Schistosoma mansoni polypeptides immunogenic in mice vaccinated with radiation-attenuated cercariae

We compared the humoral immune response of mice protected against Schistosoma mansoni by vaccination with radiation-attenuated cercariae to that of patently infected mice, and we identified antigens that elicit a greater, or unique, immune response in the vaccinated mice. These comparisons were based upon radioimmunoprecipitations and immunodepletion of [35S]methionine-labeled schistosomular and adult worm polypeptides, followed by one- and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel analyses. The humoral responses of patently infected mice and of mice vaccinated once were remarkably similar and were directed against schistosome glycoproteins ranging in molecular size from greater than 300 to less than 10 kDa. Exposing mice to a second vaccination resulted in a marked change in the immune response, to one predominantly directed toward high molecular size glycoproteins. Sequential immunodepletion techniques identified five schistosomular and seven adult worm antigens that showed a greater or unique immunogenicity in vaccinated mice as compared with patently infected mice. These adult worm antigens were purified by preparative sequential immunoaffinity chromatography and used to prepare a polyclonal antiserum, anti-irradiated vaccine. This antiserum bound to the surface of live newly transformed and lung-stage schistosomula, as assessed by immunofluorescence assays, and was reactive with a number of 125I-labeled schistosomular surface polypeptides, including a doublet of 150 kDa that was also recognized by sera of vaccinated mice but not by sera of patently infected mice.     

Characterization of the inhibitory effect of glucocorticoids on the DNA replication of adult rat hepatocytes growing at various cell densities

Dexamethasone inhibited the basal and EGF-stimulated DNA synthesis of adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture. The inhibition was glucocorticoid-specific: It was shown by dexamethasone and hydrocortisone, but not by progesterone, testosterone, or estradiol; and was counteracted by the glucocorticoid antagonist RU-38486 in a concentration-dependent manner. Dexamethasone acted by decreasing the rate of entry into S-phase (kG1/S), while cell cycle parameters were unaffected. The steroid was able to decrease the kG1/S severalfold even when added more than 20 hr after EGF, half-maximal effect occurring 11 hr after the addition of dexamethasone. Densely populated areas were much more sensitive to the inhibition by dexamethasone than sparsely populated areas within the same culture dish: A moderate (10 nM) concentration of dexamethasone nearly abolished the DNA synthesis in densely populated areas of hepatocyte cultures with only marginal effect on sparsely populated cells.     

A general pre-steady-state solution to complex kinetic mechanisms

We have developed a general method for solving transient kinetic equations using Laplace transforms. Laplace transforms can be used to transform systems of differential equations that describe pre-steady-state kinetics to systems of linear algebraic equations. The general form of the pre-steady-state solution is (formula; see text) where I(t) is the time dependence of the physically observed property of the system, n is the number of intermediates, lambda i are the observed rate constants (reciprocals of the relaxation times), t is time, and Ii are the amplitude coefficients associated with each observed rate constant. We have written a program in compiled BASIC to run on a personal computer to evaluate Ii and lambda i. The program will evaluate the rate constants and coefficients of a mechanism with eight intermediates and seven relaxation times in 4 s on an 8-MHz PC-XT equipped with a math coprocessor. The most complex mechanism that we have solved, a mechanism containing 20 intermediates and 19 relaxation times, required approximately 5 min. We believe that this method will be useful to evaluate the differences in transient properties of complex biochemical mechanisms.     

Microclimates and water budget of algae,lichens and a moss on some nunataks in Queen Maud Land

During the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition of 1984–1985, land parties worked in the area of Mühlig-Hofmannfjella and Gjelsvikfjella in Queen Maud Land (5° 20E, 1° 37W, 1000–1600 m a.s.l.). The nunataks in this area, which represents one of the climatic limits for terrestrial life on earth, is among those areas absorbing the highest quantity of shortwave radiation during a period of 24 h in summer. In spite of this the air temperature never, or very seldom, exceeds 0° C. The limiting factor for photosynthesis over most of the summer was water availability. Melt-water plays an important role in spring. During rest of the growth season, water from condensation is probably the most important water source for plants. On calm nights the rate of condensation during 6 h may reach 0.5 mm, which constitutes only 10%–30% of daily potential evapotranspiration. Plants situated in narrow clefts or shielded by stone blocks have the highest rate of potential photosynthesis. These locations are shielded from direct solar radiation most of the time, but the radiation from surrounding stone surfaces is higher than from the atmosphere and heat loss by turbulence is smaller than for exposed locations. These locations also probably have the highest rate of actual photosynthesis.     

The influence of fixation on the relative amount of cytoplasmic ribosomes in mouse epidermal basal keratinocytes

The nature and significance of so-called dark keratinocytes in the epidermis during chemical carcinogenesis is still a matter of concern and debate. Based on ultrastructural observations it has been suggested that dark cells most often are shrunken cells. Reports on skin carcinogenesis, however, claim that dark cells are a sign of ongoing tumor promotion and represent those stem cells in the epidermis from which the tumors originate. It is therefore important to find out whether these cells are simply injured and shrunken cells, or vital cells of great importance for carcinogenesis. Dark cells are assumed to be rich in ribosomes. There is evidence, however, that the observed number of dark cells is highly dependent on tissue fixation. In the present ultrastructural study, morphometric methods were used to compare the effects of two different fixation procedures on the amount of cytoplasmic ribosomes in dark cells from both untreated and carcinogen-treated hairless mouse epidermis. The results show that the ultrastructural features of both dark and clear cells vary considerably with different fixation procedures. In acetone-treated controls typical dark cells are only observed when the fixative has a lower osmotic activity than the plasma. With iso-osmolal fixation typical dark cells are not observed. After an abortive two-stage carcinogenesis treatment, in which a single application of 9,10-dimethyl-l,2-benzanthracene (DMBA) in acetone was followed by a single application of 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA) in acetone, signs of cell injury could be found after both fixation procedures. With DMBA/TPA and hypo-osmolal fixation the number of dark cells seemed to increase, whereas only signs of cell injury with occurrence of some heavily altered “clear cells” dominated the picture with iso-osmolal fixation. Morphometry showed that both the numerical and the volumetric densities of cytoplasmic ribosomes in basal keratinocytes varied most significantly with the fixation procedure used. The cytoplasmic volumes did not vary in a way that could explain these differences. One might therefore assume that the number of ribosomes depends on the fixative. Large swelling artifacts occurred when a fixative with low osmotic activity was used, leading to compression of neighboring cells. Hence, an increased ribosomal density reported previously in dark cells is probably related to such cell volume artifacts and does not reflect an actually increased quantity of ribosomes. With both fixation procedures, a single application of DMBA followed by one of TPA appeared to produce an increased number of ribosomes in basal keratinocytes. When hypo-osmolal fixation was used, however, treatment with DMBA/TPA did not influence the cytoplasmic volume or the numerical density of ribosomes, in dark cells. This might indicate that so-called dark keratinocytes following DMBA/TPA treatment are functionally inactive cells that appear more vulnerable than active cells to compression during hypo-osmolal fixation.     

In vitro culture of Trichogramma pretiosum on an artificial medium

The composition of an artificial medium and environmental conditions are described for the in vitro rearing of the egg parasite Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). The medium was composed of defined amounts of protein, carbohydrates, lipid, salts, and vitamins, but also contained up to 40% insect hemolymph. The hemolymph was necessary to induce pupation. T. pretiosum eggs were obtained by dissection of Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs. In vitro reared T. pretiosum were similar in size to H. virescens reared T. pretiosum, and females were fecund.

---

Résumé Les oeufs de Trichogramma pretiosum ont été obtenus par dissection d'oeufs d'Heliothis virescens. T. pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptère, Trichogrammatidae) a été élevé avec succès sur un substrat synthétique. Outre des quantités définies de protéines, glucides, lipides, éléments minéraux et vitamines, la ration contenait aussi jusqu'à 40% d'hémolymphe de Manduca sexta. L'hémolymphe était nécessaire pour induire la nymphose. En plus de la nourriture, les conditions d'environnement sont apparues extrêmement importantes pour élever T. pretiosum dans des conditions satisfaisantes. Le contrôle de l'humidité relative, en particulier, était le facteur le plus important. Les adultes produits au cours de cette étude étaient d'apparence normale; ils se sont accouplés sans problèmes, les femelles étaient fécondes et leur taille ne différait pas de celle d'individus élevés sur H. virescens.

     

ACTH 1-24-induced potentiation of norepinephrine contractile responses in aortic strips from spontaneously hypertensive (SH) and normotensive (WKY) rats

Norepinephrine (NE)-induced contractile responses were less in aortic strips from SH compared to WKY rats. ACTH 1-24 potentiated NE responses in both SH and WKY aortic strips. This effect was more potent in SH aortic strips. NE-induced contractions in SH aortic strips were less sensitive to changes in external Ca2+ levels than were those of WKY aortic strips. ACTH 1-24 did not potentiate NE responses under low external Ca2+ conditions in SH aortic strips or under high external Ca2+ conditions in WKY aortic strips. The greater sensitivity of NE responses following ACTH 1-24 in SH aortic strips may imply that this peptide is modulating a mechanism related to an impaired contractility and that Ca2+ plays a key role in the observed effects.     

Variation in numbers, territoriality and flock size of a Goldcrest Regulus regulus population in winter

A Goldcrest Regulus regulus population living in a spruce-dominated forest near Oslo (c.60°N), in southern Norway, was studied during the winters (November-March) from 1966–67 to 1971–72. A significant reduction in population size occurred between November and March, the recorded values varying from 76 to 96%, with a mean reduction for all six winters studied of 86%. This winter decline in numbers was significantly correlated with both precipitation (i.e., snowfall) and ambient temperature, but not with bird density. Spiders were the predominant prey items of the Goldcrests, and it is suggested that the birds experience food shortages that affect their survival rate. Although not statistically significant, a mean change in the ratio of males:females from 2:1 in October-November to 10:1 in December—February was observed, suggesting that a greater mortality of females than males occurs during the winter.
Partly based on data for colour-banded birds, it is suggested that the Goldcrests form social flocks, which move around as individual units within territories of about 9 ha (7.5 12 ha, n = 5) in extent. The mean flock size decreased significantly from 4.57 ( n = 157) birds in November-December to 2.82 ( n = 74) birds in January-February, probably because of the reductions in the size of the local population during the winter. The mean flock size in November-December varied inversely with the ambient temperature ( r = -0.92).     

ACTH/MSH(4-10) peptide increases postnatal metabolic activity of EDL muscle following early prenatal administration

ACTH/MSH(4-10) (10 micrograms/kg/b.i.d.; IP), administered to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats during gestational days (GD) 3 to 12, significantly increased the metabolic activity of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle at postnatal day 14. ACTH/MSH peptide, administered from day of birth to postnatal day 13, had no effect on EDL muscle metabolic activity using the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride indicator. By postnatal day 30, no differences were seen between the early prenatally treated group and saline controls. These results confirm our previous electrophysiological studies that showed that early prenatal ACTH/MSH(4-10) administration accelerates EDL muscle maturation.