Relationship between diaphragm length and abdominal dimensions

We examined the relationship between changes in abdominal cross-sectional area, measured by respiratory inductive plethysmography, and changes in length in the costal and crural parts of the diaphragm, measured by sonomicrometry, in nine supine, anesthetized dogs. During passive inflation, both parts of the diaphragm shortened and abdominal cross-sectional area increased. During passive deflation, both parts of the diaphragm lengthened and abdominal cross-sectional area decreased. We subsequently used the relationship between costal and crural diaphragmatic length, respectively, and abdominal cross-sectional area during passive inflation-deflation to predict the length changes in the costal and crural diaphragm during quiet breathing before and after bilateral phrenicotomy. In the intact animal the inspiratory shortening in the crural diaphragm was almost invariably greater than predicted from the relationship during passive inflation. During inspiration after phrenicotomy the crural diaphragm invariably lengthened, whereas the costal diaphragm often shortened. In general there was a good correlation between the measured and predicted length change for the crural diaphragm (r = 0.72 before and 0.79 after phrenicotomy) and a poor one for the costal diaphragm (r = 0.05 before and 0.19 after phrenicotomy).     

Initial filtration rate and initial clogging in the Hemorheometre

The role of different factors contributing to red cell filterability in the Hemorheometre has been investigated. Although the original method uses a small volume of suspension to determine red cell filterability, the present experiments showed that the results obtained are still significantly affected by filter clogging. Consequently a change in filterability could be due to a change in filter clogging possibly by residual leucocytes. An adaptation of filter chamber and filling method is described, resulting in a simpler and faster measuring procedure. The inaccuracy in measuring low haematocrits contributes significantly to experimental errors. Therefore a definition of red cell filterability based on the red cell count (instead of haematocrit) of the suspension is suggested.     

1H NMR studies of lambda cro repressor. 1. Selective optimization of two-dimensional relayed coherence transfer spectroscopy

Two-dimensional relayed coherence transfer NMR spectroscopy (RELAY) has been used to corroborate side chain spin system identities in crowded regions of the 1H NMR spectrum of the lambda cro repressor protein. The mixing time in the RELAY experiments was optimized for specific preselected spin systems by using recently developed methods [Bax, A., & Drobny, G. (1985) J. Magn. Reson, 61, 306-320], which utilize the transverse relaxation time (T2) of the molecule and relevant J couplings for the defined spin system. We demonstrate that a mixing time of 26 ms gives rise to strong C alpha H-C gamma H3 RELAY cross peaks for all valine, threonine, and isoleucine residues, while RELAY cross peaks for other spin systems are weak or are not observed. This allows for rapid and unambiguous identification of the side chain resonances for valine, isoleucine, threonine, and alanine (by elimination). The use of optimized RELAY for analyzing and identifying spin systems in complex spectra is discussed.     

1H NMR studies of lambda cro repressor. 2. Sequential resonance assignments of the 1H NMR spectrum

The cro repressor protein from bacteriophage lambda has been studied in solution by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2D NMR). Following the approach of Wüthrich and co-workers [Wüthrich, K., Wider, G., Wagner, G., & Braun, W. (1982) J. Mol. Biol. 155, 311-319], individual spin systems were identified by J-correlated spectroscopy (COSY) supplemented, where necessary, by relayed coherence transfer spectroscopy (RELAY). Nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) was used to obtain sequence-specific assignments. From the two-dimensional spectra, the peptide backbone resonances (NH and C alpha H) for 65 of the 66 amino acids were assigned, as well as most of the side chain resonances. The chemical shifts for the assigned protons are reported at 35 degrees C in 10 mM potassium phosphate, pH 6.8, and in 10 mM potassium phosphate, pH 4.6, 0.2 M KCl, and 0.1 mM EDTA. Small shifts were observed for some resonances upon addition of salt, but no major changes in the spectrum were seen, indicating that no global structural change occurs between these ionic strengths. NOE patterns characteristic of alpha-helices, beta-strands, and turns are seen in various regions of the primary sequence. From the location of these regions the secondary structure of cro in solution appears to be virtually identical with the crystal structure [Anderson, W. F., Ohlendorf, D. H., Takeda, Y., & Matthews, B. W. (1981) Nature (London) 290, 754-758]. Missing assignments include the Pro-59 resonances and the peripheral protons of the eight lysine, the three arginine, and three of the five isoleucine residues.     

Structure and biochemistry of endosperm breakdown in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds

Summary The zone of endosperm breakdown in the germinated date seed (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a narrow area immediately adjacent to the surface of the enlarging cotyledon, or haustorium. The zone width is correlated with the amount of cell division in the adjacent region of the haustorium. The sequence of endosperm breakdown is: 1. protein bodies vacuolate, 2. storage cell walls become electron-transparent immediately adjacent to the protoplast of each endosperm cell, 3. all remaining cytoplasm and lipid bodies disappear, and 4. the remaining cell walls become electron-transparent and collapse against the haustorium surface. Two cell wall hydrolases are present—endo-mannanase (EC3.2.1.78) and -mannosidase (EC3.2.1.25). -mannosidase is detectable in the endosperm before germination. At germination, the major portion of activity is found in the softened endosperm. -mannanase is only detectable from germination and there is always hundreds of fold greater activity in the softened endosperm than elsewhere. Proteinase is detectable in trace amounts at germination in the softened endosperm but is also found in the haustorium at later stages. Isolated haustoria, incubated in extracted ivory nut (Phytelephas macrocarpa) mannan in buffer, cause no mannan breakdown. Haustoria, incubated in a solution of locust bean galactomannan, cause no decrease in galactomannan viscosity. Our observations suggest that although haustoria probably regulate mannan breakdown in the endosperm, they do not seem to secrete the hydrolytic enzymes concerned.     

A fluorescent antibody staining technique to detect bacterial adherence to urinary tract epithelial cells

A fluorescent antibody technique has been devised to assess specifically the adherence of Escherichia coli in vitro to uroepithelial cells from healthy women and bacterial adherence in vivo to cells from women with symptomatic urinary tract infection. Similar values can be obtained using methylene blue as the bacterial stain, but this depends on the experience of the observer. The results indicate that E. coli adherence to uroepithelial cells is a factor in the infection process. We suggest that uroepithelial cells from patients with symptoms of a urinary tract infection whose urine has a low bacterial count (less than 10(3) cells/ml) could be examined for the presence of adherent uropathogens, which may be indicative of an infection. Although the fluorescent staining technique possibly would be expensive, the results would be specific and reliable. Other diagnostic and research applications suggest themselves as in studies of bacterial colonization of mucosal tissues or plastic catheters, where conventional light microscopy and radiolabelling methods are not effective.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of the complementary DNA and gene coding for the B-chain of subcomponent C1q of the human complement system.

Plasmid clones containing cDNA coding for the B-chain of human Clq were isolated from a liver cDNA library. The longest cDNA insert isolated contained all the coding sequence for amino acid residues B1 to B226 plus a 3' non-translated region of 264 nucleotides that extended into the poly(A) tail, thus accounting for 950 nucleotides of the mRNA. The B-chain mRNA was estimated by Northern-blot analysis to be 1.46 kb (kilobases) long, which indicated that approx. 500 bases were not accounted for in the cDNA clone. A cosmid clone containing the C1q-B chain gene was isolated from a human genomic DNA library. The precise 5' limit of gene was not established, but from the data available it appears that the gene is approx. 2.6 kb long. The coding sequence for residues B1 to B226 in the gene is interrupted by one intron, of 1.1 kb, which is located within the codon coding for glycine at position B36. This glycine residue is located in the middle of the triple-helical regions found in C1q at exactly the position where there is an unusual structural feature, i.e. a bend in each of the helical regions brought about by the interruption of the Gly-Xaa-Yaa repeating triplet sequences in the A- and C-chains and the presence of an 'extra' triplet in the B-chain. Nucleotide sequencing of the 5' end of the gene indicates the presence of a predominantly hydrophobic stretch of 29 amino acids, immediately before residue B1, which could serve as a signal peptide.     

Histochemical procedures for the simultaneous visualization of sialic acid,its side chainO-acyl variants andO-sulphate ester

Journal of Molecular Histology -     

Glycinebetaine content of halophytes: Improved analysis by liquid chromatography and interpretations of results

The glycinebetaine content of plants can be determined by simple isocratic high performance liquid chromatography. The method is applicable to extracts from a wide range of species and, in most cases, is suitably rapid and specific to be preferable to other methods of analysis. The chromatographic system employed permits accurate and sensitive ultraviolet detection, free of most interferences. Because the principle plant carbohydrates elute well before glycine betaine, preparative ion exchange procedures can be simplified. Twenty-seven species, mostly inland halophytes, were screened by these methods and 13 were found to be glycinebetaine accumulators. On a dry weight basis, the glycinebetaine content of Salicornia europaea L. actually declined with exposure to progressively higher levels of NaCl. When expressed as a proportion of plant organic matter, however, patterns were more typical (up to 7.7% at higher salt concentrations).