Alpha-Glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (insoluble) and lactic dehydrogenase activities in the skeletal muscles of two insects.

The flight muscle preparations of the dragonfly Pantala flavescens and the aquatic beetle Cybister confusus showed extremely low levels of lactic dehydrogenase activity and high levels of alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (insoluble) activity. The activities of these two enzymes in the leg muscle of the beetle were approximately the same (1:1), but lactic dehydrogenase activity was several times higher than that in the flight muscles of both Insects. These results have been interpreted as indicating the high energy-yielding demands of the flight muscles during continuous sustained activity, while the leg muscles of the beetle which are involved in swimming activity derive their energy predominantly through anaerobic glycolysis.     

Alkaliphilic anaerobic community at pH 10

Relict or ancient microbial communities in extreme environment might be analogous to the centers of origin of bacterial diversity. A bacterial community of an alkaline lake was investigated, and the diversity of bacteria found there indicates that both conditions of autonomy and phylogenetic variety are fulfilled for anaerobic bacteria developing at pH 10±0.2. Major functional groups in the trophic network were present. Representatives of proteolytic, bacteriolytic, cellulolytic, saccharolytic, dissipotrophic, acetogenic, sulfate-reducing, methanogenic bacteria were isolated.     

Black and Hispanic Men Perceived to Be Large Are at Increased Risk for Police Frisk,Search, and Force

Social justice issues remain some of the most pressing problems in the United States. One aspect of social justice involves the differential treatment of demographic groups in the criminal justice system. While data consistently show that Blacks and Hispanics are often treated differently than Whites, one understudied aspect of these disparities is how police officers'' assessments of suspects'' size affects their decisions. Using over 3 million cases from the New York Police Department (NYPD) Stop, Question, and Frisk (SQF) Database, 2006–2013, this study is the first to explore suspects'' race, perceived size, and police treatment. Results indicate that tall and heavy black and Hispanic men are at the greatest risk for frisk or search. Tall and heavy suspects are at increased risk for experiencing police force, with black and Hispanic men being more likely to experience force than white men across size categories.     

Continuous-flow NMR culture system for mammalian cells

A continuous-flow NMR culture system for mammalian cells has been developed on which ³¹P-NMR experiments under complete and strictly physiologic conditions have been performed. Observations on the response of the cellular metabolism to stresses such as starvation, low temperature and changes in environmental pH monitored by ³¹P-NMR are reported. The response of the intracellular pH relative to the external pH of the growth medium is studied. We find that under the experimental conditions used there exists a ΔpH varying between less than 0.2 and more than 0.6 pH units. These results are compatible with those obtained using other techniques.     

A programmable environmental system for maintenance and observation of individually housed ticks

This paper describes an inexpensive, space-saving, and labor-efficient method for housing and making repeated observations of individual ticks held under specific photoperiodic, temperature, and humidity conditions. Using 96-well assay plates to house ticks, various developmental parameters, sex, survival, etc., of several thousand individual ticks can be recorded routinely in less than 1 hr. This design also permits more than 3,500 individual ticks to be maintained in 1 small (18.9-L) aquarium that serves as a humidity chamber. A small, unilluminated constant temperature incubator was converted inexpensively into a light and temperature programmable unit to contain the aquarium by adding a timing system, light fixture, and a second thermostat.     

Cytochrome P450cam-catalyzed oxidation of a hypersensitive radical probe.

trans-1-Phenyl-2-vinylcyclopropane, a hypersensitive radical probe, is oxidized by cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) to a diastereomeric mixture of the corresponding epoxide (81%), (trans-2-phenylcyclopropyl)acetaldehyde (6%), and trans-5-phenyl-2-penten-1,5-diol (13%). trans-5-Phenyl-2-penten-1-ol and (trans-2-phenylcyclopropyl)ethane-1,2-diol are not detectably formed. Authentic standards of all the products have been synthesized and used to establish the identities (or the absence) of the metabolites. Studies with [18O]H2O demonstrate that the oxygens at positions 1 and 5 in the rearranged diol derive from molecular oxygen and water, respectively. Catalytic turnover of the enzyme is required for product formation from the olefin, but incubation of the epoxide metabolite with the enzyme, or with buffer alone, yields both the aldehyde and the rearranged diol products. The absence of trans-5-phenyl-2-penten-1-ol implies that the lifetime of the putative radical intermediate is so short that its existence as a discrete entity is questionable. A cationic intermediate is unlikely but cannot be excluded because the same metabolites are formed in a secondary reaction, even at pH 8.0, from the epoxide. The results provide no evidence for the involvement of radicals or cations in the epoxidation reaction, in agreement with results on the oxidation of olefins in organic solvents by metalloporphyrin catalysts.     

Competition between native and monoacetylated polymyxin for charged adsorption sites

The native antibiotic polymyxin B, carrying five positive charges, displaces the monoacetylated on from its adsorbed state at the interface between negatively charged lipid layers ans water. A simulation model for asdorption, governed by electrostatic forces, is presented. The model adequently representes the competitive adsorption kinetics and equilibria.