Ergothioneine distribution in bovine and porcine ocular tissues.

Ergothioneine (ERT), is a low molecular weight, sulfur-containing antioxidant occurring in up to millimolar amounts in mammalian tissues. Using an improved HPLC assay, ERT levels have been measured and compared in bovine and porcine eyes and erythrocytes. The rank order of ERT levels in bovine ocular tissue was lens > retina = cornea > pigmented retinal epithelium (RPE) > aqueous humor (AQ) > vitreous humor (VIT) > sclera.

A phase II trial of deferoxamine in patients with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer.

The management of hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer remains a therapeutic dilemma. We report the results of a phase II trial with deferoxamine administrated at a dose of 50 mg/kg (maximum dose 5 g) administered intravenously over 8 hr daily, repeated for 5 days at 4-week intervals for 2 courses. Fourteen patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer were treated and 28 courses were delivered.

Myometrial arginase activity increases with advancing pregnancy in the guinea pig.

Objectives: Arginase has been suggested to play an important role in cellular growth and development, particularly important to the fetus, by supplying L-ornithine for the synthesis of polyamines. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether pregnancy alters myometrial arginase activity and whether estradiol was responsible for the change.

Study Design: Myometrium and kidney were obtained from nonpregnant and pregnant guinea pigs of known gestational age.

Erythrocyte L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine hydrolase activity and plasma phenylalanine and aspartate concentrations in children consuming diets high in aspartame.

A deficit of alpha-aspartyl-phenylalanine (alpha-Asp-Phe) hydrolase activity has been suggested as a cause of possible adverse effects of aspartame ingestion. Twenty-five normal preschool children and 23 school-age children described by their parents as sensitive to sugar were fed diets high in sucrose, aspartame, or saccharin for three successive 3-wk periods. Blood samples were obtained at baseline (fasting) and within the last 3 d of each dietary period (postprandial).

Pregnancy increases guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate in the myometrium independent of nitric oxide synthesis.

The mechanism for myometrial quiescence during pregnancy is unknown. cGMP plays an integral role in the relaxation of smooth muscle, and nitric oxide (NO) is the most important endogenous activator of soluble guanylate cyclase. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gestational age on myometrial cGMP and NO synthase (NOS) activity in the guinea pig.