-methyl transferase. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; EC 2.1.1.6) is one of several enzymes that degrade catecholamines (such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine), catecholestrogens, and various drugs and substances having a catechol structure. In humans, catechol-O-methyltransferase protein is encoded by the COMT gene. Two isoforms of COMT are produced: the soluble short form (S-COMT) and the membrane bound long form (MB-COMT). As the regulation of catecholamines is impaired in a number of medical conditions, several pharmaceutical drugs target COMT to alter its activity and therefore the availability of catecholamines.
British Burn Washington, D.C. In 1814, as part of the War of 1812, the British planned to attack the U.S. city of Baltimore, an important city on the Chesapeake Bay. Near Baltimore was Washington, D.C., the nationâs capital since 1800.
At nearly 400 square miles, the Carlton Complex of fires is the largest recorded in state history, eclipsing the 1902 Yacolt Burn, which killed 38 people in southwest Washington. The Carlton Complex has been blamed for the death of a man who appeared to suffer a heart attack while trying to protect his property.