Actinomyces meyeri presenting as an asymptomatic lung mass

A 55-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for an elective herniorrhaphy. A significant past history of smoking and alcohol abuse was noted. The patient had no other complaints but a routine chest X-ray revealed an isolated left upper lobe mass. Laboratory tests were unrevealing and the impression was that the patient had a carcinoma. The surgical specimen consisted of a lobular mass containing multiple microabscesses. Grains consistent with actinomycosis were seen and the cultures grew out Actinomyces meyeri. There was no other evidence of disease.     

Effects of gonadal steroids on agonistic behavior of female Peromyscus leucopus

The role of gonadal hormones in modifying agonistic behavior of female P. leucopus was examined by means of ovariectomy and treatment with estradiol benzoate (EB), progesterone (P), or testosterone propionate (TP). Aggression was lower in diestrous females than in proestrous females, and was eliminated by ovariectomy. Submissive behavior increased following ovariectomy; surgery had no effect on investigative behavior. Administration of EB had no effect on aggressive or submissive behavior, but higher dosages caused an increase in investigative and sexual behavior. Higher dosages of P increased aggression; P had no effect on submissive or investigative behavior. An increase in aggression also resulted from administration of high levels of TP. TP also caused an increase in investigative behavior, and had no effect on submissive behavior. These results may be due to direct effects of the administered hormones on behavior or to indirect effects such as a stimulation of prolactin secretion or alteration of adrenal function.     

Physical Attractiveness of an Animal Species as a Decision Factor for its Preservation

ABSTRACT

This experimental study examines how framing an animal species as endangered affects its perceived attractiveness and how an animal's perceived attractiveness affects support for its conservation. Undergraduate students were shown a flyer from a fictitious environmental organization pleading for the protection of either a bat or an ape. The flyer contained either no picture, a picture of an attractive member of its species, or a picture of an unattractive member of its species. For both species, an animal's attractiveness substantially increased support for its protection. There was also more support for saving the species that was larger in size and more resembled humans. In a second experiment, participants rated an unattractive animal as more attractive if it was framed as endangered. There was no such effect for an animal originally perceived as attractive. The implications of the results for environmental policy and conservation support are discussed.     

The Fate of Sulphate within the Capsular Polysaccharide of the Unicellular Red Alga Rhodella maculata

³⁵SO^2–₄ was used in pulse-chase experiments to study themetabolism of sulphate in the capsular polysaccharides of R.maculata. Radioactivity reached an equilibrium between the chiefintracellular pools during an 8 h pulse and there was no lossof radioactivity from the cells during an extended chase ofup to 14 d, until cultures reached stationary growth phase.Any loss then found was due to dissociation of sulphated capsularmaterial from the cells. The failure of biochemical assays todetect extracellular sulphatase or sulphotransferase activitiessupports the conclusion from pulse-chase experiments that thereis no turnover of sulphate in the capsular polysaccharide ofR. maculata. Key words: sulphated polysaccharides, sulphate turnover, Rhodella     

Isolation of L-theanine from tea solution by cation exchange resin in batch and fixed bed column

L-Theanine, a bioactive compound in tea, was isolated from tea solution using cation exchange resin no.732. The adsorption of L-theanine by cation exchange resin no.732 fit the Langmuir isotherm model and was a monolayer molecular interaction process. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption of L-theanine by resin no.732 was an exothermic and spontaneous physically driven process. The adsorption capacity was influenced by temperature, initial concentration, and pH. The L-theanine adsorption capacity under conditions at room temperature, pH 4.73, and initial L-theanine concentration 18 g/L was 241.731 ± 3.679 mg/g. The Thomas model was fit to describe the column adsorption data at different flow rates and initial concentrations. The L-theanine adsorbed by resin no.732 could be desorbed by 0.134 mol/L Na₂HPO₄ aqueous solution with a recovery rate of 84.96%. These findings indicate that resin no.732 was a promising material for isolating L-theanine from tea solution.     

Effects of Low Doses of Fluoride on Serum Proteins and a Serum Enzyme in Man

FLUORIDE ions have long been known to exert an inhibitory effect on the activity of certain enzymes-Frajola¹ lists ten human enzymes which are definitely inhibited in vitro and suggests that there may be more. In an experiment in one subject receiving 36 mg of sodium fluoride daily for 18 days Frajola was able to show that the activities of the serum enzymes lactic dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and glutamic transaminase were reduced, but he does not say whether the general health of the subject was affected. Opponents of fluoridation as a public health measure argue that the action as an enzyme inhibitor will affect general health and they quote instances of subjectively assessed ill-health and allergylike reactions following fluoridation of public water supplies, but careful medical observations in fluoridated areas have shown no increase of systemic disease and no significant variation in mortality rates. It has been stated² that there is no evidence that fluoride ingested at 1 p.p.m. in drinking water has any effect on human enzyme activity, but there are no specific experimental data on this question.     

Spontaneous fragility of an abnormally wide secondary constriction region in a human chromosome No. 9

Summary In an infant with clinically and cytologically typical Down's syndrome a chromosome No. 9 was found exhibiting an exceptionally large paracentric constriction which proved to be spontaneously fragile. In cells in which this chromosome was broken the centric portion was present whereas the acentric fragment was absent. A No. 9 chromosome with identical morphology was found in the karyotype of the father but no fragility was evident. Autoradiography revealed pronounced late replication in the constriction region, suggesting a duplication or insertion of heterochromatic material. Clinically there was no evidence for any phenotypic expression of this cytological anomaly.Supported in part by the Swiss National Foundation     

An Attempt to Increase the Heat Resistance of Microbacterium lacticum

S ummary . An attempt to increase the heat resistance of two strains of Microbacterium lacticum was made by exposing cells dispersed on an agar surface to 72° for two different times. Eighteen successive subcultures from survivors gave no increase in the proportion of heat resistant cells. There was no change in the ratio of the percentages of cells surviving the different treatments, an indication that there was no change in the overall heat resistance. With both strains the changing proportions of colonies developing on the 3rd and 5th day of incubation demonstrated the damaging effect of increasing the time of exposure at 72° but did not indicate any increase in heat resistance. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Beta-Blockers,Left and Right Ventricular Function,and In-Vivo Calcium Influx in Muscular Dystrophy Cardiomyopathy

Beta-blockers are used to treat acquired heart failure in adults, though their role in early muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy is unclear. We treated 2 different dystrophic mouse models which have an associated cardiomyopathy (mdx: model for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and Sgcd-/-: model for limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2F) and wild type controls (C57 Bl10) with the beta blocker metoprolol or placebo for 8 weeks at an early stage in the development of the cardiomyopathy. Left and right ventricular function was assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in-vivo myocardial calcium influx with manganese enhanced MRI. In the mdx mice at baseline there was reduced stroke volume, cardiac index, and end-diastolic volume with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. These abnormalities were no longer evident after treatment with beta-blockers. Right ventricular ejection fraction was reduced and right ventricular end-systolic volume increased in the mdx mice. With metoprolol there was an increase in right ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes. Left and right ventricular function was normal in the Sgcd-/- mice. Metroprolol had no significant effects on left and right ventricular function in these mice, though heart/body weight ratios increased after treatment. In-vivo myocardial calcium influx with MEMRI was significantly elevated in both models, though metoprolol had no significant effects on either. In conclusion, metoprolol treatment at an early stage in the development of cardiomyopathy has deleterious effects on right ventricular function in mdx mice and in both models no effect on increased in-vivo calcium influx. This suggests that clinical trials need to carefully monitor not just left ventricular function but also right ventricular function and other aspects of myocardial metabolism.     

The 30th Anniversary of Voprosy Psikhologii

The status of psychology in the postwar period was substantially different from its present status. First, it did not yet exist organizationally as an independent science; there were no faculties of psychology or scientific degrees in psychology, and there was no psychological journal in the country.     

EFFECT OF PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE ON ACETYLCHOLINE OUTPUT FROM THE CEREBRAL CORTEX OF THE RAT

The effect of sonicated suspensions of phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine injected intravenously on acetylcholine release from the cerebral cortex was investigated in urethane anaesthetized rats. The electroeorticogram was also recorded. Phosphatidylserine caused a dose dependent, calcium dependent increase in acetylcholine output with no electrocorticografic changes. The increase, 75% peak effect after 150 mg/kg, was abolished by septal lesions and pretreatment with pimozide. Phosphatidylserine had no effect on acetylcholine release from brain slices in vitro. Phosphatidylethanolamine was approximately half as active as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine had no effect on acetylcholine output in vivo. It is concluded that phosphatidylserine exerts an indirect stimulating action on a septio-cortical cholinergic pathway.     

Searching preference of the parasitoid,Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) for different stages of the host,Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) in the laboratory

The functional response parameters of the parasitoid, Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard ) to the third instar, the fourth instar and the pupae of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) were estimated from the Random Parasitoid Equation. By modifying this equation for a two host situation and using the parameters estimated above, a no switch model could be obtained. This model was then used to test for switching. In the preference experiments where two stages of the host were presented to the female parasitoid, a definite preference for the fourth instar followed by the pupa and the third instar, respectively was shown. There was, however, no evidence of switching. There was also no evidence that the data fitted the no switch models which suggests that when the parasitoid is searching in an environment with two or more hosts, its searching behaviour is more complex.     

Embryo lethality in wheat-rye hybrids: dosage effect and deletion bin mapping of the responsible wheat locus

The speciation allele at Eml-A1 of hexaploid wheat, which causes embryo lethality in wheat-rye hybrids, was investigated using cytologically modified genetic stocks. It was demonstrated that an extra dose of this allele had no effect on embryo development in these hybrids. There was no positive effect on embryo development and, therefore, no overcoming of the postzygotic barrier. An abortion of the hybrid embryos at an earlier stage of development was also not observed. Physical mapping was performed using chromosome 6A deletion lines. This study revealed the location of Eml-A1 on the most distal part of the long arm of chromosome 6A. To identify possible candidate genes responsible for embryo lethality, in silico sequence homology analysis was performed. Two candidate genes for Eml-A1 that are involved in shoot apical meristem maintenance were identified on chromosome 6AL. However, functional validation assays need to be designed and performed.     

Determination of Moisture Sorption Characteristics of Oat Flour by Static and Dynamic Techniques with and Without Thymol as an Antimicrobial Agent

The effectiveness of thymol as an antimicrobial agent during the determination of equilibrium moisture sorption data at high-water activities (0.50–0.98) was studied at 5, 23, and 45 °C in oat flour. The static gravimetric (SG) method (with and without added thymol) and the dynamic vapor sorption technique (DVS) were used. Microbial growth in samples conditioned in these environments at temperatures of 5 and 45 °C was null indicating no need for the use of thymol at these temperatures. However, samples confined in environments kept at 23 °C, when the SG method was used, needed addition of thymol since mold growth took place in its absence. The statistical comparison between experimental equilibrium moisture content (EMC) mean values showed that, at 45 °C, EMC values obtained using the SG technique with added thymol were significantly higher than those obtained without thymol by both SG and DVS techniques. This could indicate an interaction of thymol with food components or absorption by lipids present. Therefore, caution must be exerted when using thymol as an antimicrobial agent at elevated temperatures and high equilibrium relative humidity. Moisture adsorption isotherms for oat flour were determined using a DVS technique and no isotherm crossover with temperature, as previously reported for this product using thymol as an antimicrobial agent, was exhibited. Moisture sorption data obtained in this work by DVS can be considered more accurate than those previously reported for oat flour, since no external agent was involved during isotherm determinations.     

Influence of hyperbaric oxygen tension on growth parameters of Candida tropicalis and Rhodococcus erythropolis

Summary Oxygen-limited growth was avoided by means of oxygen-enriched aeration in aerobic fermentation processes. Studies were carried out with Candida tropicalis (Cast.) Berkhout and Rhodococcus erythropolis (DSM 43215). The effect of hyperbaric dissolved oxygen tension on growth parameters was examined by varying the dissolved oxygen concentration and the carbon source (glucose, ethanol, and n-alkanes). Up to an oxygen concentration of 40 mg/l in the culture suspension no impairment of the economic coefficients and no promotion of cell lysis was found. It was observed that raised oxygen concentrations in the aeration gas led to enhanced specific growth rates. At cell concentrations above 20 g/l dry weight an uncoupling of carbon source dissimilation and biomass production was observed even at non-limiting oxygen concentrations.     

Schizophillum commune Causing Sinusitis with Nasal Polyposis in the Sub-Himalayan Region: First Case Report and Review

Schizophillum commune is an environmental fungus rarely causing human infections of diverse nature. Sinusitis occurs in immunocompromised persons and seldom in healthy subjects. Though easily isolated, the lack of awareness of its virulence is a bottleneck in the diagnosis of this infection. We report the first case of S. commune sinusitis with nasal polyps in an immunocompetent male from the sub-Himalayan region. The computerized tomography scan findings established the clinical diagnosis, and causative agent was confirmed as S. commune. A white, woolly mold with septate, hyaline hyphae and characteristic spicules but unclamped connections suggested a monokaryotic isolate. Patient was treated successfully with fiberoptic endoscopic sinus surgery, and no antifungal therapy was instituted. There was no recurrence at review after 1 year.     

Cytological definition of the poriferan stylocyte: a cell type characterized by an intranuclear crystal

The stylocyte (Gr. stylos; pillar) of Corvomeyenia carolinensis Harrison (Spongillidae), a previously undescribed proiferan cell type, was examined using phase contrast microscopy, histochemistry and electron microscopy. The stylocyte, an anucleolate amoebocyte, is characterized by a rhomboidal intranuclear crystal. The crystal, lacking an investing membrane, is embedded directly into the nucleoplasm. It is homogenous with no demonstrable crystalline subunits. Histochemical studies suggest that the crystal is proteinaceous, containing no DNA or RNA. Cytoplasmically, the stylocyte contains promienent homogenous smooth membrane-bound inclusions which contain high levels of neutral (PAS-positive) and polycarboxylated mucopolysaccharides but low levels of glycogen and no significant phosphatase activity. The granular endoplasmic reticulum is poorly developed. Correspondingly, with various histochemical methods, little or no cytoplasmic RNA is demonstrated. Because electron microscopic studies of C. carolinensis indicate the probable absence of viral inclusions in the sponge and because the crystal contains no histochemically demonstrable nucleic acid, the evidence appears to suggest that the crystal neither represents an assemblage of mature virus units nor a virus-induced structure. The stylocyte cell type may play a role in nutrient cycling in C. carolinensis with the crystal acting either as a site of protein storage or as an excretory product.     

Residual force enhancement during submaximal and maximal effort contractions of the plantar flexors across knee angle

Following active muscle lengthening, steady-state isometric force is elevated compared with an isometric contraction without prior lengthening for the same muscle length and activation level. This property of muscle contraction is known as residual force enhancement (RFE). Here, we aimed to determine whether neural factors may mask some of the mechanical benefits of RFE on plantar flexion torque production. Inherent to lengthening contractions is an increase in cortical and spinal-mediated inhibition, while knee flexion places the medial gastrocnemius at a neuromechanical disadvantage. Neuromuscular properties of the plantar flexors were investigated with a Humac Norm dynamometer in 10 males (∼27 years) with a flexed (90°) and extended (180°) knee and with or without calcaneal tendon vibration (frequency range: 80–110 Hz). There was no effect for vibration (p > 0.05), but there was an effect for knee angle (p < 0.05) such that there was a 2 fold increase in RFE with the knee flexed compared with extended. During submaximal torque matching, following active lengthening there was an activation reduction (electromyography; EMG) of 7.2 and 4.7% with the knee flexed and extended, respectively for soleus as compared with the reference isometric contraction, but no difference for the medial gastrocnemius. Despite attempting to excite Ia input onto the plantar flexor motor neuron pool, vibration had no influence on RFE. Surprisingly, RFE was elevated more for the knee flexed than extended, which was possibly owing to the activation differences across the disparate muscles of the triceps surae during the plantar flexion task.     

Characteristics of plasmid stability in Bacillus subtilis NB22, an antifungal-antibiotic iturin producer

The stability of plasmids pC194 and pUB110 was investigated in an antifungal antibiotic iturin producer, Bacillus subtilis NB22. Although plasmid pC194 was maintained stably over a hundred generations in five successive cultivations in iturin-production no. 3 medium, significant curing was observed when the cultivation was prolonged for 10 d in the same medium. When the transformant of pC194 was cultivated in Schaeffer's sporulation medium, drastic curing took place in accordance with the occurrence of sporulation, even in the presence of an antibiotic for selective pressure. In the case of pUB110, in sharp contrast to the result with pC194, high stability was observed in the sporulation medium, but significant curing was observed during prolonged incubation in no. 3 medium.     

Impacts of a sub-lethal dose of glyphosate on water hyacinth nutrients and its indirect effects on Neochetina weevils

A sub-lethal dose of a herbicide under field conditions was applied to determine if it stimulates an increase in water hyacinth nutrients, thereby increasing feeding intensity by Neochetina spp. weevils used as biocontrol agents of the weed. Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) were measured and compared between sprayed plants and control plants. At one site (Delta Park), N levels were lower in the sprayed plants compared to the control plants both in the leaves and the crown. At the second site (Farm Dam), leaf N was also lower in the sprayed plants than in the control plants, while no difference was found in crown N. Mean number of feeding scars per cm² at Delta Park was significantly higher on the sprayed plants compared to the control plants, while no significant difference was found at Farm Dam. At Delta Park, there was no correlation, however, between the number of weevil feeding scars and leaf N or C:N ratio in sprayed plants. In conclusion, the sub-lethal dose of glyphosate did not directly result in an increase in weevil feeding intensity but it can be recommended in an integrated control system to retard water hyacinth growth while conserving the weevil population.