Physical work capacity of athletes with different types of adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system

Indices of physical work capacity in athletes with different types of adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system that are engaged in various kinds of sports and have sports ranks from Master of Sports to Grade 2 have been studied. It has been shown that the highest physical work capacity is typical of athletes that have the inotropic type of adaptation, and the lowest, of athletes with the chronotropic type of adaptation. High indices of physical work capacity were recorded in athletes with the respiratory type of adaptation. Types of adaptation affect the indices of physical work capacity, and it is possible to forecast sports results on their basis.     

Ectopic expression of an osmotin gene leads to enhanced salt tolerance in transgenic chilli pepper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum annum</Emphasis> L.)

Plants, when exposed to abiotic or biotic stress, produce several pathogenesis-related proteins to counteract the effects of stress. Osmotin is one of the important pathogenesis-related proteins induced during several stress conditions. We have developed improved salt stress tolerant transgenic chilli pepper plants (Capsicum annum L. var. Aiswarya 2103) by ectopic expression of the Nicotiana tabaccum osmotin gene using Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 as a vector. Four-week-old chilli pepper leaves were used as an explant and A. tumefaciens EHA105 harboring pBINASCOSM plasmid that contains osmotin gene under the control of CaMV 35S promoter and npt II as a selectable marker was used in co-cultivation. Transgene integration and expression were analyzed using molecular, immunochemical, and biochemical assays. PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed that osmotin gene has been successfully integrated into the genome of chilli pepper plants. The osmotin gene was stably segregated and expressed in T₂ generation transgenic chilli pepper plants, and it was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Biochemical assays of these putative transgenic plants revealed enhanced levels of chlorophyll, proline, glycinebetaine, APX, SOD, DHAR, MDHAR, GR, and relative water content. Yield potential of the putative transgenic chilli pepper plants was evaluated under salinity stress conditions in a green house. The putative transgenic chilli pepper plants overexpressing the osmotin gene were morphologically similar to wild-type plants and produced 3.32 kg chilli pepper fruits per plant at 300 mM NaCl concentration.     

Nile crocodiles, Crocodylus niloticus, and estuarine crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus, show similar osmoregulatory responses on exposure to seawater

1. Nile crocodiles, reared in fresh water and exposed acutely to seawater, suffer marked dehydration and hypernatraemia. Cloacal urine osmolarity and potassium concentration increased markedly but urine sodium remains low. 2. Hypernatraemia is increased when secretion from the lingual salt glands is prevented. 3. C. niloticus appears not to drink seawater. 4. Similarities in osmoregulatory response between estuarine and Nile crocodiles suggest that the lingual salt glands of C. niloticus are functional in salt water, playing an important role in sodium balance. 5. Significant differences in the function of the renal/cloacal complex of Alligator and Crocodylus emphasize further the differences between these two groups of crocodilian and provide support for the postulated marine ancestry of many or all of the Crocodylidae.     

Neutral microprotein, a novel human plasma and urinary protein associated with a yellow-brown chromophore. Isolation from protein HC preparations and partial characterization

An apparently novel human plasma and urinary protein of low molecular weight was isolated from several highly purified preparations of protein HC by gel chromatography and high voltage electrophoresis with a yield of about 8 mg/g. The protein has a molecular weight of about 20,000, neutral electrophoretic mobility at pH 6.5 and a high content of half-cystine. It is associated with a yellow-brown chromophore like protein HC and could be demonstrated in all investigated preparations of isolated human, rabbit and guinea-pig protein HC and alpha 1-microglobulin.     

Factors governing the production of juvenile Atlantic salmon in Scottish streams

Data are presented to show how the number and growth of juvenile salmon in streams in the Scottish Highlands are influenced by various physical (temperature, water chemistry, depth and velocity, type of substratum) and biotic (food resources, competition, recruitment) factors.     

B cells in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia

X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) has been described as a disorder in which pre-B cells fail to differentiate into B cells. However, a small number of B cells have been seen occasionally in patients with this disorder. Because the phenotype of these cells might be helpful in defining the site of the defect in XLA, immunofluorescent staining techniques were used to characterize the B cells that can be found in patients with XLA. Surface IgM-positive B cells could be detected in the peripheral circulation of all seven patients studied. These B cells constituted a very small percentage of the total lymphocytes (0.01 to 0.3% compared with 3.2 to 13.7% in controls) and differed in phenotype from control B cells. They were much more brightly stained for surface IgM (p less than 0.001) and less brightly stained for Ia (p less than 0.01). This phenotype is similar to that described for immature B cells in the mouse. Over 80% of the patients' B cells expressed surface IgD, and all expressed the B cell marker B1, but only 35% expressed the B cell marker B2. This B cell marker, which is the C3d receptor and the Epstein-Barr virus receptor, is expressed later in ontogeny than B1 and can be detected on over 80% of control B cells. All B cells expressed either kappa or lambda light chain. These findings indicate that the defect in differentiation of pre-B cells into B cells is not absolute in patients with XLA. The immature phenotype of the B cells additionally suggests that there may be a block in the maturation of B cells at more than one stage of differentiation in this disorder.