Latent chromosomal instability in cancer patients.

There is increasing evidence that, similar to what is found with other genetic disorders, genomic instability is one of the most general features of cancer. Different forms of manifestation including latent instability have been suggested. To recognize latent chromosomal instability we treated lymphocyte cultures of cancer patients and healthy persons with caffeine, two different doses of bleomycin, and a combination of bleomycin and caffeine.

ERG OFF response in frog retina: light adaptation and effect of 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate.

The intensity-response (V/log I) function of ERG OFF response (d-wave) in dark and light adapted superfused frog eyecups was investigated before and after blockade of the retinal ON channel by 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (APB). The V/log I function of the dark adapted d-wave had two distinct components, each of them consisting of an ascendent and descendent part. In eyes adapted to mesopic or photopic background the V/log I function had only one component.

Immobilization and ultrastructure of alveolar type II cells.

We studied the ultrastructural changes in the alveolar type II cells from the lung of immobilized male Wistar rats divided into 6 groups: control; immobilized for 1, 12, 24 and 30 hours; immobilized for 30 hours and readapted for 5 hours. We used the routine methods of fixation through perfusion and electron microscopy. The results indicated progressive structural changes in the alveolar type II cells, correlating with a prolonged time of akinesia.

Effect of bovine milk antigens and egg lysozyme on the binding of 59Fe-lactoferrin to platelet plasma membranes.

1. Platelets bind specifically to lactoferrin. A significant similarity between human lactoferrin and some bovine milk proteins has been established.

Heat shock and osmotically dependent steps by DNA uptake after Escherichia coli electroporation.

Currently, the major problem in the genetic transformation is to understand how such a large molecule as the plasmid DNA passes through the cell membrane. To solve this problem we used a simplified experimental model with Escherichia coli and the plasmid pBR322: the DNA-bacteria mixture was electroporated in a sucrose solution at 0 degree C and at fixed electrical parameters; the samples were then directly plated into agar. It was found that the electrically-induced bacterial transformation after pulsing is dependent on two factors: heat shock (delta T) and osmotic stress.

Lactoferrin binding to human platelets.

1. Platelets bind specifically lactoferrin. 2.

Pharmacokinetic investigation with 125I labeled T-actemodulin (TAM).

The aim of the study was to label TAM with radioactive iodine and to follow its distribution in different organs of rats. T-actemodulin is a thymic hormone isolated from calf thymus by a new technology. TAM was labeled according to the method of Greenwood and Hunter.

Alkaloids of Corydalis slivenensis.

The known alkaloids (-)-stylopine, (-)-canadine, (+/-)-sinactine, (+)-nantenine, (+)-bulbocapnine, protopine, (-)-isocorydine, (-)-domesticine, alpha-allocryptopine and berberine were found in a mixture of alkaloids from Corydalis slivenensis (Papaveraceae), growing in Bulgaria. Dehydronantenine, corydine, predicentrine and isoboldine were detected by means of a thin-layer chromatography. Two other alkaloids - (+)-tetrahydrocorysamine and (-)-cavidine, were identified on the basis of their spectral data.

Alkaloids from Corydalis bulbosa.

A new 4,5-dioxoaporphine, named corydione, was isolated from the whole herb of Corydalis bulbosa (L.) Dc (Papaveraceae), together with dehydronantenine, (-)-stylopine, (+)-bicuculline, (-)-adlumidine, (+)-nantenine, (+)-bulbocapnine, protopine (-)-domesticine, (+)-corydine, predicentrine, oxonantenine, (+)-isoboldine and nandazurine. Glaucine and thaliporphine were detected by means of thin-layer chromatography.

Alkaloids from Corydalis marschalliana.

The known alkaloids (+/-)-stylopine, (+/-)-sinactine, protopine, (+)-bulbocapnine, (-)-domesticine, (+)-corydine and (+)-isoboldine were found in the mixture of alkaloids from Corydalis marschalliana (Papaveraceae), growing in Bulgaria. The alkaloids dehydronantenine, (+)-nantenine and oxonantenine were isolated for the first time from this plant. The spectral data of these alkaloids are given.