Investigation of the structure of equine articular cartilage link protein (LP) from individuals ranging in age from 1 to 15 years identified 3 distinct isoforms having molecular weights of 46,000, 43,000, and 41,000. The relative amounts of each of the 3 isoforms altered with age. The largest form did not change with age; however, amounts of the Mr 43,000 and 41,000 forms increased with increasing age. The results suggested that an accumulation, in the extracellular matrix of cartilage, of these 2 smaller products may have arisen from proteolytic cleavage. The complete amino acid sequence of the protein core was determined from complementary DNA products prepared by polymerase chain reaction amplification of cartilage LP mRNA. The sequence had 96% similarity with human LP and with that of other species for which the primary structure has been determined. This high degree of sequence conservation and the isoform data indicate that extracellular processing of LP occurs by similar mechanisms in various species. At the transcription level, equine chondrocytes were found to express LP as 2 abundant mRNA of 5.0 and 3.0 kb, and a smaller mRNA of 1.5 kb. Processing of the LP mRNA in horses, thus, appears to be similar to that found in other species investigated, and although multiple transcripts are present, the coding region remains unaltered and only 1 protein product is made.

We analyzed the conentes of 12 types of minerals such as calcium in muscle from various species. Thereafter we ovserved changes of the concetrations according to age, part and sex in major domestic animals. The concentraions of calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium and zinc were high respectively whilst the content of cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum and nickel were low respectively in the muscle. The concentration of calcium was high in duck and dog but low in pig and horse. Also high level of sodium content was detected in dog and the content of potassium, iron showed high level in horse compared with the content in other animals. In 6 types of microminerals as cobalt, the level of muscle wer no more than 1 ppm showing very low content in all animal, but 2.99+_0.85ppm of copper in duck was an exceptional case. According to the age some species showed small range of variation centering on macrominerals and there was no remarkable change in microminerals. Distribution of minerals was different according to the part and the variation was very diverse compared with other factors such as age and sex. Additionally, the content of mnerals in muscle was higher in female than in male chicken and duck. In conclusion, the difference of the content of minerals according to the species was mainly focused on macrominerals.

The contents of histidine dipeptides, a metabolic products of muscle protein, were investigated to compare muscle composition among the 9 domestic animals including cattle. In major domestic animal, analyzed the effects of age, part and sex of the animals on their muscle composition. Large amounts of carnosine(68.63+_17.41 micro mol/g) were detected in cattle and it was higher than other animals. Wheres the content of anserine showed high level in order of turkey, chickens and duck. The ratio of carnosine and anserine(C/A ratio) was different depending on the animal species. Statistical data indicated that difference among species was significant(p0.05). The contents of histidine dipeptides in hearted muscle by boiling for 40 minutes at 110 degrees centigrade was similar to those of raw muscle. C/A ration in heated muscle was not different from that of raw muscle, indicating that no change has been made after heating process. The contents of camosine and anserine were different according to the parts of their muscle. Especially chuck of the mammalian showed extremely low level of histidine dipeptides compared with other parts, while C/A ratio maintained certain level regardless of age, part, sex. Therefore, based on the content of histidine depeptides, could be found the difference of muscle composition among the species. Also C/A ratio of horse, pig, cattle, duck, sheep nd turkey were characteristic respectively.

Photodynamic agents, due to their selective uptake by tumor cells and photon-dependent selective activation, have immense implications for cancer treatment. The present study provided direct evidence that the photon activation of chloro-aluminum phthalocyanine sulphonate (AlPcS4) in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ caused a rapid increase followed by a sustained increase in intracellular concentration of calcium ion ([Ca2+]i) in a small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cell line, SBC-3. The [Ca2+]i increase by photodynamic stimulation was completely inhibited by the removal of extracellular Ca2+ and reintroduction of extracellular Ca2+ immediately led to a rapid elevation of [Ca2+]i. However, the increase was not inhibited by application of Ni2+, nifedipine, or SKandF 96365, a receptor-mediated and voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry blocker. The photosensitizer AlPcS4 alone or light alone (4 min) had no effect on [Ca2+]i. Cytotoxicity examination by trypan blue exclusion test, however, suggested photodynamic stimulation-induced cell injury which was observed in both the presence and the absence of extracellular Ca2+. These results indicate that [Ca2+]i increase may not be mandatory for photodynamic stimulation-induced cell injury. Whether [Ca2+]i increase can accelerate, at least in part, cell death under the physiological condition, whether the mechanism(s) of cell death can be different in the presence and the absence of extracellular Ca2+, and whether [Ca2+]i increase can be totally unrelated to cell death await further work

The study found out the chemical and microbial quality of various milk samples collected from different sources of milk procured from rural areas of Tirupati. Thefat, SNF and protein percentages of milk samples collected from Dairy Experimental Station were higher than the other milk samples collected from commercial dairies of Sangam, Balaji and Heritage and local vendors. The milk samples collected from local vendors showed lower fat, SNF and protein percentages. No significant difference was observed in the milk samples collected from commercial dairies of Sangam, Balaji and Heritage with regard to fat, SNF and protein percentages. None of the milk samples collected from Dairy Experimental Station were found to be adulterated with water, whereas higher percentage of water was observed in the milk samples of local vendors. The Standard Plate Count of milk from local vendors is higher followed by Dairy Experimental Station. Presence of E.coli organisms in the milk samples collected from local vendors and Dairy Experimental Station indicated the extraneous contamination and unhygienic conditions of milking barn.