Distribution of peptide-containing neurons and endocrine cells in the rabbit gastrointestinal tract,with particular reference to the mucosa

Summary The distribution patterns of peptide-containing neurons and endocrine cells were mapped in sections of oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine of the rabbit, by use of standard immunohistochemical techniques. Whole mounts of separated layers of ileum were similarly examined. Antibodies raised against vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P (SP), somatostatin (SOM), neuropeptide Y (NPY), enkephalins (ENK) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) were used, and for each of these antisera distinct populations of immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibres were observed. Endocrine cells were labelled by the SP, SOM or NPY antisera in some regions.VIP-IR nerve fibres were common in each layer throughout the gastrointestinal tract. With the exception of the oesophagus, GRP-IR nerve fibres also occurred in each layer of the gastrointestinal tract; they formed a particularly rich network in the mucosa of the stomach and small intestine. Fewer nerve fibres containing NPY-IR or SOM-IR were seen in all areas. SOM-IR nerve fibres were very scarce in the circular and longitudinal muscle layers of each area and were absent from the gastric mucosa. The SP-IR innervation of the external musculature and ganglionated plexuses in most regions was rather extensive, whereas the mucosa was only very sparsely innervated. ENK-IR nerve fibres were extremely rare or absent from the mucosa of all areas, although immunoreactive nerve fibres were found in other layers.These studies illustrate the differences in distribution patterns of peptide-containing nerve fibres and endocrine cells along the gastrointestinal tract of the rabbit and also show that there are some marked differences in these patterns, in comparison with other mammalian species.     

The projections of chemically identified nerve fibres in canine ileum

Summary The projections of nerve fibres with immunoreactivity for the peptides enkephalin (ENK), gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SOM), substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were studied in canine small intestine by analysing the consequences of lesions of intrinsic and extrinsic nerves. Of peptides present in fibres supplying myenteric ganglia, GRP, SOM and VIP were in anally directed nerve pathways, whereas ENK and NPY were in orally directed pathways. Pathways ran for up to about 30 mm. SP fibres ran for short distances in both directions in the myenteric plexus. The circular muscle was supplied with ENK, NPY, SP and VIP fibres arising from the myenteric ganglia, whereas most mucosal SP and VIP fibres were deduced to arise from submucous ganglia. There were projections of fibres reactive for ENK, GRP, SOM, SP and VIP from myenteric ganglia to submucous ganglia. Antibodies to tyrosine hydroxylase were used to locate noradrenaline nerve fibres supplying the intestine; these fibres all disappeared when extrinsic nerves running through the mesentery to the small intestine were cut. It is deduced that there is an ordered pattern of projections of peptide-containing fibres in the canine intestine.     

A complex balanced chromosomal rearrangement in repeated abortions

Summary A double balanced reciprocal translocation involving four chromosomes, t(1;19;6;14) (1p11; 19p11; 6q25; 14q21), was found in the phenotypically normal husband in a couple referred because of repeated abortions. Reciprocal translocations, t(6;14), had been transmitted by his mother, his father being apparently homozygous for a translocation comprising pairs 1 and 19-t(1;19)(1;19). The genetic consequences of this complex chromosomal rearrangement are analyzed.     

Hydrolysis of rice straw to fermentable sugars byTrichoderma enzymes

Summary ATrichoderma sp. (IMB-Tr) isolated from rice straw possessed cellulolytic and xylanolytic activity, comparable to those produced byTrichoderma reesei QM 9414 (a proven cellulolytic fungus). IMB-Tr produced 2.9 and 1.9 times, respectively, greater -glucosidase activity compared toT. reesei when grown on microcrystalline cellulose and rice straw. Percentage enzymic hydrolysis increased with increase in the sodium hydroxide concentration used in the pretreatment of rice straw and with the increase of enzyme concentration used in the hydrolysis. The extracellular enzyme fraction ofT. reesei possessed greater hydrolytic power than that of IMB-Tr. However, when a combined enzyme preparation from the two organisms was used, an appreciable degree of synergism was observed; an increase in reducing sugars up to 39% was seen. The reducing sugar produced by enzymic hydrolysis was mainly glucose, xylose and cellobiose. Fermentation of a 4.8% (w/v) sugar hydrolysate (produced by the enzymic hydrolysis of rice straw) bySaccharomyces cerevisiae produced 10.7 g/l of ethanol compared to 18.8 g/l produced by the fermentation of 4.8% (w/v) pure glucose.

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Resumen Se ha aíslado a partir de paja de arroz una cepa deTrichoderma sp. (IMB-Tr) que posee actividades celulolíticas y xilanolíticas comparables a las deTrichoderma reesei QM 9414 (un hongo probadamnete celulolítico). IMB-Tr produjo 2.9 y 1.9 veces más actividad -glucosidásica queT. reesei cuando ambos se hicieron crecer en celulosa microcristalina y en paja de arroz respectivamente. El porcentaje de hidrolisis enzimática se incrementó con el aumento en la concentración del hidróxido sódico empleado en el pretratamiento de la paja de arroz y con el aumento de la concentración enzimática utilizada en la hidrolisis. La fracción extracelular enzimática deT. reesei poseía un mayor poder hidrolítico que la de IMB-Tr, sin embargo cuando se usó un preparado enzimático combinado de ambos microorganismos se obtuvo un apreciable efecto sinérgico, observándose un incremento de hasta un 39% de los azucares reductores producidos. Estos azucares fueron principalmente glucosa, xilosa y celobiosa. La fermentación de un 4.8% (p/v) del hidrolisado azucarado (producido por la hidrolisis enzimática de la paja de arroz) porSaccharomyces cerevisiae produjo 10.7 g/l de etanol comparado a 18.8 g/l obtenidos de la fermentación de 4.8% (p/v) de glucosa pura.

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Résumé Une souche deTrichoderma sp. (IMB-Tr), isolée à partir de paille de riz, a une activité cellulolytique et xylanolytique comparable à celle deTrichoderma reesei QM 9414 (champignon cellulolytique reconnu). L'activité -glucosidase d'IMB-Tr cultivé sur cellulose micro-cristalline ou sur paille de riz est, respectivement, 2.9 et 1.9 fois plus élevée que celle deT. reesei. Le pourcentage d'hydrolyse enzymatique croit avec la concentration de la soude employée pour le pré-traitement de la paille et avec la concentration d'enzyme utilisée pour l'hydrolyse. La fraction exocellulaire de l'enzyme a une activité hydrolysante plus élevée dans le cas deT. reesei que dans celui de IMB-Tr. Cependant, si on emploie un mélange des activités enzymatiques des deux organismes, on constate une nette synergie et un accroissement des sucres réducteurs allant jusqu'à 39%. Les sucres réducteurs obtenus par hydrolyse enzymatique comprennent principalement du glucose, du xylose et du cellobiose. La fermentation parSaccharomyces cerevisiae d'un hydrolysat enzymatique de paille de riz contenant 4.8% (poids/vol.) de sucres fournit 10.7 g/l d'éthanol, au lieu de 18.8 g/l obtenus par fermentation de glucose pur à la même concentration.

     

Sialic acid is a cell surface component of Entamoeba invadens trophozoites

The surface anionic groups of Entamoeba invadens were analysed by cell electrophoresis, by ultrastructural cytochemistry, and by identification of sialic acids using paper and gas-liquid chromatography. Binding of colloidal iron hydroxide (CIH) and of cationized ferritin (CF) particles at pH 1.8 and 7.2, respectively, was observed on the cell surface. E. invadens has a highly negative surface charge (-0.96 microns s-1 V-1 cm). Treatment of the cells with trypsin and neuraminidase significantly reduced the electrophoretic mobility by 24% and 40%, respectively. Treatment of the amoebae with neuraminidase also markedly decreased the binding of CIH to the cell surface. This finding suggests that sialic acid residues are the major anionogenic groups exposed on the surface of E. invadens. Paper and gas-liquid chromatography showed that N-acetylneuraminic acid was the only derivative characterized in E. invadens.     

Growth of bone marrow CFU-GM in a case of cyclical neutropenia. Preliminary report

We studied bone marrow CFU-GM growth behaviour of a 9-year-old male child with cyclic neutropenia. The cultures were performed on day 0 and on day 13 of cyclic oscillation, in order to study some correspondences between CFU-GM culture parameters and the phases of a whole cyclic oscillation "in vivo". We explored the CFU-GM growth under three different conditions of GM-CSA production: a) standard source of CSA; b) endogenous GM-CSA assay; c) GM-CSA-gamma-globulin assay. At both observation times the endogenous GM-CSA assay produced more aggregates than the baseline culture. The GM-CSA-gamma-globulin assay partly corrected the growth increase, produced by endogenous assay. At time 0, at the nadir of peripheral blood neutrophils, there was a balance between the number of aggregates, appeared early in culture and early degenerated, and those appeared late. From progenitor cells culture performed on day 13 of cycle, a week before the zenith of neutrophils in vivo, we obtained an increase in aggregates, which appeared late. The values of CFU-GM grown from the culture performed on day 13 reached higher levels than the ones performed on day 0. The CFU-GM growth behaviour shows that in our case with cyclic neutropenia there is no defect in progenitor cells, while on the contrary there is an increase in CSA production.     

Inheritance of resistance to bacterial blight in common bean

Summary Inheritance of resistance to common bacterial blight in the trifoliate leaf, plant canopy, and pods was controlled by a single major gene. Additive followed by dominance effects were more important than epistatic interactions. Narrow-sense heritability values ranged from 0.18 to 0.87 for trifoliate leaf, from 0.26 to 0.76 for canopy, and from 0.11 to 0.36 for pods. Observed gains from selection for resistance were higher than expected gains. Implications of these results in breeding for resistance are discussed.     

Isolation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae from sperm fluid

The isolation of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae from sperm is reported. The organism was identified through the investigation of fluorescence under the UV light, the presence of pirazinecarboxilamidase enzyme (Pyz), in vitro and in vivo and virulence methods (single radial immunodiffusion, cell culture, guinea pig intradermic test). The strain was initially considered nontoxinogenic by single radial immunodiffusion, but its virulence was observed afterwards, when we applied the tests already mentioned. The strain could be considered a "Diphtheroid" without adequate specification.     

The effects of phospholipids on the activation of glutamate dehydrogenase by L-leucine.

Glutamate dehydrogenase in disrupted mitochondrial preparations is activated by L-leucine to a much greater extent than is the purified enzyme. A factor, or factors, responsible for modulating the sensitivity of L-leucine is lost during the purification of the enzyme. Although both cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine are inhibitors of the enzyme, only the inhibition by the former phospholipid is reversed by L-leucine. The inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase by its binding to cardiolipin in the disrupted mitochondrial preparations and its relief by L-leucine could account for the greater sensitivity of such preparations to activation by that amino acid.