C-Type Virus Released from Cultured Human Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells

RD-114 virus, released from human rhabdomyosarcoma cells, has all the characteristics of a mammalian C-type virus. Immunological tests indicate that it differs from all known C-type viruses and is the most likely candidate for a human C-type virus yet described.     

Quantitative determination of the induction of apoptosis in a murine B cell line using flow cytometric bivariate cell cycle analysis.

WEHI-231 cells have been used extensively as a model of tolerance induction in B cells. Recent evidence has shown that anti-IgM treatment of WEHI-231 cells resulted in the induction of apoptosis. In this study, using acridine orange staining and flow cytometric analysis, we demonstrated that apoptotic cells are detected as a distinct population of cells separate from the cells in normal cell cycle progression. The validity of analysis gates was confirmed by cell sorting of the apoptotic population versus normal cells and subsequent gel analysis. Using this technique, we have demonstrated that F(ab')2 anti-mu, A23187, or PMA induced apoptosis in the WEHI-231 cells. The addition of LPS reversed apoptotic induction as seen previously with the WEHI-231 cell line. In contrast, however, PMA did not prevent the induction of apoptosis in anti-mu-treated cells. Additionally, we were interested in determining if the induction of apoptosis was restricted to a specific phase of cell cycle. Since growth inhibition results in most cells arresting in the G1 phase of cell cycle, we wanted to demonstrate apoptosis as a G1-dependent event. This was examined with WEHI-231 cells treated with known cell cycle inhibitors. Interestingly, inhibition of cells in each phase of cycle resulted in the induction of apoptosis. LPS was able to inhibit the induction of apoptosis with each of the cell cycle inhibitors except actinomycin D. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the WEHI-231 cells contain a Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-dependent preexisting endonuclease.     

The impact of tick parasites on the behaviour of the lizard Tiliqua rugosa

Populations of the Australian sleepy lizard, Tiliqua rugosa, near Mt. Mary, South Australia carry natural infestations of two tick species Aponomma hydrosauri and Amblyomma limbatum. In field experiments at two sites, 18 km apart, lizards with experimentally increased tick loads had smaller home ranges, moved shorter distances in a day, and were found basking more but moving less often than lizards from which ticks were experimentally removed. The results were consistent for adult lizards in two years, and for sub-adults in a third year. Laboratory trials showed that juvenile lizards that had tick infestations had lower sprint speeds than uninfested siblings, and that adults with tick infestations had less endurance than those that were uninfested. The results contrast with those of a previous survey that showed that lizards with high tick loads had greater body size and remained longer at a site, but indicate that there may be a balance, for lizards, between the fitness advantages in occupying habitats with high-quality resources, and the costs from parasites that also prefer those habitats. Received: 02 March 1999 / Accepted: 07 October 1999     

Structure of a porcine relaxin inactive on the mouse pubic ligament

In addition to B31 (CM-a) and B28 (CM-B) relaxins, acid-acetone extracts of ovaries of pregnant sows contain a third major relaxin species (relaxin C). The major components of relaxin C possess about half the activity of CM-a or CM-B in the guinea pig palpation assay, but are completely inactive in the mouse pubic ligament assay. Its uterotrophic and protein anabolic effects in ovariectomized, estrogen-primed mice, however, are comparable to those of CM-B. Sequence analysis indicates that the two major components of relaxin C, like the other porcine relaxins, consist of two polypeptide chains linked by disulfide bonds. The shorter (A) chains are identical to the A chains of the other porcine relaxins, except for the absence of the N-terminal arginine residue. The B chains display microheterogeneity; the B sequences of the two predominant species are the same as those of the other porcine relaxins through B25, but terminate at valine residue B25 or serine residue B26, respectively.     

Elasto-thixotropic properties of bronchial mucus and polymer analogs. I. Experimental results

The non-newtonian viscous and elasto-thixotropic properties of native and lyophilized pathological bronchial mucus and of polymer solutions (3% and 6% PIB in decalin) used as mucus analogs were analyzed using a cone-plate Carri-Med rheometer and a Couette viscoelastometer that we have specifically developed for measuring the rheological properties of bronchial mucus in clinical practice. The master curves obtained for apparent viscosity under steady conditions as a function of shear rates (gamma: 2.6 X 10(-3) to 6.9 X 10(1) sec-1) were fairly similar, whatever the apparatus used. Under transient conditions, at low shear rate (gamma less than 1.4 sec-1), PIB and mucus exhibited a typical viscoelastic behavior: the shear stress increased slightly up to a steady-state value. At higher gamma, a transitory overshoot of sigma characteristic of the elastothixotropic systems appeared. Such a behavior can be interpreted as resulting from structural changes such as formation and rupture of the three-dimensional network present in bronchial mucus as in polymer solutions.     

Aggression persists after ovariectomy in female rats

Aggression occurs not only in males but also in females, however, under different sex-specific stimulus and endocrine conditions. After being housed with males, female rats exhibit frequent and intense aggressive behavior toward unfamiliar rats. However, the female residents primarily attack female intruder rats, while the male residents attack males and not females. Altering the hormonal condition of the intruders can modify the behavior that they provoke from the residents. Castration of the male intruders reduces aggression from male residents, but ovariectomy of the female intruders does not alter the behavior of the female residents. Treatment of the gonadectomized intruders with gonadal steroids significantly alters the response of the male residents. Resident-intruder aggressive behavior depends on the presence of the testes in the male residents but not on the ovaries or on lactation in the female residents. Even 7 weeks after ovariectomy the female residents continue to show aggressive behavior toward female intruders. In the same time period the castrated male residents show a marked decrease in aggressive and sexual behavior.