Zinc concentration in erythrocyte membranes in normal volunteers and in patients with taste and smell dysfunction

Erythrocyte membrane zinc concentration was measured in 14 normal volunteers and in 36 patients with taste and smell dysfunction, and compared with zinc concentration in erythrocyte cytosol and blood plasma in the normal volunteers and with zinc concentration in erythrocyte cytosol, blood serum, urine, and parotid saliva in the patients. A A significant negative correlation was found between age and membrane zinc concentration in the normals. A significant positive correlation was found between parotid saliva zinc and erythrocyte membrane zinc concentrations in the patients. Concentration of zinc in the erythrocyte membrane is 50% greater than its concentration in cytosol, and three times greater than the zinc concentration in plasma or serum; membrane zinc concentration in humans is approximately one-half that reported in the dog or in the mouse.     

Concentration of nucleotides and deoxynucleotides in peripheral and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated mammalian lymphocytes. Effects of adenosine and deoxyadenosine

Concentrations of purine and pyrimidine ribonucleotides were measured with HPLC in lymphocytes of man, horse, pig and sheep and in rat thymocytes. The ATP concentration was highest in lymphocytes of all species and about 850 pmol/10(6) cells in human and equine lymphocytes, higher in porcine and lower in ovine lymphocytes and rat thymocytes. The GTP concentration was comparable in human, equine and porcine lymphocytes, but lower in ovine lymphocytes. ATP concentration was also measured in lymphocytes of man, horse and pig with a luciferin-luciferase assay. During culturing with or without phytohemagglutinin the ATP concentrations decreased in these lymphocytes. The concentrations of TTP and dATP were measured with a DNA polymerase assay. Phytohemagglutinin-stimulation increased the TTP concentration in lymphocytes of all three species, the dATP concentration only in human lymphocytes. ATP, TTP and dATP concentrations and thymidine incorporation were measured in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes after 24 and 48 h culturing in the presence of adenosine or deoxyadenosine. Adenosine increased the ATP concentration in porcine and equine, but not in human lymphocytes. Deoxyadenosine and adenosine did not affect the TTP concentration. Deoxyadenosine decreased the ATP concentration only in the presence of EHNA in human lymphocytes, but increased it in other conditions and in equine and porcine lymphocytes. Deoxyadenosine in the presence of EHNA increased the dATP concentration in human, equine and porcine lymphocytes 3-, 10-, and 9-fold, respectively, and decreased considerably thymidine incorporation. Deoxyadenosine without EHNA increased the dATP concentration 2-5-fold, decreased the thymidine incorporation in lymphocytes of man and horse, but stimulated incorporation in porcine lymphocytes about 5-fold. The latter results indicate that accumulation of dATP is not always associated with inhibition of cell proliferation.     

Concentration of hydrochloric acid and pepsin in gastric juice in dogs after starvation and refeeding

Feeding fogs with meat after a 3-day period of starvation increased hydrochloric acid concentration with subsequent return of the parameter to normal values. Under the same conditions, pepsin concentration decreased and raised up after re-feeding. Histamine administration following the starvation decreased hydrochloric acid concentration with subsequent normalising. In three days after re-feeding and histamine administration, pepsin concentration drooped owing, probably, to a decrease of parietal cell H2-receptor affinity to histamine. Pentagastrin administration after the starvation increased hydrochloric acid concentration. The findings suggest G-cell function inhibition occurring after a 3-day starvation which is important for the stomach mucous membrane protection.     

Preceding crop and phosphorus fertilization affect cadmium and zinc concentration of flaxseed under conventional and reduced tillage

Field studies were conducted over 4 years at two locations in Manitoba, Canada to evaluate effects of preceding crop, tillage and phosphorus (P) fertilization on Cd and Zn concentration in oilseed flax (linseed—Linum usitatissimum L.). Canola (Brassica napus L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown under conventional and reduced tillage with three rates of monoammonium phosphate. Flax was seeded the year following the spring wheat or canola, with or without P fertilizer, and Cd and Zn concentration and accumulation were determined in the flax tissue at 5 weeks and in the mature seed. Flax following canola had lower Zn concentration and accumulation and higher Cd concentration and Cd:Zn ratio in the tissue and seed relative to flax following wheat. Phosphorus fertilization tended to increase Cd concentration and Cd:Zn ratio and decrease Zn concentration in the tissue and seed. Effects of tillage and interactions among tillage, preceding crop, and P fertilization were inconsistent. Changes in flax Cd and Zn concentration may be due to changes in mycorrhizal colonization or by the high concentration of Cd in the decomposing canola residue. Crop sequence and P management can be used to improve flaxseed food quality, by increasing Zn and decreasing Cd concentration.     

Seminal selenium concentrations and spermatozoal abnormalities in beef bulls

The relationship between seminal selenium (Se) concentration and spermatozoal abnormalities in 24 Angus and 12 Simmental bulls maintained on a Se adequate diet was studied. Two semen samples were collected by electroejaculation 50 days apart from each bull. Measurements of primary and secondary spermatozoal abnormalities, seminal Se concentration, and blood plasma Se concentration were determined at each semen collection. The mean (chi +/- SD ) Se concentration of semen (0.535 +/- 0.267) was approximately 8 fold greater than the Se concentration of blood plasma (0.069 +/- 0.066) and the values were similar for both collections. Spermatozoa concentration was correlated (r = 0.50; P<.01) with seminal Se concentration; however, seminal Se concentration was not highly correlated (P<.01) with primary spermatozoal abnormalities (r = -0.29) and secondary spermatozoal abnormalities (r = 0.16). This study indicates that the Se concentration of semen is high relative to blood plasma in bulls maintained on a Se adequate diet; however, the seminal Se concentration is not highly correlated with spermatozoal abnormalities.     

Accumulation characteristics of biomass and nitrogen and critical nitrogen concentration dilution model of cotton reproductive organ

Several nitrogen (N) field experiments were carried out in Nanjing and Anyang, China, to study the dynamic characteristics of biomass accumulation and N uptake, and to define the dilution curve for critical N concentration in cotton reproductive organ over the growth period. The results show that the total biomass and N accumulation were affected significantly by the rate of N application, exhibiting a sigmoid curve over time. The beginning time of fast N accumulation was 1–5 d earlier than that of biomass accumulation. The cotton lint yield was correlated with N concentration in the reproductive organ and fluctuated with varying N concentration, indicating the existence of luxurious N consumption in the cotton reproductive organ. The N concentration increased with increasing N application rates, and decreased gradually during the growth period. The relationship between biomass and N concentration can be described with a power equation. The patterns of the N concentration dilution model were consistent at both experimental sites, but the model parameter values of a differed. The results presented in this paper indicate that a critical N concentration dilution curve for cotton reproductive organ is independent of ecological region and can be described with a power equation.     

棉花蕾花铃生物量、氮累积特征及临界氮浓度稀释模型

在大田栽培条件下,于河南安阳（黄河流域黄淮棉区）和江苏南京（长江流域下游棉区）设置了棉花氮素水平试验,对不同氮素水平条件下棉花蕾花铃的生物量、氮素累积及氮浓度的动态变化进行分析,并依据Justes的临界氮浓度稀释模型确定方法,研究棉花蕾花铃临界氮浓度稀释模型。结果表明：棉花蕾花铃的生物量增长和氮吸收累积均受氮素水平的影响,其动态变化符合S型曲线,氮累积的快速起始时间较生物量早1～5d;氮浓度过高或过低均不利于产量形成,蕾花铃等器官存在氮奢侈消费现象;氮浓度随施氮量的增加而升高、随生育进程的推移而降低,其生物量累积量与氮浓度间符合幂函数关系,两试点蕾花铃氮稀释曲线模型形式相同,但模型参数a不同,不同生态区存在独立的临界氮稀释曲线模型。由于临界稀释模型具有明确的生物学意义,可以作为定量诊断蕾花铃氮营养动态变化的指标之一。     

Erythropoietin and renal function in sickle-cell disease.

The relation between haemoglobin concentration, creatinine clearance, and the serum concentration of erythropoiesis-stimulating factor were assessed in 31 patients with homozygous sickle-cell disease. Haemoglobin concentrations fell significantly with decreasing creatinine clearance (r = 0.58, p less than 0.001) and were positively correlated with the concentration of erythropoiesis-stimulating factor (r = 0.65, p less than 0.001). These observations suggest that erythropoietin concentration is the factor limiting production of red cells in sickle-cell disease with renal insufficiency and have implications for treatment.     

Effect of farm yard manure and iron on dry matter yield and nutrients uptake by oats (Avena sativa)

A pot culture experiment was conducted on a loamy sand soil to study the effect of FYM and Fe on dry matter yield and uptake of nutrients by oats (Avena sativa) crop in green-house. Application of Fe @ 5 and 20 ppm increased dry matter yield by 5.11 and 11.55 per cent, respectively. The per cent increase in dry matter yield over control with the application of 0.5 and 1.0 percent FYM was 19.06 and 30.07, respectively. Application of FYM increased concentration and uptake of P significantly. Phosphorus uptake increased by 23.60, 54.38, 91.01 and 134.61 per cent over control with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 per cent FYM, respectively. Phosphorus concentration decreased at 20 ppm Fe but uptake increased significantly at 5 ppm Fe. Concentration and uptake of Ca increased with increasing amounts of Fe and application of FYM decreased concentration of Ca but uptake increased upto 1.0 per cent FYM over control. The Mg concentration and uptake decreased significantly with increased amount of Fe. Application of FYM also decreased Mg concentration but its uptake increased upto 1.0 per cent FYM and then decreased.Iron concentration and uptake increased upto 2 per cent FYM and then decreased. Whereas concentration of Fe decreased with increased amount of applied Fe but its uptake increased nonsignificantly with increased amount of added Fe.Managenese concentration and uptake decreased significantly with increased amount of applied Fe. Managenese concentration increased upto 0.5 per cent FYM but its uptake continued increasing with increasing amounts of applied FYM.     

Concentration and Purification of Poliovirus by Ultrafiltration and Isopycnic Centrifugation

A method is described by which poliovirus can be rapidly and simply concentrated by the use of a Diaflo XM-50 ultrafilter membrane. Freon-extracted ultrafilter concentrates banded in CsCl provided a 1,724-fold volumetric concentration of poliovirus. During concentration, trypsin-digested cellular material can pass through the ultrafilter membrane, thus providing a versatile means of degrading and eliminating extraneous contaminating proteins. The ultrafilter concentration system is compared with the CsCl cushion system of poliovirus concentration, and both systems are further compared by banding virus and virus capsid material in CsCl by use of isopycnic centrifugation.     

Progressive changes in haematology and tissue water of sexually mature trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson during the autumn and winter

Rainbow trout of the Kamploops variety were sampled at intervals from October to the end of March. During this period a decline was noted in red cell count, haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration and plasma osmotic concentration. Increases were seen, however, in mean cellular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and the water content of liver and dorsal muscle. Sexual differences were found in all values with the exception of mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and the water content of both tissues. Males always had higher values in those parameters in which sexual differences were noted. All trends, with the exception of male haemoglobin and mean cellular volume and female mean cellular volume and osmotic concentration, were significantly linear.
None of the findings in this study could be correlated with temperature or photoperiod. Neither could the declining plasma osmotic concentration be correlated with the rising mean cellular volume or tissue water content. However, correlations were noted between haemoglobin and haematocrit, red cell count and haematocrit and between osmotic concentration and haematocrit. A negative correlation was seen between mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean cellular volume.     

盐胁迫下两草种SOD和POD及脯氨酸动态研究

在NaCl、KCl、MgSO₄及其复合盐胁迫下, 研究草坪草-金牌美达丽(Lolium perenne)和猎狗(Fesluca elata) 中脯氨酸含量、超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化物酶活性的变化。结果表明:不同盐分、不同浓度胁迫下脯氨酸含量呈波动式变化, 其峰值出现在较高浓度下, 说明在一定范围内盐胁迫强度越大脯氨酸积累越明显;SOD 的最高值出现在低浓度下, 而最低值无此特点, 不同盐胁迫下的最高值、最低值相差不多, 说明L.perenne 和F.elata 相差不明显;POD 活性随盐浓度增加呈波动性变化, L.perenne (除KCl)和F.elata (除MgSO₄)最高值均出现在低浓度下, L.perenne 的最低值集中在高浓度, 而F.elata 的最低值则集中在低浓度, F.elata在高浓度胁迫下, 处于一个比较稳定的水平, 高于或接近CK, 且各值比较接近, 而在L.perenne 中却没有这一结果。     

Effect of fluoride and other metabolic inhibitors on intracellular sodium and potassium concentrations in L cells

Fluoride, iodoacetate, oxamate, 2,4-dinitrophenol, cycloheximide, and ouabain were studied to determine if any of these inhibitors affected the intracellular concentration of sodium and potassium in an L cell strain of mouse fibroblasts and to determine if the changes observed in these parameters could be correlated with growth rate. The results indicated that (1) the intracellular concentration of sodium and potassium could not be correlated with growth rate, (2) fluoride, iodoacetate, oxamate, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and cycloheximide at concentrations having an equal effect on growth had a similar effect on the intracellular sodium and potassium concentration These changes were not as great as those seen with ouabain, which at a concentration which did not inhibit growth, had an equal or greater effect on the intracellular sodium and potassium concentration.     

Luteinizing hormone and oestradiol-17β in blood plasma and milk during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy in Murrah buffaloes

Immunoreactive luteinizing hormone and oestradiol-17β were measured by radioimmunoassay in 28 Murrah buffaloes. The concentration peaked sharply in blood plasma (plasma) coincident with the onset of oestrus (range 0 to +6 h), whereas the oestradiol-17β concentration increased before the onset of oestrus (range ?8 to ?17 h). There were erratic fluctuations in the LH concentration in milk which did not correlate with the concentration in the plasma. However, the basal concentration of LH in milk was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in plasma. The oestradiol-17β concentration in milk mimicked that in plasma and was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than in plasma. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) of these hormones in primiparous and multiparous animals.     

Changes in concentraions of free radicals and amino acids in developing maize inflorescences and fruits

The changes in the concentration of free radicals and bound amino acids in developing maize inflorescences and fruits were ascertained. The concentration rises markedly when tissues disintegrate and desiccate. A slight increase in the concentration may be ascribed to the rise of metabolic processes connected with kernel formation.     

铜对三叶草-土壤酶系统的影响

通过盆栽实验研究了重金属Cu污染对植物(三叶草)-土壤酶(脲酶、蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶)系统的影响.结果表明,随着Cu浓度增加,脲酶、蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性均逐渐减小,与Cu浓度有高度相关性,蔗糖酶>多酚氧化酶>脲酶>过氧化氢酶.在处理浓度不变情况下,酶活性随时间而变化,且呈现低Cu浓度(<00 mg·kg^-1)时4种酶活性均有所上升,而Cu浓度增高(00～3 000 mg·kg^-1)时各酶活性逐渐下降的趋势.统计分析表明,在每一梯度浓度上,4种酶在Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组内均存在显著差异性(P<0.01),与植物受重金属Cu污染时的生长情况一致.随着Cu浓度增加,土壤pH值逐渐下降,而电导率上升;同一Cu浓度下的pH值和电导率均随时间呈缓慢上升趋势,统计分析显示,二者在Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组内均存在显著差异性(P<0.01).土壤pH值和电导率与4种土壤酶活性有高度相关性,多酚氧化酶>蔗糖酶>过氧化氢酶>脲酶.这4种酶同时可作为检测土壤环境质量的指标.     

The relation between nutrient solution concentration and growth and ion absorption of peas (Pisum sativum L.)

Summary Studies have been made on the growth of peas in Richter's nutrient solution at concentrations of 1.0 (original solution), 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001; instead of employing flowing cultures, the solutions were vigorously stirred and continually replaced by fresh solution to maintain the concentration within close limits (±5%). Maximum growth occurred at the 1 and 0.1 concentrations; at lower concentrations growth was significantly depressed, but no deficiency symptoms were observed. The relative growth rate decreased regularly with decreasing concentration. No correspondence was observed between the reduction in solution concentration and that in the yield; for a concentration decrease of 1000 times, dry matter production was depressed only 4.85 times. With decreasing solution concentration the chlorophyll content however was depressed more than growth and at the lowest concentration was less than 1/80th of that in the original solution. As a result the net assimilation rate, calculated on the basis of dry matter production per unit chlorophyll content, increased sharply with decreasing nutrient solution concentration. Even at the lowest concentration the plants continued to grow throughout the course of the experiment.     

Immunoquantification of epoxide hydrolase and cytochrome P-450 isozymes in fetal and adult human liver microsomes

Epoxide hydrolase and three cytochrome P-450 isozymes were immunochemically determined in microsomes from adult and fetal human liver and tentatively correlated with some enzyme activities. The P-450 isozymes 5, 8 and 9 present in adult liver could not be positively correlated with the total cytochrome P-450 concentration spectrophotometrically determined. In fetal liver microsomes, isozyme 8 could not be detected by either electrophoretic or immunochemical procedures. Isozyme 5 was the major isozyme present in the fetal liver and its concentration increased in close relation with the total P-450 level. As shown previously, arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was related to the concentration of isozyme 8 in adult liver. In fetal preparations, the absence of isozyme 8 was associated with a very low arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity. Aldrin epoxidase and benzphetamine-N-demethylase activities were correlated with isozyme 5 concentration, but with different slopes for adult and fetal microsomes: adult preparations catalyzed these two reactions more efficiently. Conversely, the dehydroepiandrosterone 16 beta-hydroxylase, also associated with isozyme 5 concentration, was more active in fetal than in adult microsomes. Moreover, if acetanilide hydroxylase increased with isozyme 5 concentration in adult samples, no correlation occurred between activity and P-450 isozyme level in fetal microsomes. Hydroxylations of lauric acid in positions 11 and 12 and of dehydroepiandrosterone in position 16 alpha increased with total P-450 concentration but not with isozyme concentrations whatever the age considered. Lastly, epoxide hydrolase activity towards benzopyrene 4,5-oxide was closely associated with its immunochemically determined level. These results clearly suggest that multiple mechanisms are involved in the regulation of different drug-metabolizing enzymes in the human fetus.     

Relationships between soil potassium supply characteristics based on soil solution concentration and buffer power and field responses of winter wheat and maize

The relationship between soil K supply, characterised by the soil solution K concentration and the soil K buffer power, and plant K status was investigated for field grown crops. The study was carried out in 15 K fertilisation trials with maize and wheat covering a wide range of agricultural soils and K level. Soil K buffer power was obtained through sorption–desorption curves. For each trial the critical K concentration in the soil solution was deduced from the relationship between the K concentration in the soil solution and the K concentration in shoot tissue water, which was considered as a relevant indicator of the plant K status. At sufficient K levels, the maximal K concentration in the shoot tissue water of maize (145 mM) was lower than that of wheat (175 mM) but the percentages of the critical K concentration in plant tissue water to this maximal K concentration were similar for the two plant species with an average of 75%. The critical K concentration in the soil solution varied between soils. However, a close correlation was found between the critical K concentration in soil solution and the inverse of the soil buffer power at this concentration (r ²=0.981) or the inverse of the square of buffer power (r ²=0.989). On a wide range of soils and field conditions, these two indicators were more able to account for K availability and plant response than exchangeable K content or K saturation ratio of the CEC.     

Changes in serum glucose and lipids, and liver glycogen and phosphorylase during vitellogenesis in nature in the flounder (Platichtys flesus, L.).

1. During vitellogenesis in nature the concentration of phospholipid in serum of female flounders is correlated to the concentration of vitellogenin. 2. High levels of glucose and total lipid in blood occur before the onset of vitellogenesis. During early vitellogenesis the values decrease. At spawning they reach maximum levels. After spawning they decrease to low levels. 3. The concentration of glycogen in the liver oscillates during the period August to May. The phosphorylase activity shows peak activities with high concentrations of glycogen in the liver. There is no simple correlation between glycogen concentration in the liver and glucose concentration in the blood.