Reversible thermal transition of soluble branched chains from slightly acid-treated potato starch.

The reversible thermal transition of soluble branched starch chains prepared from slightly acid-treated potato starch granules (ATS) was investigated. Potato starch was immersed in 15% sulfuric acid to obtain ATS with a 1% hydrolysis rate. About half of the molecules of ATS, which spontaneously formed large aggregates with a mass of a few million daltons in aqueous solution, was fractionated and soluble branched starch chains with a relative molecular weight (Mr) of 8.91 x 10(4) were obtained. Structural analysis indicated that the soluble branched starch chains consisted of three unit chains with Mr 7,900 and 21 unit chains with Mr 2,700. DSC and FT-IR measurements showed that the soluble branched starch chains underwent a reversible thermal transition, which is considered to be a helix-coil transition, during heating and cooling, but a debranched sample and beta-limit dextrins showed substantially different thermal behavior, indicating the contribution of the ordered structure of the branched chains.

Amino acid utilization during cell growth and apoptosis induction.

The amino acid utilization between human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60), human oral squamous carcinoma (HSC-2, HSC-4, NA), human salivary gland tumor (HSG) and rat neuron cells (PC-12) were compared, using amino acid analyzer. All these cells consumed four essential amino acids (valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine), glutamine and arginine, whereas they produced glycine, alanine and ammonia, without significantly affecting threonine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, histidine or lysine concentration. Serine and glutamine utilization varied considerably from cell to cell. HL-60 cells consumed serine and arginine at much higher rates than other cells. Serine depletion accumulated the G1 arrested cells, and produced increasing numbers of the apoptotic cells. Supplementation of serine significantly extended the period of logarithmic cell growth. During apoptosis induction of HL-60 cells by dopamine, sodium ascorbate or sodium 5,6-benzylidene-L-ascorbate, the oxidation of methionine to methionine sulfoxide was enhanced, but the consumption of serine, glutamine and arginine was reduced. In the presence of HL-60 cells, the methionine oxidation was significantly inhibited, suggesting the antioxidant action of the cells. These present study suggests the importance of re-evaluation of culture condition for each cell lines.

Intra-aortic oxygen distribution during veno-arterial bypass (VAB) without oxygenation in circulatory assist.

Right atrium-femoral artery VAB without oxygenation was performed in 7 dogs at 3 different bypass ratios, 15% 30%, and 45%. Respiration and cardiac output were controlled. Precise intra-aortic distributions of PO2 and O2 saturation were determined by means of a PO2 catheter probe and an oxygen analyzer. The following was concluded: 1) The blood pumped from dog heart produced a narrow "mixing zone" in the mid-aorta with the blood pumped from VAB. The area of the "mixing zone" was in the distal half between renal artery and bifurcation at 15% bypass ratio, in the proximal half between renal artery and bifurcation at 30% bypass ratio, and from celiac artery to below renal artery at 45% bypass ratio. It shifted proximally as the bypass ratio increased. 2) In order to supply necessary oxygen to abdominal viscera, it is recommended that the bypass flow should not exceed 30% of the baseline cardiac output.