Trypanosoma cruzi: Responses by cells from infected mice to alloantigens

In unidirectional mixed lymphocyte cultures containing (as responders, stimulators, or regulators) spleen cells from mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, alloantigen responses were less than in cultures containing normal spleen cells only. Depletion of plastic adherent cells from infected spleen cells (stimulators or regulators) reversed their inhibitory effect on normal spleen cells (responders); removal of adherent responder cells and/or B lymphocytes did not alter the low alloantigen responses of normal spleen cells (stimulated by infected spleen cells) or infected spleen cells (stimulated by normal spleen cells). Infected spleen cells were effective in regulating mixed lymphocyte cultures only when added at the initiation of the culture. Serum from infected mice suppressed mixed lymphocyte cultures containing responder spleen cells syngeneic to the serum donor if added up to 24 hr after initiation of cultures, whereas the “suppressor serum” had to be present at the initiation of cultures when responder cells were allogeneic to the serum donor. Cultures of infected spleen cells (whole or macrophage enriched) produced a factor which was suppressive when added to mixed lymphocyte cultures containing syngeneic responder cells at initiation. It is proposed that the serum suppressor substance regulates cell-mediated immune responses directly by suppressing the response-potential of cells and indirectly by triggering the release of a factor from adherent splenic cells which induces a hyporesponsive state in T lymphocytes.     

Carbohydrate binding activity of a lectin-like glycoprotein from stems and leaves of Dolichosbiflorus

A glycoprotein from the stems and leaves of the $\text{Dolichos}$$\text{biflorus}$ plant that cross reacts with antibodies to the seed lectin has been found to bind to affinity columns of blood group A + H substance covalently linked to Sepharose. This binding of the cross reactive material to the affinity resin differs from that of the seed lectin in that it is easily dissociated with 0.15 M NaCl. Affinity electrophoresis using entrapped blood group A + H substance shows that the carbohydrate binding activity of the cross reactive material is weakly inhibited with N-acetyl-D

-galactosamine and N-acetyl-D

-glucosamine. Glucose, mannose and galactose gave no inhibition when tested at concentrations of 50 mM. These data indicate that the specificity of the cross reactive material is somewhat different from the N-acetyl-D

-galactosamine specificity of the seed lectin. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the structural similarities of the cross reactive material and the seed lectin.     

Magnesium (and trace substance) deficiencies in the pathogenesis of cancer

Except for a few experimental models of magnesium (Mg)-deficiency-induced neoplasms, less attention has been paid in the past quarter century in the Western world to this macromineral than to the trace elements; e.g., selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), and to vitamins, deficiencies of which are each considered probable factors in oncogenesis. Although early epidemiologic studies showed an inverse correlation between the amount of Mg in soil and water and the incidence of (gastric) cancer, and several animal studies supported the premise that Mg has a prophylactic effect against induction of cancer, other studies showed that Mg supplementation increased the growth of established experimental tumors. Thus, enthusiasm for this approach subsided. The early epidemiologic findings have since been confirmed, and there have been studies demonstrating the importance of Mg in maintaining immunocompetence, and others indicating that immunodeficiencies increase susceptibility to the development of cancer. Evidence has now accrued that indicates that Mg deficiency increases susceptibility to chemical oncogens. The abnormal metabolism of tryptophan (yielding a carcinogenic metabolite) that indicates functional or absolute pyridoxine deficiency is an indirect clue to Mg deficiency. Vitamin B₆-activated enzymes require Mg as a cofactor. However, the early warnings against the use of Mg as part of an antineoplastic program against established cancer were justified, since rapidly metabolizing cells (such as cancers) are dependent on Mg. There are similarities between experiences with Mg and with Se and Zn. All three are required for normal metabolism; Se also protects against free radicals in the environment. Mg and Zn have increased established tumor growth, and their depletion has been applied to antineoplastic programs, with risks comparable to those of using antimetabolic agents.     

Formation of mesodermal pattern by secondary inducing interactions

Summary A highly purified vegetalizing factor induces endoderm preferentially in amphibian gastrula ectoderm. After combination of this factor with less pure fractions, a high percentage of trunks and tails with notochord and somites are induced. The induction of these mesodermal tissues depends on secondary factors which may act on plasma membrane receptors of the target cells. The secondary factors are probably proteins as they are inactivated by trypsin or cellulose-bound proteinase K. They are not inactivated by thioglycolic acid.The implication of these findings for tissue determination and differentiation in normal development in relation to the anlageplan for endoderm and mesodermal tissues is discussed.     

不同海拔地区种植的水稻次库碳水化合物含量的比较

在品种、土壤、底肥和追肥等一致的情况下,对三个不同海拔地区种植的水稻的次库(茎+叶鞘)中碳水化合物含量作了比较,结果表明:齐穗和黄熟期次库中总糖或淀粉含量均随海拔增高而增加。但在黄熟期,高海拔地区次库的总糖或淀粉含量比齐穗期的增加,而低海拔地区次库的总糖或淀粉含量则比齐穗期的降低。 齐穗期时,次库的淀粉含量随施用的氮素肥量的增加而降低。在黄熟期,温凉稻作区水稻次库的淀粉含量均随氮素底肥施用量的增加而增加,低熟地区水稻次库的淀粉含量则趋于一致,不过不同地区相比各处理次库的淀粉含量均因海拔增高而增加。 不同时期的氮素追肥使齐穗期次库淀粉含量因追肥时间推迟而增加,唯元江晚穗肥处理的低于中穗肥处理的。黄熟期因追肥时间提早而次库的淀粉含量增加,但元江以早穗肥处理的次库淀粉含量最低。与齐穗期相比时,低海拔地区的各个处理,其次库的淀粉含量均减低,但高海拔的昆明温凉稻作区,施早和中穗肥的水稻,在黄熟期次库的淀粉含量反而增高。还可以看出水稻种植地海拔越高,其次库淀粉含量对追肥时间越敏感。 基于水稻次库中淀粉含量对氮素肥料的反应,就三地气候条件讨论了上述的差异。     

Fractionation of subcellular membranes of the secretory pathway from the peroxidase-producing white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Abstract Mycelia from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium , producing lignin and manganese peroxidases, were homogenized and fractionated on a sucrose gradient. The main subcellular fungal membrane fractions were successfully separated. Lipid composition analyses of the isolated membranes as well as associated marker enzymes distribution gave evidence to similarities with membranes originating from plants. Lignin and manganese peroxidases were investigated by immunodetection in subcellular fractions. Our results show that lignin and manganese peroxidases are mainly associated with Golgi apparatus vesicles and, to a lesser extent, with endoplasmic reticulum and light density vesicles, but not with plasma membranes.     

Brown drug substance color investigation in cell culture manufacturing using chemically defined media: A case study

Drug substance (DS) color is an important quality attribute for release, stability and comparability studies of biologics. With the increase of DS concentrations and biologics pipelines made in chemically defined media, atypical DS color other than colorless or pale yellow has been recently reported in the biopharmaceutical industry. We recently observed a brown DS color in manufacturing. Although analytical characterization data indicated that the brown color DS had no major quality issue, it is necessary to find the root cause and reduce DS color to ease placebo design for clinical use. It was demonstrated that the brown color was caused by the chemically defined basal medium containing high levels of iron and vitamin B12 (VB12) regardless of cell lines. Iron caused tryptophan oxidation in the protein to form N-formylkynurenine and kynurenine products, which likely contributed to a yellow DS color. A pink DS color was caused by the residual VB12 bound to DS. The brown color was the result of the combinatory effect of yellow and pink colors. Finally a modified basal medium was developed to produce a pale yellow DS in manufacturing.     

A study of natural populations of the celery leaf-miner,Philophylla heraclei L. (Diptera,Tephritidae) II. Importance of changes of mines for larval populations

The leaf-mining larvae of the celery fly, P. heraclei, have the ability to leave their primary mine to bore a secondary mine in another leaflet or leaf. This phenomenon is always numerically significant under natural conditions (depending on the plots and the years, 38 to 97% of the larvae observed made such a change), although it is not an obligatory behavior. The distribution of the secondary mines on the leaflets and on the leaves varies with the importance of the migrations, with the total unoccupied and healthy leaf area and with the relative position of different leaves on the plant. These migrations are due to the insufficiency of healthy food available for the larvae: either because the quantity of parenchyma offered by a leaflet is too small for a larva, or because there is intraspecific competition following multiple egg-layings on the same leaflet, or because there is a deterioration of the quality of the parenchyma, particularly following the development of celery leaf-spot. The possibility for the larvae of P. heraclei to bore secondary mines appears to be an extremely important factor in the population dynamics of this species. This permits the reduction of the negative effects of intraspecific competition and celery leaf-spot, and permits the colonization by the larvae of young leaves not used by the females at the time of egg-laying.     

外源物质对灵芝多糖和β-葡聚糖发酵的影响

研究了14种外源物质（化合物）对灵芝细胞生长和发酵合成多糖和β-葡聚糖的影响。结果表明,连翘水提物（3g/L）对灵芝细胞生长具有显著促进作用;薏苡仁酯（3g/L）对灵芝胞内多糖和β-葡聚糖的合成均具有促进作用;而桔梗水提物、硝酸铈铵、硝酸镨、茉莉酸甲酯和硝普钠对灵芝细胞生长和产物合成均具有抑制作用。进一步通过Box-Behnken试验设计和响应面法分析,建立了添加薏苡仁酯发酵产β-葡聚糖的二次多项式模型,经分析得到产β-葡聚糖的最优条件为：薏苡仁酯添加量10.5g/L、接种量16%、添加时间第88小时、发酵初始pH 7.00。在此条件下获得β-葡聚糖的产量可达(40.67±8.43)mg/L,与未添加薏苡仁酯的对照组相比,提高了41.86%;多糖产量为(0.99±0.21)g/L,与对照组相比,提高了31.99%。结果提示所得添加薏苡仁酯的优化条件可定向诱导灵芝β-葡聚糖的合成,同时也表明在灵芝液体发酵体系中添加薏苡仁酯发酵产多糖和β-葡聚糖具有一定的实用价值。     

Using the tools of genetic epidemiology to understand sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders

Many neuropsychiatric disorders exhibit differences in prevalence, age of onset, symptoms or course of illness between males and females. For the most part, the origins of these differences are not well understood. In this article, we provide an overview of sex differences in psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders and risk of suicide. We discuss both genetic and nongenetic mechanisms that have been hypothesized to underlie these differences, including ascertainment bias, environmental stressors, X‐ or Y‐linked risk loci, and differential liability thresholds in males and females. We then review the use of twin, family and genome‐wide association approaches to study potential genetic mechanisms of sex differences and the extent to which these designs have been employed in studies of psychiatric disorders. We describe the utility of genetic epidemiologic study designs, including classical twin and family studies, large‐scale studies of population registries, derived recurrence risks, and molecular genetic analyses of genome‐wide variation that may enhance our understanding sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders.