Carbohydrate metabolism and the temporal occurrence of a serotonin-like indole in the male and female reproductive tract and its relationship with PGF and infertility: a review

Both in the male and in the female reproductive tract glucose can be converted via either the pentose pathway or the sorbitol pathway. It is shown that a disturbed carbohydrate metabolism can lead to infertility, i.e. in the cow and in the bull semen. Evidence is provided that the serotonin-like indole which occurs in the protein-complex and is liberated, can exert effects on the uterine endometrium comparable to those caused by serotonin. It is suggested that the indole liberated can cause ischaemia, followed by regression of the endometrium. When this occurs in repeat breeder cows, exogenous PGF given in mid-cycle on a suitable day, may restore the endometrium so that the cow can again become pregnant. The possibility is mentioned that in humans the free indole might cause regression of the endometrium and some distress symptoms, but thereafter endogenous PGF does increase the vascular permeability resulting finally in bleeding.     

Localization of proviral integration sites (Mlvi-1, Mlvi-2, and Pvt-1) and the alpha-globin pseudogene, Hba-3ps, on murine chromosome 15

In situ hybridization was applied to map different proviral integration sites on murine chromosome 15. The Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1, Mlvi-1, was assigned to 15D2, Mlvi-2 to 15A2-B1, and the plasmacytoma variant translocation site 1, Pvt-1, to 15D2-3. The alpha-globin pseudogene, Hba-3ps, was mapped in close proximity to Mlvi-1 in 15D2.     

Identification of the Receptor-Binding Protein in 936-Species Lactococcal Bacteriophages

The aim of this work was to identify genes responsible for host recognition in the lactococcal phages sk1 and bIL170 belonging to species 936. These phages have a high level of DNA identity but different host ranges. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that homologous genes, orf18 in sk1 and orf20 in bIL170, could be the receptor-binding protein (RBP) genes, since the resulting proteins were unrelated in the C-terminal part and showed homology to different groups of proteins hypothetically involved in host recognition. Consequently, chimeric bIL170 phages carrying orf18 from sk1 were generated. The recombinant phages were able to form plaques on the sk1 host Lactococcus lactis MG1614, and recombination was verified by PCR analysis directly with the plaques. A polyclonal antiserum raised against the C-terminal part of phage sk1 ORF18 was used in immunogold electron microscopy to demonstrate that ORF18 is located at the tip of the tail. Sequence analysis of corresponding proteins from other lactococcal phages belonging to species 936 showed that the N-terminal parts of the RBPs were very similar, while the C-terminal parts varied, suggesting that the C-terminal part plays a role in receptor binding. The phages investigated could be grouped into sk1-like phages (p2, fd13, jj50, and 7) and bIL170-like phages (P008, P113G, P272, and bIL66) on the basis of the homology of their RBPs to the C-terminal part of ORF18 in sk1 and ORF20 in bIL170, respectively. Interestingly, sk1-like phages bind to and infect a defined group of L. lactis subsp. cremoris strains, while bIL170-like phages bind to and infect a defined group of L. lactis subsp. lactis strains.     

Modeling long-term compost application effects on nitrate leaching

Application of compost to agricultural soils may be beneficial for crop production by increasing soil fertility and supplying plant nutrients, however, any raise of the soil organic matter content may increase the potential for unintended groundwater contamination by nitrate leaching. In this paper, the effect of long-term compost applications on nitrate leaching, soil organic matter content, and crop production is analyzed using results of simulation scenarios for agricultural sites with loamy and sandy soils. Simulations were carried out using the Danish Nitrogen Simulation System (DAISY) which describes the nitrogen balance in a one-dimensional soil-plant-atmosphere system and considers compost type and application rate as well as management and cropping practice. Estimations of hydraulic and solute transport parameters are based on pedotransfer functions. Data from a 4.5-year period of field experiments with compost applications in northern Germany as well as from laboratory experiments with compost amended soil are used for model calibration. Simulation results suggest that: (i) with respect to nitrogen turnover the differences between compost types (i.e., non-matured and matured) are small compared to site-specific properties (i.e., soil temperature and water balance) and management practices (i.e., crop rotation) when considering a compost application period of 50 years; (ii) with respect to nitrate leaching the effect of different compost application scenarios is highly sensitive at the sand and relatively small at the loam site; and (iii) relatively high crop yields and acceptably low nitrate concentrations in the drainage water are obtained at the sand site when applying a combination of 10 t compost/ha/yr and soil- N_min adjusted mineral nitrogen additions of about 20 kg/ha/yr to a winter-grain dominated crop rotation. Further optimization may be possible by applying reduced rates of the (economically interesting) non-matured compost. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mikrospektralphotometrische Untersuchungen mit dem UMSP I (C. Zeiss) an Oberepidermen der SchuppenblÄtter vonAllium cepa nach NeutralrotfÄrbung

Zusammenfassung Von Einzelzellen der Oberepidermen der SchuppenblÄtter vonAllium cepa mit einer MosaikfÄrbung nach Neutralrotbehandlung werden mit Hilfe des Universal-Mikrospektralphotometers (UMSP I) von C. Zeiss, Oberkochen, Absorptionsspektren sowohl vom Zellsaft als auch von der Zellwand und dem Plasma aufgenommen.Die Spektren bestÄtigen, da\ die verschiedenen Farbtöne des Zellsaftes von zinnoberrot bis violettrot nicht auf einer unterschiedlichen AziditÄt, sondern auf einem verschieden hohen Flavonolgehalt beruhen. Es handelt sich um einen Metachromasieeffekt, der von der positiven bis zur extrem negativen Metachromasie reicht. Aus dem Farbton des gespeicherten Neutralrotes dürfen also keine Rückschlüsse auf pH-Werte gezogen werden.Das Absorptionsmaximum eines mit Neutralrot gefÄrbten flavonolfreien (leeren) Zellsaftes liegt bei 488 nm (=Dimeren-Bande). Mit zunehmendem Flavonolgehalt wandert das Maximum zum lÄngerwelligen Bereich und erreicht bei einer bestimmten Flavonolkonzentration (voller Zellsaft) 560 nm (= Verbindungs-Bande).Das Absorptionsmaximum der mit Neutralrot gefÄrbten, nicht inkrustierten Zellwand liegt bei 488 nm. Die ZellwandfÄrbung ist demnach auf die Adsorption assoziierter Farbkationen zurückzuführen.Das im Hellfeld farblose, aber im UV fluorescierende Plasma gibt in seinem Absorptionsspektrum keine Anhaltspunkte für Rückschlüsse auf den Zustand des im lebenden Plasma wahrscheinlich nur in sehr geringer Konzentration vorhandenen Neutralrotes.Wir danken Herrn Hermann Becker für die Umzeichnung der Kurven und der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft für die uns gewÄhrten Mittel, die die Untersuchungen erst ermöglichten.     

Biosynthesis of glycoproteins E and I of feline herpesvirus: gE-gI interaction is required for intracellular transport.

The biosynthesis of glycoproteins E and I of feline herpesvirus was studied by using the vaccinia virus vTF7-3 expression system. gE and gI were synthesized as N-glycosylated, endoglycosidase H (EndoH)-sensitive precursors with Mrs of 83,000 and 67,000, respectively. When coexpressed, gE and gI formed sodium dodecyl sulfate-sensitive hetero-oligomeric complexes that were readily transported from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Concomitantly, the glycoproteins acquired extensive posttranslational modifications, including O glycosylation, leading to an increase in their apparent molecular weights to 95,000 and 80,000 to 100,000 for gE and gI, respectively. In the absence of gE, most gI remained EndoH sensitive. Only a minor population became EndoH resistant, but these molecules were processed aberrantly as indicated by their Mrs (100,000 to 120,000). By immunofluorescence microscopy, gI was detected primarily in the ER but also at the plasma membrane. gE, when expressed by itself, remained EndoH sensitive and was found only in the ER and the nuclear envelope. These results were corroborated by studying the biosynthesis of gE in feline herpesvirus (FHV)-infected cells. In cells infected with wild-type FHV, gE acquired the same co- and posttranslational modifications as during vTF7-3-driven expression. However, an FHV mutant lacking gI failed to produce mature gE. We conclude that gE is retained in the ER, presumably by associating with molecular chaperones, and becomes transport competent only when in a complex with gI.     

Culture,biology, and human behavior

Social scientists have not integrated relevant knowledge from the biological sciences into their explanations of human behavior. This failure is due to a longstanding antireductionistic bias against the natural sciences, which follows on a commitment to the view that social facts must be explained by social laws. This belief has led many social scientists into the error of reifying abstract analytical constructs into entities that possess powers of agency. It has also led to a false nature-culture dichotomy that effectively undermines the place of biology in social scientific explanation. Following the principles of methodological individualism, we show how behavioral explanations supported by data and theory from the neurosciences can be used to correct the errors of reificationist thinking in the social sciences. We outline a mechanistic approach to the explanation of human behavior with the hope that the biological sciences will begin to find greater acceptance among social scientists.