Pohlia andrewsii J. Shaw in the U.S.S.R.

Abstract

P. andrewsii appears to be widespread in the arctic regions of the U.S.S.R. and also in mountains of southern Siberia, the Altai Mountains. Except in the mountains of Central and Northern Europe the range of P. andrewsii does not overlap with P. annotina and P. camptotrachela.     

On the nature of P.P.L.O.

Summary In a number of strains of the three species of P.P.L.O. of human origin coccoid elements have been observed, which are Gram positive or Gram variable and of very small size (<0.5 μ). They are able to grow in pure culture on the surface of nutrient agar in very small colonies. Although they have bacterial characteristics, they could not be identified as known bacteria. Agglutination tests are in favour of a serological relationship between the coccoid elements and P.P.L.O. The suggestion that these elements might be an outside contamination is made unlikely by several observations. The supposition that P.P.L.O.s are L forms of these coccoid elements should be considered further.     

Species composition and toxicity of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia in Taiwan Strait,including P. chiniana sp. nov. and P. qiana sp. nov.

In a field survey in the Taiwan Strait during April 2016, the species composition and the domoic acid production of the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia were investigated. A total of 80 strains of Pseudo-nitzschia were established, and species identification was determined based on a combination of morphological and molecular data. Fourteen taxa were recognized, i.e., P. americana, P. brasiliana, P. calliantha, P. cuspidata, P. galaxiae, P. lundholmiae, P. multiseries, P. multistriata, P. pseudodelicatissima, P. pungens var. aveirensis, P. pungenus var. pungens and P. sabit, as well as two novel species P. chiniana C.X. Huang & Yang Li and P. qiana C.X. Huang & Yang Li. Morphologically, P. chiniana is characterized by striae comprising one or two rows of poroids, and valve ends that are normally dominated by two rows of poroids within each stria. Whereas P. qiana is unique by having a narrow valve width (1.3–1.5 μm) and sharply pointed valve ends. Both taxa constitute their own monophyletic lineage in the phylogenetic analyses inferred from LSU and ITS2 rDNA, and are well differentiated from other Pseudo-nitzschia species. Pseudo-nitzschia chiniana forms a group with P. abrensis and P. batesiana in LSU and ITS trees, whereas P. qiana is sister to P. lineola. When comparing ITS2 secondary structure, five CBCs and seven HCBCs are recognized between P. chiniana and P. abrensis, and four CBCs and ten HCBCs between P. chiniana and P. batesiana. Two CBCs and eight HCBCs are found between P. qiana with P. lineola. The ability of the strains to produce domoic acid was assessed, including a potential toxin induction by the presence of brine shrimps. Results revealed production of domoic acid in six strains belonging to three species. Without presence of brine shrimps, cellular DA (pDA) was detected in four P. multiseries strains (1.6 ± 0.3, 26.6 ± 2.7, 68.3 ± 4.2 and 56.9 ± 4.7 fg cell⁻¹, separately), one strain of P. pseudodelicatissima (0.8 ± 0.2 fg cell⁻¹) and one strain of P. lundholmiae (2.5 ± 0.4 fg cell⁻¹). In the presence of brine shrimps, pDA contents increased significantly (p < 0.05) in P. lundholmiae (strain MC4218) and P. multiseries (strain MC4177), from 2.5 ± 0.4 to 8.9 ± 0.7 and 1.6 ± 0.3 to 37.2 ± 2.5 fg cell⁻¹ respectively.     

The quantitative spectrum of inositol phosphate metabolites in avian erythrocytes, analysed by proton n.m.r. and h.p.l.c. with direct isomer detection.

The spectrum of inositol phosphate isomers present in avian erythrocytes was investigated in qualitative and quantitative terms. Inositol phosphates were isolated in micromolar quantities from turkey blood by anion-exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose and subjected to proton n.m.r. and h.p.l.c. analysis. We employed a h.p.l.c. technique with a novel, recently described complexometric post-column detection system, called 'metal-dye detection' [Mayr (1988) Biochem. J. 254, 585-591], which enabled us to identify non-radioactively labelled inositol phosphate isomers and to determine their masses. The results indicate that avian erythrocytes contain the same inositol phosphate isomers as mammalian cells. Denoted by the 'lowest-locant rule' [NC-IUB Recommendations (1988) Biochem. J. 258, 1-2] irrespective of true enantiomerism, these are Ins(1,4)P2, Ins(1,6)P2, Ins(1,3,4)P3, Ins(1,4,5)P3, Ins(1,3,4,5)P4, Ins(1,3,4,6)P4, Ins(1,4,5,6)P4, Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5, and InsP6. Furthermore, we identified two inositol trisphosphate isomers hitherto not described for mammalian cells, namely Ins(1,5,6)P3 and Ins(2,4,5)P3. The possible position of these two isomers in inositol phosphate metabolism and implications resulting from absolute abundances of inositol phosphates are discussed.     

A controlled study of Tourette syndrome. III. Phobias and panic attacks.

Comparison was made of the frequency of phobias and panic attacks in normal controls and in patients with Tourette syndrome (TS), attention-deficit disorder (ADD), and ADD secondary to a TS gene. For phobias the most significant difference between controls and TS patients was with respect to fear of public transportation (P = .002), followed by fear of being alone (P = .009), fear of being in a crowd (P = .01), fear of being in water (P = .025), fear of animals (P = .04), fear of public speaking (P = .05), and other fears (P = .05). Only 8.5% of controls had more than three simple phobias and none had more than five, whereas 26% of TS patients had more than three (P = .008) and some had as many as 13. As opposed to 19% of TS patients, none of the controls had phobias that interfered with their life (P = .001). Among female TS patients 55.1% had 3-13 phobias, compared with 8.7% of the female controls (P less than .0005). There was no correlation between the ADD score and the number of phobias (r = -.010) and little correlation with the total number of tics (r = .14). Panic attacks were present in 8.3% of the controls and 33% of the TS patients (P = .0008). This frequency increased to 55.2% (P less than .0005) for grade 3 (severe) TS patients. None of the controls, 15.9% of all TS patients (P = .002), and 31% of grade 3 TS patients (P less than .0005) had more than three panic attacks in 1 wk. Total panic-symptom score (12 possible symptoms) was significantly greater than that in the controls in all grades of TS. The presence or absence of ADD had little effect on the total panic-symptom score, but the presence of ADD resulted in a significantly lower average age at onset of panic attacks (8.8 years) compared with those TS patients without ADD (15.4 years) (P = .03). These observations indicate that phobias and panic attacks are a significant part of the symptomatology of TS and provide the first clear indication that phobias and panic attacks can be due to the presence of a major gene.     

Changes in heated and autoclaved forest soils of S.E. Australia. II. Phosphorus and phosphatase activity

The effect of soil heat and autoclaving on labile inorganic P (Bray I), microbial P (P-flush) and on phosphatase activity was studied by heating five forest soils in the laboratory, which simulated the effects of heat during bushfires. Top soil was heated to 60 °C, 120 °C and 250 °C or autoclaved for 30 minutes. Soils were analysed immediately after heating and during seven months of incubation to assess immediate and longer-term effects of heating.Labile inorganic P increased immediately after heating and autoclaving soils, with the highest amount recorded for the 250 °C treatment. Phosphorus associated with microbial biomass decreased with heat, and none or small amounts were detected in soils heated to 250 °C and autoclaved, because high temperatures killed the microbial population. Most of the P released from microbes acted as a source of labile inorganic P in soils low in inorganic P, and some of the released P was fixed by the soil. In one soil high in inorganic labile P and with undetectable amounts of microbial-P, the increase in Bray P on heating could only be assigned to solubilisation of other sources of total P Because high temperatures denature enzymatic proteins, phosphatase activity diminished with the increase in temperature, and no activity was detected in 250 °C and autoclaved soils.Phosphorus released by heating decreased during incubation in three of the five soils studied, approaching values observed in unheated soils. Simultaneously, an increase in microbial P was observed in these heated soils, indicating that the partial recovery of microbial biomass acted as a sink for the decrease in Bray-P measured. Phosphatase activity recovered only partially during incubation of heated soils.     

Chloroplast DNA variation in Populus. II. Interspecific restriction fragment polymorphisms and genetic relationships among Populus deltoides,P. nigra,P. maximowiczii,and P. x canadensis

Restriction fragment analysis was conducted to determine interspecific chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variation and genetic relationships among Populus deltoides, P. nigra, P. x canadensis (P. deltoides x P. nigra), and P. maximowiczii. Total cellular DNAs of these poplars were digested with 16 restriction endonucleases, and Southern blots of the restriction digests were probed with six different cloned cpDNA fragments from Petunia. P. deltoides, P. nigra, and P. maximowiczii each had a distinct chloroplast genome, separated by many restriction-site and restriction-fragment-length mutations, predominantly in the large single-copy region of the genome. P. x canadensis shared the same cpDNA restriction fragment patterns as P. deltoides var. deltoides. P. nigra was most diverged from P. deltoides, and P. deltoides showed close cpDNA relationships to P. maximowiczii. Nucleotide substitutions per site in cpDNA were 0.0036 between P. deltoides and P. maximowiczii, 0.0071 between P. nigra and P. maximowiczii, and 0.0077 between P. deltoides and P. nigra. We suggest that P. nigra should be classified in a new separate section, the Nigrae.     

Isospora peromysci n. sp., I. californica n. sp., and I. hastingsi n. sp. (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) from Four Sympatric Species of White-footed Mice (Peromyscus) in Central California

SYNOPSIS. Isospora peromysci n. sp., I. californica n. sp., and I. hastingsi n. sp. are described from 4 Peromyscus species in Monterey County, Central California. I. peromysci n. sp. was found in 35 of 1,346 Peromyscus , including P. californicus, P. truei , and P. maniculatus; I. californica n. sp. was found in 15 Peromyscus , including P. californicus, P. boylii, P. truei , and P. maniculatus ; and I. hastingsi n. sp. was found in one P. truei. Endogenous forms of I. peromysci n. sp. are described from P. maniculatus , and host distribution and incidence of all species are given.     

Karyotype comparison between P. chabaudi and P. falciparum: analysis of a P. chabaudi cDNA containing sequences highly repetitive in P. falciparum.

The molecular karyotypes of P. chabaudi and P. falciparum have been compared by pulse field gradient electrophoresis. P. chabaudi has 3 extra chromosomes in the 750-2000 Kb range although the overall number appears to be 14 as is the case for P. falciparum. The chromosomal location of the rRNA genes has been determined for P. chabaudi together with that of a 24 Kd antigen gene. The corresponding cDNA 443 may code for a protein unusually rich in tyrosine and contains sequences highly repetitive in P. falciparum.     

The genus Pringsheimiella (Chlorophyta), including P. sanctae-luciae sp. nov.

In re-assessing the genus Pringsheimiella , seven species are referred to this taxon. These are: P. scutata (Reinke) Marchewianka, the type species of the genus; P. gratulans (Weber-van Bosse) Nielsen & McLachlan comb. nov, renamed from Ochlo-chaete gratulans Weber-van Bosse; P. udoteae (Børgesen) Schmidt & Petrak; P. con-chyliophila Feldmann; P. crenulata (Lami) Nielsen & McLachlan comb. nov., renamed from Ulvella crenulata Lami; P. mauritiana Børgesen, which may be synonymous with P. crenulata but requires further study; and P. sanctae-luciae sp. nov.     

Prenatal screening for hemoglobinopathies. III. Applicability of the health belief model.

A comprehensive prenatal hemoglobinopathy screening program in Rochester, NY, has been described in a preceding paper in this issue of the Journal. A woman identified as a carrier may face three decisions. The first is whether to accept the offer of counseling. The second is whether to have her partner tested. If her partner also tests positive, then the third decision is whether to accept the offer of prenatal diagnosis. This report analyzes factors affecting her decision, with special attention being given to factors invoked by the Health Belief Model. Factors predicting that a patient who we identified as a carrier would come for counseling included the following: patient had no prior knowledge that she is a carrier (P less than .001), a gestational age less than 18 wk (P less than .01), and Caucasian race (P less than .05). For sickle cell trait counselees and beta-thalassamia trait counselees, factors found to predict patient's intent to have partner tested were the following: a greater postcounseling knowledge of the disease (P less than .009), a lesser perceived burden of intervention (P less than .011), and belief that the partner is also a carrier (P less than .008). Also for sickle cell trait counselees and beta-thalassemia trait counselees, factors predicting that the partner actually will be tested were the following: living with the partner (P less than .001), gestational age at identification less than or equal to 18 wk (P less than .001), a lesser perceived burden of intervention (P less than .002), and a greater perceived seriousness of the disease (P less than .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

牡丹一新种——中原牡丹,及银屏牡丹的订正

分子证据和新增加的形态证据显示,银屏牡丹Paeonia suffruticosa ssp．yinpingmudan作为新亚种发表时所依据的两份标本实为两个实体,产自安徽巢湖的（潘开玉和谢中稳9701,模式）实为凤丹户P.ostii的成员,而产自河南嵩县的（洪德元等H97010）实为一个新分类群。本文把P.suffruticosa ssp．yinpingmudan处理为P．ostii的异名,并依据河南的标本描述了一个新种——中原牡丹P.cathayana D．Y Hong＆K．Y.Pan。中原牡丹与风丹和矮牡丹P.jishanensis近缘,区别在于前者下部叶有ll-15片小叶,花白色：后者小叶背面有毛,裂片多,萼片顶端圆钝,花白色。     

Genetic studies of coliphage P1. I. Mapping by use of prophage deletions.

One hundred and ten amber mutants of coliphage P1 were isolated and localized into groups with respect to the existing genetic map by use of nonpermissive Escherichia coli K-12 strains lysogenic for P1 with deletions. These lysogens contain one of three types of deletion prophages: P1cry and its derivatives, P1dlacs, and P1dpros. Fourteen such lysogens were tested for their ability to rescue the amber mutants which were then assigned to one of nine deletion segments of the P1 genome defined by the termini of the various prophage deletions. The relationship of the nine deletion segments with the published P1 map is described, two new segments having been added. The deletions of the 14 prophages overlapped sufficiently to indicate that the P1 genetic prophage map should be represented in circular form, which is consistent with the fact that P1 is normally a circular plasmid in the prophage state. The distribution of mutants into deletion segments is nonrandom for at least one segment. In addition, the deletion termini of the 14 defective prophages coincided in five out of nine regions separating the nine deletion segments. Various possible explanations are discussed for the nonrandom recurrence of these deletion termini, including the evidence of hot spots of recombination.     

Bacteriophage P22 virion protein which performs an essential early function. I. Analysis of 16-ts mutants.

The product of gene 16 of phage P22, P16, is a head protein. P16 does not play an essential role in phage assembly since particles formed without this protein appear normal by electron microscopy examination (Botstein et al., 1973). P16 is essential when the particle infects a cell in the following cycle of infection (Botstein et al., 1973; King et al., 1973). We have characterized a mutant of P22 carrying a temperature-sensitive allele of gene 16. This mutant has previously been referred to as P22 25-ts (Levine et al., 1970, 1972) and P22 X-ts (Bezdek and Soska, 1970, 1973). P22 16-ts behaves as an early mutant at the nonpermissive temperature. Temperature shift experiments show that P16 of the infecting virion acts within the first 10 min at 25 C and that gene 16 product is required late in the latent period for incorporation into infectious phage. Induction does not require P16 for the production of particles. Particles produced either in a P22 16-ts thermal shift-up infection or after induction of 16-ts lysogens at 41 C are missing P16 and are, therefore, defective. P16 in P22 16-ts virions formed at the permissive temperature appears to be heat labile; it is inactivated after infection at 41 C. A simple assay for defective particles based on a complementation test is described.     

Paeonia daurica Andrews or P. mascula ssp. triternata (Pall. ex DC.) Stearn & P. H. Davis (Paeoniaceae)?

The peony in the Crimea of Ukraine and its allied populations have been variously taxonomically treated, as Paeonia daurica Andrews or P. mascula ssp. triternata (Pall. ex DC.) Stearn & P. H. Davis. Supported by the National Geographical Society, we have conducted extensive field observations and population sampling of this group in Turkey. In addition, relevant herbarium specimens from the herbaria B, BEO, BM, BUCA, E, G, GZU, K, P, SA, SOM, UPA, and WU were critically examined. Principal coordinate analysis was performed using MVSP-Version 3.13b analysis software. As a result, P. daurica was shown to be clearly differentiated from P. mascula in the number of leaflets/segments of the lower leaves and the shape of the terminal leaflets. P. daurica is diploid, except for three local tetraploids in the Caucasus, whereas P. mascula is consistently tetraploid. The two units were not found growing together, even in southern Turkey, where they are sympatric. P. daurica is considered to be a good species, which ranges from Croatia to Iran through Turkey and the Caucasus, and comprises six subspecies.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 1–11.     

Distal regulatory functions for the uvrC gene of E. coli.

We find that the uvrC gene is preceded by three promoters (P1, P2 and P3), identified by heparin-resistant RNA polymerase-DNA complex formation, P2 and P3 promoters are located proximal to the 5' end of the uvrC gene, while the P1 promoter is separated from the uvrC structural gene by an interposed DNA region of more than 1 kb. We have reported that P2 and P3 are not sufficient to promote uvrC complementation. However, plasmids containing the direct fusion of the P1 promoter to the uvrC gene complements the uvrC defect. Insertion of IS1 downstream from the P1 promoter leads to efficient synthesis of the uvrC protein as measured in maxicells. Fusion of the lac promoter to the uvrC structural gene can substitute for in vivo regulatory functions. We conclude that uvrC protein synthesis is controlled in a complex manner and that a distal promoter, P1, is required.     

Cis proline mutants of ribonuclease A. II. Elimination of the slow-folding forms by mutation.

Ribonuclease A is known to form an equilibrium mixture of fast-folding (UF) and slow-folding (US) species. Rapid unfolding to UF is then followed by a reaction in the unfolded state, which produces a mixture of UF, USII, USI, and possibly also minor populations of other US species. The two cis proline residues, P93 and P114, are logical candidates for producing the major US species after unfolding, by slow cis <==> trans isomerization. Much work has been done in the past on testing this proposal, but the results have been controversial. Site-directed mutagenesis is used here. Four single mutants, P93A, P93S, P114A, and P114G, and also the double mutant P93A, P114G have been made and tested for the formation of US species after unfolding. The single mutants P114G and P114A still show slow isomerization reactions after unfolding that produce US species; thus, Pro 114 is not required for the formation of at least one of the major US species of ribonuclease A. Both the refolding kinetics and the isomerization kinetics after unfolding of the Pro 93 single mutants are unexpectedly complex, possibly because the substituted amino acid forms a cis peptide bond, which should undergo cis --> trans isomerization after unfolding. The kinetics of peptide bond isomerization are not understood at present and the Pro 93 single mutants cannot be used yet to investigate the role of Pro 93 in forming the US species of ribonuclease A. The double mutant P93A, P114G shows single exponential kinetics measured by CD, and it shows no evidence of isomerization after unfolding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Embryotoxicity studies of norfloxacin in cynomolgus monkeys. II. Role of progesterone.

Norfloxacin, an orally active fluoroquinolone antimicrobial, has been reported to be embryolethal but not teratogenic when administered to pregnant cynomolgus macaques prior to gestational day (GD) 36 at doses > or = 200 mg/kg/day. Additional studies have been performed in an effort to examine the mechanism responsible for this effect, particularly regarding the role of progesterone (P). The first study (Study I) investigated the effect of norfloxacin administration during early pregnancy (200 mg/kg/day; daily GD 20-30) in the absence of a functional corpus luteum (CL). The CL was surgically removed from 16 gravid females on GD 19 in order to focus on placental-derived P; ten were dosed with norfloxacin and six received vehicle only. Embryolethality was observed for 7/10 (70%) of the treated animals during GD 25-31 versus 0/6 (0%) for controls. A reduction in serum P was noted prior to embryonic loss, although no significant effects on chorionic gonadotropin (CG), 17 beta-estradiol (E2), or P or E urinary metabolites were observed. A second study (Study II) was performed in order to evaluate the capacity of norfloxacin (200 mg/kg) to reduce CL-derived P in both normally cycling and CG-stimulated nonpregnant females (ten treated, ten controls; daily for 8 days). No effects on P production or on luteal phase or menstrual cycle lengths were observed. The third study (Study III) was designed to examine the effect of norfloxacin on the metabolism and excretion of P in nonpregnant females. Silastic P implants were placed subcutaneously in order to maintain constant P levels during a 10 day treatment regimen (200 mg/kg/day; ten controls, nine treated). Five of the controls and four of the norfloxacin-treated females also received 14C-P intravenously within 1 hr of the last dose of norfloxacin in order to study excretory patterns. No significant differences between control and treated groups were observed. The results of these studies combined suggest that the developmental toxic effects observed in prior studies and Study I are specific to pregnancy and directly related to placental-derived P production.