Ion transport in liver mitochondria. I. Metabolism-independent Ca++ binding and H+ release.

Abstract 1. Liver mitochondria are able to bind large amounts of Ca++ through a process which is independent of metabolism. The amount of Ca++ bound is increased by increasing the pH of the medium and is decreased by the addition of univalent cations. The binding of Ca++ to the mitochondria is a function of the concentration of Ca++ in the medium and is affected by the Ca++ to protein ratio. 2. A large part of the metabolism-independent binding of Ca++ occurs in a space which is rendered accessible to univalent cations by valinomycin or gramicidin. In fact when the mitochondria are pretreated with valinomycin or gramicidin, the binding of Ca++ is increased in a sucrose medium and decreased in a KCl or NaCl medium. The competition between Ca++ and univalent cations has been studied. 3. The metabolism-independent binding of Ca++ is coupled to a release of H+ or of K+. The conditions affecting the exchange between divalent and univalent cations are studied and data are reported on the stoichiometry of H+:Ca++ and K+:Ca++ in normal and valinomycin-treated mitochondria

As visões das elites sul-americanas e mexicanas a respeito da democracia e da desigualdade social e econômica

Este artigo apresenta as percepções das elites na Argentina, Bolívia, Brasil, Chile, México e Venezuela a respeito da desigualdade social e a estabilidade democrática na região. O atual contexto regional mostra governos que definiram o combate à pobreza e a desigualdade como o principal objetivo de seus Governos. Desta forma, desde 2000 a região tem apresentado importantes resultados em termos de crescimento econômico e combate à pobreza. Por outro lado, em termos políticos os países tem apresentado debilidadesinstitucionais, como a capacidade das instituições de mediar as demandas sociais e a representação dos novos movimentos políticos. Assim, este estudo pretende analisar o apoio das elites a respeito das políticas públicas implementadas pelos Governos e as visões sobre os processos democráticos. O estudo utilizará os resultados do survey conduzido pelo Núcleo de Pesquisa em Relações Internacionais da USP

As visões das elites sul-americanas e mexicanas a respeito da democracia e da desigualdade social e econômica

Este artigo apresenta as percepções das elites na Argentina, Bolívia, Brasil, Chile, México e Venezuela a respeito da desigualdade social e a estabilidade democrática na região. O atual contexto regional mostra governos que definiram o combate à pobreza e a desigualdade como o principal objetivo de seus Governos. Desta forma, desde 2000 a região tem apresentado importantes resultados em termos de crescimento econômico e combate à pobreza. Por outro lado, em termos políticos os países tem apresentado debilidadesinstitucionais, como a capacidade das instituições de mediar as demandas sociais e a representação dos novos movimentos políticos. Assim, este estudo pretende analisar o apoio das elites a respeito das políticas públicas implementadas pelos Governos e as visões sobre os processos democráticos. O estudo utilizará os resultados do survey conduzido pelo Núcleo de Pesquisa em Relações Internacionais da USP

Allergy, inflammation, hepatopathy and coagulation biomarkers in dogs with suspected anaphylaxis due to insect envenomation

Objectives: To compare concentrations of biomarkers of; allergy [mast cell tryptase (MCT) and histamine], inflammation [interleukin (IL)-6,-10, and−18, CXCL8, CCL2, keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC), C-reactive protein (CRP)], endothelial glycocalyx shedding (hyaluronan), coagulation [prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen concentration, and von Willebrand Factor antigen, protein C (PC) and antithrombin (AT) activity], and hepatopathy [alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin] between dogs with anaphylaxis after suspected insect exposure, dogs with critical illness, and healthy dogs. Design: This was a single center prospective clinical observational comparative biomarker study that included 25 dogs with anaphylaxis (evidence of insect exposure, acute dermatological signs, and other organ involvement), 30 dogs with other critical illness, and 20 healthy dogs. Differences across groups in biomarker concentrations were tested using one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test, with significant P values (<0.05) reported for pairwise differences detected by post-hoc tests. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) for discrimination between anaphylaxis and non-anaphylactic illness. Results: Histamine concentration was significantly higher in the anaphylaxis group than the healthy (P < 0.001) and critically ill groups (P < 0.001), whereas no differences in MCT were detected amongst groups. Biomarker concentrations that were increased relative to healthy dogs in both the anaphylaxis and critically ill groups included IL-10 (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively), CCL2 (P = 0.007 and P < 0.001, respectively) and AST (both P < 0.001), whereas only the critically ill group had significantly increased CRP (P < 0.001), IL-6 (P < 0.001), KC (P < 0.001), ALP (P < 0.001), and fibrinogen (P = 0.016) concentrations, compared to the healthy group. Only dogs with anaphylaxis had significantly higher hyaluronan (P = 0.021) and ALT (P = 0.021) concentrations, and lower PC (P = 0.030) and AT (P = 0.032) activities, compared to healthy dogs. Both CRP and histamine concentration showed good discrimination between anaphylaxis and other critical illness, with an AUROC of 0.96 (95% CI 0.91–1) and 0.81 (95% CI 0.69–0.93), respectively. Conclusions: This preliminary study in dogs with anaphylaxis after suspected insect exposure, found evidence of an early innate immune response, glycocalyx shedding and anticoagulant consumption. Both CRP and histamine showed potential clinical utility for differentiation between anaphylaxis and other critical illness

Immunohistochemical detection of haemoglobin subunit epsilon (HBE) in the developing mouse placenta

Introduction: Haemoglobin is a widely studied protein due to its important roles in physiology and pathology. Aberrant expression of haemoglobins, including primitive globins, have been reported in various sites and disease states and may have utility in some instances as diagnostic and/or prognostic markers. Despite this, robust detection of haemoglobin epsilon in the placenta during development by immunohistochemistry has not been well documented. Aim: To evaluate a polyclonal antibody against human haemoglobin subunit epsilon (HBE) by immunohistochemistry during primitive erythropoiesis in the developing mouse placenta. Methods and results: An immunohistochemistry protocol was developed using a commercially available anti-human haemoglobin subunit epsilon antibody on the mouse placenta at embryonic day 11.5. Strong and specific cytoplasmic staining was observed in primitive erythroid cells within the blood cell islands. By contrast, the placenta endothelium, mesothelium and mesoderm were all immunonegative for epsilon haemoglobin. Conclusions: An immunohistochemistry protocol for the specific detection of epsilon haemoglobin was successfully developed using mouse placenta tissue. This assay has utility as a tool for the study of erythropoiesis during development and/or detecting the ectopic expression of epsilon globins in disease states such as cancer

Morphometric and physical characteristics distinguishing adult Patagonian lamprey, Geotria macrostoma from the pouched lamprey, Geotria australis

The pouched lamprey, Geotria australis Gray, 1851, has long been considered monotypic in the Geotriidae family with a wide southern temperate distribution across Australasia and South America. Recent studies have provided molecular and morphological evidence for a second Geotria species in South America; Geotria macrostoma (Burmeister, 1868). The aim of this study was to determine morphometric and physical characteristics of adult G. macrostoma that further differentiate this re-instated species of Geotriidae from G. australis. The diagnostic features discriminating immature adult G. macrostoma from G. australis when entering fresh water, are distinct differences in dentition, oral papillae and fimbriae counts and differences in coloration. In addition, G. macrostoma display greater growth of the prebranchial region and oral disc and has a deeper body depth and higher condition factor. All current ecological knowledge of the genus Geotria is based on Australasian populations, which may not be applicable to G. macrostoma. To ensure the conservation and protection of the Patagonian lamprey as a re-identified species, further investigations are needed to understand its life history, biology and ecology throughout its range

A measurement of the tau mass and the first CPT test with tau leptons

We measure the mass of the tau lepton to be 1775.1+-1.6(stat)+-1.0(syst.) MeV using tau pairs from Z0 decays. To test CPT invariance we compare the masses of the positively and negatively charged tau leptons. The relative mass difference is found to be smaller than 3.0 10^-3 at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to Phys. Letts.

Measurement of the B0 Lifetime and Oscillation Frequency using B0->D*+l-v decays

The lifetime and oscillation frequency of the B0 meson has been measured using B0->D*+l-v decays recorded on the Z0 peak with the OPAL detector at LEP. The D*+ -> D0pi+ decays were reconstructed using an inclusive technique and the production flavour of the B0 mesons was determined using a combination of tags from the rest of the event. The results t_B0 = 1.541 +- 0.028 +- 0.023 ps, Dm_d = 0.497 +- 0.024 +- 0.025 ps-1 were obtained, where in each case the first error is statistical and the second systematic.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.