Increased assembly of cytoskeletal proteins associated with the transformation of human liver cells into fibroblast-like cells.

A topoisomerase II inhibitor, novobiocin, and a deacetylase inhibitor, butyrate, synergistically transformed human liver cells into fibroblast-like cells. This morphological change was associated with an increased production of procollagen type III peptide and a simultaneous assembly of actin, tubulin, vimentin and cytokeratin. Novobiocin and butyrate had no marked effect on the phosphorylation state of cytokeratin proteins, but synergistically enhanced [3H]acetate uptake. From these results, it can be speculated that protein acetylation plays an important role in inducing the assembly of cytoskeletal proteins and the morphological transformation of human liver cells.     

Coalignment of vimentin intermediate filaments with microtubules depends on kinesin.

Intermediate filaments in most types of cultured cells coalign with microtubules. Depolymerization of microtubules results in collapse of vimentin and desmin intermediate filaments to the nucleus where they form a perinuclear cap. Collapse can also be induced by microinjection of antibodies against intermediate filament or microtubule proteins. Thus, two filament systems interact with each other. But the molecules mediating this interaction are unknown. One of the candidates for this role is a microtubule motor kinesin. Recent data showed that kinesin is involved in the plus end-directed movement of the membranous organelles along microtubules such as radial extension of lysosomes in macrophages and centrifugal movement of pigment in melanophores. Here we report that injection of the anti-kinesin antibody into human fibroblasts results in the redistribution of intermediate filaments to a tight perinuclear aggregate but had no effect on the distribution of microtubules. Thus, kinesin is involved not only in organelle movement but also in interaction of the two major cytoskeletal systems, intermediate filaments and microtubules.     

Aspirin-like drugs may block pain independently of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition

Summary Using flurbiprofen, a chiral anti-inflammatory and analgesic 2-arylpropionic acid derivative, the enantiomers of which are not converted to each other (less than 5%) in rats or man, we obtained evidence that prostaglandin synthesis inhibition is primarily mediating the anti-inflammatory activity but prostaglandin synthesis independent mechanisms contribute to the analgesic effects. Thus, the S-form inhibited prostaglandin synthesis, inflammation and nociception in rats. The R-form had much less effect on prostaglandin synthesis and did not affect inflammation. It did, however, block nociception in rats almost as potently as the S-form. S-flurbiprofen, in contrast to the R-form, was clearly ulcerogenic in the gastrointestinal mucosa. These results indicate additional molecular mechanisms of analgesia and suggest the use of R-arylpropionic acids as analgesics.     

Subset threshold autoregression

We develop in this paper an efficient way to select the best subset threshold autoregressive model. The proposed method uses a stochastic search idea. Differing from most conventional approaches, our method does not require us to fix the delay or the threshold parameters in advance. By adopting the Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques, we can identify the best subset model from a very large of number of possible models, and at the same time estimate the unknown parameters. A simulation experiment shows that the method is very effective. In its application to the US unemployment rate, the stochastic search method successfully selects lag one as the time delay and five best models from more than 4000 choices. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Der Einfluß der Temperatur auf die Giftwirkung des DDT bei Honigbienen (Apis mellifica L.)

Summary The action of DDT on honey-bees depends to a high extent on the temperature (see graph). At 36°C (breeding temperature) DDT has a far weaker insecticidal action than at 20°C (laboratory temperature). This shows that the insecticidal properties of DDT diminish with the raise of temperature.This resistance to DDT at higher temperature is most propitious for bee-keeping and also explains the fact why in agricultural practice there has been no corroborated case of poisoning of bees, though in laboratory tests DDT avered itself to be toxic to bees.     

Applications of Transition Metals in Organic Synthesis and Polymerization

1 Results Classic oxidants require rigorous control of the experimental conditions added with the problem of lack of selectivity. Catalysis by transition metals with environmentally safe oxidants provides synthetic routes to minimize pollution by giving environmental benign by-products. Fe (Ⅵ) is a powerful and a selective oxidant with Fe(Ⅲ) as a by-product, while hydrogen peroxide is clean with water as the only by-product. Separation of sodium or potassium ferrates requires tedious processes. Associat...     

Die bakteriostatische Wirkung von Chalkon,Flavanon, Flavon und Flavonol

Summary Chalcone, flavanone, flavone, and its derivatives had a certain bacteriostatic effect onSt. aureus. Flavonol has no activity and morin, a derivative of flavonol, showed only a weak inhibition of the bacterial growth.Cystein did not have any antagonistic effect.Extracts of drugs, which contain natural flavanones, flavones, isoflavones and flavonols, are more or less bacteriostatic.     

ROLE OF α-PSEUDO-UNIVEX FUNCTIONS IN VECTOR VARIATIONAL-LIKE INEQUALITY PROBLEMS

In this paper, we introduce a new class of generalized convex function, namely, a-pseudounivex function, by combining the concepts of pseudo-univex and α-invex functions. Further, we establish some relationships between vector variational-like inequality problems and vector optimization problems under the assumptions of α-pseudo-univex functions. Results obtained in this paper present a refinement and improvement of previously known results.