Mixing patterns in Amazon lakes

The diel mixing patterns of two small floodplain lakes, Lago Jacaretinga in the Amazon drainage, and Lago Cristalino in the Rio Negro system, were investigated during both the high-water and low-water states of the Amazon River hydrograph. Measurements included temperature, oxygen, ammonia, phosphate, and chlorophyll. In both lakes thermal stratification developed during the day and was eroded at night. During the low-water period when the lakes were shallow, nocturnal circulation extended to the lake bottom, whereas when the lakes were deeper (greater than about 5 m), circulation did not reach the bottom and an anoxic hypolimnion developed. During the low-water period, percent of oxygen concentrations were relatively high but always less than saturation. Low oxygen concentrations were observed during the high-water period. At all times nocturnal mixing supplied a significant amount of oxygen to the lake ecosystems. Nighttime upward mixing of recycled nitrogen and phosphorus also appeared to be important nutrient sources for algal productivity.     

Catalytic properties of the resolved flavoprotein and cytochrome B components of the NADPH dependent O2−• generating oxidase from human neutrophils

The resolved flavoprotein and cytochrome b₅₅₉ components of the NADPH dependent $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}{}_{\mathrm{?}}$ generating oxidase from human neutrophils were the subject of further study. The resolved flavoprotein, depleted of cytochrome b₅₅₉, was reduced by NADPH under anaerobic conditions and reoxidized by oxygen. NADPH dependent $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}{}_{\mathrm{?}}$ generation by the resolved flavoprotein fraction was not detectable, however it was competent in the transfer of electrons from NADPH to artificial electron acceptors. The resolved cytochrome b₅₅₉, depleted of flavoprotein, demonstrated no measureable NADPH dependent $\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{?}}{}_{\mathrm{?}}$ generating activity and was not reduced by NADPH under anaerobic conditions. The dithionite reduced form of the resolved cytochrome b₅₅₉ was rapidly oxidized by oxygen, as was the cytochrome b₅₅₉ in the intact oxidase.     

Enhancement of Hypophysectomy-Induced Dopamine Receptor Hypersensitivity in Male Rats by Chronic Haloperidol Administration

It has been reported that hypophysectomy (HYPOX) would antagonize the development of a neuroleptic-induced dopamine receptor hypersensitivity, and suggested that the neuroleptic-induced dopamine receptor hypersensitivity may be mediated by the neuroleptic-induced hyperprolactinemia. Conversely, we and others have reported on the ability of HYPOX animals to develop a neuroleptic-induced dopamine receptor hypersensitivity. The present study was undertaken to define the possible role(s) of prolactin in the modulation of striatal dopamine receptor sensitivity. The data from these studies indicate: that HYPOX alone will result in the development of a striatal dopamine receptor hypersensitivity; that the HYPOX-induced dopamine receptor hypersensitivity could be increased by the chronic administration and withdrawal of haloperidol; that administration of prolactin to HYPOX rats would partially antagonize the development of the neuroleptic-induced dopamine receptor hypersensitivity; and that the administration of prolactin alone had minimal effects on the apomorphine-induced behavior or neurochemistry of the HYPOX animals. These results suggest that the neuroleptics do not require the presence of a pituitary secretion (specifically, prolactin) to induce a striatal dopamine receptor hypersensitivity; however, they do indicate that a pituitary secretion, perhaps prolactin, may have the ability to modulate striatal dopamine sensitivity.     

Quantitative ultrastructure of the luteal cell of the 16-day-pregnant rat and its relation to progesterone secretion

The ultrastructure of luteal cells of five Day-16 pregnant rats were examined morphometrically to determine the relationship between the quantity of steroidogenic organelles and membranes and reported rates of progesterone secretion (2.3 micrograms/h). Each rat had 11.8 +/- 1.0 corpora lutea (mean +/- s.e.m.) with an average volume of 4.5 +/- 0.1 microliter. There were 210 000 +/- 10 000 luteal cells per CL and the luteal cell cytoplasm was composed of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (18%), mitochondria (10.6%), lipid droplets (8.9%) and granules (0.6%). The surface area of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum was 192 cm2 per CL, and that of the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes was 20 and 34 cm2, respectively. For each square micrometre of these membranes, respectively, 62, 590 and 355 molecules of progesterone would have been secreted per second. The luteal cell appears to secrete its major steroid hormone at a rate 50 times greater than that reported for the Leydig cell of the testis when secretion is expressed in terms of molecules per unit mass of steroidogenic cell or area of steroidogenic membrane.     

Beneficial effects of activated charcoal on bulblet production in tissue cultures of Muscari armeniacum

Production of bulblets of Muscari armeniacum through tissue culture is enhanced when 1 g/l activated charcoal is added to a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Bulblet regeneration is direct from bulb scale explants with no intermediate callus growth. Bulblets can be transferred successfully to a greenhouse environment directly from aseptic culture.     

The significance of the aprotic solvent in monomer studies related to the primary subunit environment in the macromolecule

An advantage of aprotic polar solvent systems in the study of monomer interactions relevant to the macromolecular state is demonstrated with the measurement of nucleoside amino proton exchange rates in DMSO/water mixtures. The DMSO/water solvent provides the first unequivocal observation of general acid catalysis of nucleic acid amino proton exchange, which is undetectable in aqueous solution due to the formation of the endocyclic protonated nucleobase. Suppression of nucleobase protonation in the presence of buffer acid is a consequence of anion desolvation in the aprotic solvent. The detected route of general acid catalysis is demonstrated as a consequence of Watson-Crick H-bonding, leading to the implication that amino chemistry is modulated in the helical state to decrease amino proton lifetime in the closed macromolecular context of conformational information obtained by hydrogen exchange methods. This useful property of the aprotic solvent can be extended to monomeric studies pertaining to specific local site interactions affecting the function and conformation of proteins and nucleic acids.     

A comparison of the effect of three fungicides on growth and roridin E production by Myrothecium roridum

Three fungicides, chlorothalonil, dichloran and mancozeb were studied to determine the effects on growth and production of roridin E by Myrothecium roridum in vitro. With increasing concentrations of fungicides, both growth and production of roridin E were inhibited. Of the three fungicides, chlorothalonil was much more effective in the inhibition of growth and production of roridin E, than dichloran and mancozeb.     

Cytophotometric evidence of variation in genome size of desmognathine salamanders

The amount of DNA per haploid genome, the C-value, is often directly correlated with nuclear and cell volume, but inversely correlated with cell replication rate. Also, rates of cellular growth sometimes appear to be correlated with organismal developmental rates and life history patterns. Among vertebrates, salamanders exhibit the greatest variation in genome size. In the present study we have examined interspecific and intraspecific variation in blood cell DNA levels in the genus Desmognathus, which shows greater variation in life history traits than any other salamander genus. Specimens of Desmognathus quadramaculatus, D. monticola, D. ochrophaeus and D. wrighti were collected from nature at two localities in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Estimates of genome size in pg of DNA were obtained from blood smears by DNA-Feulgen cytophotometry, using erythrocyte nuclei of Xenopus laevis as an internal reference standard of 6.35 pg DNA per cell. C-values of Desmognathus are the smallest in the order Caudata. Although significant variation in DNA levels was found among the four species, the differences were small, and do not support previously proposed relationships between C-value and life-history variation.     

Elucidation of a minimal immunoreactive site of vertebrate calmodulin

The heptapeptide AsnTyrGluGluPheValGlnNH₂ corresponding to residues 137–143 of vertebrate calmodulin is as immunoreactive as the entire 148-residue protein. A reproducible and rapid procedure for producing antisera against vertebrate calmodulin has been previously described (L. J. Van Eldik and D. M. Watterson (1981) J. Biol. Chem.256, 4205–4210). Most of the antisera elicited by this method react with a major immunoreactive region (residues 127–144) in the COOH-terminal domain of vertebrate calmodulin. In this report, the minimum segment of calmodulin required for reactivity with an antiserum that readily distinguishes various types of calmodulins is defined. These studies demonstrate that a linear segment of seven amino acid residues shows a competition curve in radioimmunoassay resembling the competition curve of intact calmodulin. This heptapeptide is the smallest calmodulin segment and the only sevenresidue segment in the 135–145 region that shows quantitative immunoreactivity with the anti-calmodulin serum. These data demonstrate that this heptapeptide is a major immunoreactive site of calmodulin. However, when this immunoreactive site heptapeptide is conjugated to a carrier and injected into rabbits, it does not elicit antisera that react with the native protein. These studies demonstrate that quantitative immunoreactivity of antisera produced in animals can be found in small peptide segments and that, for calmodulin, the requirements for production of anti-peptide antibodies that react with the native protein molecule are not as simple as surface exposure of the peptide region.