Rearranged abietane diterpenoids from the root of two Teucrium species

1992

Abstract From the root of Teucrium fruticans , two new rearranged abietane diterpenoids, teuvincenones F and G, have been isolated together with the known diterpene teuvincenone E. The acetone extract of the root of T. polium subsp. expansum yielded three previously known compounds (ferruginol and teuvincenones A and B) and two new 17(15 → 16)- abeo -abietane derivatives (teuvincenones H and I). The structures of the new diterpenoids [12,16-epoxy-11,14-dihydroxy-17(15 → 16), 18(4 → 3)- diabeo -abieta-3,5,8,11,13,15-hexaene-2,7-dione (teuvincenone F), (16 S )-12,16-epoxy-11,14-dihydroxy-17(15 → 16)- abeo -abieta-8,11,13-triene-3,7-dione (teuvincenone G), 12,16-epoxy-6,11,14-trihydroxy-17(15 …

A new species of Sideritis L. (Lamiaceae) for the Spanish flora

1992

PERIS, J. B., STUBING, G. & FIGUEROLA, R., 1992. A new species of Sideritis L. (Lamiaceae) for the Spanish flora. A description is given of a new species of the genus Sideritis L. for the Spanish Flora.

Pavlovian conditioning of corticotropin-releasing factor-induced increase of blood pressure and corticosterone secretion in the rat

1992

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is clearly involved in the central regulation of the pituitary-adrenal axis and, moreover, of autonomic nervous system functions. Enhanced sympathetic activity with subsequent increases in blood pressure and heart rate and attenuation of the baroreceptor reflex results from the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of CRF. Additionally, the peptide has a variety of potent effects on behavioural responses in animals similar to those observed after an experimentally evoked stress. It was therefore of obvious interest to examine whether CRF is a possible mediator of the learning processes associated with physiological stress reaction patterns. Thi…

A wind tunnel study on the drop-to-particle conversion

1992

Abstract An experimental study was carried out to investigate the processes which occur during drop-to-particle conversion in atmospheric clouds whose drops are evaporating. The experiment was carried out in the Mainz vertical wind tunnel and in a 4-m high fall shaft. Drops consisting of aqueous solutions of NaCl, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , and salts of artificial and natural ocean water, containing various kinds of solid, water-insoluble particles such as clays, were studied. The aerosol particles produced by the evaporation of drops had diameters in the range 0.1–1 μm, 5–20 μm, 40–80 μm and 100–300 μm. The shape and fall mode of these particles are discussed. It was found that the aerosol particles…

Actions of sex hormones on the brain

1992

1. The brain is a target for sex steroid hormones. As a result of sex hormone actions on the brain various behavioral changes are observed in animal and man. This paper gives a brief overview over the multiple central nervous functions that are under modulatory control of sexual hormones and describes the complex sex steroid actions on the brain by giving an example for "activating" and "organizing" effects of estrogens on noradrenergic neurons in the brain of rats. 2. Estradiol-17 beta induced sex specific alterations in the turnover of noradrenaline in the preoptic area and mediobasal hypothalamus showing "female" or "male" responses. 3. Neonatal manipulations of female rat pups by testos…

Contact Allergens Modulate the Expression of MHC Class II Molecules on Murine Epidermal Langerhans Cells by Endocytotic Mechanisms

1992

MHC class II molecules play an important role during the sensitization phase of allergic contact dermatitis. To study the influence of contact allergens on the expression of these molecules by murine epidermal Langerhans cells (LC), we performed a flow-cytofluorometric analysis of the Ia-antigen expression after in vivo application of contact allergens. A distinct decrease in the Ia-antigen expression of the entire LC population was noticed 3 h after in vivo application of the contact allergen 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). This decrease was transient and balanced 24 h after in vivo application of DNFB. A downregulation was also detectable after in vivo application of the contact allergen…

A Novel Polyoxotungstate Containing atriangulo Ni3II Cluster with Ferromagnetic Exchange Interactions and anS= 3 Ground State

1992

Experience with the ALEPH silicon vertex detector

1992

Abstract The ALEPH experiment [1] at LEP is equipped with a vertex detector [2] using two layers of double-sided silicon strip detectors. These detectors allow a real two-dimensional measurement of charged particle tracks. The present (1991) detector has the inner layer at a radius of 6.5 cm and the outer layer at 11.5 cm. The theta angle coverage is ±33° for the inner layer and ±50° for the outer layer. The inner layer is made out of 9 faces with four silicon detectors each, the outer layer has 15 such faces. We use silicon detectors of 5 × 5 cm 2 and 300 μm thickness. The readout pitch is 100 μm at both sides and using capacitive charge division a resolution in the order of 10 μm can be a…

Polymer-coated reversed-phase packings with controlled hydrophobic properties

1992

Abstract We have designed and synthesized novel reversed-phase packings of non-porous and porous polymethacrylate-coated silicas. By varying the hydrophobicity of the polymer coating, selective unfolding of polypeptides may be achieved, thus enabling manipulation of the chromatographic profile. This study characterizes these packings through their employment for separations of model synthetic peptides of defined secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure. Thus, the packings were applied to the reversed-phase separation α-helical amphipathic and non-amphipathic peptides of the same amino acid composition but different sequences. In addition, selective unfolding of model to-stranded α-helic…

Production of the Sweet Protein Monellin in Transgetic Plants

1992

Monellin is a protein that elicits a flavor approximately 100,000 times sweeter than sugar on a molar basis. The protein exists naturally as a heterodimer, with its sweet flavor lost upon denaturation. A single–chain monellin gene, encoding both polypeptide chains linked by a hinge sequence, was placed under the control of constitutive and fruit–ripening specific promoters and transferred to lettuce and tomato. Expression of these genes in transgenic tomato and lettuce resulted in the accumulation of monellin protein in fruit and leaf, respectively, to significant levels. Production of monellin in transgenic fruits and vegetables represents an alternative strategy to enhance their flavor an…

Histochemical localization of calcium ATPase in the cochlea of the guinea pig

1992

The activity of Ca(2+)-ATPase in the inner ear of the guinea pig was studied ultracytochemically by the lead citrate reaction. The electron-dense reaction products as an expression of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity were localized in endolymphatic cells of Reissner's membrane, in outer and inner hair cells and in some supporting cells. The main finding was the difference in the localization of Ca(2+)-ATPase in outer and inner hair cells. In the latter cells the activity sites were mainly intracellular and in apical membrane specializations, whereas in the outer hair cells the enzyme was localized in the apical membrane specializations and the basolateral plasma membrane.

Biliopancreatic Diversion: early complications

1992

The experience and early complications in 66 morbidly obese patients who underwent biliopancreatic diversion are presented. There was one death, due to a pulmonary embolus (PE) at home on the 15th postoperative day. Postoperative complications occurred in nine patients, consisting of gastric hemorrhage (2), gastric outlet obstruction (2), non-lethal PE (1), deep vein thrombosis (1), wound dehiscence (1), and asymptomatic gastric leak (1). In addition, there were 12 superficial wound infections. Four patients required urgent reoperation for gastric hemorrhage (2), gastric outlet obstruction (1), and wound dehiscence (1). The high complication rate is believed to represent the early part of t…

Comparative optical reflection and mass spectrometry analysis of thermodesorption of Langmuir-Blodgett films

1992

Abstract Thermodesorption of cadmium arachidate multilayers is studied by optical surface analysis and by mass spectrometry measurements. The optical reflection technique has been improved to discriminate signal contributions from desorption and light scattering. The scattering arises from film heterogeneities that are also observed by Nomarsky microscopy. The assessment of these heterogeneities is important to understand mass spectrometry data. Both the optical technique and mass spectrometry are sensitive to observing the multilayer phase transition at 110 °C and the desorption near 200 °C (at the heating rate applied). The mass spectrometry analysis yields detailed information on the des…

Firing characteristics of vestibular nuclei neurons in the alert monkey after bilateral vestibular neurectomy

1992

After destruction of the peripheral vestibular system which is not activated by moving large-field visual stimulation, not only labyrinthine-ocular reflexes but also optokinetic-ocular responses related to the "velocity storage" mechanism are abolished. In the normal monkey optokinetic-ocular responses are reflected in sustained activity changes of central vestibular neurons within the vestibular nuclei. To account for the loss of optokinetic responses after labyrinthectomy, inactivation of central vestibular neurons consequent on the loss of primary vestibular activity is assumed to be of major importance. To test this hypothesis we recorded the neural activity within the vestibular nuclea…

Combined treatment of epidermodysplasia verruciformis with etretinate and α-interferon*

1992

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is an uncommon cutaneous disease in which a focal and genetically determined immunological impairment is associated with chronic human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. In sun-exposed areas, when an oncogenic HPV type is the agent, skin cancer may occur. The treatment of EV is difficult and often unsatisfactory; etretinate has been reported in some instances as effective in improving lesions. We report a typical case of EV with pityriasis versicolor-like lesions on the trunk and many flat, erythematous wart-like lesions on the face, dorsal areas of the hands and legs. We performed a treatment with etretinate (1 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks) and subsequently with…

Genetic analysis of maintenance and expression of L and M double-stranded RNAs from yeast killer virus K28

1992

The killer phenotype expressed by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 28 differs from that of the more extensively studied K1 and K2 killers with respect to immunity, mode of toxin action and cell wall primary toxin receptor. We previously demonstrated that the M28 and L28 dsRNAs found in strain 28 are present in virus-like particles (VLPs) and that transfection with these VLPs is sufficient to confer the complete K28 phenotype on a dsRNA-free recipient cell. We also demonstrated that L28, like the L-A-H species in K1 killers, has [HOK] activity required for maintenance of M1-dsRNA, and predicted that M28 would share with M1 dependence on L-A for replication. We now confirm this prediction by g…

The role of osteonectin in human tooth development: An immunohistological study

1992

We investigated immunohistologically 160 teeth and dental germs in various stages of tooth development taken from human individuals (13th week of pregnancy to the 24th year of life) to study the osteonectin expression in dental hard tissue. In the course of dentinogenesis, the predentin, the odontoblasts, and their cell processes show a positive osteonectin staining reaction. During cementogenesis, osteonectin is synthesized by cement-producing fibroblasts, cementoblasts, and cementocytes. The expression of osteonectin during dentinogenesis and cementogenesis is closely related to the development of the respective calcified tissue. All cells of the inner and outer enamel epithelium, the cel…

Humoral immunity and retrobulbar fibroblasts in endocrine ophthalmopathy

1992

The exact role of retrobulbar fibroblasts in the immunopathogenesis of endocrine ophthalmopathy still remains to be elucidated. To evaluate the in vitro influence of humoral immunity on retrobulbar fibroblasts, the effects of immunoglobulin G as well as of the sera of 50 euthyroid patients with endocrine ophthalmopathy and 30 controls on both porcine and human (patients' and controls') retrobulbar fibroblasts were measured by means of several assays: a colorimetric test involving a heterocyclic chemical, a tetrazolium bromide, was applied to quantify the activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenases; the incorporation of 3H-thymidine was determined as a sensitive parameter for cell proliferation…

Comparative sequence analysis of the Clostridium difficile toxins A and B.

1992

The six clones pTB112, pTB324, pTBs12, pCd122, pCd14 and pCd13 cover the tox locus of Clostridium difficile VPI 10463. This region of 19 kb of chromosomal DNA contains four open reading frames including the complete toxB and toxA genes. The two toxins show 63% amino acid (aa) homology, a relatedness that had been predicted by the cross-reactivity of some monoclonal antibodies (mAb) but that is in contrast to the toxin specificity of polyclonal antisera. A special feature of ToxA and ToxB is their repetitive C-termini. We define herein 19 individual CROPs (combined repetitive oligopeptides of 20-50 aa length) in the ToxB C-terminus, which are separable into five homologous groups. Comparison…

Color induction via non-opponent lateral interactions in the human retina

1992

Retinal connections causing colors in Benham's top (pattern induced flicker colors, PIFCs) are investigated by psychophysical experiments. PIFCs are still seen when stimuli to different cones are demodulated selectively, indicating the involvement of non-opponent channels. PIFCs also occur on retinal areas next to those affected by modulated stimuli; further, both monochromat and dark-adapted trichromats perceive PIFCs which are achromatic. These additional findings point to horizontal cells as neuronal mediators of modulated excitation leading to PIFCs. The unspecifity of the postulated connection with respect to cone types agrees with anatomic findings of Boycott, B. B., Hopkins, J. M. an…

Wilms' tumor ? treatment and prognosis of 373 children

1992

Between June 1980 and June 1988, 373 patients with Wilms' tumors were diagnosed and treated (34.5%, stage I; 34.5%, stage II; 14.8%, stage III; 10.7%, stage IV; and 5.4%, stage V). In all, 11% of the patients were diagnosed as a result of routine checkup examinations. The tumor volume was 400 ml in 52.7%. Overall, 78.7% of the patients had a standard-type Wilms' tumor, 7% had a low-grade malignancy lesion and 14.3% had a high-grade-malignancy tumor. Aside from radical tumor nephrectomy, treatment encompassed chemotherapy in all cases and radiotherapy in half of the patients according to the study protocol. In all, 32% of the children received preoperative treatment and 68% underwent primary…

Tensor products of Fréchet or (DF)-spaces with a Banach space

1992

Abstract The aim of the present article is to study the projective tensor product of a Frechet space and a Banach space and the injective tensor product of a (DF)-space and a Banach space. The main purpose is to analyze the connection of the good behaviour of the bounded subsets of the projective tensor product and of the locally convex structure of the injective tensor product with the local structure of the Banach space.

A pilot study comparing different dose levels and administration schedules of interferon-α2b combined with epirubicin for prevention of recurrence in…

1992

A pilot study in 62 patients has been carried out to evaluate the combination of epirubicin and interferon (IFN)-alpha 2b using different doses and schedules of intravesical administration in the prevention of recurrence of bladder cancer. Preliminary results show greater prophylactic efficacy not only when higher doses of epirubicin and IFN-alpha 2b are used but also when a larger interval between instillation of the compounds was used.

Fenomenología del prejuicio

1992

Not available.<br><br>Este trabajo expone la defensa del «prejuicio » llevada a cabo por Gadamer, mostrando su efectividad histórica y confrontándola con la crítica husserliana del «prejuicio» desde el apriorismo. Se pone de relieve, además, la historicidad del «mundo de la vida» y su incidencia en la teoría del <i>a priori</i>, para terminar con un estudio de la racionalidad del <i>a priori</i> y la facticidad del prejuicio.

Oxidative decarboxylation of naproxen.

1992

The decarboxylation of naproxen (1H) and its salt (1-) was achieved by means of chemical [Ce(IV) or S2O8(2-)] and electrochemical oxidation. The product patterns were compatible with mechanisms involving single-electron transfer from the pi-system or the carboxylate moiety. The results are discussed in connection with the involvement of electron-transfer processes in the reported phototoxicity of naproxen.

Voltammetric determination of dipeptidyl aminopeptidases I and IV

1992

Dipeptidyl aminopeptidases I and IV have recently found wide practical application (polypeptide sequencing, clinical diagnostics) so it is necessary to extend present methods and work out new ones for determination of their activity. A new, voltammetric method for determination of peptidase activity is proposed, which allows optimization of the determination conditions according to the activity to be measured. The method has some advantages over the spectrophotometric methods, such as applicability to opaque solutions and higher sensitivity.

Gene diagnosis and carrier detection in Hunter syndrome by the iduronate-2-sulphatase cDNA probe.

1992

Hunter disease (McKusick 309900) is an X-chromosomal mucopolysaccharidosis due to deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulphatase (IDS; EC 3.1.6.13). Diagnosis is based on both the typical clinical features of patients and the lack/reduction of IDS activity. Female carriers show no symptoms of the disease. In the past, several different assays were elaborated for measuring enzyme activity in carriers but none of them proved to be suitable for detecting heterozygotes reliably (Zlotogora and Bach 1984)

Differences in the temperature dependencies of uptake of botulinum and tetanus toxins in Aplysia neurons

1992

The respective neuroselective actions of botulinum type A (BoNT) and tetanus (TeTx) neurotoxins on cholinergic and non-cholinergic synapses of Aplysia are mainly due to differences in their extracellular neuronal targetting. Further information was gained on this neuroselectivity by examining the temperature dependencies of binding, internalization and intracellular action of both toxins. After reduction of temperature from 22 degrees C to 10 degrees C, the binding of neither BoNT nor TeTx was significantly altered whereas the neuronal uptake of BoNT, but not of TeTx, was prevented. Although TeTx internalization could be detected at the low temperature, its intracellular activity was greatl…

Heat-capacity and neutron-diffraction studies of HD monolayers physisorbed on graphite

1992

Abstract The phase diagram of HD monolayers physisorbed on graphite is studied in detail by using heat-capacity and neutron-diffraction measurements. The following features are observed: At low coverages the system forms a commensurate (C) (√3 × √3)R30° phase and at coverages near monolayer completion an incommensurate (IC) two-dimensional solid phase. The order-disorder transition of the C phase belongs to the three-state Potts universality class. The C-IC transition occurs via two intermediate phases, i.e., the α phase and a novel phase, which is interpreted as an α-IC coexistence region. Though the molecule HD is a strongly incoherent neutron scatterer, for the first time elastic neutron…

NEUROBLASTOMA A LOCALIZZAZIONE MUSCOLARE: DESCRIZIONE DI UN CASO

1992

An unusual case of abdominal neuroblastoma, whose extention involved the psoas muscle, leading to an ultrasonographic and MRN imagin simulatinf an haematoma, is described.

A mutliconfigurational study of low-lying electronic states of KO

1992

Abstract Potential energy curves and spectroscopic parameters of several electronic states of the KO molecule have been calculated using multi-configurational methods. The KO B 2Π state, first time theoretically described, presents a strong avoided crossing with the A 2Π state, and allows for the explanation of the observed fluorescence of the KO molecule. Eleven electronic states have been studied at all the internuclear distances. Effects of complete active space and basis set selections on the results are also analyzed.

Differential expression of collagen types I, III, and IV by fat-storing (Ito) cells in vitro

1992

It has been observed that Ito cells in vitro undergo phenotypical changes ("activation") similar to those noted in vivo during the development of liver fibrosis. Because conflicting data have been published on the amount and different types of collagens synthesized by Ito cells in vitro, collagen biosynthesis was studied at different "activation" stages on both the protein and RNA levels. Immunoprecipitation of endogenously labeled collagen showed that freshly isolated ("resting") Ito cells synthesize mainly collagen type IV. Collagen type I was hardly detectable in the earlier stage of primary culture, but it clearly increased starting 5 days after isolation. Compared with the basal rates …

Different mechanisms generating sequence variability are revealed in distinct regions of the hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein gene from maize and rel…

1992

The sequences of the genes coding for a hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein from two varieties of maize (Zea mays, Ac1503 and W22), a teosinte (Zea diploperennis) and sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) have been obtained and compared. Distinct patterns of variability have been observed along their sequences. The 500 bp region immediately upstream of the TATA box is highly conserved in the Zea species and contains stretches of sequences also found in the sorghum gene. Further upstream, significant rearrangements are observed, even between the two maize varieties. These observations allow definition of a 5' region, which is common to the four genes and is probably essential for their expression. The 3' e…

Laparoskopische Cholezystektomie: Ergebnisse einer “Matched-pairs-Analyse”

1992

In vorliegender “Matched-pairs-Analyse” wurden 60 konventionell cholezystektomierte Patienten mit 60 laparoskopisch operierten Patienten verglichen. Bei Patienten mit laparoskopischer Cholezystektomie kam es zu einer deutlichen Verkurzung des Krankenhausaufenthaltes (Median: 5 vs. 8 Tage) (p=0,0001). Die Operationszeiten waren fur den laparoskopischen Eingriff langer (Media: 100 vs. 75 min) (p=0,0001). Auffallig waren vermehrt intraoperativ auftretende kardiopulmonale Komplikationen bei Risikopatienten wahrend laparoskopischer Cholezystektomie (5 vs. 1) (p>0,1). Zudem war die Rate an Wundheilungsstorungen beim laparoskopischen Eingriff erhoht (6vs. 1) (p>0.1).

Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activities of rabbit liver are associated with hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and aldo-keto reductases.

1992

1. Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activities were investigated in rabbit liver. Using a five-step purification scheme, eight isoenzymes of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase with isoelectric points of 5.55-9.3 and promoter molecular masses of 34-35 kDa were purified to apparent homogeneity and designated CF-1 to CF-6, CM-1 and CM-2. 2. CF-1 and CF-2 had near-neutral isoelectric points of 7.4 and 6.8 and molecular masses of about 125 kDa in the native state. Both enzymes readily accepted NAD+ as well as NADP+ as coenzymes, had relatively low Km values of 0.33 mM and 0.47 mM for benzene dihydrodiol and resembled previously described carbonyl reductases in their substrate specificity towards ketones and qui…

Star-products and phase space realizations of quantum groups

1992

It is shown for a family of *-products (i.e. different ordering rules) that, under a strong invariance condition, the functions of the quadratic preferred observables (which generate the Cartan subalgebra in phase space realization of Lie algebras) take only the linear or exponential form. An exception occurs for the case of a symmetric ordering *-product where trigonometric functions and two special polynomials can also be included. As an example, the ‘quantized algebra’ of the oscillator Lie algebra is argued.