Study on calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles using fluorescence probes

Fluorescence changes of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonic acid and 3,3'-dipropyl-2,2'-thiadicarbocyanine during Ca transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles were studied. The fluorescence of both probes is enhanced corresponding to the rapid initial Ca uptake. The enhancement could be interpreted in terms of increased binding of the former (anionic) dye and decreased binding of the latter (cationic) dye to the vesicles, suggesting a change in the surface charge of the membranes associated with Ca transport. Under limited conditions where Na, K, and Mg were not added exogenously, Ca could be transported without concomitant counter-transport of these cations.

Chronic brainstem encephalitis with mental symptoms and ataxia: report of three cases with necropsy

Three necropsied cases of chronic, sporadic brainstem encephalitis of unknown aetiology are presented. Since their outstanding symptoms were dementia and ataxia of a progressive nature, a noninflammatory disease of the central nervous system was suspected. Neuropathological studies showed chronic inflammatory changes mainly in the brainstem without the presence of inclusion bodies or viral particles. Compared to cases previously reported as brainstem encephalitis, the clinical and pathological findings observed in these cases have rather peculiar characteristics.

Bacterial oxidation of polyethylene glycol

The metabolism of polyethylene glycol (PEG) was investigated with a synergistic, mixed culture of Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas species, which are individually unable to utilize PEGs. The PEG dehydrogenase linked with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol was found in the particulate fraction of sonic extracts and catalyzed the formation of a 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine-positive compound, possibly an an aldehyde. The enzyme has a wide substrate specificity towards PEGs: from diethylene glycol to PEG 20,000 Km values for tetraethylene glycol (TEG), PEG 400, and PEG 6,000 were 11, 1.7, and 15 mM, respectively. The metabolic products formed from TEG by intact cells were isolated and identified by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as triethylene glycol and TEG-monocarboxylic acid plus small amounts of TEG-dicarboxylic acid, diethylene glycol, and ethylene glycol. From these enzymatic and analytical data, the following metabolic pathway was proposed for PEG: HO(CH2CH2O)nCH2CH2OH leads to HO(CH2CH2O)nCH2CHO leads to HO(CH2CH2O)nCH2COOH leads to HO(CH2CH2O)n-1CH2CH2OH.

Isometric contraction and relaxation times of right and left ventricles in normal subjects and in patients with right ventricular overloading measured with bidirectional echocardiography

With the use of bidirectional echocardiography, the isometric contraction (ICT) and relaxation times (IRT) of both ventricles were measured in 14 normal subjects (N), 6 cases with right ventricular (RV) diastolic overloading (DO), and 5 cases with RV systolic overloading (SO). The RVDO group consisted of patients with atrial septal defect of ostium secundum type who had large left-to-right shunting, and the RVSO group those with pulmonary hypertension of various origins. The mean ICT and IRT in N were 28.5 +/- 4.8 and 43.8 +/- 1.7 msec for RV, and 43.3 +/- 5.6 and 60.9 +/- 9.0 msec for left ventricle (LV), respectively. The RVDO group showed no significant change in the mean ICT and IRT of RV (29.7 +/- 4.6 and 54.3 +/- 11.8 msec, respectively), but significantly greater means of ICT and IRT of LV (58.5 +/- 9.5 and 83.6 +/- 14.1 msec, respectively. In the RVSO group, the mean ICT and IRT were 51.0 +/- 4.1 and 86.8 +/- 8.2 msec for RV, and 72.4 +/- 12.2 and 116.0 +/- 20.4 msec for LV, respectively. These values were all significantly greater than the means for both N and RVDO groups, except that the mean ICT of LV was insignificantly different between the RVDO and RVSO groups. It was noted that the intervals of LV tended to increase with the increasing intervals of RV, suggesting the changes in LV function secondarily due to RV overloading. It was concluded that the measurement of ICT and IRT of both ventricles is of clinical value for evaluation of overall cardiac function in the patients with RV overloading.

On the reaction of cyanide with an oxygenated form of cytochrome oxidase

The reaction of an oxygenated form of cytochrome oxidase [EC 1.9.3.1] with cyanide was examined under conditions where spontaneous decay was prevented. The equilibrium and kinetic constants for the reaction agreed well with those for the normally operating enzyme, indicating that the oxygenated form is one of the active intermediates of the cytochrome oxidase reaction.

The metabolism of phenylacetic acid by Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC 28282: identification of 2,6-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid

Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC 28282 converted phenylacetic acid into a new dihydroxylated compound (2,6-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) which was identified as 2,6-dimethoxyphenylacetic acid methyl ester. Two other new metabolites have been isolated also and identified as orthohydroxyphenylacetic acid and meta-hydroxyphenylacetic acid.

Fundamental study of automatic cytoscreening for uterine cancer. IV. Sample requirements for CYBEST and simulation test of cell dispersion

The preparation of samples with good cell dispersion and without cell overlapping is a particularly important problem, whether for image processing systems or for flow systems. Simulation tests were carried out to estimate a cell density with good cell dispersion and a minimum number of overlapping cells. A little less than 50 cells per mm2 was disclosed to show a condition of sufficient cell dispersion. By microscopical observation and counting of the malignant cells using ten cases of uterine cervical carcinoma, it was found that in most instances over 50 malignant cells were contained in 20,000 to 40,000 cells on the smears. When the cell density is approximately 50 per mm2, the scanning area of the CYBEST of 40 X 20 mm may contain up to 40,000 cells. The probability that such a number of cells contains malignant cells is extremely high, in fact, nearly 100 per cent. By field tests, it was experimentally confirmed that these cell densities are very adequate for the function of the CYBEST.

Fundamental study of automatic cytoscreening for uterine cancer. V. Data analysis for imporvement of CYBEST

The particles selected by CYBEST as "abnormal cells" at the stage of coarse scanning were examined by direct microscopy to determine whether they were actural cells or not. Approximately 20 to 30 per cent of these were cell clusters and/or clumped leukocytes and red cell or specks of dust. Such incidents interfered considerably with a precise cytologic assessment. To eliminate this problem by means of a software algorithm, experiments were carried out setting thresholds for cell feature values. When the values obtained by machine measurement exceeded the theshold values the particles concerned were automatically disregarded, as interfering indidents, at the state of the coarse scanning. The approach was found to have substantial value in the operation of CYBEST as a pescreening device.

Electron microscopic studies on the cerebral lesions of rats in experimental chronic disulfiram poisoning

Following chronic administration of disulfiram to rats, changes of the brain were examined electron-microscopically. Pathological findings were observed in the nerve cells of the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus at later stage and synaptic changes in the hypothalamus from initial stage. On the other hand, changes of myelinated fibers, neuroglias and capillaries were very slight. It was considered that neurons were affected more predominantly than other neuronal elements by the cytotoxic action of the drug, and that the synaptic changes of the hypothalamus might reveal chronic disturbance of noradrenergic transmission by inhibition of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. These ultrastructural findings might relate to the pathogenic mechanism of the disulfiram psychosis.

Mass spectrometry of Alternaria mali toxins and related cyclodepsipeptides

The structures of AM-toxins I, II and III, host specific phytotoxic metabolites of Alternaria mali, can be readily deduced from low and high resolution mass spectral data, since the amino acids and their sequences are demonstrated by this technique. Additionally, the general fragmentation of these compounds by electron impact is discussed by comparing the spectra of analogous synthetic compounds.

Postoperative scars and cleavage lines

We elucidated the pattern of skin cleavage lines of the neck of Japanese cadavers and studied the scarring in 42 cases of radical neck dissection for the removal of metastatic nodules from the malignant tumors of the oral region, in the operation of which one incision was made parallel to, and another perpendicular to, the cleavage lines. From this study we came to the following conclusions: 1) The cleavage lines run parallel in ring-form around the neck, with the exception of the back and the lowermost part of the base of the neck. Seen from the side, the lines run horizontally across the neck. 2) Raised and widened scars were few at the site of the incision parallel to the cleavage lines but there were seen often at the site of the perpendicular incision. 3) There were no raised postoperative scars in the patients who had received radiotherapy prior to the time of observation.