each stage of oögenesis, until at stage 5 it reaches 2.5 × 10⁶ μm³/hr. About 35% of the substance stored in the oöcyte originates from the nurse chamber. 30% of the volume is formed in the stage where the oöcyte synthesizes almost exclusively glycogen. Accordingly, about 30% of the volume is provided by the euplasmatic protein synthesis and by the yolk uptake.