Amino acid analysis with o-phthalaldehyde detection: effects of reaction temperature and thiol on fluorescence yields.

Chromatographic separation of amino acids with fluorometric detection of the o-phthalaldehyde-thiol reaction product offers an analytical system of high sensitivity for most amino acids. The fluorescence yield for amino acids having a fully substituted carbon atom in the α-position with respect to the amino group can be substantially improved by increasing the temperature of the reaction with o-phthalaldehyde-thiol and by substituting either ethanethiol or methanethiol for the more commonly used β-mercaptoethanol. The analytical sensitivity for these α-branched amino acids is thus brought into line with that for the other primary amino acids. A comparison of chromatograms obtained at reaction temperatures of 25 and 100°C allows recognition of amino acids of this type in complex mixtures by the substantial increase in fluorescence yield at 100°C.     

磁场对急性胃损伤的治疗效应及其机制的实验研究

目的：探讨腹部恒磁场作用,对大鼠急性胃损伤模型的治疗效应及其作用机制.方法：10只健康SD大鼠,以indomethacin胃灌注法复制急性胃损伤模型,以表面磁强度为1300-1600GS,钡铁氧体恒磁场作用大鼠腹部3小时,观察胃损伤指数及病理损伤积分,同时对血浆中内皮素（endothelin,ET）、一氧化氮（nitric oxide,NO）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）及超氧化物岐化酶（SOD）水平进行比较.结果：恒磁场腹部作用后,大鼠胃损伤指数及病理损伤积分较对照组均显著减轻（p均〈0.05）;血浆ET-1和NO水平却无无明显改变（p均〉0.05）,血GSH-Px和SOD含量较对照组均明显升高（p均〈0.05）.结论：腹部1300-1600GS恒磁场作用3小时,对大鼠急性胃损伤具有明显的治疗效应,磁场的这一效应可能与其增加血浆中清除氧自由基的GSH-Px和SOD活性有关.     

Formation and function of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine in mammalian cells

Phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are metabolically related membrane aminophospholipids. In mammalian cells, PS is required for targeting and function of several intracellular signaling proteins. Moreover, PS is asymmetrically distributed in the plasma membrane. Although PS is highly enriched in the cytoplasmic leaflet of plasma membranes, PS exposure on the cell surface initiates blood clotting and removal of apoptotic cells. PS is synthesized in mammalian cells by two distinct PS synthases that exchange serine for choline or ethanolamine in phosphatidylcholine (PC) or PE, respectively. Targeted disruption of each PS synthase individually in mice demonstrated that neither enzyme is required for viability whereas elimination of both synthases was embryonic lethal. Thus, mammalian cells require a threshold amount of PS. PE is synthesized in mammalian cells by four different pathways, the quantitatively most important of which are the CDP-ethanolamine pathway that produces PE in the ER, and PS decarboxylation that occurs in mitochondria. PS is made in ER membranes and is imported into mitochondria for decarboxylation to PE via a domain of the ER [mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM)] that transiently associates with mitochondria. Elimination of PS decarboxylase in mice caused mitochondrial defects and embryonic lethality. Global elimination of the CDP-ethanolamine pathway was also incompatible with mouse survival. Thus, PE made by each of these pathways has independent and necessary functions. In mammals PE is a substrate for methylation to PC in the liver, a substrate for anandamide synthesis, and supplies ethanolamine for glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors of cell-surface signaling proteins. Thus, PS and PE participate in many previously unanticipated facets of mammalian cell biology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phospholipids and Phospholipid Metabolism.     

心包剥离术对老年慢性缩窄性心包炎患者ANF与ET的影响

目的:探讨心包剥离术对老年慢性缩窄性心包炎心钠素(ANF)与内皮素(ET)变化的影响。方法:收集我院收治的慢性缩窄性心包炎患者66例,随机分为对照组和实验组,每组各33例,患者均给予相应治疗,对照组给予相应强心、扩血管药物,实验组患者行心包剥离术,治疗结束后,对所有患者的ANF、ET、血压以及临床治疗效果进行检测并比较。结果:与治疗前相比,治疗后两组患者ANF、ET、舒张压以及脉压水平均下降,收缩压水平升高(P0.05);与对照组相比,实验组患者ANF、ET、舒张压以及脉压水平较低,收缩压水平较高(P0.05);实验组患者治疗总有效率较高(P0.05)。结论:心包剥离术能够降低慢性缩窄性心包炎患者ANF、ET、舒张压以及脉压水平,升高收缩压水平,临床疗效较好,对临床有指导意义。     

菊藤胶囊对应激性高血压大鼠血压及血液ET、NO含量的影响

目的:探讨了菊藤胶囊对应激性高血压(SIH)大鼠血压影响的可能机制。方法:采用电击足底应激刺激的方法制备应激性高血压大鼠模型,观察每天应激刺激前灌服菊藤胶囊对应激大鼠血压的影响,检测血清一氧化氮(NO)、血浆内皮素(ET)水平。结果:模型组血压显著升高,模型组与其它各组血压比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01)。正常组、卡托组、菊高组之间进行比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);与模型组比较,菊藤胶囊高中剂量组、西药组可使SIH血清NO水平显著升高(P<0.01),高中剂量组、西药组可使血浆ET水平显著下降(P<0.01);正常组、西药组、中药高剂量组之间进行比较并无显著性差异。结论:SIH形成与血清NO水平下降、血浆ET水平升高有关,菊藤胶囊能有效降低血压,其降压机制可能与调整血清NO、血浆ET水平有关。     

Endothelin-1 binding to endothelin receptors in the rat anterior pituitary gland: possible formation of an ETA-ETB receptor heterodimer

1. Interaction in the recognition of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a typical bivalent ET receptor-ligand, between ET_A and ET_B receptors was investigated in the rat anterior pituitary gland, using our quantitative receptor autoradiographic method with tissue sections preserving the cell-membrane structure and ET receptor-related compounds.2. In saturation binding studies with increasing concentrations (0.77–200 pM) of ¹²⁵I-ET-1 (nonselective bivalent radioligand), ¹²⁵I-ET-1 binding to the rat anterior pituitary gland was saturable and single with a K _D of 71 pM and a B _max of 120 fmol mg^–1. When 1.0 M BQ-123 (ET_A antagonist) was added to the incubation buffer, binding parameters were 8.3 pM of K _D and 8.0 fmol mg^–1 of B _max, whereas 10 nM sarafotoxin S6c (ET_B agonist) exerted little change in these binding parameters (K _D, 72 pM; B _max, 110 fmol mg^–1).3. Competition binding studies with a fixed amount (3.8 pM) of ¹²⁵I-ET-1 revealed that when 1.0 M BQ-123 was present in the incubation buffer, ET_B receptor-related compounds such as sarafotoxin S6c, ET-3, IRL1620 (ET_B agonist), and BQ-788 (ET_B antagonist) competitively inhibited ¹²⁵I-ET-1 binding with K _is of 140, 18, 350 pM, and 14 nM, respectively, however, these compounds were not significant competitors for ¹²⁵I-ET-1 binding in the case of absence of BQ-123.4. In cold-ligand saturation studies with a fixed amount (390 pM) of ¹²⁵I-IRL 1620 (ET_B radioligand), IRL1620 bound to a single population of the ET_B receptor, and no change was observed in binding characteristics in the presence of 1.0 M BQ-123. ¹²⁵I-IRL1620 binding was competitively inhibited by ET-1 and ET-3 in the absence of BQ-123, with K _is of 20 and 29 pM, respectively, the affinities being much the same as those of 29 nM, in the presence of 1.0 M BQ-123.5. Two nonbivalent ET_A antagonists, BQ-123 and PD151242, were highly sensitive and full competitors for ¹²⁵I-ET-1 binding (5.0 pM), in the presence of 10 nM sarafotoxin S6c.6. Taken together with the present finding that mRNAs encoding the rat ET_A and the ET_B receptors are expressed in the anterior pituitary gland, we tentatively conclude that although there are ET_A and ET_B receptors with a functional binding capability for ET receptor-ligands, the ET_B receptor does not independently recognize ET-1 without the aid of the ET_A receptor. If this thesis is tenable, then ET-1 can bridge between the two receptors to form an ET_A–ET_B receptor heterodimer.     

Eyeing endothelins: A cellular perspective

Endothelin is an endogenous vasoactive peptide that is considered among the most potent vasoconstrictor substances known. In addition to its vascular effects, endothelins and their receptors have been shown to be present in the eye and to have a number of ocular actions that may be important for ocular homeostasis, but, in excess can be a potential contributor to ocular neuropathy in glaucoma. The current review focuses on the cellular and molecular aspects of endothelins and its receptors in the eye with an emphasis on its relationship to ocular function and its potential role in the etiology of glaucoma pathophysiology.     

科尔沁草甸生态系统水分利用效率及影响因素

生态系统水分利用效率(WUE)是衡量碳水循环耦合程度的重要指标。利用科尔沁温带草甸草地碳水通量观测数据,对该生态系统总初级生产力水分利用效率(WUEGPP)的日季变化规律及对环境和生理因子的响应进行分析。结果表明:(1)WUEGPP日变化呈下降-稳定-上升的变化趋势,最大值出现在日出后1—2 h,阴天条件下WUEGPP高于晴天,生长中期WUEGPP高于生长初期和末期;(2)总初级生产力、总蒸散和WUEGPP季节变化均呈夏季高、春秋低的形式,生长季平均值分别为0.57 mg m-2s-1、0.08 g m-2s-1和5.97 mg/g,最大值分别为1.49 mg m-2s-1、0.16 g m-2s1和13.62 mg/g;(3)总初级生产力与饱和差、气温和叶面积指数均呈二次曲线关系,与冠层导度呈对数曲线关系;总蒸散与气温呈二次曲线关系,与饱和差、叶面积指数和冠层导度相关性均不显著;(4)WUEGPP与饱和差、气温和叶面积指数均呈二次曲线关系,与冠层导度呈对数曲线关系,饱和差、冠层导度和叶面积指数分别为2.0 k Pa、0.0015 m/s和4.2是控制WUEGPP增加的阈值;(5)净生态系统生产力水分利用效率(WUENEP)和净初级生产力水分利用效率(WUENPP)季节变化规律与WUEGPP一致,均值分别为3.47和5.47 mg/g。     

IVF-ET周期取卵后血清E2的变化模式及对预测妊娠的意义

目的:通过检测IVF-ET患者取卵后血清雌激素水平的变化模式,探讨其在预测妊娠中的意义。方法:纳入因榆卵管因素或男性因素行IVF-ET的患者62例(75个周期)。对行IVF-ET的患者,在取卵后隔日监测血清雌二醇(E_2)水平,并比较其在妊娠组与未孕组的差异。结果:取卵后,血E_2水平在妊娠组与未孕组均迅速降低,在取卵后2,4,6,8 d,两组间无统计学差异。在妊娠周期,血E_2平均水平在取卵后10d降至最低,之后逐渐上升。妊娠组与未孕组之间E_2水平的差异从取卵后10d开始可以检测出(分别为816.4±537.6pg/ml和189.5±69.3pg/ml)(P<0.05)。在未孕周期,10d的E_2水平(189.5±69.3pg/ml)显著低于8d(989.2±581.5pg/ml)(P<0.05)。结论:在取卵后8d和10d连续测2次血E_2水平,有助于早期发现妊娠:妊娠患者的E_2水平在10d出现上升预示妊娠,而10d出现剧陡降时,往往预示妊娠失败。