A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING MASS OF LARGE PINNIPEDS

Fifty-two male elephant seals were weighed and photographed at Año Nuevo State Reserve, California, to establish a predictive relationship between photographically measured morphological variables (length, side area, and girth area) and body mass. Regression of mass on these variables revealed that side area, roughly equivalent to a longitudinal cross-section, was the most useful single variable for predicting mass, and that adding the other two variables to side area slightly improved the accuracy of the photogrammetric technique. Curvilinear regressions based on a power model provided the best predictive relationships. This technique may prove useful for estimating body mass of other pinnipeds.     

Hatching asynchrony in the house wren, Troglodytes aedon: a test of the brood-reduction hypothesis

We tested the brood-reduction hypothesis by adding three nestlingsto naturally occurring synchronous and asynchronous broods ofthe house wren (Troglodytes aedon) in order to mimic food shortagesfor the broods. Two types of controls were established in whichbrood size remained unchanged: those in which nestlings wereexchanged among broods and those in which no nestlings wereexchanged. The critical test of the hypothesis was in 1988 whenthere was a food shortage for enlarged broods. Although broodreduction occurred, enlarged synchronous broods produced asmany fledglings as did enlarged asynchronous broods, and fledgingmass was similar. Juvenile recapture 2-8 weeks after fledgingand offspring recruitment to subsequent breeding populationswere not related to treatment. The results are not consistentwith the brood-reduction hypothesis as an explanation for theoccurrence of hatching asynchrony in the house wren.     

Expression of a novel nuclear protein is correlated with neuronal differentiation in vivo

We report the production of a monoclonal antibody (MAb 526) that recognizes a novel, developmentally regulated nuclear protein expressed in neurons throughout the rat nervous system. Analysis of whole brain and cell nuclear extracts by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting determined that MAb 526 recognizes a single nuclear protein (np) of apparent molecular weight 42 kD, designated np526, as well as a slightly larger (ca. 44 kD) cytoplasmic protein. Light microscopic immunocytochemistry showed np526 to be present in neurons of all types throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. Nuclei of both fibrous and protoplasmic astrocytes were also immunoreactive, but oligodendrocyte nuclei were negative. Positive, but highly variable immunocytochemical staining of nonneural cell nuclei in a variety of other tissues was also observed. Electron microscopic (EM) immunocytochemistry using pre-embedding peroxidase methods revealed that np526 is associated with euchromatin or with the edges of condensed chromatin bundles in neurons, indicating that it is likely to be a chromosomal protein. Most interestingly, the expression of np526 was found to be developmentally regulated in brain. Immunocytochemical analysis of the developing cerebral cortex from embryonic day (E) 16 to postnatal day (P) 4 and cerebellum from P4 to P18 revealed that np526 first appears in central neurons following the cessation of mitosis and that the intensity of nuclear staining increases during subsequent neuronal maturation. To our knowledge, np526 is the first presumptive chromosomal protein whose expression has been precisely correlated with the early postmitotic differentiation of mammalian neurons.     

Well-identifiable human chromosomes Isolated from mitotic fibroblasts by a new method

Summary Metaphase chromosomes isolated from human fibroblasts by lysis of mitotic cells in the presence of the intercalating DNA-specific fluorochrome propidium iodide appear relatively long, even after exposure to vinblastine sulfate overnight. Therefore, they can be easily banded and thereby unequivocally identified. Chromosomes isolated in this way may be employed in flow analysis and sorting without loosing the inducibility of their band patterns.     

Anaerobic Oxidation of Acetylene by Estuarine Sediments and Enrichment Cultures

Acetylene disappeared from the gas phase of anaerobically incubated estuarine sediment slurries, and loss was accompanied by increased levels of carbon dioxide. Acetylene loss was inhibited by chloramphenicol, air, and autoclaving. Addition of ¹⁴C₂H₂ to slurries resulted in the formation of ¹⁴CO₂ and the transient appearance of ¹⁴C-soluble intermediates, of which acetate was a major component. Acetylene oxidation stimulated sulfate reduction; however, sulfate reduction was not required for the loss of C₂H₂ to occur. Enrichment cultures were obtained which grew anaerobically at the expense of C₂H₂.     

Targeted point mutation that creates a unique Eco RI site within the signal codons of the beta-lactamase gene without altering enzyme secretion or processing

A method has been developed for constructing site-specific mutations by using a strongly selectable marker on which to "piggy-back" a desired mutation that may be phenotypically silent. Using this approach, a new unique Eco RI restriction site has been generated at the beginning of the signal codons of the beta-lactamase gene of the plasmid pBR322. The consequential alteration of the second amino acid of the signal from Ser to Arg has no effect on either the transport or the processing of the beta-lactamase.     

The preparation of bile acid amides and oxazolines, II, the synthesis of the amides and oxazolines of ursodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid

Bile acid amides and oxazolines were synthesized by a sequence of steps involving the reaction of the free bile acid with formic acid to yield the formyloxy derivative, preparation of the formyloxy acid chloride, condensation of the acid chloride with 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol to give the amide and, finally, cyclization of the amide with thionyl chloride to give the oxazoline. The oxazolines were characterized by physical constants, thin layer and gas-liquid chromatography and identified by elemental analysis and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Some of the bile acid oxazoline derivatives alter the activity of bacterial 7-dehydroxylases $\text{in vitro}$, and inhibit the growth of certain anaerobic bacteria in pure culture.     

Stereochemical aspects of forcing special substrate hydrazides to behave either as electrophiles or as nucleophiles during catalysis by crude papain

Restriction of hydrazides of N-blocked amino acids mainly to electrophilic action, in acylating crude papain, has been achieved by means of a large amount of aniline, with formation of insoluble anilides of N-acylamino acids. Similarly, nucleophilic behavior, on the part of a hydrazide, has been promoted by introducing a large proportion of an N-acylamino acid to produce an insoluble N¹,N²-diacylhydrazine. Achiral, chiral and racemic hydrazides and their corresponding N-acylamino acids were utilized in the study. Among the more informative combinations of reactants were Z-dl-alanine hydrazide with aniline and then with Z-glycine. A stereospecific response in the former situation produced Z-l-alanine anilide. In the latter case, a stereoselective interaction produced Z-Gly-NHNH-lAla-Z more rapidly than Z-Gly-NHNH-d-Ala-Z. The final incubation period yielded an optically pure D product. Differences in stereochemical control have been delineated in terms of different spatial aspects for interactions at the S and S′ subsites of sulfhydryl proteolytic enzymes. A racemic reactant encountered firm stereospecificity as an electrophile at the S subsite but only modest stereoselectivity as a nucleophile at the S′ subsite. The ready availability of crude papain allows an effective procedure for the synthesis of substantial quantities of diacylhydrazines.     

Evaluation of a new modified pediatric bubble oxygenator

A comparison was made of the S-070 Pediatric Bubble Oxygenator, which was unreliable above flow rates of approximately 1.5 L/min, with a modified S-070A, which proved to be extremely efficient to flow rates of 2.5 L/min.