Flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle kinetics of anagen scalp hair correlated with plasma androgens in hirsutism

Cell kinetics of anagen scalp hair bulbs obtained from hirsute (n = 13) as well as healthy (n = 10) females were analysed by DNA-flow cytometry. The cell cycle kinetics in hirsutism revealed a significant increase of S-phase cells (10.2%) and a significant decrease of G0/1-phase cells (80.7%) compared with healthy females (S-phase 7.5%, G0/1 phase 86%). Moreover, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels and cell cycle kinetics obtained from the hirsute females yielded a strong correlation between the height of S-phase percentages and DHEA-S values, whereas no correlation could be proved between testosterone levels and DNA-FCM data. Therefore, the weak androgen DHEA-S is assumed to be one hormonal factor influencing the cellular growth kinetics of hair bulbs in androgen-sensitive scalp areas.     

Volatile components of developing tomato fruit grown under field and greenhouse conditions

Volatile components of field- and glass greenhouse-grown tomatoes(Lycopersicon esculentum MILL., variety, V. R. Moscow) of differentmaturities were studied by gas-liquid and thin-layer chromatography.The following components were separated and identified: isobutylalcohol, isopentyl alcohol, hexyl alcohol, 2-methyl-3-hexanol,isovaleraldehyde, caproaldehyde, benzaldehyde, furfural, isopentylacetate, isopentyl butyrate, isopentyl isovalerate, butyl hexanoate,hexyl hexanoate, methyl salicylate and -pinene. Chromatogramswere consistent for both field- and greenhouse-grown tomatoesat all stages of maturity. Except for isovaleraldehyde and hexylalcohol, the biosynthesis of volatile components increased alongwith the growth of fruit. Isovaleraldehyde and hexyl alcohol,presumed to give the "green leafy" aroma of tomatoes, were foundto be in their highest concentrations at the breaker and thelarge-green stages, respectively. ¹This research was supported by a research grant—UI 00449—fromthe National Center for Urban and Industrial Health, U. S. PublicHealth Service.     

越南铁线莲属一新种

本文描述的产于越南的毛茛科Ranunculaceae铁线莲属Clematis一新种C. hagiangensis N. T. Do是欧亚大陆第一个具单性花的种, 在花构造方面与单性铁线莲组单性铁线莲亚组sect. Aspidanthera Spach subsect. Dioicae (Prantl) W. T. Wang的种类近缘, 但叶均为单叶, 萼片呈卵形或宽卵形而不同。在单性铁线莲亚组的种, 叶通常为复叶, 只在C. dimorphophylla W. T. Wang和C. variifolia W. T. Wang同时为单叶和复叶, 此外萼片呈长圆形、倒披针形或狭卵形。     

越南荨麻科楼梯草属和赤车属植物新记录

报道了7个楼梯草属和赤车属植物(荨麻科)新纪录,它们分别为锐齿楼梯草(E. cyrtandrifolium),变黄楼梯草(E. xanthophyllum),对叶楼梯草(E. sinense),宽叶楼梯草(E. platyphyllum),托叶楼梯草(E. nasutum),短叶赤车(P. brevifolia)和华南赤车(P. grijsii)。列出了各个物种的标本引证和地理分布情况。     

越南苦苣苔科植物四新记录种

报道了4个苦苣苔科(Gesneriaceae)植物在越南的分布新记录,其中1种为半蒴苣苔属(Hemiboea)的红苞半蒴苣苔(H.rubribracteata),2种为报春苣苔属(Primulina Hance)的文采报春苣苔(P.wentsaii)和疏花报春苣苔(P.laxi flora),还有1种为吊石苣苔属(Lysionotus)的桂黔吊石苣苔(L.aesch ynanthoides)。文中列出了每个种的标本引证和地理分布情况。     

Identification of metabolites of fluorine-18-labeled M2 muscarinic receptor agonist, 3-(3-[(3-fluoropropyl)thio]-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-1-methylpyridine, produced by human and rat hepatocytes

An accurate, rapid method for the determination of unmetabolized 3-(3-[(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)thio]-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1.2,5,6-tetrahydro-1-methylpyridine (FP-TZTP), a selective M2 muscarinic agonist, is necessary in order to obtain quantitative information from positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Using LC-MS-MS to analyze products from cultured human and rat hepatocytes, we identified metabolites resulting from oxidation of the nitrogen in the tetrahydropyridine ring, sulfur-oxidation, demethylation of the tertiary amine, and oxidation of the tetrahydropyridine ring. From the knowledge of the structure of the metabolites, we have developed a two-step extraction sequence that allows rapid determination of the parent fraction in plasma without time-consuming chromatographic analysis.     

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identification of metabolites of three phenylcarboxyl derivatives of the 5-HT(1A) antagonist,N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl)ethyl)-N-(2-pyridyl) trans-4-fluorocyclohexanecarboxamide (FCWAY), produced by human and rat hepatocytes

We have previously described fluorine-18 radiolabeled FCWAY [N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl)ethyl)-N-(2-pyridyl) trans-4-fluorocyclohexanecarboxamide] as a high affinity ligand for imaging the 5-HT(1A) receptor in vivo. In a search for radiopharmaceuticals with unique imaging applications using positron emission tomography (PET), we have also developed three new phenylcarboxamide analogues of FCWAY. Two of these analogues were generated by replacing the fluorocyclohexane carboxylic acid with fluorobenzoic acid (FBWAY) or with 3-methyl-4-fluorobenzoic acid (MeFBWAY). The final analogue was generated by replacing the pyridyl group with a pyrimidyl group and the fluorocyclohexane carboxylate with fluorobenzoic acid (FPWAY). We evaluated the metabolic profile of these compounds using either human or rat hepatocytes to produce metabolites and LC-MS/MS to identify these metabolites. We also compared the metabolic rate of these compounds in human or rat hepatocytes. These in vitro metabolism studies indicate that hydrolysis of the amide linkage was the major metabolic pathway for FPWAY and FBWAY in human hepatocytes, whereas aromatic oxidation is the major metabolic pathway for MeFBWAY. The comparative metabolic rate in human hepatocytes was FPWAY>FBWAY>MeFBWAY. In rat hepatocytes, aromatic oxidation was the major metabolic pathway for all three analogs and the rate of this process was similar for all of the analogues. These in vitro metabolic studies demonstrated species differences prior to the acquisition and interpretation of in vivo results.     

A novel lepidopteran sex pheromone produced by females of a Lithosiinae species, Lyclene dharma dharma, in the family of Arctiidae

Female moths of Lyclene dharma dharma (Arctiidae, Lithosiinae) produced three pheromone components (I-III), which strongly stimulated male antennae. Using GC-MS analysis and chemical derivatizations, the following structures were estimated: 6-methyl-2-octadecanone (I), 14-methyl-2-octadecanone (II), and 6,14-dimethyl-2-octadecanone (III). While the stereochemistry of the chiral centers could not be determined because it was difficult to collect a sufficient amount of the natural pheromone, the plain structures of I and II were confirmed by synthesis of the racemic mixtures starting from diols. These methyl-branched ketones have not been identified as a natural product, indicating that they constitute a new chemical group of lepidopteran female sex pheromones.     

Human down syndrome cell adhesion molecules (DSCAMs) are functionally conserved with Drosophila Dscam[TM1] isoforms in controlling neurodevelopment

Drosophila Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) potentially produces more than 150,000 cell adhesion molecules that share two alternative transmembrane/juxtamembrane (TM) domains, which dictate the dendrite versus axon subcellular distribution and function of different Dscam isoforms. Vertebrate genomes contain two closely related genes, DSCAM and DSCAM-Like1 (DSCAML1), which do not have extensive alternative splicing. We investigated the functional conservation between invertebrate Dscams and vertebrate DSCAMs by cross-species rescue assays and found that human DSCAM and DSCAML1 partially, but substantially, rescued the larval lethality of Drosophila Dscam mutants. Interestingly, both human DSCAM and DSCAML1 were targeted to the dendrites in Drosophila neurons, had synergistic rescue effects with Drosophila Dscam[TM2], and preferentially rescued the dendrite defects of Drosophila Dscam mutant neurons. Therefore, human DSCAM and DSCAML1 are functionally conserved with Drosophila Dscam[TM1] isoforms.