Effect of various drugs producing convulsive seizures on rat brain glycerolipid metabolism

Convulsive seizures were elicited in the rat by the injection of several different drugs (pyridoxal phosphate, bicuculline, penicillin and ouabain). Glycerolipid metabolism was studied after the intraventricular injection of [2-³H]glycerol, which was incorporated into rat brain glycerides. The percentage of total lipid label found in each lipid class (phosphatidylethanolamine, PE; phosphatidylcholine, PC; phosphatidylserine, PS; phosphatidic acid, PA; phosphatidylinositol, PI; diacylglycerol (+ monoacylglycerol), DG and triacylglycerol, TG) depended on the time elapsed from the injection of the labeled precursor. The percent of total lipid radioactivity as PE and PC increased with time (3–60 min), whereas the opposite was true for the radioactivity of DG and PA. The radioactivity of other lipid classes did not appreciabily vary between 3 and 60 min from the injection of the labeled glycerol. The intraventricular administration of pyridoxal phosphate together with labeled glycerol decreased the percent of lipid radioactivity as PE and increased that as DG. This lipid effect was detected also after the administration of other convulsants, such as ouabain and penicillin. The intraperitoneal administration of bicuculline affected lipid metabolism in cerebellum.     

Crystallization of human plasma apo-retinol-binding protein

Crystals of three forms of human plasma apo-retinol-binding protein have been obtained using the procedure described for the holoprotein. The apoprotein was prepared by a novel method, which uses hydrophobic interaction and immobilized dye chromatography. The three forms were separated by fast protein liquid chromatography. All of the crystals are isomorphous and diffract to 2.5 Å resolution. These crystals will be useful for studies of the mechanism of binding of retinol to its carrier using X-ray diffraction techniques.     

Immune reactivity in cattle with ocular squamous cell carcinoma after intralesional BCG immunotherapy

Summary Lymphocyte stimulation with Con A and specific immune reactivity to BCG (antibody formation to BCG and DTH reaction to PPD) were determined in BCG-treated, surgically treated and untreated cows with ocular squamous cell carcinoma. In tumor-bearing cows the Con A-induced proliferation of lymphocytes was reduced when compared to healthy controls. This suppression consisted of a reduced blastogenic response to Con A of lymphocytes from tumor-bearing cows, and the presence of a factor in the sera of these animals, as these sera suppressed the blastogenic response of lymphocytes from healthy cows. BCG had only a minor influence on the suppressive activity. Antibodies to BCG were demonstrated in 50% of the BCG-treated animals. The formation of antibodies was not influenced by intradermal injection of PPD of Mycobacterium bovis. Absorption of a BCG antibody containing serum with BOSCC tumor extracts did not reveal the existence of cross reacting antigens between BCG and BOSCC. Pretherapeutic and posttherapeutic Con A reactivity could not be correlated with clinical response. Of the 30 BCG treated cows 29 developed a positive DTH reaction to PPD. Correlation between clinical response and immune reactivity was seen only with regard to the DTH reaction to PPD: this reaction remained positive for a longer period after treatment in animals with a favorable clinical outcome than in nonresponding animals.Animals were maintained under the guidelines laid down by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsGrant recipient of the Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds (Netherlands Cancer Foundation) Abbreviations used: BCG, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin; BOSCC, bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma PBL peripheral blood leukocytes; PPD, purified protein derivative of Mycobacteria; DTH, delayed type hypersensitivity Con A, concanavalin A; PHA, phytohemagglutinin; PWM, pokeweed mitogen     

Lysis of autologous tumor cells by blood lymphocytes tested at the time of surgery

Summary Lymphocyte-mediated lysis of autologous tumor cells (autologous lymphocyte cytotoxocity ALC) was tested at the time of surgery in 108 patients (46 squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 25 adenocarcinomas of the lung, 19 soft tissue sarcomas and 18 osteosarcomas). The clinical course of these patients in relation to the test results has been published previously. The group was evaluated again after an extended observation time, now with a mean of 80.2 months (range 36–108). The test was rarely positive in patients with metastasis (2 out of 28 experiments).There was a correlation between the ALC results and the postsurgical clinical course for patients without detectable metastasis in that (1) a negative test was invariably a bad prognostic sign, i.e., all 32 patients with negative ALC died within 3 years (mean survival time 16.1 months). (2) The remission and survival times were longer for the ALC positive patients (p<0.001). (3) All 37 individuals who are alive at present without recurrence belong to the reactive group.The ALC results correlated with the clinical course in 88% of patients. The correlation was highest for the groups of soft tissue sarcoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. There was no correlation between killing of K562 cells and ALC, or between lymphoproliferative response to PHA and ALC reactivity.     

Abundance and biomass estimates of the benthic fauna in Admiralty Bay,King George Island,South Shetland Islands

Summary Quantitative benthic samples were collected along three transects in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetlands. At each of a total of 18 stations, between 15 and 250 m depth, we took 3 replicate samples with a van Veen grab. Animals collected were classed into major groups. Abundance and biomass per m² was calculated for each sampling site. Considerable population densities and high biomass values were found. Most abundant groups were Bivalvia, Polychaeta and Amphipoda, whereas the largest part of the biomass was due to Ascidiacea, Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, Polychaeta and Bivalvia. The maximum abundance recorded was 36,000 ind m^-2 while the average was approximately 6500 ind m^-2. Maximum biomass was over 2400 g m^-2 with an average of ca. 700 g m^-2. The contribution to the total biomass by groups such as the Oligochaeta, Cumacea and Tanaidacea was higher in the inner shallow part of Admiralty Bay (Ezcurra Inlet) than in the deeper areas of the bay. Our results confirm the reports on an unusually high density and biomass of the Antarctic sublittoral benthic fauna. Sessile suspension feeders belonging to the Bivalvia, Ascidiacea, sedentary Polychaeta, and vagile scavengers of the Ophiuroidea, Amphipoda and errant Polychaeta are the most significant groups in the Antarctic Ecosystem. The total benthic biomass in Admiralty Bay, based on the present preliminary quantitative data, was estimated to be over 600,000 t. This value is probably still an underestimate.     

The Formation of Otoliths in the Frog Rana esculenta. Scanning Electron Microscopic and X-Ray Diffraction Studies

Two crystal forms of calcium carbonate were observed: calcite (utricle) and aragonite (saccule, lagena, endolymphatic sac). The first step in otolith formation is the appearance of organic structures in the macula. The subsequent step is characterized by fast growing primitive crystals with a prismatic habitus that successively transform into adult or mature crystals. With the metamorphosis, the aragonite crystals of the endolymphatic organ show clear signs of erosion that can be related to a process of CaCO₃ mobilization from such deposits.     

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray data of human plasma retinol-binding protein

Crystals of human plasma retinol-binding protein have been obtained from 4.5 m-NaCl buffered at pH 6.8 with 20 mm-cacodylate. The crystals are trigonal with space group R3 and unit cell dimensions, referred to the hexagonal system. $\text{a = b = 104.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{c = 74.5}\text{A}\text{?}$. The crystals diffract to a resolution of 2.0 Å.     

Physical conditions of propagation media and their influence on the rooting of cuttings

Summary The formation and subsequent growth of roots by cuttings of poinsettia, hydrangea, rose and azalea in various propagation media, Jiffy-7, Jiffy-9 and Grodan under different conditions of aeration was investigated. The interrelationships of the effects of air content of the media, temperature and light intensity on the rooting of poinsettia cuttings was also studied.With low air contents (0 cm moisture tension) in the propagation media the formation and growth of roots was strongly inhibited. The rooting performance of rose appeared to be less affected by the poor aeration. Increasing air content improved rooting but best results were obtained at moisture tensions of 4 to 8 cm. Rooting seems to be better correlated with oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) than with air content.For poinsettia cuttings the optimum temperature for rooting was 24 to 28°C. At low temperatures rooting was delayed while at higher temperatures it was almost completely inhibited. Callus formation increased with temperature but decreased with increasing moisture tension. Conditions which induced large callus formation inhibited root formation.High light intensity during rooting reduced overall rooting performance and the inhibition was most pronounced in conjunction with high moisture tensions.Report No. 255.