A bacteriological study of geothermal spring waters dating from the dogger and trias period in the Paris Basin

An enumeration of different physiological microbial types detected in the groundwaters of four geothermic sites dating from the Dogger and Trias periods that make up the Paris Basin reveals a predominance of anaerobes over aerobes and thermophiles over mesophiles. The main biological activity is performed via chemolithotrophic metabolism. The anaerobic chemolithotrophic thermophiles are well adapted to an aquifer environment and are capable of a metabolic activity in the aquifer. More important, such microflora can cause biocorro‐sion.     

Regulation of a presynaptic adenylate cyclase from bovine cerebellum by β-adrenergic receptors

Intact crude synaptosomes from bovine cerebellum contain, in addition to an externally accessible (postsynaptic) adenylate cyclase, an enzyme with its catalytic center oriented towards the inside of the synaptosome (presynaptic adenylate cyclase). This is demonstrated by the unmasking of latent adenylate cyclase activity by Triton X-100. Furthermore, intact crude synaptosomes can synthesize cyclic AMP from adenine. This synthesis takes place inside the synaptosome as the postsynaptic adenylate cyclase is inactive in the Krebs-Ringer buffer. Presynaptic adenylate cyclase activity is not influenced by depolarization, as shown by [³H]adenine pulse-labeling, but is stimulated by (?)-norepinephrine and (?)-isoproterenol. (±)-Propranolol inhibits this stimulation whereas phentolamine has no effect, suggesting the presence of a β-adrenergic receptor-coupled presynaptic adenylate cyclase.     

Fifty years after Enlow and Brown's Comparative histological study of fossil and recent bone tissues (1956–1958): A review of Professor Donald H. Enlow's contribution to palaeohistology and comparative histology of bone

Fifty years after the publication of Enlow and Brown's seminal paper (1956–1958), this historical analysis of Professor Donald H. Enlow's works emphasizes their influence on the evolution of palaeohistology, comparative bone histology, and bone biology in general. Comparative analysis of recent and fossil bone tissues has shown the great variability of bone at the tissue level (histodiversity). Historically, Enlow's works have greatly influenced a shift in the reinterpretation of the causes of bone histodiversity, from phylogenetic to more functional (ontogenetic) explanations. This allows us to consider the issue of complex causalities in evolutionary biology.     

Ethics committees in western and central Africa: concrete foundations

The involvement of developing countries in international clinical trials is necessary for the development of appropriate medicines for local populations. However, the absence of appropriate structures for ethical review represents a barrier for certain countries. Currently there is very little information available on existing structures dedicated to ethics in western and central Africa. This article briefly describes historical milestones in the development of networks dedicated to capacity building in ethical review in these regions and outlines the major conclusions of two workshops on this issue, which were held in September and October 2002 in Libreville, Gabon, and Paris, France. The workshops were the culmination of collaboration between the African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET) and the Pan African Bioethics Initiative (PABIN). They produced an update on ethics organizations with regard to mission, function, activities, members, and contact people, in eight countries within the regions discussed. As a result of the commitment of mandated delegates, a further prominent outcome followed these workshops: the creation of national structures, where none existed before, dedicated to the ethical review of clinical trials.