High-dose mode of death in Tribolium

This study reports the first demonstration within a single insect genus (Tribolium) of both the acute, or lethal-midlethal, dose-independent pattern of mortality, and the hyperacute, dose-dependent pattern, after appropriate doses of ionizing radiation. This demonstration provides resolution of apparently contradictory reports of insect responses in terms of doses required to cause lethality and those based on survival time as a function of dose. A dose-dependent mortality pattern was elicited in adult Tribolium receiving high doses, viz., 300 Gy or greater; its time-course was complete in 10 days, before the dose-independent mortality began. Visual observations of heavily-irradiated Tribolium suggested neural and/or neuromuscular damage, as had been previously proposed by others for lethally-irradiated wasps, flies, and mosquitoes. Results of experiments using fractionated high doses supported the suggestion that the hyperacute or high-dose mode of death is the result of damage to nonproliferative tissues. Relative resistance of a strain to the hyperacute or high-dose mode of death is not necessarily correlated with resistance to the midlethal mode, which is believed to be the result of damage to the proliferative cells of the midgut.

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Résumé Les résultats de nombreuses études des réactions des insectes adultes de différents groupes à l'irradiation s'opposent quant à l'importance de la dose provoquant la létalité et quant aux modalités de la mort. Les diptères et les guèpes impliquent des doses très élevées,-des centaines de Gy-, ne présentent aucune période caractérisant la mort par irradiation, et décèdent de plus en plus tôt avec l'augmentation des doses. Beaucoup d'autres insectes succombent à des doses (milétalelétale) beaucoup plus faibles,-de quelques Gy à des dizaines-, et quelle que soit la dose meurent au bout d'un temps voisin.Au cours de cette étude, nous avons pu observer que ces deux types de mortalité peuvent être provoqués chez le même genre d'insecte (Tribolium), avec des doses convenables d'irradiation . Un syndrôme caractéristique a été provoqué avec des doses très élevées, de 300 Gy ou plus,-à ces doses la mort est obtenue en 10 jours après l'irradiation. L'absence de syndrôme caractéristique se produit avec des doses inférieures ou égales à 80 Gy; la mort a lieu alors entre 10 et 16 jours en fonction de la dose.Les différences entre les deux types de décès indiquent deux processus de mort par irradiation. La manifestation d'une désorientation et d'une perte de coordination motrice chez les Tribolium fortement irradiés suggère des altérations neurales et/ou neuromusculaires comme cause/s de ce type de mort provoquée par des doses élevées. L'implication de tissus sans prolifération a été confortée par les résultats d'expériences utilisant de hautes doses fractionnées. Le type de mort milétal est considéré après de nombreuses observations indépendantes, comme le résultat d'atteintes à la prolifération des cellules de l'intestin moyen.Les données contradictoires sur les réactions des insectes aux irradiations proviennent d'abord de l'absence de connaissances sur le lieu des dégâts. Les diptères sont connus maintenant, après différentes études, comme perdant complètement l'aptitude au renouvellement cellulaire, et présentent ainsi un type de mort avec dose élevée. Beaucoup d'autres insectes adultes ont un renouvellement cellulaire de l'intestin moyen limité, et ainsi présentent le type de mort milétal. Le type de mort, dit haute dose, peut être induit dans cette dernière catégorie d'insectes par une irradiation suffisamment forte, et, dans le cas du Tribolium le déroulement de la mort se produit alors de deux façons bien distinctes.

     

Human mononuclear phagocyte activation antigens

Activation of mononuclear phagocytes causes changes in plasma membrane composition that include the expression of surface antigens and receptors. Monoclonal antibody technology has made it possible to identify and characterize newly expressed surface antigens. Among these "activation antigens" is a glycoprotein, Mo3, which (among hematopoietic cells) is selectively expressed by human mononuclear phagocytes that have been exposed to inflammatory factors in vitro and in vivo. Progress toward a functional and structural analysis of Mo3 is described.     

Enantioselective hydrolysis of oxazepam 3-acetate by esterases in human and rat liver microsomes and rat brain S9 fraction

Rates of hydrolysis of racemic and enantiomeric oxazepam 3-acetates (OXA) by esterases in human and rat liver microsomes and rat brain S9 fraction were compared. When rac-OXA was the substrate, esterases in human and rat liver microsomes were highly enantioselective toward (R)-OXA. In contrast, esterases in rat brain S9 fraction were highly enantioselective toward (S)-OXA. Hydrolysis rates of rac-OXA were highly dependent on the amount of esterases used. At 0.05 mg protein equivalent of esterases and 150 nmol of rac-OXA per ml of incubation mixture, the (R)-OXA was hydrolyzed 3.6-fold and 18.5-fold faster than (S)-OXA by rat and human liver microsomes, respectively. The specific activities (nmol of OXA hydrolyzed/mg microsomal protein/min) of liver microsomes in the hydrolysis of enantiomerically pure (R)-OXA were approximately 120 (rat) and 1,980 (human), and in the hydrolysis of enantiomerically pure (S)-OXA were 4 (rat) and 7 (human), respectively. In the incubation of rac-OXA with rat brain S9 fraction, (S)-OXA was hydrolyzed approximately 6-fold faster than (R)-OXA. Results also indicated an enantiomeric interaction in the hydrolysis of rac-OXA by esterases in rat and human liver microsomes; the presence of (R)-OXA stimulated the hydrolysis of (S)-OXA, whereas the presence of (S)-OXA inhibited the hydrolysis of (R)-OXA. In rat brain S9 fraction, the presence of (R)-OXA inhibited the hydrolysis of (S)-OXA, whereas the presence of (S)-OXA appeared to have stimulated the hydrolysis of (R)-OXA.     

Callus culture ofPterocladia capillacea (Rhodophyta) and analysis of cell wall polysaccharides

Calluses induced fromPterocladia capillacea have been kept in culture for more than three years. They exhibit a fast growth rate, owing to the release of single cells, which in turn develop into new callus. The effect of various media and culture conditions upon growth was investigated. In order to confirm the identity of the callus cells, a 0,45 mg incoculum was grown that yielded 15 g dried callus within six weeks. Polysaccharides from this material (5.5 g) were analysed by¹³C NMR spectroscopy. This produced a spectrum typical of agar and very similar to the one obtained for agar extracted fromP. capillacea plants. However, the callus agar displayed no gel-forming properties, even after alkali modification.author for correspondence     

Identification of genes required for cytoplasmic localization in early C. elegans embryos

We have isolated and analyzed eight strict maternal effect mutations identifying four genes, par-1, par-2, par-3, and par-4, required for cytoplasmic localization in early embryos of the nematode C. elegans. Mutations in these genes lead to defects in cleavage patterns, timing of cleavages, and localization of germ line-specific P granules. Four mutations in par-1 and par-4 are fully expressed maternal effect lethal mutations; all embryos from mothers homozygous for these mutations arrest as amorphous masses of differentiated cells but are specifically lacking intestinal cells. Four mutations in par-2, par-3, and par-4 are incompletely expressed maternal effect lethal mutations and are also grandchildless; some embryos from homozygous mothers survive and grow to become infertile adults due to absence of functional germ cells. We propose that all of these defects result from the failure of a maternally encoded system for intracellular localization in early embryos.     

The secondary structure of ribonuclease P RNA, the catalytic element of a ribonucleoprotein enzyme

Secondary structure models for the ribonuclease (RNAase) P RNAs of Bacillus subtilis and E. coli were derived by a phylogenetic comparative analysis of published sequences as well as four novel ones. The RNAase P RNA genes from Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus stearothermophilus, and Pseudomonas fluorescens were cloned, sequenced, and compared with the other available sequences. Regions of pairing were identified by the occurrence of homologous complementary sequences that vary among the compared molecules. A common core of primary and secondary structure can be identified in all these RNAase P RNAs. The previously noted striking differences between the Bacillus and the enteric RNAase P RNAs arise not only from point mutations, but from the addition or deletion of structural domains. The primary and secondary structural features that are common to all of the RNAase P RNAs are likely to be the elements involved in the binding and cleavage of tRNA precursors, and in the interaction with the RNAase P protein.     

Zero-stress states of arteries

The no-load configuration of a living organ is, in general, not the zero-stress state. The difference can be revealed by cutting up an unloaded organ to such an extent that the stress becomes zero in the tissue everywhere. For the aorta, it is shown that the configuration of the zero-stress state differs considerably from being a cylindrical tube. It is, in fact, an open sector with opening angles varying along the arterial tree. This article presents data on the zero-stress state in the arteries of the rat in normal condition.     

神农架金丝猴的生态学观察

金丝猴(Rhinopithecus roxellanae)仅产于我国,属国家Ⅰ级保护动物,自然分布于四川、陕西、甘肃的部分地区和湖北省神农架自然保护区。1983年以来,笔者对神农架金丝猴生存环境生态习性等作了长期观察研究,结果报道如下。