Glycerolipid formation and PGE2 and PGF2α production of rat renal papillae in vitro, the effects of urea

The glycerolipid production by rat renal papillary slices varied inversely with the urea concentration (0a–1660 mM) whether the production was measured as labelling of the glycerol backbone from glucose or as incorporation of labelled arachidonic acid and palmitic acid. The rate of phospholipid formation was most dependent on medium urea concentrations in the range between 0 and 1100 mM. The production of prostaglandins PGE₂ and PGF_2α, measured radioimmunologically or by an isotope derivative method was in the same range inversely related to the production of glycerolipids and chain elongations. The effect of urea on prostaglandin formation is probably indirectly caused by the inhibition of the phospholipid formation and chain elongation, since the effect was abolished by 1% defatted albumin in the medium. The data suggest that the level of free arachidonic acid within the cells is controlled to an important extent by glycerolipid formation and chain elongation.     

Fatty acid-binding to erythrocyte ghost membranes and transmembrane movement

Summary Palmitate binding to human erythrocyte ghost membranes has been investigated with ghost preparations suspended in 0.2% albumin solutions. Free unbound palmitate in the extracellular water phase was measured in equilibrium studies using albumin-filled acid loaded ghosts as small semipermeable bags. The apparent dissociation constant of binding to the membrane is 13.5 nM and the binding capacity 19 nmoles per 7.2 × 109 cells.The 0°C exchange efflux kinetics of palmitate from albumin-filled ghosts is described by a model, which provides estimates of the rate constant of membrane transfer, k₃ = 0.024 s^–1, independent of the molar ratio of palmitate to albumin () and of a mean dissociation rate constant of the palmitate-albumin complex, k₁ = 0.0015 s^–1 at 0.2, allowing for a heterogeneity of the palmitate binding to albumin.The values of a third kinetically determined dependent model constant, Q, the ratio of palmitate bound to the membrane inner surface to palmitate on intracellular albumin, are not different from the Q values obtained by equilibrium experiments.The temperature dependences of k₁ and k₃ in the interval 0°C to 15°C give activation energies of 96 and 103 kJ/mole, respectively. The 0°C exchange efflux increases about 2 fold in response to a rise of pH from 6 to 9. The results suggest a carrier mediated palmitate flux at low with a V_max about 2 pmoles min^–1 cm^–2 at 0°C pH 7.3.     

Specificities of Red Cell Membrane Sites Transporting Three Long Chain Fatty Acids

We studied the specificities of human red cell membrane bindings of three long chain fatty acids, palmitic- arachidonic- and oleic acid, using resealed membranes, ghosts. Previously estimated binding capacities, affinities and inside/outside distributions [6, 10, 11, 12], suggest separated binding sites. This possibility is explored by estimating the binding properties of one fatty acid in the presence of one or two of the others. Binding capacities, nmol g⁻¹ ghosts, of palmitic and arachidonic acid estimated simultaneously vs. separately are 27.4 ± 2.7 vs. 29.0 ± 2.1 (P < 0.6) and 6.5 ± 0.6 vs. 5.5 ± 0.5 (P < 0.2) respectively. The corresponding estimates for oleic- and palmitic acid are 36.5 ± 2.0 vs. 34.0 ± 2.2 (P < 0.4) and 28.4 ± 1.8 versus 29.1 ± 2.1 (P < 0.8). The binding sites are therefore independent. For each of the three fatty acids in the absence or in the presence of one or two of the others, the inside/outside distributions of the binding sites and the membrane transfer rate constants are elucidated by exchange efflux kinetics at 0°C from ghosts with and without enclosed albumin. Packed ghosts loaded with radioactive acids are injected rapidly into a large volume of vigorously stirred buffer with albumin. With a resolution time of about 1-sec serial filtered ghost-free aliquots are collected and counted. The analyses show that palmitic- and oleic acid sites of transport are entirely independent but do not exclude that palmitic- and/or oleic acid binding may diminish the arachidonic acid affinity a little. The diversity combined with specificity suggests that the transport sites for long chain fatty acids are protein-determined microdomains of phospholipids. Received: 26 June 1995/Revised: 11 October 1995     

Integration time for short broad band clicks in echolocating FM-bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Vespertilionid FM-bats (four Eptesicus fuscus and one Vespertilio murinus) were trained in an electronic phantom target simulator to detect synthetic echoes consisting of either one or two clicks. The threshold sound pressure for single clicks was around 47 dB peSPL for all five bats corresponding to a threshold energy of -95 dB re 1 Pa² * s. By varying the interclick interval, T, for double clicks it was shown that the threshold intensity was around — 3 dB relative to the threshold for single clicks at T up to 2.4 ms, indicating perfect power summation of both clicks. A threshold shift of -13.5 dB for a 1 ms train of 20 clicks (0.05 ms interclick interval) confirmed that the bats integrated the power of the stimuli. At T longer than around 2.5 ms the threshold for double clicks was the same as for single clicks. Thus, the bats performed like perfect energy detectors with an integration time of approximately 2.4 ms. This integration time is an order of magnitude shorter than that reported for bats listening passively for pure tones. In our setup the bats emitted sonar signals with durations of 2–3 ms. Hence, the results may indicate that while echolocating the bats integration time is adapted to the duration of the sonar emissions.Abbreviations AGC automatic gain control - FM frequency modulated - peSPL peak equivalent sound pressure level - rms root mean square - SD standard deviation - SE standard error of mean - T interclick interval     

Exchange efflux of [3H]palmitate from human red cell ghosts to bovine serum albumin in buffer. Effects of medium volume and concentration of bovine serum albumin.

[3H]Palmitate, PA, exchange efflux kinetics is recorded from human erythrocyte ghosts to buffer with bovine serum albumin, BSA, at 0 degrees C. The effects have been investigated of three medium/ghost volume ratios: 36, 80 and 500, of six BSA concentrations, [BSA]: 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.2, 1 and 2% (1.5, 3.0, 7.5, 30, 150 and 300 microM) and of various v, molar ratios of palmitate to BSA, between 0.15 and 0.94. Data are analyzed in terms of a virtually closed three-compartment model. In theory, the tracer efflux is biexponential and the rate coefficients differ at least 20 fold [1]. The efflux rate at 2% BSA is monoexponential beyond our resolution time of about 1 s, but nearly biexponential at or below 0.2% BSA with a well-defined smallest-rate coefficient beta. beta depends strongly on [BSA] but is remarkably v independent. The medium/ghost volume ratio has no effect on beta when [BSA] > or = 0.2%, although beta measured at 2% BSA is almost 2-fold higher than at 0.2%. This suggests the presence of an unstirred layer, USL. According to our model, the observations are understood quantitatively on basis of our previously published dissociation rate constants of the PA-BSA complex, as well as PA equilibrium bindings to ghost membranes (Bojesen, I.N. and Bojesen, E. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1069, 297-307). Essentially, beta is theoretically a function of two terms, one comprising the membrane transport parameters and the other the medium-dependent variables. Most important is the clearance with respect to monomer concentration adjacent to the membrane. The clearance is calculated on basis of quasi-stationary diffusion in USL. The data are compatible with a planar USL of 6 microns depth and with the same area as a ghost but not with a spherical USL.     

Effect of neurotensin on pancreatic function in man

The effect of neurotensin on submaximally-stimulated hepatobiliary and pancreatic secretion was studied in 6 healthy subjects. An intravenous infusion of neurotensin 1.4 ± 0.3 pmol/kg/min, designed to reproduce plasma neurotensin immunoreactivity levels within the physiological range, produced a significant increase in pancreatic bicarbonate output. Plasma concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide rose by 83 ± 16 pmol/l and were associated with a small reduction in trypsin, but no significant change in bilirubin outputs.     

Effect of Metalaxyl on the incidence and severity of Pearl millet downy mildew disease in Northern Nigeria

Pearl millet downy mildew (DM) incidence, severity and yield losses of two pearl millet varieties (local and improved) due to the disease were determined in the field. Significant differences in the disease incidence and severity were recorded in the plots sown with metalaxyl-treated seeds and those sown with non-treated seeds, indicating the efficacy of the fungicide on the fungus. Yield losses due to non-treatment of seeds with metalaxyl was 40.88 and 45.39% in a local variety and 43.00 and 18.60% in an improved variety in the 2000 and 2001 cropping seasons respectively. Significant differences between plots sown with metalaxyl-treated and those sown with non-treated seeds were obtained for other yield components such as 1000-grains weight, panicle length and weight.