Ultraviolet radiation-induced inflammation and leukocytes

To evaluate the role of leukocytes in inflammation induced by ultraviolet radiation, the response of guinea pigs make leukopenic with cyclophosphamide was compared with the response of nonleukopenic animals. The response of leukopenic animals to UVB (295 nm) was significantly altered. Leukopenic animals and saline-treated (i.e., nonleukopenic) animals responded similarly to (1) UVC (250 nm), (2) UVA (340 nm) given after 8-methoxypsoralen pretreatment (PUVA), (3) intradermal histamine and (4) a topically applied prostaglandin analogue. These results suggest that leukocytes are important in UVB-induced inflammation but not in the inflammation induced by UVC or PUVA.

Disseminated atypical mycobacteriosis in a child--a case of Mycobacterium sculoflaseum

A case of disseminated mycobacterial disease caused by mycobacterium sculoflaceum is presented in a three-year-old female. Atypical acid-fast organisms were found in cultures from the tissue of lymph node and bone marrow, gastric juice and feces. Histologically the mesenteric lymph nodes contained numerous large macrophages which had large numbers of acid-fast bacilli. Caseation necrosis was absent. Distinguishing features are the extensive involvement of lymph nodes and bones and the preference for intracellular presence of acid-fast bacilli. Up to the present in Japan there are only 17 reported cases of atypical mycobacteriosis in children.

Coronary artery fistula draining into left ventricle: case report and review

A 6-year-old boy with coronary artery fistula emptying into the left ventricle was reported. An attempt was made to outline clinical manifestations of this disease which have not yet been fully described, based on the experience of the present case and a review of 14 previously reported cases. It is concluded that clinical signs and symptoms are not specific for this anomaly and retrograde aortography is required to establish the definite diagnosis of the lesion. Authors' views are expounded as to the location of maximal intensity of the murmur, genesis of the systolic murmur and electrocardiographic features.

Effects of parathyroid hormone in vivo on the protein kinase activity in rat kidney

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) was infused into thyroparathyroidectomized rats, and the protein kinase activity of the kidney was studied. When the tissue was homogenized in a buffer containing 5 mM potassium phosphate (pH 7.0), 2 mM EDTA, 1 mM mercaptoethanol, and 5 mM theophylline, the total protein kinase activity (measured in the presence of 5 muM cAMP) in the cytosol was decreased by the infusion of PTH, exhibiting an inverse relationship to cAMP level in the renal tissue. The decrease of total activity was accounted for by a decrease of cAMP-dependent kinase activity, and such a change was induced also by the infusion of calcitonin or dibutyryl cAMP. A substantial enzyme activity was solubilized from the particulate fraction with a buffer containing KC1. The infusion of PTH increased the kinase activity (activities measured in both the presence and absence of cAMP) solubilized from the particulate fraction, suggesting the translocation of activated enzyme from cytosol to some particulate cell component(s). However, when KC1 was added to the homogenization buffer in concentrations up to 150 mM or even higher, the total protein kianse activities in the cytosols of control and PTH rats were similar and there was simply an increase in the fraction of cAMP -independent activity. These observations indicate that the hormonally-induced increase of cAMP in vivo activates protein kinase of the kidney, and the activation of kinase results in apparent translocation of the enzyme from the soluble to the particulate fraction when the tissue is homogenized in buffers of low ionic strength. The physiological significance of this phenomenon, however, cannot be evaluated, due to the fact that the increased association of activated kinase with particulate component(s) is reversed by employing a homogenization buffer containing what is probably a physiological concentration of salt.

An adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from human heart

Protein kinase that phosphorylated histone and lesser amounts of protamine was demonstrated in human heart. It was activated three times by 10(-6) M cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and by 10(-3) M other cyclic nucleotides. Km values for cAMP, ATP, Mg2+, and Co2+ were about 2 X 10(-8) M, 4 X 10(-5) M, 2 X 10(-3)M, and 1.7 X 10(-4) M, respectively. On DEAE cellulose column, the main peak of the enzyme eluted at high NaCl concentration. On Sephadex G-200 gel filtration the majority of the holoenzyme eluted at a peak corresponding to a molecular weight of about 300,000. There was an additional peak corresponding to a molecular weight of about 400,000, with relatively high cAMP binding compared to kinase activity. Right atrium and ventricle showed significantly higher enzyme activities than left atrium and ventricle and interventricular septum. On multivariate analysis of the enzyme activity versus 12 clinical and pathological findings of 122 cases, cardiac hypertrophy and coronary sclerosis were slight but significant negative contributors to the enzyme activity. Multiple correlation coefficient was low, indicating the enzyme activity remained at a relatively stable level, despite different clinical situations. This may be suitable for control of intracellular events through the membrane adenylate cyclase system.

Electrophysiological studies on the cerebellocerebral projections in monkeys

1. Responses evoked by stimulation of the cerebellar and thalamic nuclei were recorded by microelectrodes introduced at various depths in the cerebral cortex of monkeys (Macaca mulatta) under light Nembutal anaesthesia. 2. Stimulation of the medial (fastigial) cerebellar nucleus produced, at a latency of 4-5 msec, deep thalamo-cortical (T-C) responses (surface positive-deep negative potentials) mainly in the medial part of the precentral gyrus (area 4, "motor area for hindlimb") and in the superior parietal gyrus (area 5) on both contralateral and ipsilateral sides to the nucleus stimulated. 3. Stimulation of the lateral (dentate) cerebellar nucleus elicited, at a latency of about 3 msec, superficial T-C responses (surface negative-deep positive potentials) predominately in the lateral part of the precentral gyrus (area 4, "motor area for forelimb and face") and in the rostromedial part of the gyrus (area 6, premotor area) on the contralateral side. 4. Stimulation of the interpositus cerebellar nucleus set up superficial T-C responses chiefly in the motor area between those influenced by the medial and the lateral cerebellar nucleus stimulation and also in the premotor area on the contralateral side. 5. The respective areas responsive to the medial, interpositus and lateral nucleus stimulation overlapped considerably each other in the motor cortex. 6. Comparison of the responses in the cortex induced by stimulation of the cerebellar and thalamic nuclei indicated different relay portions in and around the VA-VL region of the thalamus for the superficial and the deep T-C responses respectively. 7. Functional implications of the results were discussed in referring to the cerebellocerebral projections in cats.

2'-O-methylated oligonucleotides in ribosomal 18S and 28S RNA of a mouse hepatoma, MH 134

Simple two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography was found to be useful for the separation of sugar methylated dinucleotides in RNA. Of the 16 possible sequences of the type Nm-Np, 15 were separated and all the sequences were determined. In a mouse hepatoma, MH 134, the levels of the sugar methylation in the 18S and 28S RNA molecules were 17-18 and 11-12 per 1000 nucleotides, respectively. Thus, 18s RNA contained approximately 35 2'-O-methylated dinucleotides and 28S RNA approximately 60 2'-O-methylated dinucleotides. The pattern of distribution was also distinct between these two molecules. Two 2'-O-methylated trinucleotides were identified in the 28S RNA with the sequences Um-Gm-Up and Um-Gm-psip. A unique 2'-O-methylated tetranucleotide was present also in the 28S RNA, the sequence of which was Am-Gm-Cm-Ap. The 5'-terminal nucleotides of both 18S and 28S RNA were obtained as nucleoside 3',5'-diphosphates (pNp) in the trinucleotide fraction of the RNase T2 digest. The 5'-termimi of 18S and 28S RNA were pUp and pCp, respectively, and found to be almost homogeneous.

The Trishomocyclopropenyl Cation. I. Direct Observation

The trishomocyclopropenyl cation has been prepared for the first time and is shown to be a remarkably stable, highly charge-delocalized species. The large [Formula: see text] value associated with the carbons formally carrying the positive charge, the high-field chemical shift of these carbons, and the absence of hydride shift, all are significant and are consistent with the formulation of 1 subject to the limit of the n.m.r. time scale.

The Trishomocyclopropenyl Cation. II. An Ethano-bridged Derivative

An ethano-bridged trishomocyclopropenyl carbonium ion has been generated in superacid media from 8-chlorotricyclo[3.2.1.02,4]octane and/or 4-chlorotricyclo[3.3.0.02,8]octane. The 1H and 13C n.m.r. spectra of this new stable carbonium ion compare well with those of the parent trishomocyclopropenyl carbonium ion and yet show some indication that the degree of charge delocalization is more extensive than that originally implied.