Ethylene Oxide Gaseous Sterilization: II. Influence of Method of Humidification

The duration of the equilibration period between admission of water vapor and subsequent introduction of gaseous ethylene oxide to an evacuated sterilizer chamber was studied with respect to its effect on the inactivation of spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger under simulated practical conditions. Introduction of a water-adsorbing cotton barrier between the spores and an incoming gas mixture of water vapor and ethylene oxide caused a marked increase in the observed thermochemical death time of the spore populations. This effect was negated by admission of water vapor one or more minutes prior to introduction of ethylene oxide gas. Increases in temperature and relative humidity of the system promoted passage of water vapor through the cotton barriers and diminished their effect.     

Zur Elektronenmikroskopie der Kerneinschlüsse im menschlichen Nebenhodenepithel

Zusammenfassung Es werden verschiedene Typen von Einschlußkörperchen im Karyoplasma der Epithelzellen des menschlichen Nebenhodenepithels beschrieben. Die verschieden strukturierten Kerninklusionen werden als eine Differenzierungsreihe aufgefaßt. Sie beginnt mit kleinen rundlichen Körperchen aus feinfädigem Material und führt über die Ausbildung von Anhäufungen dichter homogener Kugeln zu großen Vakuolen wechselnden Inhaltes.

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Summary Different types of inclusion bodies are described in the karyoplasm of the epithelial cells of the human epididymis. The structural differences between these inclusions are interpreted as being indicative of consecutive stages in the process of their formation. Thus small, spherical bodies consisting of a fine fibrous material are believed to be the initial stages in the formation of the inclusion bodies whereas the dense, homogenous globules are thought to represent a later stage. Large vacuoles containing different materials are regarded as the final stage in this process of differentiation.

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Herrn Professor Dr. W. Bargmann zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Fluoreszenzmarkierung von Tumor- und Leber-DNS der Ratte

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine Methode zur Fluoreszenzmarkierung von DNS, die aus Guérin-Rattentumoren und Rattenlebern isoliert wurde, mitgeteilt. Zur Kopplung wurde 1-Dimethylamino-naphthalin-sulfochlorid-5 (DIS) verwendet. Die Ratten intravenös applizierte markierte DNS stellt sich im Gewebsschnitt durch ihre gelbe bzw. intensiv gelbgrüne Fluoreszenz dar.

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Summary This paper informs of a method of fluorescence marking of DNA isolated from Guérin rat tumors and rat livers. For coupling we used 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-sulphochloride-5 (DIS). The marked DNA injected intravenously into rats presented itself by yellow or intense yellowish green fluorescence.

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Zum hundertjährigen Bestehen des Lehrstuhls für Pathologie der Universität Rostock.     

In vitro shoot regeneration of Populus deltoides: effect of cytokinin and genotype

Treatment differences were observed in the in vitro adventitious shoot regeneration response from internodal explants of three genotypes of Populus deltoides cultured on media supplemented with five concentrations each of the cytokinins 6-benzyladenine, 2-isopentyladenine, and zeatin. For each of the three genotypes, the greatest number of shoots were consistently regenerated on media containing the cytokinin zeatin. Tissue necrosis resulted when explants from any of the three genotypes were cultured on media supplemented with 6-benzyladenine. A zeatin concentration by genotype interaction was also observed. Genotypic differences in shoot regeneration were observed for 16 genotypes of Populus deltoides when cultured on medium supplemented with 0.5 mgL^–1 zeatin. Six genotypes were highly recalcitrant and failed to regenerate shoots. The percent of explants regenerating was greater than 50% for four genotypes.Abbreviations WNA modified Woody Plant Media - BA N⁶-benzyladenine - 2-iP 2-isopentenyladenine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - MS Murashige Skoog (1962) medium - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - PAR photosynthetically active radiation Journal Series No. 8938, Agricultural Research Division, University of Nebraska     

Effects of seven different mutations in the pho1 gene on enzymatic activity, glycosylation and secretion of acid phosphatase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Summary Structural gene mutants of the cell-surface glycoprotein acid phosphatase of Schizosaccharomyces pombe were analysed to define structural determinants that are responsible for enzymatic activity, N-glycosylation and secretion. All seven defined mutations cause a single amino acid substitution in the mature acid phosphatase protein and destroy the enzymatic activity. The mutational lesions are distributed throughout the pho1 gene. A ser to phe substitution at position 349 abolishes enzymatic activity only and does not affect glycosylation and secretion. Two mutations create a new N-glycosylation site by substitution of pro at position 56 by phe and ser, respectively. This new site is apparently used in the mutants. Their core-glycosylated acid phosphatase is slightly larger than that of the wild type. Overglycosylation seems not to affect secretion. Four different mutations (a gly to asp substitution at position 281 and ser to phe substitutions at positions 150, 271 and 277) cause intracellular accumulation of enzymatically inactive core-glycosylated acid phosphatase precursor. These mutational lesions apparently block transport of acid phosphatase from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.     

Mivazerol, a Novel α2-Agonist and Potential Anti-Ischemic Drug, Inhibits KCl-Stimulated Neurotransmitter Release in Rat Nervous Tissue Preparations

Abstract: In this study, we have investigated the effect of mivazerol, [3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)methyl-1]-2-hydroxy-benzamide hydrochloride, a new α₂-agonist lacking hypotensive properties and a potential anti-ischemic drug, on the evoked release of norepinephrine, aspartate, and glutamate in tissue preparations from hippocampus, spinal cord T1–T5 section, rostrolateral ventricular medulla, and nucleus tractus solitarii of the brainstem of rat. A simple and efficient in vitro procedure to study pharmacologically the release of norepinephrine and glutamate is described. Tissues were chopped into (0.3 × 0.2 × 0.2 mm³) sections and the resulting minces were used for this study. Exposure to KCl (10–75 mM) for 5 min served as a stimulus for the release response. One, S (for aspartate and for glutamate release), or two such stimuli, S₁ and S₂ (for norepinephrine release) were conducted. The release of norepinephrine (+150% above baseline) was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by mivazerol in hippocampus (IC₅₀ = 1.5 × 10^?8M), spinal cord (IC₅₀ = 5 × 10^?8M), rostrolateral ventricular medulla (IC₅₀ = 10^?7M), and nucleus tractus solitarii (IC₅₀ = 7.5 × 10^?8M), and by clonidine in hippocampus (IC₅₀ = 5 × 10^?8M), spinal cord (IC₅₀ = 4.5 × 10^?8M), rostrolateral ventricular medulla (IC₅₀ = 2.5 × 10^?7M), and nucleus tractus solitarii (IC₅₀ = 10^?7M). This effect was counteracted by the selective α₂-antagonists yohimbine and rauwolscine. A significant glutamate and aspartate release response was also induced by KCl (35 mmol/L) in hippocampus (+250 and +135%, respectively) and spinal cord (+120 and +55%, respectively), in vitro. However, neither mivazerol nor clonidine, at doses up to 10 µM, had any significant effect on KCl-induced glutamate release in spinal cord, whereas mivazerol blocked completely the release of both amino acids in hippocampus and only the release of aspartate in spinal cord. On the other hand, clonidine (1 µM) was only effective in reducing by 40% the release of aspartate in hippocampus. These data indicate that (1) inhibition of KCl-induced norepinephrine release by mivazerol is mediated by its action on α₂-adrenergic receptors; (2) at concentrations selective for α₂-adrenergic receptors, only mivazerol was effective in blocking the KCl-induced glutamate release in hippocampal tissue; and (3) at the same concentrations, both mivazerol and clonidine were unable to inhibit glutamate release in the spinal cord. These data suggest that prevention of hyperadrenergic activity by mivazerol in perioperative patients may be mediated through its effect on the release of norepinephrine and/or the release of glutamate and aspartate in regions of the CNS that are involved in the control of cardiovascular homeostasis.     

Identification of mutations in the ALD-gene of 20 families with adrenoleukodystrophy/adrenomyeloneuropathy

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), an X-linked inherited metabolic disorder, is the most frequent inborn peroxisomal disease. It leads to demyelination in the central and peripheral nervous system. Defective -oxidation of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs; C22:0–C26:0) in peroxisomes has been shown to lead to an accumulation of VLCFAs in leukoid areas of the central nervous system, peripheral nerves, adrenal gland, and blood. The ALD gene has been recently identified and encodes a 745-amino-acid protein. We screened patients with adrenoleukodystrophy/adrenomyeloneuropathy (ALD/AMN) from 20 kindreds for mutations in the ALD gene. Eleven missense and two nonsense mutations, five deletions, and one insertion were detected by direct sequencing of eight reverse transcribed fragments of the ALD-gene mRNA. Four mutations could be shown to be de novo. All mutations could be confirmed in carriers by sequencing genomic DNA. No correlation between the type of mutation and the severity of the phenotype could be observed. The mutations were not detected in the ALD gene of 30 healthy persons.