The influence of biomass and structure of the crustacean plankton on the water transparency in the Saidenbach storage reservoir

Planktonic crustacean biomass as well as structure are important factors influencing water transparency. The significant dependence of the water quality (Secchi depth) on the concentration and the share of the Daphnia biovolume and not on the total Crustacea biovolume in the Saidenbach reservoir indicates that the density of the Crustacea is only a measure of the cleaning performance, if Daphnia dominates. Using the mean size, the influence of the crustacean structure on the Secchi depth can be recorded. If big size categories prevail (like Daphnia) the water transparency is high. The mainly occurrence of little species (Mesocyclops, Bosmina) results in lower Secchi depths. However, a well defined (significant) relationship is being prevented by the different feeding behaviour of the several species.     

Biochemical and physiological characterization of the efrotomycin fermentation

Summary An efrotomycin fermentation was characterized through physical, chemical and biochemical studies. Growth of the actinomycete,Nocardia lactamdurans occurred during the first 50 h of the fermentation cycle at the expense of glucose, protein, and triglycerides. The initiation of efrotomycin biosynthesis was observed when glucose dropped to a low concentration. Upon glucose depletion, cell growth ceased and a switch in the respiratory quotient occurred. Efrotomycin biosynthesis was supported by the utilization of soybean oil and starch. Analysis of triglyceride metabolism showed that no diglycerides or monoglycerides accumulated during the fermentation. The activity of extracellular enzymes (lipase, protease, and amylase) increase during the cell growth phase and decreased significantly after 150 h. The concentrations of DNA, tetrahydro-vitamin K₂ (a membrane component), and free amino acids in the supernatant increased dramatically late in the fermentation cycle (225 h), indicating massive cell lysis. During this same time period, a reduction in cellular respiratory activity and efrotomycin biosynthesis were observed.     

Culture conditions for induction of green plants from barley microspores by anther culture methods

Summary With barley a large variation in frequency of plant formation from microspores of spikes from the same plant has been observed. The highest frequency of plant formation was obtained when culturing anthers in the dark on a high Ficoll medium containing 2,4-D and kinetin to induce proembryo (or callus) formation. Subsequently the proembryos or calli were cultured in dim light on a high Ficoll-high sugar medium containing IBA and kinetin. Finally the embryos were transferred to a starch agar medium. A maximum of 13 green plants were obtained from microspores of a single anther.The ratios of green to albino microspore derived plants varied from 91 to 19 depending on culture conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, lactic acid and other organic acids may have damaged the organelles in the cells resulting in the formation of albino plants. Thus, direct embryogenesis by using a well-buffered, high Ficoll-high sugar medium and proper aeration are essential for obtaining high frequency of green plants from microspores.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IBA 3 indolylbutyric acid     

Intrinsic PEEP monitored in the ventilated ARDS patient with a mathematical method.

Under mechanical volume-controlled ventilation, the intensive care patient can develop intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (iPEEP); that is, the passive expiration is terminated by the following inspiration before the alveolar pressure comes to its physical equilibrium value. We present a mathematical method to estimate this alveolar dynamic iPEEP breath by breath, without the need of a maneuver. We tested it in paralyzed patients ventilated for adult respiratory distress syndrome after multiple trauma and/or sepsis, and we compared the results obtained with the new mathematical method with those from the occlusion method introduced by Pepe and Marini. The results agreed well (median difference of 0.8 mbar in 201 investigations in 12 patients). However, the mathematically determined values, representing dynamic iPEEP, are systematically slightly smaller than those measured by the occlusion maneuver. A variation of expiratory time suggests that this difference might be due to mechanical time-constant inhomogeneity, viscoelastic processes, or other mechanisms showing time dependence.     

Body movements and retinal pattern displacements while approaching a stationary object in the walking fly,Calliphora erythrocephala

When a walking fly approaches a stationary object two types of body movements are distinguishable. Type I body movements are characterized by low frequencies (0.4–1.3 Hz) and large amplitudes (28–65°). Superimposed on these movements are type II body movements which are characterized by high frequencies (7.3–10.6 Hz) and small amplitudes (5.9–8.2°) (Figs. 3–6; Table 1). Type II movements occur no matter whether the fly is fixating a pattern or orientating itself in homogeneous surroundings without any pattern. In contrast, only 72% of the flies with immobilized heads and 62% of the flies with movable heads make type I body movements. The amplitude of type I and type II body movements increases slightly after immobilization of the head. Binocular as well as monocular pattern projection occurs for the whole walking trajectory (Fig. 7–9). Monocular pattern projection seems to be more frequent in flies with immobilized heads than in those with movable heads. The degree of pattern fluctuations in the visual field of the flies increases slightly along the walking trajectory. Near the starting point in the centre of the arena it amounts to 5–7°, while at the end of the walking trajectory it amounts to 8–10° (Table 2). The following conclusions and hypothesis can be drawn from these experiments. 1. The graph BT for the direction of the fly's logitudinal axis can be approximated by the first derivative of the walking trajectory WT, that means, dWT(x)/dxBT(x) (Fig. 11). 2. The amplitudes of type II body movements are caused by the alternating movements of the legs during forward motion, while type I body movements are classified as exploring movements. During evolution of visually guided behaviour it is possible that blowflies have adapted their elementary movement detector system to type II body movements. 3. The types of pattern projection into the visual field of the fly while approaching an object can be explained by a simple neuronal network characterized by either inhibitory and/or excitatory influences of the visually activated neurones on the motor neurones generating the propulsive forces, that means the forward motion. In addition it is postulated that the large frontal and antero-lateral receptive fields of these neurones are not coupled with the motor centres on the same side of the body (Fig. 12).     

Steroid hormone receptor studies in melanoma model systems

The Transplantable B-16 melanotic melanoma carried in syngeneic C57B1/6J female mice and the Syrian hamster melanoma cell line, RPMI 3460, were utilized to determine whether steroid-hormone receptors are present in animal melanomas. In the B-16 melanoma, a cytoplasmic-estrogen receptor is detectable, but there is no evidence for androgen or progestin receptors. Some tumors contain a glucocorticoid-binding macromolecule. Sucrosedensity gradient centrifugation of cytosol after incubation with [³H]-estradiol revealed an 8S peak that was suppressed by excess radioinert diethylstilbesterol. Binding varied from 5–35 fmoles per mg cytosol protein. Scatchard analysis of [³H]-estradiol binding in cytosol yielded a single class of high-affinity binding sites; the dissociation constant is 6 × 10^?10 M. The receptor molecule is shown to be estrogen-specific by ligand competition assays. In contrast to B-16 melanoma, no estrogen, androgen, or progestin receptor can be found in the Syrian hamster melanoma cell line. However, a substantial level of specific binding is observed using [³H]-dexamethasone. Sucrose-gradient centrifugation of cytosol from this cell line after incubation with [³H]-dexamethasone revealed a 7S peak that was suppressed by excess radioinert dexamethasone. Scatchard analysis indicated a single class of high affinity sites with a dissociation constant of 2 × 10^?9 M. Binding levels from 70–610 fmoles per mg cytosol protein were observed. The Syrian hamster melanoma cells also exhibit a biological response to glucocorticoids: Dexamethasone causes both an inhibition of growth and a decrease in final-cell density in these cells.     

In vitro metabolism of possible ecdysone precursors by the prothoracic glands of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

3 beta, 14 alpha-Dihydroxy-5 alpha-7-en-6-one (5 alpha-ketodiol) (1) is metabolized by the prothoracic glands to 2,22-dideoxy-5 alpha-ecdysone (4) and 2-deoxy-5 alpha-ecdysone (3) but not to ecdysone (5) or any other 5 beta-metabolites. Similarly, 3 beta,5 alpha,14 alpha-trihydroxy-cholest-7-en-6-one (5 alpha-ketotriol) (8) is hydroxylated at C-22 and C-25 (9,10) of the side chain. However, 3 beta,14 alhpa-dihydroxy-cholesta-4,7-diene-6-one (ketodienediol) (11) is not metabolized. The absence of 2 beta-hydroxymetabolites for substrates (1) and (8) implies that hydroxylation at C-2 can occur only when the A-B rings are cis fused (5 beta-configuration). By contrast, the enzyme complexes that introduce hydroxyls at C-22 and C-25 do not exhibit a preference for cis over trans fusion and appraently cannot recognize the planar A-B ring configuration.