Evidence for the appearance of an uncoupled form of the beta-adrenergic receptor distinct from the internalized receptor

Agonist treatment of C6-glioma cells induces two altered states in beta-adrenergic receptors, a low affinity for the hydrophilic antagonist CGP-12177 and a low affinity for agonists like isoproterenol. We present evidence that, in cells not treated to inhibit receptor internalization, the two properties occur with a different time course, the low affinity for isoproterenol preceding that for CGP-12177. In that the low affinity for CGP-12177 is due to the internalization of the receptor, the results indicate that uncoupling of the receptor, indicated by the low affinity for isoproterenol, occurs while the receptor is still located on the cell surface. Removal of the agonist leads to reappearance of the receptor to the plasma membrane followed by loss of the uncoupled state.     

Ineffective erythropoiesis in acute human P. falciparum malaria

An analysis of erythroblast cell kinetics utilizing quantitative 14C-autoradiography has been performed in five cases of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria prior to and, in four patients, 3 or 6 days after the onset of antimalarial therapy. Associated with no or only moderate anemia were changes of erythroblast morphology, a considerable shift in the frequency of red and white blood cell precursors in the bone marrow, and a reduced rate of erythroblast proliferation. There was a marked loss of polychromatic erythroblasts, which was smaller but still detectable during the therapeutic phase. The results provide some quantitative data on the extent of "parenchymal damage" of bone marrow and stress the impact of ineffective erythropoiesis and reduced rate of erythropoietic proliferation on the emergence of anemia in Plasmodium falciparum malaria.     

Impedance of the electrogenic Cl− pump inAcetabularia: Electrical frequency entrainements,voltage-sensitivity,and reaction kinetic interpretation

Summary Reaction kinetic analysis of the electrical properties of the electrogenic Cl^– pump inAcetabularia has been extended from steady-state to nonsteady-state conditions: electrical frequency responses of theAcetabularia membrane have been measured over the range from 1 Hz to 10 kHz at transmembrane potential differences across the plasmalemma (V _m ) between –70 and –240 mV using voltage-clamp techniques. The results are well described by an electrical equivalent circuit with three parallel limbs: a conventional membrane capacitancec _m , a steadystate conductanceg _o (predominantly of the pump pathway plus a minor passive ion conductance) and a conductanceg _s in series with a capacitancec _p which are peculiar to the temporal behavior of the pump. The absolute values and voltage sensitivities of these four elements have been determined:c _m of about 8 mF m^–2 turned out to be voltage insensitive; it is considered to be normal.g _o is voltage sensitive and displays a peak of about 80 S m^–2 around –180 mV. Voltage sensitivity ofg _s could not be documented due to large scatter ofg _s (around 80 S m^–2).c _p behaved voltage sensitive with a notch of about 20 mF m^–2 around –180 mV, a peak of about 40 mF m^–2 at –120 mV and vanishing at –70 mV. When these data are compared with the predictions of nonsteady-state electrical properties of charge transport systems (U.-P. Hansen, J. Tittor, D. Gradmann, 1983,J. Membrane Biol. in press), model A (redistribution of states within the reaction cycle) consistently provides magnitude and voltage sensitivity of the elementsg _o ,g _s andc _p of the equivalent circuit, when known kinetic parameters of the pump are used for the calculations. This analysis results in a density of pump elements in theAcetabularia plasmalemma of about 50 nmol m^–2. The dominating rate constants for the redistribution of the individual states of the pump in the electric field turn out to be in the range of 500 sec^–1, under normal conditions.     

Eine nicht-reziproke Kreuzungssterilität zwischen ökologischen Rassen der Mücke Clunio marinus

Zusammenfassung Die in der Gezeitenzone lebende Mücke Clunio marinus ist längs der europäischen Küstenlinie verbreitet. Die experimentell geprüften Stämme verschiedener geographischer Herkunft repräsentieren ökologische Rassen, die sich in der zeitlichen Programmierung ihrer Entwicklung unterscheiden. Es wurde die Kreuzbarkeit zwischen insgesamt 7 Stämmen geprüft.Zwischen einzelnen Stämmen wurde eine nicht-reziproke Kreuzungssterilität (abgekürzt n.r.St.) nachgewiesen, bei der jeweils in einer Kreuzungsrichtung fertile Nachkommen entstanden und in der reziproken Kreuzung Nachkommen fehlten.Die Vererbung der n.r.St. wurde zwischen 2 Stämmen benachbarter Rassen mit der Methode der wiederholten Rückkreuzung geprüft. Es ergab sich ein matrokliner Erbgang. Die Befunde werden mit entsprechenden Ergebnissen von Laven an Culex pipiens verglichen.Die populationsgenetischen Konsequenzen der n.r.St. werden in Hinblick auf die Elimination von Kreuzungstypen, Genfluß und reproduktive Isolation betrachtet. Für die Bedeutung der n.r.St. im Freiland werden 3 Hypothesen erörtert: 1. Begleiterscheinung der genetisch divergierenden Rassen, 2. in einer Richtung wirksamer Isolationsmechanismus zwischen benachbarten Rassen und 3. Speciation.

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Summary The intertidal midge Clunio marinus is distributed along the European coast-line. Stocks from distinct locations differ in the programming of their emergence time. They represent ecological races. The crossability between 7 stocks was examined.Between some stocks a non-reciprocal cross sterility has been found, characterized by fertile hybrids in one cross direction, and no offspring in the reciprocal crosses.The cross Jean xSan was fertile, while the cross San xJean was sterile. After three backcrosses of the hybrid females to San males, the sterility in the reciprocal crosses with San females had not been changed. The maternal inheritance of this non-reciprocal sterility is compared with similar studies in Culex pipiens by Laven.According to aspects of population genetics, the non-reciprocal cross sterility is considered in view of elimination of crossing types, of gene flow and reproductive isolation. With regard to the significance of the non-reciprocal cross sterility in the field, three hypotheses are discussed: 1. by-product of evolutionary divergence in ecological races, 2. unilateral reproductive isolation which blocks the gene flow between adjacent populations only in one direction, and 3. speciation.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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Herrn Professor Dr. Gerhard Krause zu seinem 65. Geburtstag.     

Effect of auxins on the auxin transport system in coleoptiles

Summary Within 20 min of its application, auxin enhances the transport processes that move auxin molecules through coleoptile tissue. The effect was observed after treatment with indoleacetic acid and -naphthaleneacetic acid, but not with growth-inactive auxin analogues.     

Geotropism and the lateral transport of auxin in the corn mutant amylomaize

Summary In coleoptiles of the amylomaize corn mutant (AM), the amyloplasts are much reduced in size in comparison with the wild type corn (WT), permitting a comparison of geotropic responsiveness as related to lateral displacement of amyloplasts and lateral transport of auxin. The amyloplasts of AM showed 30–40% lesser lateral redistribution in response to horizontal exposure in comparison with WT. With geotropic stimulation, the lateral transport of auxin in the direction of growth was 40–80% less, and the geotropic curvature by the coleoptiles was also significantly less in the mutant as compared with WT. These correlations support the hypothesis that the starch plastids serve as gravity sensors in the geotropic responses of coleoptiles.     

Beiträge zur Verbreitungsgeschichte der GattungTaraxacum im zentral- und nordostmediterranen Raum

Zusammenfassung Diploidie, reliktäres Vorkommen und ziemlich genaue Übereinstimmung des Areals mit paläogeographischen Landkarten des Mittelmeergebietes und der östlich angrenzenden Länder weisen die kurzschnäbeligenTaraxaca als alte Typen — wahrscheinlich Tertiärrelikte — aus. Ein engerer Zusammenhang der übrigen, offenbar meist polyploiden mediterranenTaraxaca mit den alten Typen sowie dieser beiden mit den mittel- und nordeuropäischenTaraxacum-Arten scheint nicht gegeben zu sein.

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Summary Diploidy, relic occurence and rather exact correspondence of their areals with paleogeographic maps of the mediterranean area and of adjacent territories mark the shortly rostratedTaraxaca as ancient types, probably relics. These ancient types are neither closely related to the younger mediterranean polyploids, nor to the middle- and north-europeanTaraxacum species, just as nearer connections between the young mediterranean types and the young middle- and north-europeanTaraxacum species are not probable.

     

Novel heparin degradation products. Isolation and characterization of novel disaccharides and oligosaccharides produced from heparin by bacterial degradation

1. Heparin was degraded by enzymes of adapted Flavobacterium heparinum. Several degradation products were separated by combined Sephadex-gel filtration and paper chromatography, and chemically analysed. 2. These products were identified as glucosamine 2,6-disulphate, saturated disaccharides constituted of uronic acid and glucosamine and containing two and three sulphate residues, and tetra- and hexa-saccharides with the same basic disaccharide units. 3. The implications of these findings with respect to the present knowledge of heparin structure and its enzymic degradation are discussed.     

Einfluß der Vielfachstreuung von Elektronen auf die Ionisation in gasgefüllten Hohlräumen

Zusammenfassung Beim Einbringen eines gasgefüllten Hohlraums in ein elektronenbestrahltes, festes oder flüssiges Material erhöht sich die Teilchenflußdichte im Volumenbereich des Hohlraums infolge geringerer Elektronenstreuung durch das Gas. Die im Gas erzeugte Ionisation übertrifft daher den Wert, der dem ungestörten Strahlungsfeld vor Einbringen des Hohlraums entspricht. Nach der Theorie der Kleinwinkel-Vielfachstreuung wird der zusätzliche im Gasvolumen liegende Weg von Elektronen und die daraus resultierende zusätzliche Ionisation für verschiedene Hohlraumformen berechnet. Die abgeleiteten Gesetzmäßigkeiten ermöglichen ein quantitatives Verständnis der von anderen Autoren experimentell beobachteten Streueffekte und die Abschätzung von Fehlereinflüssen der Vielfachstreuung bei luftgefüllten Ionisationskammern in der Elektronendosimetrie.

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The effect of multiple electron scattering on the ionization in gas- filled cavities

Summary If a gas-filled cavity is inserted into an electron-irradiated solid or liquid material, the fluence of electrons within the volume now occupied by the cavity is increased due to the weakness of scattering from the gas. The amount of ionization produced in the gas therefore oversteps the amount corresponding to the undisturbed radiation field that was present prior to the insertion of the cavity. The additional track length of electrons within the cavity and the additional ionization resulting from it are calculated from the theory of small angle multiple scattering. The regularities derived in this way are used to understand the magnitude of the scattering effects observed by other authors and to estimate the experimental errors of gas-filled ionization chambers in electron dosimetry introduced by multiple scattering.

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Meinem LehrerBoris Rajewsky zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet.

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Herrn Dr. H.-J.Schopka sei für eine Diskussion über die theoretische Bedeutung des Streueffektes herzlich gedankt.