Occurrence of conjugated cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid in bovine milk: effects of feed and dietary regimen

Twenty-eight lactating cows were used to study the effects of different diets and different dietary regimens on the variation of cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid in milk. Cows were divided into three groups and assigned to dietary treatments differing in the ratio of forage to concentrate. The control group was fed a diet with an average ratio of forage to concentrate of 50:50. The two trial groups were fed a trial diet either in restricted or nonrestricted amounts. Variation of cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid in milk was substantial (2.5 to 17.7 mg/g of fat). Cows fed restricted amounts of the trial diet, which contained a lower forage to concentrate ratio than did the control diet, exhibited, on average, the highest concentration (11.28 mg/g of fat). For cows fed for ad libitum consumption, the trial diet did not differ significantly from the control diet (6.6 vs. 5.0 mg/g of fat). The concentration of cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid and trans-11-C18:1 was positively correlated. Therefore, conjugated linoleic acid in bovine milk, if considered to be beneficial, could be increased through a suitable dietary regimen.

Low frequency electron paramagnetic resonance investigation on metabolism of chromium (VI) by whole live mice

Detection of Cr(V) in the reduction of Cr(VI) by whole live mice and its characterization were carried out by low frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Intravenous injection of Cr(VI) to mice generated Cr(V). The Cr(V) was found predominantly in the liver with a small amount in the blood. Liver homogenates from Cr(VI) treated mice generated essentially the same Cr(V) spectrum as that obtained from the whole live mice. This Cr(V) species was identified to be a Cr(V)-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) (P)H complex with an oxygen bond to Cr(V). Pretreatment of the mice with ascorbic acid and glutathione reduced the Cr(V) formation, while pretreatment with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) enhanced it. Metal chelators, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 1,10-phenanthroline, and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) inhibited the intensity of the Cr(V) signal. The results suggest that Cr(V) generated in the whole body of a live animal is a Cr(V)-NAD(P)H complex and NAD(P)H/flavoenzymes and not glutathione or ascorbate as the major one-electron Cr(VI) reductant responsible for observed formation of Cr(V)-NAD(P)H complex in vivo.

Measurement of PO2 in liver using EPR oximetry

With the use of India ink and lithium phthalocyanine (LiPc) as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry probes, the PO2 of the liver was investigated in mice. Because India ink was taken up by the Kupffer cells of the liver, the EPR signal of the India ink reflected the average PO2 in phagocytic vesicles of these cells. The mean value of PO2 in the Kupffer cells measured by India ink was 15.3 +/- 4.4 Torr in unanesthetized animals. LiPc was administered as a macroscopic crystal and therefore reflected the PO2 of the overall liver. The PO2 measured by LiPc was 23.4 +/- 4.4 Torr, which is consistent with the median value of 23.5 Torr reported previously with the use of an oxygen electrode. Anesthesia (injection of 60 mg/kg ip pentobarbital sodium) decreased the average PO2 in both Kupffer cells and the overall liver. The effects of perturbing the blood flow were studied by reversible blockage of the portal vein and hepatic artery in anesthetized mice; the PO2 in both Kupffer cells (measured with India ink) and in overall liver (measured with LiPc) decreased with obstruction of the blood flow and returned toward normal with reperfusion. These results indicate that the PO2 in different locations in the liver can be significantly different under both normal conditions and after perturbation by either anesthesia or ischemia. These results also demonstrate that EPR oximetry can provide sensitive measurements of PO2 in the liver in vivo under various conditions.

Liver injury model in mice induced by a cellular immunologic mechanism--delayed-type hypersensitivity-induced liver injury to picryl chloride and phenotype of effector cell

Liver injury was induced in BALB/c mice by local delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to picryl chloride (PC1). Distinct changes of biochemical parameters were observed including the elevation of serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, increase of liver lipid peroxides, as well as decrease of serum alkaline phosphatase. Damage was confirmed by histopathological findings such as hepatocellular necrosis, granulocyte infiltration, and fatty degeneration. The liver injury was passively transferred into naive syngeneic mice by infusing spleen cells from immune mice. The capacity of the splenocytes to induce liver injury in recipient mice was almost completely abolished by pretreatment of the cells with anti-Thy 1.2 or anti-CD4, but not anti-CD8 antibody. These findings suggest that the production of liver injury by a local DTH mechanism is possible and the subpopulation of T cells, Thy-1.2+, L3T4+, and Lyt-2- cells, is at least one of the effector cells that mediate the injury.

Use of nitroxides for assessing perfusion, oxygenation, and viability of tissues: in vivo EPR and MRI studies

Relative perfusion, pO2, and bioreduction were measured simultaneously in vivo in tissues in mice by following changes in the intensity and shape of the EPR spectra of nitroxides injected directly into the tissues, using low frequency (1.1 GHz) localized EPR spectroscopy. Using normal and blood flow restricted gastrocnemius muscles it was shown that the decrease of the EPR signals of the nitroxides in tissues was due principally to perfusion, which redistributed the nitroxides. Changes in pO2 were reflected by changes of the linewidth; only a perdeuterated nitroxide with a narrow line was an adequate indicator for this parameter. This technique was applied experimental murine tumors (MTG-B and RIF-1) to determine the perfusion and pO2 in these relatively hypoxic model tumor systems. Using the paramagnetic properties of the nitroxides to enhance T1-weighted MR images, heterogeneity in perfusion in individual tumors was demonstrated

Alpha-interferon for chronic active hepatitis B in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

OBJECTIVES

A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of alpha-interferon treatment in chronic active hepatitis B in anti-HIV-positive patients.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients with chronic active hepatitis (23 men and 2 women, mean age: 33 years) were included in the study. Viral infections were acquired by intravenous drug addiction in 2, homosexual relations in 22, and multiple heterosexual contacts in one. The mean CD4 cell count was 480 +/- 234/mL, 7 patients had p24 antigenemia, but none belonged to class C of the CDC classification. All patients were serum HBs Ag and HBV DNA-positive, and delta antigen and antibody negative. Patients received a 6-month course of alpha-interferon 2a, 6 MU subcutaneously three times per week. The mean follow-up after treatment was 15 months. Eighteen patients with serum anti-HIV antibodies, HBsAg and HBV DNA-positive, and chronic active hepatitis, who were not treated with interferon, were included as controls (mean follow-up: 29 months).

RESULTS

Nine of the 25 patients (36%) lost serum HBV DNA (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 months after the beginning of treatment in 1, 4, 1, 2 and 1 cases, respectively), and were considered responders. Only one of the responders developed serum anti-HBe during follow-up, despite the disappearance of HBe Ag in 2 and of HBs Ag in one. Loss of HBV DNA was not clearly associated with the immune status, since 3 of the 9 responders had p24 antigenemia and the 9 responders had a lower mean CD4 count (283 +/- 246/mm3) than non responders (454 +/- 437/mm3, NS). Three of the 18 patients (16.7%) in the control group had spontaneous loss of serum HBV DNA during follow-up. Thus, there was a 2.15-fold increase in HBV DNA loss in the anti-HIV-positive patients who received alpha-interferon, compared to those who did not.

CONCLUSION

In HIV-positive patients treated with alpha-interferon, the rate of HBV DNA loss was not clearly different from that reported in immunocompetent patients. As severe HBV-related liver disease has previously been described in anti-HIV positive patients, at least in drug users, these results suggest that this treatment may be proposed whatever the immune status, at least in the absence of AIDS.

[Concentrations and size distributions of aerosols in middle summer of Chengdu]

Statistical concentrations and size distributions of aerosols in middle summer of Chengdu city were measured by using optical scattering method. The influence of climate and its daily change affects on the concentration and distribution were analysed. The results showed: many of the distributions agreed with the Junge distribution; the peak concentration appeared near the noon; the relative humidity had strong influence on concentration; the clean-up effect of rain fall was evident. The measured results are useful for evaluating the environmental sanitation of the city.

Use of EPR oximetry with India ink to measure the pO2 in the liver in vivo in mice

The partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) of the liver in vivo in unanesthetized mice was determined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry with India ink. The EPR spectra were obtained using a low-frequency (1.2 GHz) EPR spectrometer with a loop gap cavity resonator. The line width of the India ink used in this experiment was reversibly broadened by oxygen and was particularly sensitive to pO2 below 30 torr. After the administration of India ink into the tail vein, the India ink particles were taken up mainly by Kupffer cells in the liver and in part by phagocytes in the spleen. The pO2 measured in the normal liver was about 14 torr and was constant for the 2-week experimental period. The pO2 decreased when measured at 1, 2, and 6 days after treatment with hepatotoxin (carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)); within 2 weeks, it returned almost to the initial level. Measurements by EPR at sacrifice of controls and CCl4-treated mice indicated that more than 90% of the India ink went to the liver; the spleen contained 4.7% of total amount in control mice and 8.8% in CCl4-treated mice when measured 2 weeks after the treatment. These data indicate the usefulness of India ink for measuring the pO2 of the liver in vivo and that the pO2 in the Kupffer cells is decreased when the liver is damaged by CCl4.

The melanotropic peptide, [Nle4,D-Phe7] alpha-MSH, stimulates human melanoma tyrosinase activity and inhibits cell proliferation

Seventeen human melanoma cell (HMC) lines, both melanotic and amelanotic, were incubated in the continuous presence of a potent melanotropic peptide hormone analog, [Nle4,D-Phe7] alpha-MSH, for 72 hr with daily changes of medium. Only one cell line (HD, melanotic) consistently responded to the hormone analog by increased tyrosinase activity. Three (one melanotic, two amelanotic) of the HMC lines also failed to respond to the peptide by either increased or decreased enzyme activity when incubated continuously in the presence of the peptide for longer periods of time (6,15,27,43 days). The HD cell line, however, again responded with increasingly enhanced basal enzyme activity the longer the cells were incubated in the presence of the melanotropin. One amelanotic cell line (C8161) responded with enhanced enzyme activity when grown to confluency in the continuous presence of the peptide. Basal tyrosinase activity of the C8161 cell line may have increased as cell density in the flasks increased. These results suggest that under conditions of increased cell number, phenotypic expression of tyrosinase activity in so called "amelanotic" (tyrosinase-negative) cells is increased and can be enhanced further by stimulation with a melanotropic peptide. Under conditions of increased cell number, the presence of [Nle4,D-Phe7] alpha-MSH caused morphological differentiation (shape change); the cells became enlarged and very dendritic. The number of cells in monolayer (surface of the flask) and in the medium were drastically reduced in both melanotic and "amelanotic" cell lines incubated with [Nle4,D-Phe7] alpha-MSH. The data support other published reports that melanotropic peptides inhibit human melanoma cell growth (proliferation) in vitro, most likely through a cytostatic mechanism. [Nle4,D-Phe7] alpha-MSH also exhibited a prolonged (residual) inhibitory action on HD cell proliferation. In other words, inhibition of cell growth (proliferation) of the HMCs was evident even several days after removal of the melanotropic peptide from the incubation medium.

[Comparative study on pharmacological effects of various species of Pueraria]

Through comparative studies on the acute toxicity of four species of Pueraria, it was found that the toxicity of P. peduncularis was the highest, followed by P. lobata and P. omeiensis, and that of P. thomsonii was the lowest. The inhibitory effects of P. lobata, P. omeiensis and puerarin on the fever induced by 2,4-dinitrophenol in rats were very fast and significant, maintaining for about 8 hours, while the effect of P. thomsonii is relatively weak. As for influence upon the degrees of myocardiac ischemia induced by pituitrin, P. omeiensis appeared to be the most potent, and P. thomsonii the least one, while P. lobata and puerarin were intermediate between the above two. Summarily, the antipyretic and anti-myocardiac ischemia effects of P. lobata and P. omeiensis are stronger than those of P. thomsonii, and puerarin is one of their effective components.

Nonsusceptibility of the Honey Bee, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), to Steinernematid and Heterorhabditid Nematodes

We exposed honey bee workers and brood to four entomopathogenic nematode species under conditions normally encountered in the hive by spraying nematodes onto combs. Mortality of adult bees exposed to any of the nematode species was less than 10%, and there was no evidence of nematode infection when dead adults were dissected. To assess the impact of nematodes on brood, we used smaller-size honey combs placed in the second story (super) of a hive and large brood combs placed in the main section of the hive. Our results were inconsistent between these two experimental designs. The smaller honey combs sprayed with Steinernema carpocapsae contained the largest number of uncapped ceils, those sprayed with Heterorhabditis baeteriophora or S. riobravis contained an intermediate number of uncapped cells, and control combs and those sprayed with S. glaseri contained the fewest nmnber of uncapped cells. Large combs sprayed with S. riobravis contained more uncapped ceils than controls or those sprayed with S. carpocapsae, although the differences were not significant. Our results do not support the hypothesis that high-temperature-tolerant species of nematodes are necessarily more infective to honey bees.

Assessment of cerebral pO2 by EPR oximetry in rodents: effects of anesthesia, ischemia, and breathing gas

This report describes experiments designed to assess and illustrate the effectiveness of a new method for the measurement of cerebral interstitial pO2 in conscious rodents. It is based on the use of low frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy with lithium phthalocyanine as the oxygen sensitive probe. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to document placement of the probe in the brain, and to assess potential cerebral changes associated with the placement. The technique provided accurate and reproducible measurements of localized pO2 in the brains of conscious rodents under a variety of physiological conditions and for time periods of at least 2 weeks. Using this approach we quantitated the depressing effects on cerebral pO2 of three representative anesthetics, isoflurane, ketamine/xylazine, and sodium pentobarbital. The effects of changing the content of oxygen in the breathing gas was investigated and found to change the cerebral pO2. In experiments with gerbils, crystals of lithium phthalocyanine were implanted in each side of the brain and using a one-dimensional magnetic field gradient, simultaneous measurement of pO2 values from normal and ischemic (ischemia induced by unilateral ligation of a carotid artery) hemispheres of the brain were obtained. These results demonstrate that EPR oximetry with lithium phthalocyanine is a versatile and useful method in the measurement of cerebral pO2 under various physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

Mild hyperthermia can induce adaptation to cytogenetic damage caused by subsequent X irradiation

Many low-level environmental agents are able to induce an increased resistance to subsequent mutagenic effects induced by ionizing radiation. In this paper, an induced cytogenetic adaptation to radiation in human lymphocytes was studied with mild hyperthermia as the adaptive treatment and compared with that induced by low-dose radiation. We found that this adaptation could be induced not only in PHA-stimulated human lymphocytes (at 14, 38 and 42 h after addition of PHA), but also in unstimulated G0-phase cells (before addition of PHA) by mild hyperthermia (41 degrees C for 1 h) as well as 50 mGy X rays. When the two adaptive treatments were combined, no additive effects on the magnitude of the adaptation induced were observed, suggesting that low-dose radiation and hyperthermia may share one mechanism of induction of adaptation to cytogenetic damage. Some mechanisms which may be involved in the induction of adaptation to cytogenetic damage by low-dose radiation are discussed and compared with the effects of mild hyperthermia in inducing thermotolerance and radioresistance.

Regions of the JAK2 tyrosine kinase required for coupling to the growth hormone receptor

Growth hormone (GH) treatment of cells promotes activation of JAK2, a GH receptor (GHR)-associated tyrosine kinase. We now explore JAK2 regions required for GHR-induced signaling. Wild-type (WT) JAK2 and JAK2 molecules with deletions of the amino terminus (JAK2ATD), carboxyl terminus (JAK2CTD), or kinase-like domain (JAK2PKD) were each transiently coexpressed in COS-7 cells with the rabbit GHR. The following responses were assayed: GH-induced transactivation of a luciferase reporter governed by a c-fos enhancer element; GH-induced shift in the molecular mass of a cotransfected epitope-tagged extracellular signal-regulated kinase molecule; and GH-induced antiphosphotyrosine immunoprecipitability of the transfected JAK2 form. In each assay, WTJAK2 and JAK2PKD allowed GH-induced signaling, whereas JAK2ATD and JAK2CTD did not. Anti-GHR serum coimmunoprecipitated WTJAK2, JAK2PKD, and JAK2CTD, but not JAK2ATD. Finally, a chimera in which the JAK2 kinase domain replaced the GHR cytoplasmic domain signaled GH-induced transactivation. We conclude: 1) kinase-like domain deletion eliminates neither physical nor functional interaction between JAK2 and the GHR; 2) kinase domain deletion eliminates functional but not physical coupling of JAK2 to the GHR; 3) interaction with the GHR appears dependent on the NH2-terminal one-fifth of JAK2; and 4) a GH-responsive signaling unit can include as little as the GHR external and transmembrane domains and the JAK2 kinase domain.

Randomized case-controlled trial of oral low-dose acyclovir for prevention of virus infections in recipients of renal allografts

A randomized case-controlled trial of oral low-dose acyclovir (600-800 mg per day) has been conducted for the prevention of virus infections in 66 recipients of renal allografts since 1990. In comparison with the untreated controls, acyclovir could prevent herpes virus simplex (HSV), reduce morbidity of pneumonia from 10 cases (30%) to 3 cases (9%) (P < 0.05) and lower CMV-IgM positive rate from 30% to 12%. Serum Cr and BUN in acyclovir group were lower than those in control group. These results strongly suggested that oral administration low-dose acyclovir could prevent virus infections after renal transplantation.

Detection of short-lived free radicals by low-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping in whole living animals

We report the direct observation of sulfur trioxide anion free radical (SO3.-) from the body of live mice by using a low-frequency (1.2 GHz, L-band) EPR spin trapping method. Intraperitoneal injection of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) (15 mmol/kg) used as trapping agent was followed by sequential iv injections of sodium sulfate (2-5 mmol/kg) and sodium dichromate (0.3 mmol/kg). The mouse was placed in an L-band loop gap resonator. The observed spectra consisted of two superposed components: DMPO/SO3.- (alpha N = 14.0, alpha H = 16.0) and Cr(V) (g = 1.9798). The time course for the generation and reduction of DMPO/SO3.- was followed. The signal intensity reached a maximum at about 7 min. In vitro experiments carried out at 9.15 GHz confirmed the production of SO3.- under the conditions used for in vivo studies; the hyperfine splittings of DMPO/SO3.- produced in the in vitro experiments were the same as those produced in the in vivo studies. The production of SO.-3 is supported by oxygen uptake studies, which show that the prior addition of 300 mM DMPO inhibits oxygen consumption by SO3.-.

Metaphase and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization mapping of the rice genome with bacterial artificial chromosomes

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a powerful tool for physical mapping in human and other mammalian species. However, application of the FISH technique has been limited in plant species, especially for mapping single- or low-copy DNA sequences, due to inconsistent signal production in plant chromosome preparations. Here we demonstrate that bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones can be mapped readily on rice (Oryza sativa L.) chromosomes by FISH. Repetitive DNA sequences in BAC clones can be suppressed efficiently by using rice genomic DNA as a competitor in the hybridization mixture. BAC clones as small as 40 kb were successfully mapped. To demonstrate the application of the FISH technique in physical mapping of plant genomes, both anonymous BAC clones and clones closely linked to a rice bacterial blight-resistance locus, Xa21, were chosen for analysis. The physical location of Xa21 and the relationships among the linked clones were established, thus demonstrating the utility of FISH in plant genome analysis.

Direct preparation and meiotic analysis of human semen

A meiotic study of human semen specimens was carried out in 60 cases. Among them, 20 were normal controls, 20 suffered from infertility, and 20 had a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions. Of the cases of infertility and abortion, 50% were found to have numerical and/or structural chromosomal aberrations in spite of the normal blood karyotype. It is suggested that chromosomal aberrations may be the cause of sterility and abortion. The success rate of semen chromosome G-banding in the infertility, abortion and control groups was 70%, 55% and 25% respectively. The semen samples of three cases of heterozygous carriers with reciprocal chromosomal translocation were also studied. The ring quadrivalents were identified in all cases. The results may explain the recurrent abortions in these patients.

Role of changes in renal hemodynamics and P-450 metabolites of arachidonic acid in the reversal of one-kidney, one clip hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To examine the role of changes in renal hemodynamics and P-450 metabolites of arachidonic acid in the reversal of one-kidney, one clip (1-K,1C) hypertension in rats.

DESIGN

The stimulus for the release of an antihypertensive lipid from the kidney is not known. This study examined whether cortical or papillary blood flow is altered after removal of the clip from the renal artery of 1-K,1C hypertensive rats, and the effects of blockade of the renal metabolism of arachidonic acid by P-450 with 17-octadecynoic acid (17-ODYA) on the fall in blood pressure.

METHODS

Cortical and medullary blood flows were measured using laser-Doppler flowmetry. 17-ODYA (33 nmol/min) was infused directly into the renal artery to examine the effect of inhibition of renal P-450 activity on reversal of 1-K,1C hypertension. The renal metabolism of arachidonic acid in control and in 1-K,1C hypertensive rats was assessed by incubating microsomes with [14C]-arachidonic acid, the metabolites formed being measured using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The antihypertensive effects of these P-450 metabolites of arachidonic acid were compared with those of medullipin I after intravenous administration in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

RESULTS

Cortical and papillary blood flow increased significantly and arterial pressure fell after unclipping the renal artery in the 1-K,1C hypertensive rats. 17-ODYA prevented the fall in blood pressure after unclipping. The production of epoxy- and dihydroxy-eicosatrienoic acids was elevated in microsomes prepared from the renal cortex of the 1-K,1C hypertensive rats. However, intravenous administration of these metabolites did not mimic the effect of medullipin I to lower arterial pressure in SHR.

CONCLUSION

Elevations in renal cortical or papillary blood flow, or both, may stimulate the release of a P-450-derived antihypertensive lipid from the kidney after unclipping of the renal artery in 1-K,1C hypertensive rats. However, it is unlikely that this substance is a P-450 metabolite of arachidonic acid.