The Distribution of Acidic and Neutral Peptidases in Barley and Wheat Kernels

The activity of barley and wheat peptidases which hydrolyze alpha-N-benzoyl-dl-arginine-p-nitronnilide (BAPA) and alpha-N-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) has been measured in proximal and distal portions of ungerminated grain and in these tissues during 6 and 7 day incubations. The proximal portion of ungerminated barleys contained the major part of both the acidic (BAPA-ase and acidic BAEE-ase) and neutral (neutral BAEE-ase) peptidases. In ungcrminated wheat these acidic and neutral peptidases were nearly evenly distributed between the proximal and dislal portions. Commercial wheat embryo was very high in acidic peptidase but contained no neutral peptidase. During the germination of both wheat and barleys, acidic and neutral peptidase activity in the seedlings increased with time. No such consistent increase was observed for aleurone and starchy endosperm tissue for any of these grains. Aleurone and starchy endosperm tissue incubated in the absence of the proximal portion of the kernel showed reduced peptidase activities.     

The genetic structure of the incompatibility factors of Schizophyllum commune: the resolution of class 3 B factors

Summary Recombinant B factors were recovered from crosses of class Ixclass III B factors. Factors of class III are constituted of two loci, but intrafactor recombination occurs at a low frequency. B of class III B factors differs in its properties from B of class I, but B is identical with B of class I. The B locus has at least two alleles.     

Action Spectra for Light-induced Elongation in Fern Protonemata

The action spectrum for promotion of elongation of protonemata of Onoclea sensibilis has peaks at 400–420, 580–600 and 640–660 nm. The largest growth increments at saturating light doses are produced by yellow and far-red light. Elongation induced by yellow and far-red irradiation persists in old as well as young filaments, while red-light promotion is found only in young filaments. The growth promotion caused by yellow light is partially reversed by red light down to the level of growth produced by red irradiation alone. Elongation of rhizoids is under reversible red, far-red control, while yellow light is inactive. A model is proposed and discussed in which the light-sensitive elongation of filaments is accounted for by the presence of three distinct photoreceptors: phytochrome; a pigment absorbing yellow light. P₅₈₀; and a pigment absorbing blue light, P₄₂₀.     

Properties of r Mutants of Bacteriophage T4 Photodynamically Induced in the Presence of Thiopyronin and Psoralen

About 4 x 10(-4)r mutants were induced per lethal hit, a frequency characteristic of weak mutagens. Collections of mutants produced in the presence of either dye were indistinguishable in most of their properties. The rII mutants differed sharply from spontaneous mutants in their mutational spectra (fine scale map distribution) and their reversion responses to specific mutagens. Few or none of the induced mutants were induced to revert with proflavine (sign mutants; reading frame shift mutants). A majority were induced to revert with base analogues (base pair substitution mutants), and about half of these also responded to the hydroxymethylcytosine-specific agent hydroxylamine. A large minority of the mutants reverted spontaneously but failed to respond either to proflavine or to base analogues. We believe these mutants, as well as some of the mutants which did respond to base analogues, to be transversions (base pair substitutions which reverse the purine-pyrimidine orientation).     

Clinical Use of a New Mitral Disc Valve

A disc valve of new design was used successfully for the replacement of the mitral valve in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. This valve would appear to have the following advantages over the mitral ball valve prosthesis:• Lower left atrial pressure after replacement.• Elimination of the hazard of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with mitral valve replacement.• Decreased incidence of thromboembolization.• Abolition of possibility of ventricular septal irritation.Despite the better outlook for this valve compared with the ball valve for mitral valve substitution, the mitral valve should always be repaired whenever feasible. Repair is possible in the majority of patients.     

THE VALIDITY OF CENSUSING BLACK RHINOCEROS POPULATIONS FROM THE AIR

The efficacy of censusing black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis Linnaeus) populations from the air was tested. Repeated aerial counts were made of the black rhinoceros population centered on Qlduvai Gorge, Tanzania, where the number of rhinoceros on the ground is known accurately. Even under the most ideal conditions only 50% of the population was detected by observers in an aircraft, and factors accounting for this are considered. It is concluded that the light aircraft is of limited value in providing estimates of black rhinoceros populations, and estimates based purely on aerial counts are subject to considerable variation.     

A rat-tissue aminotransferase acting on L-tyrosine O-sulphate

1. Rat tissues have been shown to possess an aminotransferase that is active towards l-tyrosine O-sulphate and dependent on 2-oxoglutarate and pyridoxal phosphate. 2. Kidney, liver and pancreas have the greatest activity and the enzyme is localized mainly in the mitochondrial fraction in the liver and kidney cell. 3. The enzyme was shown to be distinct from l-tyrosine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase but its true identity was not established. 4. A procedure for the assay of the enzyme in crude tissue preparations was developed.     

Radiation Survival of Food Pathogens in Complex Media

When 15 bacterial species representing genera associated with food-borne diseases were irradiated individually, all except Escherichia coli and Streptococcus faecalis showed typical linear dose-survival curves in Hartsell's broth. The minimal lethal dose (MLD) for the organisms tested ranged from 3.0 x 10(5) to 6.0 x 10(5) rad. Salmonella paratyphi B, S. wichita, S. typhi, E. coli, and S. faecalis were found to be the least sensitive to radiation. In commercially canned crabmeat the survival curves of S. typhi, S. paratyphi B, and S. wichita exhibited to varying degrees an initial linear death decline with increasing radiation doses, followed by a distinct tailing effect caused by survival of low numbers at the higher doses. The above species of Salmonella were further individually subjected to gamma-radiation in various dilutions of crabmeat. The "tailing effect" gradually disappeared, with the dose-survival curve tending to become linear as the concentration of the crabmeat decreased.