Radiation protection of pronormoblasts and normoblasts by 2-mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG)

Summary The pronormoblasts and normoblasts in Swiss albino mice were found to be very sensitive to radiation and their percentage was reduced drastically after exposure to gamma-rays. The degree of damage increased with increase in radiation dose. MPG reduced the initial damage and brought about an early and fast recovery. It is concluded that the drug protects the stem cells and thereby reduces the depletion of the regenerating pool which causes a more efficient and accelerated recovery.     

A simulation study on the thermal and wetting behavior of alkane thiol SAM on gold (111) surface

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the structural,thermal and wetting properties of self-assembled monolayer(SAM) of alkane thiol on gold surface.The specific heat capacity of the gold SAM surface was found to linearly increase with the temperature in the range 100–300 K.It was found to drop down at 400 K and this decrease might be attributed to the disorder of the SAM chains.Hydration of gold SAM surface for two different terminal groups,namely methyl(hydrophobic),and hydroxy(hydrophilic) was studied at room temperature.The difference in their wetting behavior and the structure of their interfacial water were examined from the estimation of the z density profile,radial distribution function,hydrogen bonds and orientation of water dipoles in the interfacial region.The present simulation results suggest that the wetting behavior of the gold SAM surface can be modified by altering the terminal functional group of the SAM chains.     

Chemical protection of mouse spermatocytes against gamma-rays with 2-mercaptopropionylglycine

The radiosensitivity of primary spermatocytes in pachytene stage was estimated by counting the number of spermatids in the testes of control and MPG-treated mouse after exposure to 500, 1000 and 1500 R of Co60 gamma-rays. For this purpose, control and MPG-treated mice were killed 5 days after irradiation and countings of spermatids was made in stages I and II of the tubules. It has been observed that, although there was a death of primary spermatocytes in irradiated MPG-protected groups, quantitatively significant protection was afforded by this drug at all the 3 dose-levels studied.     

Division stages of the mitochondria in normal and actinomycin-treated plasmodia ofPhysarum polycephalum

Zusammenfassung Die Form der Mitochondrien und das Verhalten des Mitochondrien-Nukleoids im SchleimpilzPhysarum polycephalum werden durch Behandlung mit Actinomycin C in einer Weise modifiziert, die darauf schliessen lässt, dass die Mitochondrien einen regelmässigen Teilungszyklus durchlaufen, der mit der Teilung des Nukleoids korreliert ist.

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Supported by U.S.P.H.S. Grant No. 5-RO-1-GM 11949-04 and by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Contract No. COO-1432-7.     

Synchronization of mitosis inPhysarum polycephalum by coalescence of postmitotic and premitotic plasmodial fragments

Zusammenfassung Nach Fusion von promitotischen mit postmitotischen Fragmenten des SchleimpilzesPhysarum polycephalum (Zahlenverhältnis von postmitotischen zu promitotischen Kernen: 1/1) teilten sich die Kerne der so hergestellten Plasmodien synchron.

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Supported by AEC contract No. COO-1432-8.