Myosin from fast and slow skeletal and cardiac muscles of mammals of different size.

The ATPase activity of myosin and contraction time in extensor digitorum longus muscle, soleus muscle and cardiac muscle was compared in mammals differing in size. It was shown that the myosin ATPase activity of homologous muscles decreases and contraction time increases with increasing size of animals. The rate of tryptic digestion of myosin, the electrophoretic pattern of light chains of myosin and the effect of p-chloromercuribenzoate on ATPase activity of myosin were also studied. All these three myosin properties are very characteristic when the myosin from a fast muscle is compared with the myosin from a slow muscle of the same animal, but no relationship between these three myosin properties and ATPase activity of myosin was found, when homologous muscles of various mammals were compared.     

A comparison of ecotoxicological tests

A simple, inexpensive and rapid method of determining toxicity by using a bacterium as the indicator organism was developed and compared with 23 other tests. The average correlation coefficient when comparing these 23 tests with the present test was 0.800, ranging from 0.580 to 0.950. Eleven of the tests were compared in detail by using 35 of the chemicals on the Multicentre Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxicity list of test chemicals. Comparing results from the present test with test results for these 35 chemicals with Microtox, Biotox, Daphnia magna, rat hepatocytes and ascites tumour cell resulted in correlation coefficients ranging from 0.871 to 0.933. Comparisons of the test data with rodent LD50 values, human lethal dose estimates from autopsies and human lethal doses obtained from the literature provided correlation coefficients ranging from 0.580 to 0.770, indicating that the test compares less favourably with these methods. This test provides data comparable to data from other ecotoxicological tests.     

蛋鸡J亚群白血病病毒的分离鉴定及序列分析

通过接种鸡胚成纤维细胞((CEF)及特异性单抗的间接荧光抗体反应(IFA),从中国商品代蛋鸡群中首次分离到J亚群白血病病毒(ALV-J).对其env基因编码的氨基酸序列及3'-末端(3'-Ter)序列与国内外来源于白羽肉鸡的毒株作了比较分析.结果显示,这两株病毒的gp85基因编码的氨基酸序列与国外5个毒株同源性仅为83.4%～87.3%,与国内来源于白羽肉鸡的8株病毒同源性也仅为86.4%～89.6%.gp37基因编码的氨基酸序列与5个国外毒株同源性为91.8%～97.0%,与8个国内毒株同源性为93.9%～95.9%.另外,国内来源于白羽肉鸡的各毒株的3'-Ter序列在"E"区均有明显缺失,但本次分离的来源于蛋鸡群的毒株在"E"区没有缺失突变.与所列出的13株国内外毒株相比,这两个毒株在3'-Ter的缺失最少,较接近于原型株HPRS-103.显然这两株病毒的来源不同于国内白羽肉鸡.     

Effect of oxygen on morphogenesis and polypeptide expression by Mucor racemosus.

The morphology of Mucor racemosus in cultures continuously sparged with nitrogen gas was investigated. When appropriate precautions were taken to prevent oxygen from entering the cultures, the morphology of the cells was uniformly yeastlike irrespective of the N2 flow rate. When small amounts of oxygen entered the cultures the resulting microaerobic conditions evoked mycelial development. Polypeptides synthesized by aerobic mycelia, microaerobic mycelia, anaerobic yeasts, and yeasts grown in a CO2 atmosphere were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The results indicated that a large number of differences in polypeptide expression exist when microaerobic mycelia or anaerobic yeasts are compared with aerobic mycelia and that these alterations correlate with a change from an oxidative to a fermentative metabolic mode. Relatively few differences in polypeptide composition exist when microaerobic cells are compared with anaerobic cells, but these changes correlate with a change from the mycelial to the yeast morphology. We hypothesize that oxygen regulates the expression of polypeptides involved in both the metabolic mode and in morphogenesis.     

Mouse cytoskeletal gamma-actin: analysis and implications of the structure of cloned cDNA and processed pseudogenes

The nucleotide sequence corresponding to almost the whole of a mouse gamma-cytoskeletal actin mRNA was determined from overlapping cloned DNA copies derived from brain mRNA. Several gamma-actin processed pseudogenes were isolated from a library of cloned DBA mouse genomic DNA, and the nucleotide sequences of these were determined and compared with that of the cDNA. This showed that two of these pseudogenes had arisen from a gene duplication or amplification event, and indicated that they had subsequently undergone partial correction against one another. The relative ages of the pseudogenes were estimated on the basis of their percentage divergence from the cDNA sequence and these were compared with an estimation based on the number of presumed silent mutations in the cDNA since each pseudogene had arisen. Consistent results were obtained, except in the case of one pseudogene which also showed an anomalous regional distribution of differences from the cDNA sequence. One way of accounting for the features of this anomalous pseudogene is by postulating that it is derived from a second functional gene for gamma-actin, different from that represented by the cDNA described here.     

Ecological Risk Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Surface Waters of Lake Taihu,China

The residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface waters from Meiliang Bay, Gonghu Bay, and Xukou Bay of Lake Taihu, China, were investigated, and their ecological risks were assessed using the risk quotient method and probabilistic risk assessment. Environmental concentrations of OCPs in surface water of these bays were relatively lower compared with other rivers or lakes in China. Calculation of risk quotient associated with taxonomic groups indicates moderate ecological risks from OCPs for crustaceans and insects in these bays, while the ecological risks were low for fish and negligible for phytoplankton. The ecological risk quotients associated with individual OCPs were lower than 0.01 in these bays, suggesting a negligible risk to aquatic organisms. Ecological risk from α-HCH was relatively lower compared with DDTs, endosulfans, and γ-HCH. The combined ecological risks were evaluated using probabilistic risk assessment for only eight OCPs owing to a lack of available toxicity data for β-HCH and δ-HCH. The percentage of species with the potential to be at risk from mixture of OCPs was lower than the criteria of 5% in each bay, indicating that the combined ecological risks were acceptable.     

Variable optimization for biopulping of agricultural residues by Ceriporiopsis subvermispora

Ceriporiopsis subvermispora was used for biochemical pulping of agricultural residues and the results were compared with chemical pulping. Independent variables were screened by Plackett-Burman and optimized by full factorial experimental designs. Biological treatment of rice, wheat and barley straw samples resulted in decrease of the kappa number of these straws by 34%, 21% and 19%, respectively, as compared with controlled samples. The tensile strength and burst factor of hand sheets produced from rice straw were increased by 51% and 33% as compared with the control straws. The tensile strength and burst factor of hand sheets produced from wheat straws were improved by 67% and 36%, these variables for barely straws were 36.7% and 45%, respectively. Although the delignification of wheat and barley straws are not as efficient as chemical process, but the quality of papers produced by biochemical pulping of straws were excellent.     

Chemical and structural characterisation of iron cores of haemosiderins isolated from different sources.

The elemental content of the iron cores of haemosiderins isolated from animal and human tissues has been determined to ascertain whether changes in composition are correlated with structural differences previously identified in these mineralisation products. Significant differences were observed in the elemental composition of haemosiderins isolated from patients subjected to desferrioxamine-chelation therapy compared to patients who had been venesected. The P/Fe molar ratio was considerably higher in haemosiderin isolated from treated primary haemochromatosis (0.83), compared to untreated primary haemochromatosis (0.10) and treated secondary haemochromatosis (0.25), and this could account for the amorphous nature of these iron cores. The levels of M/Fe (M = Ca, Cu, Zn) were reduced in the haemosiderins derived from treated secondary haemochromatosis patients, possibly due to the chelation of these ions by desferrioxamine therapy. In an experimentally iron-loaded rat, receiving either desferrioxamine or 1,2-diethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one, selective decreases in these three elements were also observed after two weeks of desferrioxamine therapy. Such changes may be important determinants in the modification of biomineralisation of the iron cores.     

Mathematical model of B lymphocyte replacement kinetics: its application to the recovery from tolerance in adult mice

In a previous paper a simple mathematical model was developed, describing the induction of B cell tolerance by direct inactivation of immunocompetent cells by antigen, and the escape from tolerance due to spontaneous differentiation of stem cells. The model was compared with experiments on newly hatched chickens whose reactivity with antigens increases with age, and this causes difficulties with the simple model. In this paper the model is compared with experiments on adult mice using sheep erythrocytes and human gamma globulin as antigens. The rates of elimination of these two antigens from circulation differ markedly, and the escape from tolerance in these experiments correlates with the rates of elimination. Our model, which is based on this fact, agrees reasonably well with experimental results.     

Artificial Occurrence of the Fallow Deer, Dama dama dama (L., 1758), on the Island of Rhodes (Greece): Insight from mtDNA Analysis

We investigated the origins of the fallow deer (Dama dama dama) of Rhodes by both morphological and molecular means. Our results show that these deer have homogeneous phenotypic patterns. All specimens fell within the common colour coat variety typical of the wild form. The Rhodian deer appear to be rather small, especially when compared with specimens from central and northern Europe. We then sequenced the HVR-I of 13 deer from Rhodes and compared these sequences with other 31 samples obtained from different European and Anatolian populations of fallow deer. Out of 44 sequences, 23 haploypes were found. When compared to the Turkish and Italian populations, the population of Rhodes revealed lower values of within population genetic diversity. The fallow deer from Rhodes are characterized by an 80-bp mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) insertion not found elsewhere. As a consequence, all the deer from Rhodes form a tight cluster, distinct from all other fallow deer populations. This uniqueness makes the conservation and management of the Rhodian population particularly urgent.     

Analysis of pp60c-src tyrosine kinase activity and phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity in human colon carcinoma and normal human colon mucosal cells

We have compared the level of phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity in lysates from normal human colon mucosal cells and human colon carcinoma cells and analyzed the effect of incubating these cells with sodium orthovanadate, an inhibitor of phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity, on the relative abundance of acid-stable phosphotyrosine and on in vitro protein kinase activity of pp60c-src. Additionally, we compared the effect of lysing these cells in buffer containing only nonionic detergents with RIPA buffer, which contains both sodium dodecyl sulfate and deoxycholate, on the in vitro kinase activity of pp60c-src. Our results show that the level of detectable phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity in lysates derived from normal colon cells and colon carcinoma cells is very similar. Additionally, the abundance of acid-stable phosphotyrosine in these cells cultured in the absence or presence of vanadate is not significantly different. However, incubation of these cells with vanadate significantly stimulates the activity of pp60c-src derived from the normal colon cells in immune-complex kinase assays, while having no detectable effect on the activity of pp60c-src from the colon tumor cells. The in vitro protein kinase activity of pp60c-src derived from RIPA buffer lysates of colon carcinoma cells was found to be elevated five- to sevenfold when compared with pp60c-src from these same cells lysed in buffer containing only Nonidet-P 40 as a detergent. The type of lysis buffer did not effect the activity of pp60c-src from normal colon mucosal cells. These results provide additional evidence that the activity of pp60c-src may be regulated differently in colon carcinoma and normal colon mucosal cells.     

Completion of Schistosoma mansoni life cycle in thyroidectomized rats and effects of thyroid hormone replacement therapy

The survival and maturation of Schistosoma mansoni worms was analyzed in normal, thyroidectomized (Thyrox), and hormone-restored Thyrox rats. Restoration therapy was conducted with both T3 and T4; weight gain of treated rats was monitored to assess hormone-replacement efficacy. Worm yields, lengths, and sex-ratios were compared. Egg yields and the capacity of miracidia to hatch from eggs were also analyzed. The results of these studies support the conclusion that the sequence of steps leading to completion of the S. mansoni life cycle are operational in Thyrox rats. Hormone-treated Thyrox rats are restored to the nonpermissive status, although the worms isolated from these rats still differ in certain respects when compared to worms isolated from normal rats.     

The roles of phytochromes in elongation and gravitropism of roots

Gravitropic orientation and the elongation of etiolated hypocotyls are both regulated by red light through the phytochrome family of photoreceptors. The importance of phytochromes A and B (phyA and phyB) in these red light responses has been established through studies using phy mutants. To identify the roles that phytochromes play in gravitropism and elongation of roots, we studied the effects of red light on root elongation and then compared the gravitropic curvature from roots of phytochrome mutants of Arabidopsis (phyA, phyB, phyD and phyAB) with wild type. We found that red light inhibits root elongation approximately 35% in etiolated seedlings and that this response is controlled by phytochromes. Roots from dark- and light-grown double mutants (phyAB) and light-grown phyB seedlings have reduced elongation rates compared with wild type. In addition, roots from these seedlings (dark/light-grown phyAB and light-grown phyB) have reduced rates of gravitropic curvature compared with wild type. These results demonstrate roles for phytochromes in regulating both the elongation and gravitropic curvature of roots.     

A clone of Leptospira interrogans sensu stricto is the major cause of leptospirosis in the archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

AIMS: Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India has a century long history of human leptospirosis. Several isolates have been recovered over the years from different locations. The present study was undertaken to understand the clonal relationship between all these pathogenic leptospires recovered from these islands. METHODS AND RESULTS: Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) was employed to genetically characterize 40 isolates recovered during 1995--2001 and their fingerprints were compared with those of 26 reference strains of known genetic and serological affinities. Sequences of PCR-amplified products from representative isolates were compared with those of different strains belonging to seven genospecies. AP-PCR fingerprints revealed that 32 of the 40 isolates were clonal in nature and fingerprints of all the isolates matched with known reference strains of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans sensu stricto. Comparison of sequence data of PCR amplified products of reference strains and isolates also corroborated these findings. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that 80% of the isolates recovered from these islands were clonal in nature and all the isolates taken in the study belonged to Leptospira interrogans sensu stricto. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE study: An extension of the study in animal population would help in understanding the transmission dynamics of this commonly circulating clone in these islands, which in turn might help in effective control of this public health problem.     

Effect of Carbon and Nitrogen Sources on Phosphate Solubilization by a Wild-Type Strain and UV-Induced Mutants of Aspergillus tubingensis

The mechanisms of action of phosphate solubilization were studied in the wild-type strain Aspergillus tubingensis and the phenotypic mutants derived from it. The P solubilization activities of these isolates were measured in liquid media using different carbon and nitrogen sources. All the mutants showed higher P solubilization compared to the wild type. Glucose and sucrose significantly promoted P solubilization compared to fructose, lactose, galactose, and xylose. Potassium nitrate significantly increased P solubilization compared to other nitrogen sources such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, aspargine, and tryptophan. The P solubilization activity was strongly associated with the production of organic acids, especially succinic acid and acetic acid. The enzyme activities such as acid phosphatase and phytase also increased significantly in mutants compared to the wild type. These results suggested the role of these enzymes in P solubilization apart from the organic acid exudation and H⁺ pump in A. tubingensis.     

Antihistamine, anticholinergic and cardiovascular effects of 2-substituted-4-phenylquinoline derivatives

Eleven new derivatives of 4-phenylquinoline, having various substituents at the 2-position of the quinoline ring, were previously synthesized. The antidepressant activities of these derivatives were demonstrated by their antagonism to reserpine-induced hypothermia in mice. The ED50 values were found to be in the range of 12-42 mg/kg (imipramine is 21.0 mg/kg). In the present work, comparative studies of the effects of these new drugs on the cholinergic and histaminergic (H1) systems, as well as their effects on the cardiovascular system, are presented. Both imipramine and trazodone were utilized as standards representing typical and atypical antidepressant drugs, respectively. All these new compounds have very low antihistaminic (H1) activities, as compared to imipramine. In addition, a clear cut separation of the antidepressant activity from the antihistaminic (H1) activity was observed. These compounds have weak anticholinergic (atropine-like properties) activity as compared to imipramine, using the isolated guinea-pig ileum. Animal studies of the cardiac toxicity of these compounds showed reduced lethality for some of them as compared to imipramine. Arrhythmias commonly associated with imipramine were absent for most of these compounds. The effects of these compounds on the heart conduction were determined by electrocardiographic studies. Although some of these compounds do not interfere with heart conduction, as compared to imipramine most were inferior to trazodone. Correlation between the pharmacological activities and structural modifications of these derivatives has also been observed.     

Effects of distinct types of disturbance on seed rain in the Atlantic forest of NE Brazil

In disturbed sites, some groups of seeds might be excluded from the seed rain due to their dispersal modes or seed size, and some groups might be successful as a result of disturbance effects. In the present study, we examined the seed rain in natural treefall gaps and in an area of regenerating forest following an accidental burning, which occurred 4 years before this study. Both of these disturbed areas were compared with nearby forest understorey. The number of seeds, number of species, and proportion of wind-dispersed seeds were compared between these disturbed and undisturbed areas. The treefall gaps have received lower numbers of seeds and species than the nearby understorey, but the number of wind-dispersed seeds did not differ between these areas. The lowest seed number observed in treefall gaps can be attributed to a lower number of animal-dispersed seeds, suggesting that animals may be avoiding treefall gap areas. A higher number of seeds and a lower number of species were observed in the burned area when compared to the adjacent understorey. The high number of small-sized seeds and of wind-dispersed seeds in the burned area was almost surely a consequence of the local production of the pioneer plants established after the burning. In this study, substantial differences were observed in the characteristics of the seed rain at disturbed sites, when compared with undisturbed understorey. However, these two distinct types of disturbance showed quite differing patterns, as treefall gaps received lower number of seeds while the burned area received a higher number of seeds, with a greater proportion of wind-dispersed seeds. The exception was for species richness, which was quite low at both these disturbed sites.     

Analysis of the saliva proteome from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma reveals differences in abundance levels of proteins associated with tumour progression and metastasis

The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed proteins in saliva from HNSCC patients compared to a control group. Saliva samples from eight individuals with non-malignant conditions of the head and neck region were employed as a control group and compared to saliva from eight patients with HNSCC using 2D DIGE analysis and subsequent mass spectrometry identification of candidate proteins. Beta fibrin (+2.77-fold), S100 calcium binding protein (+5.35-fold), transferrin (+3.37-fold), immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region gamma (+3.28) and cofilin-1 (+6.42) were all found to be significantly increased in the saliva from HNSCC samples compared to the control group whereas transthyretin (-2.92-fold) was significantly decreased. The increased abundance of one of the proteins identified (S100 calcium binding protein) was confirmed by immunoblot analysis. Many of these proteins are involved in tumour progression, metastasis and angiogenesis. The proximity of saliva to the developing tumour is undoubtedly a major factor in facilitating detection of these proteins and such a strategy may lead to the development of a panel of biomarkers useful for therapeutic monitoring and for early detection of HNSCC.     

Comparison of cross inoculation potential of South African avocado and mango isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Three hundred and eighteen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolates from stem-end rot and anthracnose infected avocados as well as from stem-end rot/anthracnose and soft brown rot on mango, were compared using fruit inoculations. Isolates could be categorised according to lesion size and both avocado and mango isolates produced larger lesions when inoculated on their own hosts. Cross-inoculation potential of these isolates was also compared on strawberries, peppers, guavas, papayas and citrus. All isolates produced lesions on all hosts except citrus. Factors such as area of origin and symptom type from which original isolations were made, could not be correlated with lesion development on these hosts.     

Niger-Congo speaking populations and the formation of the Brazilian gene pool: mtDNA and Y-chromosome data

We analyzed sequence variation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable segment I (HVS-I) from 201 Black individuals from two Brazilian cities (Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre), and compared these data with published information from 21 African populations. A subset of 187 males of the sample was also characterized for 30 Y-chromosome biallelic polymorphisms, and the data were compared with those from 48 African populations. The mtDNA data indicated that respectively 69% and 82% of the matrilineages found in Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre originated from West-Central/Southeast Africa. These estimates are in close agreement with historical records which indicated that most of the Brazilian slaves who arrived in Rio de Janeiro were from West-Central Africa. In contrast to mtDNA, Y-chromosome haplogroup analysis did not allow discrimination between places of origin in West or West-Central Africa. Thus, when comparing these two major African regions, there seems to be higher genetic structure with mtDNA than with Y-chromosome data.