A nonenzymic oxygen uptake and its implications in the assay of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase by an oxygen electrode

Summary The oxygen electrode provides a rapid, convenient assay for 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase. However, due to the occurrence of a nonenzymic oxygen consumption when reducing agents were mixed witha,a-dipyridyl, its use is restricted to species which do not require reducing agents or necessitates the addition of catalase to the reaction mixture.     

On the mechanism of action of some 4-aminoanalogues of folic acid

Zusammenfassung Der Einfluss einiger 4-Aminoanalogen der coenzymatisch aktiven Folsäurederivate auf die Enzyme der Folsäureumwandlungen wurde verfolgt. Die stärkste Hemmung zeigen alle 4-Aminoanaloge auf die Hydrogenase der Folsäure, wobei die Hydrierung des Pyrazinringes dieselbe deutlich vermindert. Eine mässige, jedoch deutlich schwächere Hemmung von nonkompetitiver Natur wurde bei der Hydroxymethyltetrahydrofolsäuredehydrogenase, Formiminotransferase und Leukovorincyclodehydrase festgestellt. Weiter wurde die enzymatische Hydroxymethylierung von Tetrahydroaminopterin durch Serinaldolase aus der Taubenleber beobachtet.     

On the mechanism of pyrogenic action of ricin

Summary The incubation of rabbit white blood cells with ricin, the toxic protein of castor oil seeds, leads to the production of endogenous pyrogens. This induction can be inhibited by the antibiotics actinomycin D or cycloheximide. The results are discussed in terms of disturbed corticosteroid- and Mg²⁺-levels.Acknowledgments. The author is very grateful to the Uganda National Research Council for the Research Grant No. 60.660.00 (through Makerere University, Kampala) without which the completion of his inaugurated Ph. D. Thesis would not have been possible. This paper represents a part of this Thesis.     

On the molecular mechanism of action of the tetracyclines

Résumé L'usage de modèles moléculaires CPK permet de comparer la structure des molécules de la tétracycline à celle des molécules du RNA. Il est suggéré que le site récepteur de la tétracycline sur le ribosome comprend soit du RNA à double tresse, dont les radicaux formés par GC/GC ou GC/AU, soit un complexe RNA/protéine stéréochimiquement analogue au précedent ou à la portion CC (ou CU) du RNA. Il peut enfin être remplacé par une portion isomorphique de protéine ayant une séquence aminoacidique telle que Glu-x-Glu (ou Glu-x-Gln).     

Studies of the mechanism of action of the carotenoid crocetin

Summary The carotenoid crocetin was found to be taken up by normal rat muscle cells grown in vitro, and was found in the ribosomal-microsomal fraction, supporting the hypothesis that crocetin affects cell division enzymatic processes.     

Evaluation of correlation forecasting models for risk management

Reliable correlation forecasts are of paramount importance in modern risk management systems. A plethora of correlation forecasting models have been proposed in the open literature, yet their impact on the accuracy of value‐at‐risk calculations has not been explicitly investigated. In this paper, traditional and modern correlation forecasting techniques are compared using standard statistical and risk management loss functions. Three portfolios consisting of stocks, bonds and currencies are considered. We find that GARCH models can better account for the correlation's dynamic structure in the stock and bond portfolios. On the other hand, simpler specifications such as the historical mean model or simple moving average models are better suited for the currency portfolio. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Studies of the mechanism of action of the carotenoid crocetin.

The carotenoid crocetin was found to be taken up by normal rat muscle cells grown in vitro, and was found in the ribosomal-microsomal fraction, supporting the hypothesis that crocetin affects cell division enzymatic processes.     

Secretion and mechanism of action of the hole-forming toxin aerolysin

Aeromonas hydrophila exports aerolysin as a protoxin which is activated by proteolysis after release. Aerolysin binds to the eucaryotic cell receptor glycophorin and oligomerizes, forming holes in the membrane. Important regions of the molecule have been identified by site-directed mutagenesis, and channel formation has been studied in planar lipid bilayers.     

Platelet aggregation by Thrombofax®. Studies on the mechanism of action

Résumé Le Thrombofax Ortho provoque l'agrégation des plaquettes humaines (ainsi que celles du chien, du cobaye et du rat) suite à la libération d'ADP endoplaquettaire. La¹⁴C-sérotonine et le facteur plaquettaire 4 sont aussi libérés au cours de la réaction. La fraction active du produit semble résider dans les acides gras libres.

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Supported in part by grant No. 1216 of the Fonds voor Geneeskundig Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Brussels.     

A note on the mechanism of action of UV-irradiation of amphibian embryos

The actions on amphibian embryos of UV-irradiation, exposure to Li+ or exposure to ouabain show interesting parallels with their effects on spontaneous release at the presynaptic terminals of the neuromuscular junction. It is suggested that these treatments serve to raise intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in these examples, and that UV-promoted abnormalities in embryogenesis are a consequence of changes in [Ca2+]i at critical stages in development.     

A note on the mechanism of action of UV-irradiation of amphibian embryos

Summary The actions on amphibian embryos of UV-irradiation, exposure to Li⁺ or exposure to ouabain show interesting parallels with their effects on spontaneous release at the presynaptic terminals of the neuromuscular junction. It is suggested that these treatments serve to raise intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺ _i) in these examples, and that UV-promoted abnormalities in embryogenesis are a consequence of changes in [Ca²⁺]_i at critical stages in development.