Oxygen consumption by portal vein-drained organs and by whole animal in conscious growing swine

A method was developed to measure simultaneously the O2 consumption (VO) by the whole animal and by the hepatic portal vein-drained organs (PVDO), including the gastrointestinal tract, spleen, and pancreas in conscious 3.5- to 4-month-old swine. The method was used to determine (i) the effect of feeding on hepatic portal vein blood flow rate (Qpv) and VO by PVDO and by the whole animal, and (ii) the significance of PVDO on the oxidative demand in the pig. Chronic cannulas were placed in the hepatic portal vein, carotid artery, and ileal vein. The Qpv was determined by an indicator dilution technique employing continuous constant infusion of 1% p-aminohippuric acid into the ileal vein. The VO2 by PVDO was estimated by multiplying Qpv by arterial-portal vein O2 difference measured with an arterial-venous O2 difference analyzer connected to the carotid artery and portal vein cannulas. Whole animal VO2 was measured with an open circuit indirect calorimeter. In seven pigs (3.5- to 4-month-old, 37.4 +/- 0.8 kg) trained to be fed once daily, feeding (1.2 kg of feed mixed with 1.2 liter of H2O) caused postprandial (6 hr) Qpv to increase more than 34 +/- 15% above the preprandial value of 34.5 +/- 4.2 ml.min-1.kg-1 body wt. The postprandial VO2 by PVDO was elevated more than 46 +/- 12% above the value of 1.52 +/- 0.20 ml.min-1.kg-1 body wt observed during the preprandial period. Whole animal VO2 increased 45 +/- 9 and 33 +/- 7% above the preprandial value of 6.23 +/- 0.57 ml.min-1.kg-1 body wt for the first 6 hr and the 7 to 12 hr after feeding, respectively. Although PVDO represent only 5% of body weight, they used 25% of whole body VO2. The study clearly illustrates the significance of PVDO on the whole animal oxidative demand in conscious growing swine.     

The conjugative plasmid pTR2030 encodes two bacteriophage defense mechanisms in lactococci, restriction modification (R+/M+) and abortive infection (Hsp+)

pTR2030 is a conjugative plasmid which encodes resistance to bacteriophage in lactococci by a mechanism that aborts the phage infection (Hsp+). Subcloning and in vivo deletion events showed that two independent mechanisms of resistance are located on a 13.6-kilobase Bg/II fragment cloned in pSA3; one mechanism is responsible for the abortive infection, and the other incodes a restriction modification system. The introduction of pTR2030 or the recombinant plasmid pTK6 resulted in the loss of a resident restriction modification plasmid in Lactococcus lactis NCK202 which was not previously identified.     

Mouse DNA methylase. Intracellular location and degradation

DNA methylase extracted with low salt from mouse Krebs II ascites cell nuclei has been degraded stepwise by trypsin treatment. Degradation, accompanied by a limited reduction in size of the native enzyme, leads to the progressive introduction of several nicks so that, eventually, fragments of 14, 18, 24 and 28 kD are released on denaturation. This illustrates the domain structure of the enzyme. In contrast to ascites cell nuclear extracts, preparations from liver nuclei are already nicked and the major from of the enzyme contains a 100 kD fragment though the native molecular weight is unchanged. Newborn mouse liver contains more undegraded enzyme that is mostly firmly-bound within the nucleus. Trypsin treatment increases the de novo activity of the enzyme and prevents its aggregation in the absence of salt, even in the presence of high concentrations of native DNA.     

Soil N mineralization and nitrification in relation to nitrogen solution chemistry in a small forested watershed

Spatial variations in soil processes regulating mineral N losses to streams were studied in a small watershed near Toronto, Ontario. Annual net N mineralization in the 0–8 cm soil was measured in adjacent upland and riparian forest stands using in situ soil incubations from April 1985 to 1987. Mean annual rates of soil N mineralization and nitrification were higher in a maple soil (93.8 and 87.0 kg.ha^–1) than in a pine soil (23.3 and 8.2 kg.ha^–1 ). Very low mean rates of mineralization (3.3 kg.ha^–1) and nitrification (3.4 kg.ha^–1) were found in a riparian hemlock stand. Average NO₃-N concentrations in soil solutions were 0.3–1.0 mg.L^–1 in the maple stand and >0.06mg.L^–1 in the pine stand. Concentrations of NO₃–N in shallow ground water and stream water were 3–4× greater in a maple subwatershed than in a pine subwatershed. Rapid N uptake by vegetation was an important mechanism reducing solution losses of NO₃–N in the maple stand. Low rates of nitrification were mainly responsible for negligible NO₃–N solution losses in the pine stand.     

A C-terminal domain of GAP is sufficient to stimulate ras p21 GTPase activity.

The cDNA for bovine ras p21 GTPase activating protein (GAP) has been cloned and the 1044 amino acid polypeptide encoded by the clone has been shown to bind the GTP complexes of both normal and oncogenic Harvey (Ha) ras p21. To identify the regions of GAP critical for the catalytic stimulation of ras p21 GTPase activity, a series of truncated forms of GAP protein were expressed in Escherichia coli. The C-terminal 343 amino acids of GAP (residues 702-1044) were observed to bind Ha ras p21-GTP and stimulate Ha ras p21 GTPase activity with the same efficiency (kcat/KM congruent to 1 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 at 24 degrees C) as GAP purified from bovine brain or full-length GAP expressed in E. coli. Deletion of the final 61 amino acid residues of GAP (residues 986-1044) rendered the protein insoluble upon expression in E. coli. These results define a distinct catalytic domain at the C terminus of GAP. In addition, GAP contains amino acid similarity with the B and C box domains conserved among phospholipase C-II, the crk oncogene product, and the non-receptor tyrosine kinase oncogene products. This homologous region is located in the N-terminal half of GAP outside of the catalytic domain that stimulates ras p21 GTPase activity and may constitute a distinct structural or functional domain within the GAP protein.     

Evidence for a tRNA/rRNA interaction site within the peptidyltransferase center of the Escherichia coli ribosome

A nine-base oligodeoxyribonucleotide complementary to bases 2497-2505 of 23S rRNA was hybridized to both 50S subunits and 70S ribosomes. The binding of the probe to the ribosome or ribosomal subunits was assayed by nitrocellulose filtration and by sucrose gradient centrifugation techniques. The location of the hybridization site was determined by digestion of the rRNA/cDNA heteroduplex with ribonuclease H and gel electrophoresis of the digestion products, followed by the isolation and sequencing of the smaller digestion fragment. The cDNA probe was found to interact specifically with its rRNA target site. The effects on probe hybridization to both 50S and 70S ribosomes as a result of binding deacylated tRNA(Phe) were investigated. The binding of deacylated tRNA(Phe), either with or without the addition of poly(uridylic acid), caused attenuation of probe binding to both 50S and 70S ribosomes. Probe hybridization to 23S rRNA was decreased by about 75% in both 50S subunits and 70S ribosomes. These results suggest that bases within the 2497-2505 site may participate in a deacylated tRNA/rRNA interaction.     

Hydro-sedimentology of the Johnstone River estuary

This paper examines the physical consequences of increased catchment sediment yields on the sediment budget and the hydrodynamic setting of the South Johnstone River estuary in North Queensland. A combined study involving hydrological monitoring, assessment of sediment sources, estimation of riverine sediment budget and hydro-sedimentological numerical modelling for estuarine sediment transport is currently underway. Initial field and laboratory observations indicate that the sediment delivery from highly erosion-prone sugar cane cultivations in the tropical catchment has increased dramatically during the last 10 years. This has subsequently given rise to elevated flood levels in both the lower and upper catchment areas, as well as significant modifications to the river bed morphology.     

A note on the isolation and propagation of lytic phages from Streptococcus uberis and their potential for strain typing

Thirty-eight of 98 strains of Streptococcus uberis were shown to be carrying lysogenic phage. Although propagating strains were rare, host modification by field strains sensitive to phage was used to increase the lytic spectra. When 120 nationally-collected strains were challenged with 25 phages, selected on the basis of differing lytic spectra and propagating strains, 30% were susceptible to at least one phage, increasing to 42% when 480 strains from a single farm were considered. A typing system based on susceptibility to lytic phage was considered feasible.     

Diurnal Variations of Beta-Endorphin at Rest and After Moderate Intensity Exercise

To determine the effect of time of day on circulating beta-endorphin concentrations 14 men exercised at 75% of their maximal capacity at 0600, 1200, 1800 and 2400 hr. Each trial was separated by 3-5 days and preceded by a normal sleep cycle except for the 0600 hr trials which was preceded by 6 hr sleep. Resting physiological data indicated normal diurnal variations in heart rate, core temperature and oxygen uptake, being lowest during the 0600 hr trials and highest during the 1800 hr trials. Resting plasma beta-endorphin concentrations averaged 11.9 +/- 8.4 pmol/l during the 0600 hr trials, significantly greater than the 2400 hr trials (6.4 +/- 3.6 pmol/l; P less than 0.05). No other significant differences existed at rest. Post exercise beta-endorphin concentrations were elevated and found to be inversely related to time of day with the 0600 hr trials having the highest mean (25.7 +/- 14.7) and the 2400 hr trials the lowest (14.7 +/- 8.3). These data suggest that the plasma beta-endorphin concentrations at rest and after exercise are affected by the time of day. The results also suggest that the changes in beta-endorphin associated with exercise are not major contributors to cardiorespiratory control or changes in psychological effect associated with exercise.