Historical and other considerations regarding the crystal form of sodium-ammonium d- and l-tartrate,potassium d- and l-tartrate,potassium-ammonium d- and l-tartrate,and potassium racemate.—II

In 1914, the physics discipline had reached a very similar stage of development in Australia and Japan. A generation later the paths of development had considerably diverged. A systematic comparison of the evolution of physics in the two countries during these years identifies factors—political, economic and cultural—that led to this divergence, but it also uncovers a number of underlying parallels.     

Correlation between serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity and dopamine-β-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in central and peripheral adrenergic neurons and adrenal glands

Summary Serum dopamine--hydroxylase activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats had a positive correlation with dopamine--hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in mesenteric vessels, vas deferens, and adrenal glands at 14–16 weeks of age, a negative correlation with dopamine--hydroxylase activity in locus coeruleus at 3 weeks and 14–16 weeks of age, and a positive correlation with tyrosine hydroxylase activity only at 3 weeks of age, but not at 14–16 weeks of age.     

Allozyme polymorphism and linkage disequilibrium ofAdh and α-Gpdh loci in wine cellar and field populations ofDrosophila melanogaster

Summary Over three years, theAdh and -Gpdh loci have been studied in two cellar populations ofDrosophila melanogaster and in two field populations which were each near to one of the cellars. Analyses of gene frequencies indicate that the divergence among subpopulations is greater in theAdh locus than in the -Gpdh locus. Selection for or againstAdh ^S allele acting on theIn(2L)t inversion influences of the -Gpdh alleles. This phenomenon may contribute to explain the maintenance of theAdh and -Gpdh polymorphism and of theIn(2L)t inversion.     

Human Genome and Diseases:¶Cellular and molecular aspects of Zellweger syndrome and other peroxisome biogenesis disorders

Peroxisomes are single-membrane-bound organelles present in virtually all eukaryotic cells. They are involved in numerous metabolic processes, both catabolic and anabolic, including β-oxidation of very long chain fatty acids, metabolism of hydrogen peroxide, plasmalogen biosynthesis and bile acid synthesis. In several genetic diseases, there is either isolated deficiency of a specific peroxisomal protein (single-protein deficiencies) or a defect in the formation of the organelle with loss of multiple peroxisomal functions (peroxisome biogenesis disorders). X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is an example of the former, and the Zellweger spectrum of the latter. Peroxisome biogenesis disorders are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner and result from mutations in any of at least 12 PEX genes that encode peroxins. This article reviews the peroxisomal system, the clinical, biochemical and molecular aspects of peroxisomal disorders, and discusses recent scientific advances in the understanding of peroxisome biogenesis. Received 16 October 2001; received after revision 2 January 2002; accepted 3 January 2002     

Can consumer sentiment and its components forecast Australian GDP and consumption?

This paper examines whether the disaggregation of consumer sentiment data into its sub‐components improves the real‐time capacity to forecast GDP and consumption. A Bayesian error correction approach augmented with the consumer sentiment index and permutations of the consumer sentiment sub‐indices is used to evaluate forecasting power. The forecasts are benchmarked against both composite forecasts and forecasts from standard error correction models. Using Australian data, we find that consumer sentiment data increase the accuracy of GDP and consumption forecasts, with certain components of consumer sentiment consistently providing better forecasts than aggregate consumer sentiment data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Human Genome and Diseases:¶Double-strand breaks and translocations in cancer

The correct repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) is essential for the genomic integrity of a cell, as inappropriate repair can lead to chromosomal rearrangements such as translocations. In many hematologic cancers and sarcomas, translocations are the etiological factor in tumorigenesis, resulting in either the deregulation of a proto-oncogene or the expression of a fusion protein with transforming properties. Mammalian cells are able to repair DSBs by pathways involving homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining. The analysis of translocation breakpoints in a number of cancers and the development of model translocation systems are beginning to shed light on specific DSB repair pathway(s) responsible for the improper repair of broken chromosomes. Received 19 June 2001; received after revision 6 September 2001; accepted 11 September 2001     

α- andβ-Guttiferins

Zusammenfassung Die Isolierung, Charakterisierung und antibiotischen Eigenschaften von-Guttiferin (I), C₃₃H₃₈O₈ (Smp. 113–115°), aus den Samenhülsen und vom nahe verwandten-Guttiferin (II), C₂₉H₃₆O₆ oder C_33–34H_38–40O₈ (Smp. 86–91°) (möglicherweise identisch mit-Gambogasäure), aus Gummigutt, dem harzigen Sekret vonGarcinia morella, wurden beschrieben und ihre Verwandtschaft zu Morellin und Moreollin, den beiden bekannten Pigmenten der Samenhülsen, dargelegt. Für I wurde eine Partialstruktur vorgeschlagen. Die Bildung derselben komplexen bromhaltigen Säure vom Smp. 199 bis 200° unter der Einwirkung von Natriumhypobromit auf I und II spricht ferner für deren nahe strukturelle Verwandtschaft.     

Serglycin – Structure and biology

Serglycin is a proteoglycan found in hematopoietic cells and endothelial cells. It has important functions related to formation of several types of storage granules. In connective tissue mast cells the covalently attached glycosaminoglycan is heparin, whereas mucosal mast cells and activated macrophages contain oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (type E). In mast cells, serglycin interact with histamine, chymase, tryptase and carboxypeptidase, in neutrophils with elastase, in cytotoxic T cells with granzyme B, in endothelial cells with tissue-type plasminogen activator and in macrophages with tumor necrosis factor-α. Serglycin is important for the retention of key inflammatory mediators inside storage granules and secretory vesicles. Serglycin can further modulate the activities of partner molecules in different ways after secretion from activated immune cells, through protection, transport, activation and interactions with substrates or target cells. Serglycin is a proteoglycan with important roles in inflammatory reactions. Received 2 October 2007; received after revision 7 November 2007; accepted 12 November 2007     

α-Actinin structure and regulation

Alpha-actinin is a cytoskeletal actin-binding protein and a member of the spectrin superfamily, which comprises spectrin, dystrophin and their homologues and isoforms. It forms an anti-parallel rod-shaped dimer with one actin-binding domain at each end of the rod and bundles actin filaments in multiple cell-type and cytoskeleton frameworks. In non-muscle cells, alpha-actinin is found along the actin filaments and in adhesion sites. In striated, cardiac and smooth muscle cells, it is localized at the Z-disk and analogous dense bodies, where it forms a lattice-like structure and stabilizes the muscle contractile apparatus. Besides binding to actin filaments alpha-actinin associates with a number of cytoskeletal and signaling molecules, cytoplasmic domains of transmembrane receptors and ion channels, rendering it important structural and regulatory roles in cytoskeleton organization and muscle contraction. This review reports on the current knowledge on structure and regulation of alpha-actinin.     

Synthesis and some pharmacological properties of α-methyltryptamine and its 5-methoxy derivative

Résumé L'-méthyltryptamine et le 5-méthoxy dérivé ont été synthétisés en utilisant une variante de la méthode d'Abramovitch etShapiro.Des expériencesin vitro ont montré que ces deux amines ne subissent pas de désamination par la monoaminoxydase du cerveau des rats blancs. La 5-méthoxy--methyltryptamine injectée aux souris blanches en dose de 10 mg/kg semble accroître l'activité de la monoaminoxydase du cerveau.     

Tetraspanin TSPAN12 regulates tumor growth and metastasis and inhibits β-catenin degradation

Ablation of tetraspanin protein TSPAN12 from human MDA-MB-231 cells significantly decreased primary tumor xenograft growth, while increasing tumor apoptosis. Furthermore, TSPAN12 removal markedly enhanced tumor-endothelial interactions and increased metastasis to mouse lungs. TSPAN12 removal from human MDA-MB-231 cells also caused diminished association between FZD4 (a key canonical Wnt pathway receptor) and its co-receptor LRP5. The result likely explains substantially enhanced proteosomal degradation of β-catenin, a key effecter of canonical Wnt signaling. Consistent with disrupted canonical Wnt signaling, TSPAN12 ablation altered expression of LRP5, Naked 1 and 2, DVL2, DVL3, Axin 1, and GSKβ3 proteins. TSPAN12 ablation also altered expression of several genes regulated by β-catenin (e.g. CCNA1, CCNE2, WISP1, ID4, SFN, ME1) that may help to explain altered tumor growth and metastasis. In conclusion, these results provide the first evidence for TSPAN12 playing a role in supporting primary tumor growth and suppressing metastasis. TSPAN12 appears to function by stabilizing FZD4–LRP5 association, in support of canonical Wnt-pathway signaling, leading to enhanced β-catenin expression and function.     

Heisenberg (and Schrödinger,and Pauli) on hidden variables

In this paper, we discuss various aspects of Heisenberg's thought on hidden variables in the period 1927–1935. We also compare Heisenberg's approach to others current at the time, specifically that embodied by von Neumann's impossibility proof, but also views expressed mainly in correspondence by Pauli and by Schrödinger. We shall base ourselves mostly on published and unpublished materials that are known but little-studied, among others Heisenberg's own draft response to the EPR paper. Our aim will be not only to clarify Heisenberg's thought on the hidden-variables question, but in part also to clarify how this question was understood more generally at the time.