Visual pigments in a living fossil,the Australian lungfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neoceratodus forsteri</Emphasis>

Background  

One of the greatest challenges facing the early land vertebrates was the need to effectively interpret a terrestrial environment. Interpretation was based on ocular adaptations evolved for an aquatic environment millions of years earlier. The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is thought to be the closest living relative to the first terrestrial vertebrate, and yet nothing is known about the visual pigments present in lungfish or the early tetrapods.     

The cellular immune response in different forms of diphtheria in adults

In 109 adult diphtheria patients with different forms of the disease (toxic, subtoxic, localized) and carriers, the latter including 6 persons having had the localized form of diphtheria, 12 different subpopulations of T and B lymphocytes and neutrophils were studied by the methods of rosette formation with sheep, mouse and bovine red blood cells. The study showed that, starting from week 2 of the disease, an increase in the content of the subpopulations under study was registered in all forms of diphtheria; the disease, as well as in patients with the localized form of the disease accompanied by complications and in long-term carriers. In all forms of diphtheria a decrease in the content of neutrophil rosette-forming cells was shown. The marker tests for prognostication of the complicated course of the disease, viz. the elevated content of M-rosette-forming cell and T gamma-rosette-forming cells during the first week of then disease, were established.     

Acute toxicity effects of ibuprofen on behaviour and haematological parameters of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Indiscriminate discharge of pharmaceutical waste into the aquatic ecosystem may pose serious health challenges to aquatic biota. The effect of acute exposure to ibuprofen was evaluated using changes in behaviour and haematological parameters under static bio-assay method in Clarias gariepinus. Test specimens were exposed to acute concentrations of ibuprofen (0.28, 0.33, 0.38, 0.43 and 0.48 mg l^?1) for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h durations respectively. Behavioural and phenotypic changes were observed in surviving fish. There were significant (p < 0.05) concentration and duration-dependent increases in erythrocyte (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), pack cell volume (PCV) and leukocytes (WBC) in treated fish compared to the control. Insignificant decreases (p > 0.05) in mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were observed in treated fish compared to the control. Ibuprofen elicited dose and duration- dependent decrease in neutrophil counts with the decreases being significant (p < 0.05) in the higher doses of 0.43 and 0.48 mg l^?1. Ibuprofen did not elicit any significant changes in monocytes, basophils and eosinophils. Changes observed in this study showed that ibuprofen negatively affected the health of the fish and we recommend that discharge of ibuprofen into the aquatic environment should be monitored and controlled.     

Genetically encoded photoimmunosensitizer

Photosensitizer-antibody conjugates are successfully used for targeted elimination of cancer cells bearing specific membrane markers. This method is known as photoimmunotherapy. However, chemical conjugation of photosensitizer and antibody poses a number of complications such as low reproducibility, aggregation and unconjugated photosensitizer impurities. Here we report a fully genetically encoded photoimmunosensitizer, consisting of an anti-HER2/neu miniantibody 4D5scFv and a phototoxic fluorescent protein KillerRed. Both domains in this photoimmunosensitizer retained their functional qualities - high affinity for HER2/neu antigen and phototoxicity respectively. 4D5scFv-KillerRed fusion protein showed high specificity for HER2/neu-over-expressing cells and effectively lowered their viability upon illumination.     

Surface activity of the extracts of the lungs and other organs]

Monomolecular surface films on the border-line of the "liquid-air" phases were observed to be formed in the water-saline extracts of the lungs and of the other organs. The surface films were compressed and extended on Wilhelmy's balance; the isotherm surface tension (ST)-square typical of the solutions of the surface-active materials (SAM) were recorded. Analogous curves with the minimum ST below 12 din/cm were recorded in testing the SAM monolayers placed on the liquid lining of the volatile solvent. Pulmonary surfactants differed from the SAM of other organs by the highest capacity to lower the ST in compression of the monolayer.     

The lymphocyte populations at different stages in the infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus

In 58 persons infected with HIV the comparative study of the content of immunocompetent cells was carried out by the methods of rosette formation and immunofluorescence with the use of monoclonal antibodies. An increase in the content of rosette-forming cells (RFC), such as active E-RFC, E-RFC, theophylline-resistant E-RFC and M-FRC, in asymptomatic seropositive persons was established. At this stage of the disease the amount of lymphocytes T4 and T8 and their ratio underwent no essential changes. At the stage of lymphoadenopathy an increase in the content of lymphocytes T8, more pronounced in patients with secondary infectious lesions, was noted. At this stage a decrease in T4/T8 ratio appeared for the first time. A high level of rosette-forming lymphocytes was still observed both at this period and at the period of clinically developed AIDS, while the level of lymphocytes T4 sharply dropped in such patients.