Squid glycoproteins with structural similarities to Thy-1 and Ly-6 antigens

In an attempt to identify invertebrate homologs of Thy-1 antigen, the optic and central nervous tissue of squid was solubilized in deoxycholate and fractionated by lentil lectin affinity chromatography and gel filtration to yield small abundant glycoproteins. Material with biochemical similarities to Thy-1 was found and shown to consist of two glycoproteins that were ultimately purified using monoclonal antibody affinity columns. Both glycoproteins were sequenced to yield sequences of 84 residues for Sgp-1 and 92 residues for Sgp-2. The sequences were analyzed for similarities to Thy-1 and other Ig-related sequences, and Sgp-1 showed some similarities that were > 3 standard deviation units away from mean random scores when tested with the ALIGN program. However, the sequence patterns were not typical of Ig-related domains and the relationship of Sgp-1 to the Ig superfamily remains problematical. Sgp-2 showed no relationship to the Ig superfamily, but similarities to Ly-6 antigen sequences were noted that are in accord with an evolutionary relationship. The similarities included ten Cys residues in each sequence of which eight were matched in the best alignment given by the ALIGN program. Chemical evidence was obtained for glycophospholipid tails at the COOH-termini of Sgp-1 and Sgp-2 as is the case for Thy-1 and Ly-6 antigens.Abbreviations used in this paper GPL glycophospholipid - mAb monoclonal antibody - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Measurement of light within thin plant tissues with fiber optic microprobes

Vogelmann, T. C., Knapp, A. K., McClean, T. M. and Smith, W. K. 1988. Measurement of light within thin plant tissues with fiber optic microprobes. - Physiol. Plant. 72: 623–630.
The measurement of light with fiber optic microprobes has been extended to thin (200–300 μm) plant tissue samples. To test the method, light measurements were made in thin aqueous films and paradermal sections from 10-day-old etiolated Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Fordhook cotyledons. The measurements obtained were highly reproducible. Paradermal sections of spongy mesophyll that were irradiated with collimated light scattered light more effectively than the palisade layer of intact cotyledons. These results demonstrate that different plant tissues have different light scattering characteristics. The successful extension of the fiber optic microprobe technique to thin systems makes it possible to examine the optical properties of different cell layers within leaves and other plant organs.     

Glycine decarboxylase is confined to the bundle-sheath cells of leaves of C3−C4 intermediate species

Immunogold labelling has been used to determine the cellular distribution of glycine decarboxylase in leaves of C₃, C₃–C₄ intermediate and C₄ species in the genera Moricandia, Panicum, Flaveria and Mollugo. In the C₃ species Moricandia foleyi and Panicum laxum, glycine decarboxylase was present in the mitochondria of both mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells. However, in all the C₃–C₄ intermediate (M. arvensis var. garamatum, M. nitens, M. sinaica, M. spinosa, M. suffruticosa, P. milioides, Flaveria floridana, F. linearis, Mollugo verticillata) and C₄ (P. prionitis, F. trinervia) species studied glycine decarboxylase was present in the mitochondria of only the bundle-sheath cells. The bundle-sheath cells of all the C₃–C₄ intermediate species have on their centripetal faces numerous mitochondria which are larger in profile area than those in mesophyll cells and are in close association with chloroplasts and peroxisomes. Confinement of glycine decarboxylase to the bundle-sheath cells is likely to improve the potential for recapture of photorespired CO₂ via the Calvin cycle and could account for the low rate of photorespiration in all C₃–C₄ intermediate species.Abbreviation and symbol kDa kilodaltons - CO₂ compensation point     

Glyphosate tolerant flax plants from Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer

Agrobacterium tumefaciens carrying a disarmed Ti-plasmid vector containing a chimeric NPT-II gene and a glyphosate resistance plant-derived 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase gene was used to transform flax hypocotyl tissues. Transformed shoots could be regenerated from the inoculated tissue and were proven to be transgenic by the combination of leaf callus assays, nopaline assays and progeny tests. Co-segregation was observed in the progeny for kanamycin and glyphosate resistance.     

The influence of increasing chlorine content on the accumulation and metabolism of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by Paul's Scarlet Rose cells

Four radiolabled congeners of biphenyls with increasing chlorine content (biphenyl; 1-monochlorobiphenyl; 2,2,4,4-tetrachlorobiphenyl; and 2,2,4,4,5,5-hexachlorobiphenyl) were provided to suspension cultures of rose (Rosa sp. cv. Paul's Scarlet) for 4 days. Both the kinetics of ¹⁴C exchange between the cells and medium, and the metabolism of the parent compounds depended on the chlorine content of the congeners. Analysis of both the cells and their medium showed that of the recovered radioactivity 88%, 86%, and 3% of the biphenyl, 1-PCB, and 2,2,4,4-PCB were metabolized respectively to polar and insoluble residue products. The 2,2,4,4,5,5-PCB did not appear to be metabolized.     

Habitat selection and grouping of beetles (Coleoptera)

Beetles were collected by pitfall trapping for a two-year period in seven adjacent habitats in an upland site in North Wales. Positive correlations were demonstrated between number of beetle species and number and diversity of plant species. Similar correlations were shown between beetle numbers and plant species. However, only 15% of the beetle species were herbivores requiring host plants. The degree of habitat selection by individual beetle species was demonstrated, ranging from habitat specialist, being found in one habitat, lo habitat generalist, being found in most habitats. Herbivores were significantly more habitat specialist than predators or scavengers. The grouping of beetles, demonstrated by ordination analysis, was similar to, but less precise than, the grouping of plant species. The beetle groups reflect habitat selection preferences by individual species rather than a functional relationship between beetle species. They provide an example of the centrifugal structure of habitat selection theory.     

噬菌体T7基因6.5和6.7的克隆及其缺失变种的构建

 用适当的限制性内切酶,将噬菌体T7基因6.5和6.7从整个噬菌体T7基因组中分离出来,插入到质粒pBR322中去,转化E.Coli HMS174,筛选出这两个基因的成功克隆。运用同样手段,从整个噬菌体T7基因组中分离出含有部分基因6编码序列,而不含基因6.5和6.7编码序列的T7DNA片段,插入到pBR322的衍生质粒中去,转化Ecoli C1757,再用含有基因6和基因7的双突变噬菌体T7去感染这一转化菌,通过同源交叉而得到缺失基因6.5和6.7的噬菌体T7缺失变种。这种噬菌体只能在载有噬菌体T7基因6.5和6.7,或者只载有基因6.7质粒的寄主中增殖。通过噬菌体结构蛋白电泳分析证明,这种噬菌体丢失了野生型菌体T7所具有的两条结构蛋白带。     

Feedback delays and relaxation expectancies in EMG biofeedback

The use of noncontingent feedback controls in studies of the efficacy and process of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback may yield results confounded by differential expectancies for relaxation. Furthermore, the role of expectancies in producing psychological and physical relaxation as well as reducing muscle activity is unclear. This study investigated the effects of feedback delays and induced relaxation expectancies on EMG activity and experienced relaxation. One hundred four non-clinical subjects participated in one auditory frontal EMG biofeedback training session. Subjects were assigned to one of four computerized feedback delay conditions (0.0037, 0.7493, 2.2481, 6.7444 s) and to one of two relaxation expectancy conditions (positive or negative). During 20 minutes of biofeedback training, all groups decreased frontal activity. Feedback delays interacted with training epochs in affecting EMG; the longest delay group reduced frontal activity more slowly than the shortest delay group during training. Positive relaxation expectancies produced greater experienced relaxation than did negative relaxation expectancies. Instrumental and expectancy factors in EMG biofeedback appear to operate independently of each other by reducing physiological activity and producing psychological relaxation respectively.This study was completed by the first author under the direction of the second author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree. We gratefully acknowledge the computerization advice and assistance provided by Larry Wheeler, and the assistance in data collection provided by Dawn Dexter and Michael Winstanley.     

Tree replacement patterns in subalpine Abies-Betula forests,Wolong Natural Reserve,China

Vegetation in canopy gaps of two old-growth Abies-Betula forest stands, one with bamboo the other without, was measured. The structure of gap vegetation at each site was used to derive tree replacement probabilities. Transition probabilities indicate different tree replacement trends in forests with bamboo compared to those without. Projected compositions show Betula to be the most abundant species in bamboo stands while Abies remains most abundant where bamboo was absent. A dense bamboo sward seems to reduce the probability of Abies filling gaps by inhibiting establishment and growth of seedlings. Bamboo preempts space after canopy gap formation by increasing shoot production which reduces opportunities for establishment and growth of other woody species. Differences in dispersal ability and longevity of Abies and Betula appear to be important factors contributing to their coexistence forests with a small canopy gap disturbance regime.     

Biological responses to overload training in endurance sports

Five subjects undertook 10 days of twice daily interval training sessions on a treadmill followed by 5 days of active recovery. On days 1, 6, 11, and 16 the subjects were required to undertake a test of submaximal and maximal work capacity on a treadmill combined with a performance test consisting of a run to exhaustion with the treadmill set at 18 km.h-1 and 1% gradient. Also on these days a pre-exercise blood sample was collected and analysed for a range of haematological, biochemical and immunological parameters. The subjects experienced a significant fall in performance on day 11 which had returned to pretraining levels on day 16. Serum ferritin concentrations were depressed significantly from pretraining concentrations at the conclusion of the recovery period while the expression of lymphocyte activation antigens (CD25+ and HLA-DR+) was increased both after the training phase and the recovery phase. The number of CD56+ cells in the peripheral circulation was depressed at the conclusion of the recovery period. Several parameters previously reported to change in association with overload training failing to reflect the decrease in performance experienced by subjects in this study, suggesting that overtraining may best be diagnosed through a multifactorial approach to the recognition of symptoms. The most important factor to consider may be a decrease in the level of performance following a regeneration period. The magnitude of this decreased performance necessary for the diagnosis of overtraining and the nature of an "appropriate" regeneration period are, however, difficult to define and may vary depending upon the training background of the subjects and the nature of the preceding training. It may or may not be associated with biochemical, haematological, physiological and immunological indicators. Individual cases may present a different range of symptoms and diagnosis of overtraining should not be excluded based on the failure of blood parameters to demonstrate variation. However, blood parameters may be useful to identify possible aetiology in each separate case report of over-training. An outstanding factor to emerge from this study was the difficulty associated with an objective diagnosis of overtraining and this is a possible reason why there have been new accounts of overtraining research in the literature.