Studies in African Cyperaceae 28. New taxa and combinations in Abildgaardia Vahl IV

Eight new species of Abildgaardia subgen. Bulbostylis are described from tropical Africa, viz. Abildgaardia squarrosa, A. densiflora, A. acutespicata, A. angustespicata, A. lacunosa, A. microcephala, A. microrotundata and A. pluricephala .     

Studies in African Cyperaceae 22. New taxa and combinations in Abildgaardia Vahl II

Nine new species and one new variety of Abildgaardia are described and illustrated from East Africa, viz. Abildgaardia macrostachya Lye, A. rhizomatosa Lye, A. cru–ciformis Lye, A. pallescens Lye, A. tanzaniae Lye, A. densecaespitosa Lye, A. trabecular (C. B. Clarke) Lye var. microglumis Lye, A. elegantissima Lye, A. subumbel–lata Lye and A microelegans Lye. In addition sixteen new combinations are made: Abildgaardia Vahl subgen. Bulbostylis (Kunth ex C. B. Clarke) Lye, A collina (Ridley) Lye, A. festucoides (Poiret) Lye, A lanifera (Boeck.) Lye, A leiolepis (Kükenthal) Lye, A. megasiachys (Ridley) Lye, A paradoxa (Sprengel) Lye, A parva (Ridley) Lye, A parvinux (C. B. Clarke) Lye, A rotundata (Kukenthal) Lye, A schlech–teri (C.B. Clarke) Lye, A trabeculata (C. B. Clarke) Lye, A trichobasis (Baker) Lye, A vanderystii (Cherm.) Lye, A willdenowii (Kunth) Lye and A. yalingensis (Cherm.) Lye.     

Studies in African Cyperaceae 26. New taxa and combinations in Abildgaardia Vahl III

Two new species and three new subspecies of Abildgaardia are described from East Africa, viz. Abildgaardia afroorientalis Lye, A. microcarpa Lye, A. hispidula (Vahl) Lye ssp. halophila Lye, A. hispidula (Vahl) Lye ssp. intermedia Lye, and A. densa (Wall.) Lye ssp. afromontana Lye. Thirteen new combinations are made, viz. A. erratica (Hook, f.) Lye, A. heterostachya (Cherm.) Lye, A. oligostachys (A. Rich.) Lye, A. striaiella (C. B. CI.) Lye, A. wallichiana (Schultes) Lye, A. hispidula (Vahl) Lye ssp. filiformis (C. B. CI.) Lye, A. hispidula (Vahl) Lye ssp. brachyphylla (Cherm.) Lye, A. hispidula (Vahl) Lye ssp. pyriformis (Lye) Lye, A. pusilla (A. Rich.) Lye ssp. yalingensis (Cherm.) Lye, A. pusilla (A. Rich.) Lye ssp. congolensis (De Wild.) Lye, A. coleotricha (A. Rich.) Lye var. miegii (Bodard) Lye, A. erratica (Hook, f.) Lye ssp. schoenoides (Kunth) Lye, and A. boeckeleriana (Schweinf.) Lye var. transiens (K. Schum.) Lye.     

Carbohydrate metabolism in Musa paradisiaca

Considerable variations exist in the content of glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch and protein and in the activities of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism between different parts of the banana plant (Musa paradisiaca). Sucrose synthetase is present in the highest concentration in rootstock and fruit pulp, and sucrose phosphate synthetase in the pseudostem. The highest ratio of the activity of sucrose phosphate synthetase to sucrose synthetase is found in leaves. Acid invertase is present in leaves, leaf-sheath and fruit pulp and is not demonstrable in rootstock and pseudostem. Neutral invertase activity is high in pseudostem and leaf-sheath. Starch phosphorylase is largely concentrated in fruit pulp and rootstock. The maximum activity of ATP:d-phosphoglucose (ADPG) pyrophosphorylase is found in rootstock. β-Amylase is not demonstrable in rootstock and is largely concentrated in leaf-sheath. Hexokinase is most active in rootstock and the lowest in leaves. Acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity is highest in fruit pulp and pseudostem. Glucosephosphate isomerase is most active in the rootstock and lowest in the leaves.     

羚牛(Budorcas taxicolor)部分脏器特点的观察

本文对2只羚牛的雌性生殖器官及肝、肾、脾等脏器进行了形态描述,并与黄牛及羊的相应器官进行了比较,为探讨羚牛的分类地位提供了解剖学资料。     

Proteolipid protein 2 mRNA is expressed in the rabbit embryo during gastrulation

The expression pattern of the receptor tyrosine kinase gene EphB3 was examined during the early stages of chick embryogenesis, and is described in this report. In the gastrula, EphB3 is expressed in epiblast cells adjacent to and entering the anterior portion of the primitive streak; expression is extinguished once cells have ingressed. At headfold stages, EphB3 is strongly transcribed in the floor of the foregut and in anterior lateral endoderm, and is expressed in the subjacent cardiogenic mesoderm. EphB3 is transiently expressed in the lateral ectoderm, neural tube, and neural crest during these stages. Later neural expression is localized to the mesencephalon. In the somitic mesoderm, EphB3 is initially expressed in the sclerotome, but later is expressed predominantly in the dermatome. Prominent expression is also detected in the developing heart, liver, posterior ventral limb bud mesenchyme, pharyngeal arches, and head mesenchyme.     

Using immunohistochemistry to study plant metabolism: the examples of its use in the localization of amino acids in plant tissues, and of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and its possible role in pH regulation

To understand many aspects of the metabolism of complex plant structures such as leaves, fruit and roots it is important to understand how metabolic processes are compartmentalized between tissues. The aim of this article is to show how immunohistochemistry, in conjunction with biochemical and physiological studies, is useful in understanding both the function of an enzyme in a tissue and metabolic processes occurring in plant tissues. This is illustrated by two examples. Firstly, the use of immunohistochemisty in the localization of amino acids in plant tissues is described. Secondly, the use of immunohistochemistry in understanding the function of an enzyme in a tissue and the metabolic processes occurring within the tissue is described. To illustrate this the example of phosophoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), an enzyme which is present in many plant tissues in which its function is unknown, is used. Evidence is provided that PEPCK may play a role in pH regulation in tissues active in the metabolism of nitrogen.     

Control of glucose metabolism in the perinatal period

The central importance of glucose as a fuel for energy metabolism and growth of the fetus is clear as is the role of insulin in coordinating its utilisation by many fetal tissues. What is less clear is the qunatitative nature of the interaction between the fetus and placenta in organising glucose metabolism. Increasingly there is evidence that the fetus coordinates some of the supply of glucose to the placenta and that this is particularly important when uterine blood flow is reduced. It is unclear how this is regulated, but substrate cycles of glucose and lactate appear to make a significant contribution to carbohydrate metabolism in fetus and placenta. Another area as yet unresolved in the control of fetal glucose metabolism is the coordination of the changes that occur around the time of birth. Notable of these is the activation of glycogen mobilisation and of glucose synthesis and changes in the setting of glucose regulatory mechanism. These are briefly reviewed.     

扬子鳄视觉器官组织学研究

本文用光镜和电镜研究了扬子鳄(Alligator sinensis)的组织学,同时测量了其眼球的一些光学参数.扬子鳄眼球呈扁圆球形,角膜径与球径的比值为1:1.44;晶状体与角膜的比值为1:1.40。角膜内具鲍氏膜;虹膜内的括约肌、睫状体内的睫状肌均属横纹肌,视细胞椭圆体内线粒体嵴突与线粒体长轴相平行,这与报道的其它鳄类不同。虹膜内未见扩瞳肌纤维,角膜缘缺巩膜小骨片,晶状体环垫薄,因而其视觉调节能力仍然很弱。视网膜中视细胞由视杆细胞、单锥细胞、双锥细胞组成,其中以视杆细胞占多数。视细胞与神经节细胞核比值平均为2.5:1,表明扬子鳄的组织结构与其弱光视觉相适应。     

Xanthine oxidoreductase is present in bile ducts of normal and cirrhotic liver

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) is a widely distributed enzyme, involved in the metabolism of purines, which generates superoxide and is thought to be involved in free radical-generated tissue injury. It is present at high concentrations in the liver, from where it may be released during liver injury into the circulation, binding to vascular endothelium and causing vascular dysfunction. The cellular localization of the enzyme, essential to understanding its function, is, however, still debated. The present study has used a highly specific mouse monoclonal antibody to define the cellular distribution of XOR in normal and cirrhotic human liver. As shown previously, XOR is present in hepatocytes. However, the novel finding of this study is that XOR is present in bile duct epithelial cells, where it is concentrated toward the luminal surface. Moreover, in liver disease, proliferating bile ducts are also strongly positive for XOR. These findings suggest that the enzyme is secreted into bile, and this was confirmed by analysis of human and rat bile. Xanthine oxidase activity was 10 to 20-fold higher in liver tissue obtained from patients with liver disease, than in healthy liver. We conclude that XOR is expressed primarily in hepatocytes, but is also present in bile duct epithelial cells and is secreted into bile. Its role in bile is unknown but it may be involved in innate immunity of the bowel muscosa.     

红腹锦鸡血细胞的光镜和扫描电镜观察

为了探讨红腹锦鸡(Chrysolophus pictus)血细胞的形态特征,为生理学研究提供生物学基础资料,利用光镜和扫描电镜观察了红腹锦鸡血细胞的形态特征。结果表明,红腹锦鸡红细胞呈椭圆形或扁圆形,表面光滑,具核;白细胞为球形,体大,淋巴细胞表面有绒毛状突起,嗜中性粒细胞核一般分2~5叶,嗜酸性粒细胞核一般分2叶,嗜碱性粒细胞核分2~3叶,单核细胞表面粗糙不平,核大,呈肾形或圆形;凝血细胞呈球形或不规则形。     

Cytoplasmic localization of the ORF2 protein of hepatitis E virus is dependent on its ability to undergo retrotranslocation from the endoplasmic reticulum

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that is prevalent in much of the developing world. ORF2 is the major capsid protein of HEV. Although ORF2 is an N-linked glycoprotein, it is abundantly located in the cytoplasm in addition to having membrane and surface localization. The mechanism by which ORF2 protein obtains access to the cytoplasm is unknown. In this report, we prove that initially all ORF2 protein is present in the endoplasmic reticulum and a fraction of it becomes retrotranslocated to the cytoplasm. The ability of ORF2 to be retrotranslocated is dependent on its glycosylation status and follows the canonical dislocation pathway. However, in contrast to general substrates of the dislocation pathway, retrotranslocated ORF2 protein is not a substrate of the 26S proteasome complex and is readily detectable in the cytoplasm in the absence of any protease inhibitor, suggesting that the retrotranslocated protein is stable in the cytoplasm. This study thus defines the pathway by which ORF2 obtains access to the cytoplasm.     

Studies on secretory activity in the pars intermedia of Xenopus laevis 3. The synthesis and release of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) in vitro

Methods of bioassay and electron microscopy have been employed in the study of secretion of MSH from single pars intermedia/nervosa lobes maintained in vitro. It is shown that in a modified Krebs-Ringer medium the tissue displays an endogenous capacity for the synthesis and release of MSH. The amount of MSH produced is directly related to the development and functioning of the endoplasmic reticulum within the MSH cell, and although a net increase in the amount of MSH is adversely affected by anaerobic conditions and low temperature it is independent of an exogenous amino acid supply. The release of MSH, which is studied both independently and in association with concomitant synthesis, is also significantly reduced by anaerobic conditions and low temperature. Of the inorganic ions present in the medium only Ca(++) is essential for the synthesis and release of MSH. The evidence suggests that more than one step in the secretory process is dependent upon an exogenous supply of Ca(++) since in its absence the inhibition of MSH release is immediate but reversible, whereas although the inhibition of synthesis is delayed it is eventually complete and irreversible.     

杜仲雌雄株树皮和叶片中氨基酸及其含量的研究

杜仲（ＥｕｃｏｍｍｉａｕｌｍｏｉｄｅｓＯｌｉｖ）是我国特有的雌雄异株植物,具有极高的药用价值、工业价值和观赏价值。主要依靠种子繁殖。为了有计划地进行定性栽培,就需要对幼龄植株进行早期性别鉴定。许多生理指标都可能作为性别鉴定的依据。通过对杜仲中氨基酸含量和组成的分析表明,不同性别植株树皮和叶片中均含有被分析的１７种氨基酸,其中胱氨酸和蛋氨酸在雌雄株间差异明显,雄株树皮和叶片中胱氨酸的含量分别高出雌株７６．９８％和４５．０４％;树皮和叶片中蛋氨酸含量雌株分别高出雄株２０．５０％和１８．７７％。这是否反映了杜仲雌雄的性别差异,值得探讨。必需氨基酸总量在树皮和叶片中均表现为雌株高于雄株,且叶片中必需氨基酸总量高于树皮中的含量。     

长毛对虾精子发生的研究：Ⅰ.精子的形态结构

利用电子显微镜技术结合细胞化学染色方法,研究长毛对虾精子形态结构,结果显示:长毛对虾精子由圆球状球体部和钉子状棘突部组成;精子全长约7μm;棘突及与之相联的球体表面平滑无突起,而与棘突相对的球体底面有指状突起。透射和冷冻蚀刻电镜显示:长毛对虾精子棘突包括顶体锥和顶体帽两部分;顶体锥向外突出形成精子的棘突,顶体帽覆盖在球体部的胞质及核区上方。成熟精子胞质极度退化,仅靠顶体帽边缘可见1—2个线粒体。球体的中央区域为近球形,呈Feul-gen阳性反应,为精子的核区。其结构松散,电子密度低,属非浓缩型,内布许多絮状物质,外由许多长短不一的膜性结构不规则排列成不连续的核膜结构。研究结果认为:长毛对虾精子属不动无鞭毛精子类型,其棘突部并非鞭毛结构而是顶体的位置。     

Fondue and transglutaminase in the Drosophila larval clot

Hemolymph coagulation is vital for larval hemostasis and important in immunity, yet the molecular basis of coagulation is not well understood in insects. Of the larval clotting factors identified in Drosophila, Fondue is not conserved in other insects, but is notable for its effects on the clot's physical properties, a possible function in the cuticle, and for being a substrate of transglutaminase. Transglutaminase is the only mammalian clotting factor found in Drosophila, and as it acts in coagulation in other invertebrates, it is also likely to be important in clotting in Drosophila. Here we describe a Fondue-GFP fusion construct that labels the cuticle and clot, and show that chemical inhibition and RNAi knockdown of the Drosophila transglutaminase gene affect clot properties and composition in ways similar to knockdown of the fon gene. Thus, Fondue appears to be incorporated into the cuticle and is a key transglutaminase substrate in the clot. This is also the first direct functional confirmation that transglutaminase acts in coagulation in Drosophila.     

Small RNA species of the HeLa cell: Metabolism and subcellular localization

The small molecular weight RNAs of the HeLa cell have been located in specific subcellular fractions. SnA is located in the nucleolus and is partially bonded to nucleolar 28S RNA. SnD, the most abundant of the small nuclear RNAs, is partially released from the nucleus when the nuclear preparation is briefly warmed. SnF is released from the nuclei when chromatin is digested with the micrococcal nuclease and not when pancreatic DNAase is used. The remainder of the small nuclear species remain in the nucleus following the digestion of chromatin and are concluded to be elements of the “nuclear skeleton.” SnK is found predominantly in the cytoplasm, but migrates quantitatively to the nuclear fraction in the presence of high levels of actinomycin D. ScL is totally cytoplasmic and is partially bound to cell membranes. It is the 7S RNA found in oncornavirus virions. All the small nuclear RNAs appear initially in the cytoplasmic fraction before fixation in the nucleus. Two short-lived cytoplasmic species behave kinetically as precursors to the stable nuclear RNAs.     

The biosynthesis of rubber from β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A in Hevea brasiliensis latex

1. beta-Hydroxy-beta-methyl[3-(14)C]glutaryl-CoA is efficiently incorporated into rubber on incubation with Hevea brasiliensis latex, and the incorporation is diminished in the presence of unlabelled mevalonate. beta-Hydroxy-beta-methylglutaric acid is not utilized for rubber synthesis, but inhibits the formation of rubber from beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA. 2. The incorporation of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA into rubber is stimulated equally by NADP(+) and NADPH and less so by NAD(+) and NADH. ATP is slightly stimulatory and CoA is inhibitory. 3. beta-Hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase is concentrated in the sediment (bottom fraction) formed by centrifuging latex at low speed and the enzyme is unstable in the absence of cysteine or GSH. The formation of NADPH takes place in the latex serum. 4. There is a marked seasonal variation in the extent of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA incorporation into rubber in latex, but mevalonate incorporation is relatively constant. This observation, together with the finding that beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA reduction is the rate-limiting step in the formation of rubber from beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA, suggests that the conversion of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA into mevalonate is of importance in the regulation of rubber synthesis. 5. Evidence suggesting that beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase is present in H. brasiliensis latex has been obtained.