The effect of air-borne ammonium sulphate onPinus nigra var.maritima in the Netherlands

Summary As a result of air pollution, considerable deposition of ammonium sulphate occurs on vegetation and soil in the vicinity of chicken farms and fields dressed with animal slurry. A clear relation exists between this ammonium sulphate deposition and the distance to certain agricultural activities. Field investigations and ecophysiological experiments both show that the needles ofPinus nigra var.maritima (Ait.) Melville take up ammonium and excrete potassium, magnesium and calcium. This often results in potassium and/or magnesium deficiencies and may lead to premature shedding of needles. The high levels of nitrogen in the needles are strongly correlated to fungal diseases.Whether the observed cation leaching will result in disturbed nutrient budgets depends mainly on soil conditions. Leaching of K, Mg and Ca from the soil, caused by ammonium sulphate, may further inhibit nutrient uptake.Field investigations show a clear correlation between increased ratios of NH₄ to K, Mg and Ca in the soil solution and the damage to pine forests.     

Pilot-scale production of l-phenylalanine from d-glucose

Effects of inoculum size and total sugar content on both l-phenylalanine productivity and titre have been investigated using a tyrosine auxotrophic regulatory mutant of Escherichia coli. Fermentations were carried out in a 500 litre pilot fermenter with intermittent feeding of d-glucose plus phosphate. It was found that the productivity was not greatly affected by inoculum size. However, the l-phenylalanine titre was significantly affected by total sugar content. Relatively high productivities of up to 0.35–0.40 g l-phenylalanine l^?1 h^?1 have been achieved at l-phenylalanine titres of 14–15 g l^?1.     

Determinants in the perceptions of visual blight

Research on visual blight has been predominantly qualitative and has pointed out salient attributes of blight: that it is durable, visually demeaning, and somehow aesthetically depressing. Data from a national sample (n=3005) are used in this study to measure the effect of demographic variation on the perception of visual blight. The perception of blight shows marked and regular variation with socioeconomic status, marital status, and religiosity.Harris data for this study was purchased with funds from the Shell Foundation. The author wishes to acknowledge Robert Q. Hanham, whose assistance proved invaluable.     

缺乏抗坏血酸对豚鼠胆固醇代谢的影响

边缘性缺乏抗坏血酸之豚鼠,于三周内其肝脏及小肠粘膜3-羟-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(HMGR)活力均下降到原有水平的50％,但肝脏胆固醇7α-羟化酶活力尚无显著性改变。坏血病豚鼠(三周内)上述几种酶活力都下降至原有水平的50％左右。豚鼠摄取抗坏血酸不足,其血清总胆固醇浓度显著增加,而血清高密度脂蛋自胆固醇浓度显著减少,其改变程度与抗坏血酸缺乏状况一致。     

The effects of low concentrations of particulates from paper mill effluent on the macroinvertebrate community of a fast-flowing stream

The effects of a paper mill effluent on the macroinvertebrate community were assessed for the riffle areas of a large fast-flowing stream, the lower reaches of the Saranac River of northern New York State, U.S.A. The effluent caused few changes in dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, biochemical oxygen demand, temperature or nutrient content; however, significant differences in transmitted light, concentrations of particulates and accumulated debris on the substrate were observed. A moderate decrease in invertebrate diversity correlated with increased levels of particulates and substrate debris. An analysis of the response of invertebrate functional groups revealed the effluent had little effect on the density of gathering collector organisms. The functional groups most severely reduced in density were the filtering collectors and scrapers. Predators showed a moderate reduction in density in response to the effluent. The alterations in invertebrate densities were attributed largely to the alterations in seston and substrate caused by the introduction of particulates composed mainly of paper fiber and inert dye.     

Industrial melanism in the spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L) (Homoptera: Aphrophoridae)*

The visible polymorphism of the spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius, has been investigated in the vicinity of a smokeless fuel factory in the Cynon Valley of south Wales. The factory is a significant source of local particulate air pollution. A striking relationship exists between the combined frequencies of the eight dark (melanic) morphs and proximity to the factory. Maximum melanic phenotype frequencies of over 95“, occur in both sexes immediately adjacent to it and decline to levels normal for south Wales 1.5–6 km away, depending on direction. This relationship is largely confined to sites within the valley; samples from adjacent localities outside it have melanic frequencies within normal limits for the south Wales area. Maximum melanic phenotype frequencies in the Cynon Valley are far higher than any known from elsewhere in the species range in Europe, Asia and North America. No consistent difference is apparent in total melanic frequency between males and females at any of the sites in this study. However, marked differences exist between the sexes in the relative contributions of the eight melanic phenotypes to the overall association with the factory. For females the industrial melanism is entirely attributable to the group flanicollis + gibbus + leucocephalus (mainly leucocephalus) whereas in males both this group and the group quadnmaculatus + albomaculatus + leucopthalmus contribute to the relationship. It is suggested that this relationship is due to the selective effects of the local air pollution from the factory. The exact nature of the selection involved is as yet uncertain; it would appear to be strong since the local adaptation involved has developed in a maximum of 40 generations since the factory was opened. Finally, comparison is made with two other insects, a ladybird and a moth, in which high frequencies of melanic forms are also associated with this pollution source.     

Requirements for antiribosomal activity of pokeweed antiviral protein

It has been known for some time that pokeweed antiviral protein acts by enzymatically inhibiting protein synthesis on eucaryotic ribosome systems. The site of this action is known to be the ribosome itself. In this paper we show that the pokeweed antiviral protein reaction against ribosomes is a strong function of salt concentrations, where 160 mM K⁺ and 3 mM Mg²⁺ retards the reaction, while 20 mM K⁺ and 2 mM Mg²⁺ allows maximum reaction rate. It is also shown, however, that an unidentified protein in the postribosomal supernatant solution, together with ATP, allows the ribosome to be attacked even in the presence of high salt. Kinetic analysis of the antiviral protein reaction has been carried out under both sets of conditions, and reveals that the turnover number for the enzyme is about 300–400 mol/mol per min. in each case. The K_m for ribosomes is 1 μM in the presence of low salt and 0.2 μM at higher salt in the presence of postribosomal supernatant factors plus ATP. The antiviral protein reaction is also shown to be pH dependent and is controlled by a residue with pK_a value of approx. 7.0, apparently a histidine. Stoichiometric reaction of the enzyme with iodoacetamide results in a significant loss of antiribosomal activity.     

Compounds in urban air compete with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin for binding to the receptor protein

Acetone extracts of filter-collected urban airborne particulate matter contain compounds which can competitively inhibit 2,3,7,8-[1,6-3H]tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) binding to the rat liver TCDD-receptor protein. The concentration of conventional polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans cannot account for more than 1-30% of the observed competition for [3H]TCDD binding to the receptor protein. The difference in potency between samples collected in urban areas during different periods of the year and a background sample is 25-400-fold. Collecting samples in the presence of increased concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, nitrous acid, nitric acid or ozone did not increase the amount of compounds with receptor affinity. However, with nitrogen dioxide and especially with nitric acid, a substantial increase of the mutagenic effects in the Ames Salmonella assay in the absence of mammalian activation as well as a degradation of several PAHs were noted. Affinity for the TCDD-receptor protein, mutagenicity in the absence of mammalian metabolic activation in the Ames Salmonella assay and PAH-content are characteristics of urban particulate matter showing the presence of compounds, that represent potential health risks. The compounds with affinity for the receptor may constitute a group of substances different from both conventional PAHs and direct-acting mutagens.     

不同发育年龄大鼠肝细胞及其溶酶体对急性低氧的应答

人工低压舱内模拟高原低氧24h,并与2300m对照组比较,观察不同发育年龄大鼠SGOT活力,肝溶酶体总酸性磷酸酶、非沉淀酸性磷酸酶和芳基硫酸酯酶活力及肝重、肝细胞糖原、蛋白和总脂含量的变化。在海拔5000m高度,10天鼠各酶活力、570天鼠总酸性磷酸酶和芳基硫酸酯酶活力明显升高;35和75天鼠各酶活力未见显著变化;在海拔8000m高度,各年龄组鼠上述各酶活力均显著升高。随着海拔高度的升高,各组大鼠肝重呈不同程度的下降,肝细胞糖原含量非常明显地减少,35和75天鼠8000m组全肝蛋白含量下降明显,10、35、75天鼠肝细胞总脂累积。上述结果综合分析表明:低氧致使大鼠肝细胞损伤属一普遍性效应,新生期和老年期大鼠肝细胞耐低氧能力不及幼年期和成年期大鼠。