The structure and evolution of the spider monkey delta-globin gene

We have isolated the delta-globin gene of the New-World spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi, and compared its nucleotide sequence with those of other primate delta- and beta-globin genes. Among primate delta-globin genes, the rate of nonsynonymous substitutions is much less than the rate of synonymous substitutions. This suggests that primate delta- globin genes may remain under evolutionary conservation, perhaps because hemoglobin A2 has an as yet unknown physiological importance.      

Using dynamic pupillometry as a simple screening tool to detect autonomic neuropathy in patients with diabetes: a pilot study

Background  

Autonomic neuropathy is a common and serious complication of diabetes. Early detection is essential to enable appropriate interventional therapy and management. Dynamic pupillometry has been proposed as a simpler and more sensitive tool to detect subclinical autonomic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate pupil responsiveness in diabetic subjects with and without cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) using dynamic pupillometry in two sets of experiments.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: preliminary investigation of NADH-positive and somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons in the myenteric plexus of the mouse colon during the infection

In this paper, the distribution of NADH-positive and somatostatin (SOM) immunoreactive neurons in the myenteric plexus of the colon of mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi was studied. Ten young, male, BALB/c mice were inoculated with the Y strain of T. cruzi, 60 days previously (chronic phase of the infection). Another 10 mice were uninfected controls. Distal and proximal colonic neurons from five chronically infected mice and their controls were stained using the NADH-diaphorase method. Quantitative results showed a significant decrease of 39% in the number of neurons in the proximal colon of infected mice and 58% in the distal colon (p<0.05). SOM was localized in five animals from each group by light microscopy, using an indirect immunofluorescence technique. It was observed that there were far fewer nerve cells and fibres and less intensely stained neuron bodies and varicose SOM-positive nerve fibres in both, control and chronic infected mice. These findings could be related to the disturbances in intestinal motility observed in patients in the chronic phase of Chagas' disease.     

一种新的肝细胞生成素（HPO）转录本及其生物学活性

利用 5′RACE技术从人胎肝组织中分离一种新形式的肝细胞生成素 (HPO 2 0 5 )cDNA ,其编码蛋白质氨基酸序列的N端较已报道的人肝细胞生成素HPO(hepatopoietin)多 80个氨基酸 ,推测其蛋白质分子量为 2 3kD。RT PCR检测HPOmRNA在多种肝癌细胞中表达 ,Western印迹可检测到 2 3kDHPO 2 0 5表达 ,表明此种形式HPO在自然状态下存在。将构建的HPO 2 0 5真核表达载体转染入COS 7细胞 ,其表达蛋白质能够刺激HepG2肝癌细胞DNA合成 ;将HPO 2 0 5、HPO和荷空表达载体分别转染入低水平表达HPO的Bel 740 2肝癌细胞株 ,发现HPO 2 0 5比HPO具有较强的激活MAPK磷酸化的活性。细胞周期分析稳定转染HPO 2 0 5 ,HPO细胞的增殖周期也支持这一结论。这些结果表明HPO 2 0 5具有刺激肝源性细胞增殖的活性 ,并提示HPO 2 0 5可能较HPO有更强的生物学活性     

含锰固氮酶组分Ⅰ蛋白的纯化和特性

棕色固氮菌（Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种UW3能在无Mo的无氨培养基中固氮生长,低浓度的Mn对UW3突变种生长有促进作用,从在Mn中生长的UW3菌体中分离得到的部分纯固氮酶组分Ⅰ蛋白含量有Mn和Fe原子（Fe/Mo/Mn为10．41：0．19：1．00）并有OP MoFe蛋白一半的还原乙炔和质子的活性。这种蛋白的吸收光谱和圆二色谱与MoFe蛋白存在明显的差异,含Mn蛋白的亚基分子量都与MoFe蛋白的α亚基相近。初步结果表明,这种含Mn蛋白可胡是一种固氮酶组分Ⅰ蛋白。     

固氮酶铬铁蛋白的晶体生长

在合适的结晶条件下 ,从含Cr无氨培养基中生长的固氮菌 (AzotobactervinelandiiLipmann)突变种UW3 中纯化出的CrFe蛋白可从溶液中析出深棕色斜四棱柱晶体 ,晶体最大的两条对角线长度分别可达 0 .2 5mm和 0 .12mm。PEG 80 0 0、MgCl2 、NaCl、Tris和Hepes缓冲液的浓度及结晶方法等对该蛋白的出晶率、晶核数目、晶体大小和质量都有明显影响。CrFe蛋白结晶所需的上述化合物的最适浓度与在Mn中生长的固氮菌突变种UW3 的MnFe蛋白和缺失nifZ固氮菌突变种的ΔnifZMoFe蛋白结晶所需的最适浓度有所不同。结果表明 ,该蛋白晶体可能为CrFe蛋白的晶体     

Role of hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α as a potential biomarker for renal diseases—A systematic review

Renal cells need oxygen for homeostasis; it is known for adjusting cellular functioning and the energy obtainment have a broad relationship with cellular respiration, through the O₂ bioavailability. O₂ homeostasis regulation in the kidney is mediated by hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs). HIF is divided into three α isoforms, represented by HIF‐1α, HIF‐2α, and HIF‐3α in addition to three paralogs of HIF‐1β; these are involved in some metabolic processes, as well as in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Renal biopsy analyses of patients and experimental animal models aim to understand the relationship between HIF and protection against developing renal diseases or the induction of their onset, being thus this molecule can be considered a potential biomarker of renal disease. We carried out a systematic review to which we included studies on HIF‐1α and renal disease in the last 5 years (2013‐2018) in researches with humans and/or animal model through searches in three databases: LILACS, PubMed, and SciELO by two researchers. We obtained 22 articles that discussed the relationship with HIF as inductor or protector against renal disease and no relation between HIF and renal. We observed controversies remain regarding the relation between of HIF with renal diseases; this may be related to the different intracellular pathways mediated by HIF‐1α, thereby determining differentiated cellular responses.     

The In Vitro and In Vivo Inhibitory Effects of Some Sulfonamide Derivatives on Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Erythrocyte Carbonic Anhydrase Activity

The in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects of 5-(3α, 12α-dihydroxy-5-β-cholanamido)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-sulfonamide (1), 5-(3α, 7α, 12α-trihydroxy-5-β-cholanamido)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-sulfonamide (2), 5-(3α, 7α, 12α-triacetoxy-5-β-cholanamido)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-sulfonamide (3) and acetazolamide on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (RT) erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase (CA) were investigated. The RT erythrocyte CA was obtained by affinity chromatography with a yield of 20.9%, a specific activity of 422.5?EU/mg protein and a purification of 222.4-fold. The purity of the enzyme was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Inhibitory effects of the sulfonamides and acetazolamide on the RT erythrocyte CA were determined using the CO₂-Hydratase method in vitro and in vivo studies. From in vitro studies, it was found that all the compounds inhibited CA. The obtained I₅₀ value for the sulfonamides (1), (2) and (3) and acetazolamide were 0.83, 0.049, 0.82 and 0.052?μM, respectively. From in vivo studies, it was observed that CA was inhibited by the sulfonamides (1), (2) and (3) and acetazolamide.