Novel,X-ray supported kinetic imaging of hidden-lifestyle arthropods

Dear Editor,There are several arthropods,which live and develop covertly in plant tissues.The plant tissues surrounding them provide them with shelter during their vulnerable developing stage or ensure overwintering as well as they can supply them with essential food for their ontogenetic development(McNaughton,1983).     

Mechanism and dynamics of macroautophagy in murine exocrine pancreatic cells. A review of vinblastine-induced changes.

Autophagy is a major pathway of lysosomal degradation of cellular macromolecules. The paper summarizes the results obtained in the studies on macroautophagy using the exocrine pancreatic acinar cell as model system and vinblastine as inducer. Current knowledge about the origin and properties of the limiting membranes of autophagic vacuoles, and the results of quantitative morphological studies into the dynamics and kinetics of vinblastine-induced autophagocytosis, as well as recent achievements in isolation and characterization of subclasses of autophagic vacuoles (autophagosomes and autolysosomes) are reviewed.     

Ethological analysis of social and environmental effects on the distribution of the behavioural elements of the paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis L.)

The behaviour of the paradise fish in a new environment was examined. The influence of space, the number of conspecifics, the number of each sex in the various groups and the time allowed for habituation on the distribution of various behavioural elements were revealed. By means of principal component analysis five biologically meaningful factors were extracted. Using the scores of the various factors as indices of settlement, fear passive behaviours and exploration, special effects of the environment were assessed. In small tanks the fish are in an emotionally low but stable continuously trying to escape. Being prevented from escaping they develop various passive behaviour forms which alternate with escape. In a large tank the main occupation of a female fish on its own is exploration at the start; this is accompanied by a fearful state. In groups of four the activity of exploration is less and the fearful state is not so pronounced. The presence of males seems to secure the most stable state in a new environment though after about two days the males start breeding activities and this involves a new spectrum of activities.     

Importance of 3D conformal percutan and brachytherapy treatment planning based on CT and MRI examinations in treatment of oral cavity tumors

AIM: The importance of 3D conformal percutan and brachytherapy treatment planning based on CT and MRI examinations in treatment of oral cavity tumors. Introducing of the planning procedure and the selection aspects. METHOD: We present the treatment planning based on CT and MRI slices of an oral cavity tumor. The percutan or interstitial boost follow the percutan irradiation of the involved regions and lymph nodes, regarding to the target volume and the critical organs. RESULT: Our ADAC 3D planning system gives us the possibility to add the first line and the boost treatment plans, to determine and compare the dose distribution within the planned target volume and the radiation load of the critical organs. CONCLUSION: The comparative 3D radiation planning system allows higher local dose escalation required for the effective radiation treatment of oral cavity tumors with maximal protection of the surrounding healthy tissues.     

Hypothyroidism in Hodgkin's disease patients

PURPOSE: Study of thyroid function in Hodgkin's disease patients in complete remission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined the thyroid function of 160 Hodgkin's disease patients in complete remission for at least one year, and determined the values of supersensitive thyroid stimulating hormone (sTSH), free T4 (fT4), free T3 (fT3) hormones. RESULTS: Normal values were observed in 117 patients, subclinical change (only elevated sTSH) in 28 patients, clinical hypothyroidism in 14 patients (also low fT4 and/or fT3), hyperthyroidism (Basedow's disease) in one patient. Hypothyroidism was one and a half times more frequent in females than in males. The normal and low thyroid function group did not differ from each other in mean age, histological subtypes, disease stage, general symptoms, and whether lymphangiography was performed. Hypothyroidism was more frequent in patients who had undergone mantle or neck radiotherapy. The onset of thyroid gland underfunction was more pronounced from six years after neck radiotherapy. The thyroid disease could be controlled using a daily dose of 25-225 mg levothyroxin. CONCLUSIONS: During the care of Hodgkin's disease patients routine examination of the thyroid function is important for the early recognition and prevention of treatment related late complications. On the other hand in treatment planning phase more attention should be paid to thyroid gland protection when neck radiotherapy is used.     

Self-destructive behaviour in the Hungarian population

In Hungary today the mortality rate of middle aged (55-64 years old) men is higher than it was in the 1930s. Within these statistics there are considerable socioeconomic differences, the mortality rate of lower secondary or lower educated middle aged men is 1.45 times higher than among those with higher education. About 40% of these socioeconomic mortality differences can be explained by higher prevalence of risk behaviour in lower socioeconomic groups. According to the results of our national representative survey conducted in the Hungarian population with 12640 persons in 1995, the prevalence of smoking was 45.5% among men and 26.6% among women. In the populaton younger than 45 years old the prevalence of smoking among men was 47.9%, among women 31.9%. Among men there is a clear socioeconomic gradient in smoking, in the number of daily cigarettes, the quantity of spirit consumption in one occasion, among women this socioeconomic gradient is not so obvious. The effectiveness of health promotion programmes depends on effective management of the motivational, psychological determinants of risk behaviour.     

Factors influencing glycosylation of Trichoderma reesei cellulases. II: N-glycosylation of Cel7A core protein isolated from different strains

A systematic analysis of the N-glycosylation of the catalytic domain of cellobiohydrolase I (Cel7A or CBH I) isolated from several Trichoderma reesei strains grown in minimal media was performed. Using a combination of chromatographic, electrophoretic, and mass spectrometric methods, the presence of glucosylated and phosphorylated oligosaccharides on the three N-glycosylation sites of Cel7A core protein (from T. reesei strains Rut-C30 and RL-P37) confirms previous findings. With N-glycans isolated from other strains, no end-capping glucose could be detected. Phosphodiester linkages were however found in proteins from each strain and these probably occur on both the alpha1-3 and the alpha1-6 branch of the high-mannose oligosaccharide tree. Evidence is also presented for the occurrence of mannobiosyl units on the phosphodiester linkage. Therefore the predominant N-glycans on Cel7A can be represented as (ManP)(0-1)GlcMan(7-8)GlcNAc2 for the hyperproducing Rut-C30 and RL-P37 mutants and as (Man(1-2)P)(0-1-2)Man(5-6-7)GlcNAc2 for the wild-type strain and the other mutants. As shown by ESI-MS, random substitution of these structures on the N-glycosylation sites explains the heterogeneous glycoform population of the isolated core domains. PAG-IEF separates up to five isoforms, resulting from posttranslational modification of Cel7A with mannosyl phosphodiester residues at the three distinct sites. This study clearly shows that posttranslational phosphorylation of glycoproteins is not atypical for Trichoderma sp. and that, in the case of the Rut-C30 and RL-P37 strains, the presence of an end-capped glucose residue at the alpha1-3 branch apparently hinders a second mannophoshoryl transfer.     

Neighboring group participation. Part 15. Stereoselective synthesis of some steroidal tetrahydrooxazin-2-ones, as novel presumed inhibitors of human 5alpha-reductase

During the alkaline methanolysis of 3beta-acetoxy-21-chloromethyl-pregn-5-ene-20beta-N-phenylurethane, and its p-substituted phenyl derivatives, cyclization occurs, in the course of which 17beta-[3-(N-phenyl)tetrahydrooxazin-2-on-6-yl]androst-5-en-3beta-ol and its p-substituted phenyl derivatives are formed. The cyclization takes place with (N(-)-6) neighboring group participation. Oppenauer oxidation of the 3beta-hydroxy-exo-heterocyclic steroids yielded the corresponding delta4-3-ketosteroids. The structures of the new compounds were proved by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, using up-to-date measuring techniques such as 2D-COSY, HMQC, and HMBC. The inhibitory effects (CI50) of the delta4-3-ketosteroids on 5alpha-reductase were studied.     

Modular broad-host-range expression vectors for single-protein and protein complex purification

A set of modular broad-host-range expression vectors with various affinity tags (six-His-tag, FLAG-tag, Strep-tag II, T7-tag) was created. The complete nucleotide sequences of the vectors are known, and these small vectors can be mobilized by conjugation. They are useful in the purification of proteins and protein complexes from gram-negative bacterial species. The plasmids were easily customized for Thiocapsa roseopersicina, Rhodobacter capsulatus, and Methylococcus capsulatus by inserting an appropriate promoter. These examples demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of the vectors. The constructs harbor the T7 promoter for easy overproduction of the desired protein in an appropriate Escherichia coli host. The vectors were useful in purifying different proteins from T. roseopersicina. The FLAG-tag-Strep-tag II combination was utilized for isolation of the HynL-HypC2 protein complex involved in hydrogenase maturation. These tools should be useful for protein purification and for studying protein-protein interactions in a range of bacterial species.     

Adaptive responses to static conditions in nutrient-rich cultures of luminous Ralstonia eutropha

The lux-gene fused Ralstonia eutropha, when adapting to static conditions, causes stratification of air-exposed and nutrient-rich cultures at above 0.15 mg biomass ml(-1). The O2 respiring biofilm (luminous neuston) phase, along with the dark sub-neustonic suspension phase, develops within 5-60 min. The instability of the biphasic static culture was identified as a reason for occasionally observable oscillatory bioluminescence.