Una presunta azione eccitante sui Funghi della pseudosoluzione etilenglicolica del 3—5-dibenzoantracene

Riassunto E' stato sperimentato, con esito negativo, l'effetto, su Funghi ed Alghe del 3-5-dibenzoantracene. Una qualche azione eccitante riscontrata devesi attribuire all'etilenglicole nel quale composte la sostanza oncogena si trovava dispersa.

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Summary The effect of the onchogenic compound 3-5-dibenzoanthracene has been tested on fungi and algae with negative results.A stimulating effect has been attributed (on the base of other tests) to the etylenglycol.

     

Nuovi micromiceti su Pandanacee

Abstract

Helianthemetea guttati communities are pioneer spring and early summer ephemeral grasslands, dominated by non-nitrophilous therophytes. In Continental Portugal, these communities have not yet been fully investigated, and thus the objectives of the present study are: (1) to identify community types in therophytic grasslands; (2) to recognize those communities that configure the European priority habitat 6220* (pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals); (3) to establish environmental gradients underlying their spatial variation; (4) to assess how floristic composition is affected by land use factors. Vegetation sampling using phytosociological methodology was carried out on 80 grasslands. Modified Twinspan classification and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was applied for the classification and ordination of relevés whereas partial CCA (pCCA) and variation partitioning were used to assess the relative influence of individual land use factors. Some 270 species were identified across 11 community types whose floristic patterns were mainly explained by environmental gradients related to altitude and soil type while land use variables could only explain a small part of the floristic variation. Based on biogeography and the determination of diagnostic species, four phytosociological new associations and a new subassociation are proposed: Holco-Brachypodietum distachyi, Holco-Micropyretum tenellae, Micropyro-Anthoxanthetum aristati and Leontodonto-Vulpietum bromoidis vulpietosum membranaceae.     

Acetate, lactate, propionate, and isobutyrate as electron donors for iron and sulfate reduction in Arctic marine sediments, Svalbard

The contribution of volatile fatty acids (VFA) as e(-)-donors for anaerobic terminal oxidation of organic carbon through iron and sulfate reduction was studied in Arctic fjord sediment. Dissolved inorganic carbon, Fe(2+), VFA concentrations, and sulfate reduction were monitored in slurries from the oxidized (0-2 cm) and the reduced (5-9 cm) zone. In the 0-2 cm layer, 2/3 of the mineralization could be attributed to sulfate reduction and 1/3 to iron reduction. In the 5-9 cm layer, sulfate reduction was the sole mineralization process. Acetate and lactate turnover rates were measured by radiotracer. Inhibition of sulfate reduction with selenate resulted in the accumulation of acetate, propionate, and isobutyrate. The acetate turnover rates determined by radiotracer and accumulation after inhibition were similar. VFA turnover accounted for 21% and 52% of the mineralization through sulfate reduction in the 0-2 and 5-9 cm layer, respectively. Acetate and lactate turnover in the inhibited 0-2 cm slurry was attributed to iron reduction and accounted for 10% and 2% of the iron reduction. Therefore, 88% and 79% of the iron and sulfate reduction in the 0-2 cm layer, respectively, must be fueled by alternative e(-)-donors. The accumulation of VFA in the selenate-inhibited 0-2 cm slurry did not enhance iron reduction, indicating that iron reducers were not limited by VFA availability.     

TIM-3 Suppresses Anti-CD3/CD28-Induced TCR Activation and IL-2 Expression through the NFAT Signaling Pathway

TIM-3 (T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing protein 3) is a member of the TIM family of proteins that is preferentially expressed on Th₁ polarized CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. Recent studies indicate that TIM-3 serves as a negative regulator of T cell function (i.e. T cell dependent immune responses, proliferation, tolerance, and exhaustion). Despite having no recognizable inhibitory signaling motifs, the intracellular tail of TIM-3 is apparently indispensable for function. Specifically, the conserved residues Y265/Y272 and surrounding amino acids appear to be critical for function. Mechanistically, several studies suggest that TIM-3 can associate with interleukin inducible T cell kinase (ITK), the Src kinases Fyn and Lck, and the p85 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) adaptor protein to positively or negatively regulate IL-2 production via NF-κB/NFAT signaling pathways. To begin to address this discrepancy, we examined the effect of TIM-3 in two model systems. First, we generated several Jurkat T cell lines stably expressing human TIM-3 or murine CD28-ECD/human TIM-3 intracellular tail chimeras and examined the effects that TIM-3 exerts on T cell Receptor (TCR)-mediated activation, cytokine secretion, promoter activity, and protein kinase association. In this model, our results demonstrate that TIM-3 inhibits several TCR-mediated phenotypes: i) NF-kB/NFAT activation, ii) CD69 expression, and iii) suppression of IL-2 secretion. To confirm our Jurkat cell observations we developed a primary human CD8⁺ cell system that expresses endogenous levels of TIM-3. Upon TCR ligation, we observed the loss of NFAT reporter activity and IL-2 secretion, and identified the association of Src kinase Lck, and PLC-γ with TIM-3. Taken together, our results support the conclusion that TIM-3 is a negative regulator of TCR-function by attenuating activation signals mediated by CD3/CD28 co-stimulation.     

Metabolism of 2-hydroxyphenylglyoxylate by Moraxella sp. strain VS1

A bacterium, designated as Moraxella sp., was enriched with 2-hydroxyphenylglyoxylate (2HPGA) as sole source of carbon and energy. Identified metabolites and enzyme activities determined with whole cells and extracts indicated that 2HPGA was degraded by an inducible sequence of enzymes via salicylaldehyde, salicylate, and gentisate; only minute amounts of salicylate were converted to catechol. Further evidence was obtained that permeases were necessary for the uptake of most aromatic compounds utilized for growth. For the direct determination of 2HPGA decarboxylase activity, an enzyme assay involving high-performance liquid chromatography for quantitation of the substrate was developped to study the initial step of the degradative pathway.     

长春市儿童医院1998～2001年婴幼儿杯状病毒腹泻流行病学研究

人类杯状病毒(human calicivirus,HuCV)是引起儿童和成人非菌性胃肠炎的主要病原之一.为了掌握HuCV在我国的流行情况,1998年7月至2001年6月,从长春市儿童医院2343例5岁以下腹泻患儿中共收集粪便标本1264份,其中1056份来自2135例住院患儿.对轮状病毒检测为阴性的588份标本,经多价酶免疫试验(EIA)和两组引物反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测HuCV,202份为阳性,其中住院患儿标本178份,HuCV检出率为16.9%.HuCV腹泻以2岁以下儿童为主(占96%),流行高峰季节为11月至次年3月.选择17株HuCV进行分子鉴定,15株属GⅡ-4群,1株属GⅡ-3群,另1株属GⅠ-2群,表明GⅡ-4群HuCV是我国流行的优势株.根据HuCV住院患儿的监测资料初步估计,HuCV腹泻住院率约为0.5‰～2.4‰.讨论了长春地区HuCV的流行趋势和疾病负担.以上结果为我国HuCV腹泻的预防和控制提供了科学依据.     

Changes of synaptotagmin interaction with t-SNARE proteins in vitro after calcium/calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation

The regulation of multiple phases of the life cycle of synaptic vesicles is carried out by a complex series of protein-protein interactions. According to the SNARE hypothesis the core of these interactions is a heterotrimeric complex formed by syntaxin, SNAP-25, and VAMP-synaptobrevin. Other proteins interacting with the core of the SNARE complex, such as voltage-activated calcium channels and synaptotagmin (a putative calcium sensor), are considered crucial for the calcium dependence of release and also molecular mediators of synaptic plasticity. Here the interaction of synaptotagmin with SNARE proteins was studied in immunoprecipitated native complexes, and the effects of previous phosphorylation-dephosphorylation on this interaction were analyzed. It is surprising that the interaction of synaptotagmin with syntaxin and SNAP-25 in native complexes was not found to be calcium-dependent. However, previous incubation under dephosphorylating conditions decreased the synaptotagmin-syntaxin interaction. Stimulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, which endogenously phosphorylates synaptotagmin in synaptic vesicles, increased the interaction of syntaxin and SNAP-25 with synaptotagmin (particularly when measured in the presence of calcium), as well as increasing the binding of the kinase itself. These results suggest that calcium decreases synaptotagmin-t-SNARE interactions after dephosphorylation and increases them after phosphorylation. Overall, these results imply a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation balance in regulation of the synaptotagmin-t-SNARE interaction and suggest a role for protein phosphorylation in the modulation of calcium sensitivity in transmitter release.     

Thermophilic anaerobes in Arctic marine sediments induced to mineralize complex organic matter at high temperature

Marine sediments harbour diverse populations of dormant thermophilic bacterial spores that become active in sediment incubation experiments at much higher than in situ temperature. This response was investigated in the presence of natural complex organic matter in sediments of two Arctic fjords, as well as with the addition of freeze‐dried Spirulina or individual high‐molecular‐weight polysaccharides. During 50°C incubation experiments, Arctic thermophiles catalysed extensive mineralization of the organic matter via extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and sulfate reduction. This high temperature‐induced food chain mirrors sediment microbial processes occurring at cold in situ temperatures (near 0°C), yet it is catalysed by a completely different set of microorganisms. Using sulfate reduction rates (SRR) as a proxy for organic matter mineralization showed that differences in organic matter reactivity determined the extent of the thermophilic response. Fjord sediments with higher in situ SRR also supported higher SRR at 50°C. Amendment with Spirulina significantly increased volatile fatty acids production and SRR relative to unamended sediment in 50°C incubations. Spirulina amendment also revealed temporally distinct sulfate reduction phases, consistent with 16S rRNA clone library detection of multiple thermophilic Desulfotomaculum spp. enriched at 50°C. Incubations with four different fluorescently labelled polysaccharides at 4°C and 50°C showed that the thermophilic population in Arctic sediments produce a different suite of polymer‐hydrolysing enzymes than those used in situ by the cold‐adapted microbial community. Over time, dormant marine microorganisms like these are buried in marine sediments and might eventually encounter warmer conditions that favour their activation. Distinct enzymatic capacities for organic polymer degradation could allow specific heterotrophic populations like these to play a role in sustaining microbial metabolism in the deep, warm, marine biosphere.     

A proposito della imificazione dei generi delle „Torulopsidaceae-Mycotoruleae”

Riassunto L'A., in relazione ad una Nota di Diddens e Lodder relativa alla unificazione dei generi di Mycotoruloideae, ritiene che, nell'ambito di questa sottofamiglia di Torulopsidaceae, debbano essere mantenuti i generi Mycotorula e Candida pur convenendo di eliminare gli altri.

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Summary In answer to the question of unification of the genera of the asporigenous yeast with pseudomycelium, prospected by Diddbns and Lodder, the view of the author is to mantain both Mycotorula and Candida.

     

Oidium albicans Robin [Mycotorula albicans (Rob.) Lang. et Tal.] e Monilia pseudotropicalis Castellani [Mycocandida pseudotropicalis (Cast.) Cif. et Red.]

Riassunto Gli AA., sulla base dello studio colturale, micromorfologico, biochimico e biologico di un ceppo isolato dalle feci di un bambino, rivedono la diagnosi e la posizione sistematica di Mycocandida pseudotropicalis (Cast.). Cif. et Red., insistendo sui suoi caratteri differenziali nei confronti di Mycotorula albicans (Robin) Lang, et Tal. e di Candida tropicalis (Cast.) Red.

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Summary The AA. through a Cultural, micromorphological, biochemical and biological study of a yeast isolated from the feces of a child, revised the diagnosis and the systematic position of Mycocandida pseudotropicalis (Cast.) Cif. et Red., insisting on the differential characters in relation to Mycotorula albicans (Robin) Lang. et Tal., and to Candida tropicalis (Cast.) Red.