鲍氏志架氏菌的一个新血清型

Two strains which belong to the same serotype of Shigella were isolated from the bloody-pus stool of two patients (in 1986) and is reported in this paper. The results were identical both showing agglutination in low titer with serotype 8 of S. dysenteriae and serotype 4 of S. boydii when the two strains were checked well with all kinds of diagnostic antisera and vice versa, ie the antisera produced by the two strains were also checked well with sera prepared with the representative strains of all Shigella spp. No cross agglutination with O6, O7, and O150 of E. coli were found. Consequently, It appears to be a new serotype of Shigella. These two strains possess the ability of causing keratitis in guinea-pigs as well as invading epithelial cells, the DNA of both strains in agarose-electrophoresis showed a large plasmid, indicating that they are virulent strains possessing invasive ability. It was concluded that these two strains belonged to Shigella boydii as they fermented mannitol and non-related antigenically with Shigella flexneri. Since serotype 1-18 of S. boydii have been reported recently, we propose that this new serotype should be serotype 19 of Shigella boydii.     

Molecular Evidence and the Origin and Development of the Domesticated Sunflower (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus annum</Emphasis>, Asteraceae)

The domesticated sunflower,Helianthus annuus, is an important economic crop, yet molecular data regarding its evolution are limited. Here we review morphological, geographical, archaeological, and molecular evidence pertaining to its origin and development. New isozyme and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) evidence is also presented.Morphological, geographical, and archaeological evidence has led to the hypothesis that the domesticated sunflower was derived from a wild/weedy form ofH. annuus possibly in the Midwest. Molecular evidence was concordant with this hypothesis. A high degree of enzymatic and cpDNA sequence similarity was observed between wild and domesticatedH. annuus, and domesticatedH. annuus contained a subset of the alleles and cpDNAs found in wildH. annuus. The extensive polymorphism in the wild plants and the virtual monomorphism in cultivated lines for both isozyme and cpDNA phenotypes further suggest a single origin of the domesticated sunflower from a very limited gene pool. In addition, Native American varieties of the domesticated sunflower were genetically more variable than other cultivated lines, possibly indicating that they gave rise to the other cultivated stocks. Molecular evidence did not, however, allow conclusions as to the exact geographic origin of the domesticated sunflower.     

Determination of electric current distributions in animals and humans exposed to a uniform 60-Hz high-intensity electric field

The thermographic method for determining specific absorption rate (SAR) in animals and models of tissues or bodies exposed to electromagnetic fields was applied to the problem of quantifying the current distribution in homogeneous bodies of arbitrary shape exposed to 60-Hz electric fields. The 60-Hz field exposures were simulated by exposing scale models of high electrical conductivity to 57.3-MHz VHF fields of high strength in a large 3.66 × 3.66 × 2.44-m TE₁₀₁ mode resonant cavity. After exposure periods of 2–30 s, the models were quickly disassembled so that the temperature distribution (maximum value up to 7 °C) along internal cross-sectional planes of the model could be recorded thermographically. The SAR, W′, calculated from the temperature changes at any point in the scale model was used to determine the SAR, W, for a full-scale model exposed to a 60-Hz electric field of the same strength by the relation W = (60/ f² · (σ′/σ) · W′ where f′ is the model exposure frequency, σ′ is the conductivity of the scale model at the VHF exposure frequency, and σ is the conductivity of the full-scale subject at 60 Hz. The SAR was used to calculate either the electric field strength or the current density for the full-scale subject. The models were used to simulate the exposure of the full-scale subject located either in free space or in contact with a conducting ground plane. Measurements made on a number of spheroidal models with axial ratios from 1 to 10 and conductivity from 1 to 10 s/m agreed well with theoretical predictions. Maximum current densities of 200 nA/cm² predicted in the ankles of man models and 50 nA/cm² predicted in the legs of pig models exposed to 60-Hz fields at 1kV/m agreed well with independent measurements on full-scale models.     

The nucleotide sequence of a glutamine tRNA from rat liver.

A glutamate tRNA from rat liver was purified. By means of post-labeling techniques, its nucleotide sequence was shown to be: pU-C-C-C-A-C-A-U-m1G-G-U-C-psi-A-G-C- G-G-D-D-A-G-G-A-U-U-C-C-U-G-G-psi-U-mcm5S2U-U-C-A-C-C-C-A-G-G-C-G- G-C-m5C-m5C-G-G-G-Tm-psi-C-G-A-C-U-C-C-C-G-G-U-G-U-G-G-G-A-A-C-C-AOH. The sequence is remarkably similar to that of tRNAGlu from Drosophila melanogaster. Only 10 out of 75 nucleotides in the two tRNAs are different.     

Three-dimensional growth and morphogenesis of mouse submandibular epithelial cells in serum-free primary culture

Mouse submandibular epithelial cells can be grown in primary culture using the collagen gel matrix and a chemically defined medium consisting of insulin, transferrin, cholera toxin, and BSA (or FGF). Sustained cell growth leading to a 5–10-fold increase in cell number was observed in less than 2 weeks. In the presence of these additives, clumps of cells proliferate by extending ‘star-like’ projections into the matrix, resulting in three-dimensional outgrowths. The morphology of these outgrowths can be modulated to form a ‘cyst-like’ appearance by deleting BSA and adding cortisol to the basal medium containing insulin, transferrin, cholera toxin and FGF. In brief, a serum-free medium for sustained growth has been devised and a simple manipulation of supplements can modulate the three-dimensional colony morphology in the collagen gel matrix. Finally, the resulting outgrowths can produce epidermal growth factor (EGF) in response to dihydrotestosterone.     

Iron-molybdenum cofactor from nitrogenase. Modified extraction methods as probes for composition

Five modifications of the preparative procedure for isolating iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) from the molybdenum-iron (MoFe) protein of Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase have been developed. This variety of isolation methods has established that no single component of the original isolation protocol, i.e. Tris, Cl-, citrate, HPO4(2-), N,N-dimethylformamide, and N-methylformamide, is essential for the effective isolation and/or structural stability of FeMoco, although any of them may act as ligands to FeMoco when present. The acid-bse status (effective pH) of the extracting solvent is a key adjustable parameter in the isolation procedure. The new procedures produced FeMoco with yields, metal analysis, charge, EPR spectrum, and specific activity (after reconstituting crude extracts from A. vinelandii UW45 mutant cells) essentially identical with FeMoco isolated by the original procedure. After purification, FeMoco apparently contains molybdenum, iron, and sulfide in a 1:7:4 ratio with N-methylformamide as a ligand but no amino acid residues, common sugars, coenzyme A, or lipoic acid. Reaction with o-phenanthroline allows quantitation of both adventitious and FeMoco-associated iron. Correlations of total activity after UW45 reconstitution with molybdenum, total iron, and o-phenanthroline-resistant iron contents show that only the last gives a consistent relationship of 35 +/- 5 nmol of C2H4/min/ng atom of Fe. Both o-phenanthroline and EDTA interact with FeMoco to abolish its EPR signal in reactions reversible by additions of Fe2+ or Zn2+, respectively. These and related reactions point against the presence of an endogenous organic component in FeMoco and toward the presence of exogenous ligands and imply a relatively labile coordination sphere whose nature may be determinable by a systematic investigation.     

The dominant fish fauna in the North Sea and its determination

The 224 species of fish reported from the North Sea are regarded as being composed of elements of three faunas—Boreal, Lusitanian and Atlantic, and they can be grouped accordingly on both a number of species and a biomass basis. The estimation of biomass of more than 10 important species is based on stock estimates obtained from population data. For 65 non-standard species the estimate is based on a comparison of catch rates for 'standard'and non-standard species from groundfish survey data. This involves assumption about the relative catchability of different sets of species. For the other species the biomass are computed in different ways. An analysis of the dominant fish fauna in the North Sea is attempted. The fish fauna in the area is analysed in two ways: by the conventional total number of species from each zoogeographic area, and by the biomass of the representatives of each fauna. It is concluded that for establishing the dominant faunal element of fish, biomass is a better index than is the number of species. The dominant faunal element of fish in the North Sea is Boreal.     

Relationship between excision repair and the cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of the ‘anti’ 7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide of benzo[a]pyrene in human cells

The cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of (±)-7β,8α-dihydroxy-9α,10α-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (anti BPDE) in normally excision diploid human cells treated just prior to onset of S was compared with that of cells allowed ～ 16 h for excision repair before onset of S and with that observed in excision-deficient serodema pigmentosum (SP12BE) cells. The cells were synchronized by release from density inhibition of cell replication. DNA synthesis began ～ 22 h after the cells were plated at lower density (i.e., 1.4 × 10⁴ cells/cm²). The frequency of thioguanine-resistant mutants induced in normal cells treated just prior to onset of S was ～ 12- to 16-fold higher than that observed in cells treated in early G₁ or treated in G₀ (confluence) and then plated at lower density. The frequency approximated that expected for XP12BE cells from extrapolation of data obtained at lower doses. The frequency of mutants measured in normal cells treated in exponential growth was also much higher than that in the cells treated in early G₁ or in G₀, No such difference could be seen in XP12BE cells treated in exponential growth or in G₀. In contrast to the mutagenicity data in the normal cells, there was no significant difference in the slope of the survival curve of normal cells treated at various times prior to S phase at low densities. However, normal cells treated even at the onset of S exhibited survival equal to XP12BE cells give a 4- to 5-fold lower dose. The data support the hypothesis that DNA synthesis is the cellular event which converts unexcised DNA lesions into mutations. However, they indicate that S is not the event primarily responsible for translating DNA damage into cell death. Accompanying studies on the rate of excision of anti BPDE adducts from the normal cells during the period priot to S support the conclusions.     

Inhibition of ethylene synthesis in tomato plants subjected to anaerobic root stress

Enhanced ethylene production and leaf epinasty are characteristic responses of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) to waterlogging. It has been proposed (Bradford, Yang 1980 Plant Physiol 65: 322-326) that this results from the synthesis of the immediate precursor of ethylene, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), in the waterlogged roots, its export in the transpiration stream to the shoot, and its rapid conversion to ethylene. Inhibitors of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway are available for further testing of this ACC transport hypothesis: aminooxyacetic acid (AOA) or aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) block the synthesis of ACC, whereas CO²⁺ prevents its conversion to ethylene. AOA and AVG, supplied in the nutrient solution, were found to inhibit the synthesis and export of ACC from anaerobic roots, whereas Co²⁺ had no effect, as predicted from their respective sites of action. Transport of the inhibitors to the shoot was demonstrated by their ability to block wound ethylene synthesis in excised petioles. All three inhibitors reduced petiolar ethylene production and epinasty in anaerobically stressed tomato plants. With AOA and AVG, this was due to the prevention of ACC import from the roots as well as inhibition of ACC synthesis in the petioles. With Co²⁺, conversion of both root- and petiole-synthesized ACC to ethylene was blocked. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that the export of ACC from low O₂ roots to the shoot is an important factor in the ethylene physiology of waterlogged tomato plants.