Nitrogen and phosphorus content of flow from drains fertilized with cow manure slurry

Summary The rate of flow and nitrate and phosphorus content of the water from four drained sandy and clayey plots of size 12×60 m cropped to continuous corn were determined following two annual applications of different rates (0, 260, 390 and 520 kg N/ha) of cow manure slurry. The drain flow was directly related to the rainfall and was greatly influenced by soil texture. The N losses were greater in 1972 (7.8 to 19.1 kg N/ha) than in 1971 (0.4 to 7.8 kg N/ha) because of more summer rainfall. Nitrogen and phosphorus losses were larger from the sandy plots than from the clayey plots. The manure application rates had no apparent effect on nitrogen losses in the drain water.     

Excitatory amino acid receptor-mediated neuronal signal transduction: modulation by polyamines and calcium

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - The excitatory amino acids (EAA), L-glutamate and L-aspartate were initially advanced as excitatory neurotransmitters some 30 years ago but in the past few...     

Low serum testosterone concentrations in patients with carcinoma of the pancreas

The detection of high activities of two sex-steroid biosynthetic enzymes—aromatase and 5-alpha-reductase—in pancreatic carcinoma tissue suggested the possibility that these enzymes may influence the circulating concentrations of sex-steroid hormones. Mean serum testosterone concentrations in 22 men and women with exocrine carcinoma of the pancreas were significantly lower than those in 20 healthy controls and 27 patients with other known malignancies, who were of similar age and sex composition. Low serum testosterone concentrations may be due to uptake by and metabolism within the tumour; alternatively, patients with low androgen concentrations may be at greater risk of developing pancreatic carcinoma.     

Aggregation of apolar peptides in organic solvents. Concentration dependence of 1H-nmr parameters for peptide NH groups in 310 helical decapeptide fragment of suzukacillin

Peptide NH chemical shifts and their temperature dependences have been monitored as a function of concentration for the decapeptide, Boc-Aib-Pro-Val-Aib-Val-Ala-Aib-Ala-Aib-Aib-OMe in CDCl₃ (0.001–0.06M) and (CD₃)₂SO (0.001–0.03M). The chemical shifts and temperature coefficients for all nine NH groups show no significant concentration dependence in (CD₃)₂SO. Seven NH groups yield low values of temperature coefficients over the entire range, while one yields an intermediate value. In CDCl₃, the Aib(1) NH group shows a large concentration dependence of both chemical shift and temperature coefficient, in contrast to the other eight NH groups. The data suggest that in (CD₃)₂SO, the peptide adopts a 3₁₀ helical conformation and is monomeric over the entire concentration range. In CDCl₃, the 3₁₀ helical peptide associates at a concentration of 0.01M, with the Aib(1) NH involved in an intermolecular hydrogen bond. Association does not disrupt the intramolecular hydrogen-bonding pattern in the decapeptide.     

Chemical pathology of neurofibrils. Neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's presenile-senile dementia.

A subcellular fraction enriched in twisted tubules was obtained by differential centrifugation of a homogenate of neurons isolated from areas of the brain with many neurofibrillary tangles from patients with Alzheimer's presenile-senile dementia. A unique protein (molecular weight 50,000 daltons) which does not co-migrate with either of the two tubulin monomers of the major neurofilament protein, both purified from human brain, was found in this subcellular fraction on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Similarly processed tissue from areas of the brain poor in neurofibrillary tangles contained low levels of this new protein. The new protein band could not be seen in control patients.     

Photostabilized titanium dioxide and a fluorescent brightener as adjuvants for a nucleopolyhedrovirus

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂)reflects ultraviolet light, and so could beexpected to protect the occlusion bodies (OBs)of nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) fromdegradation by sunlight. However, in thepresence of sunlight and water, TiO₂catalyzes the formation of hydrogen peroxide,which can degrade OBs. We tested microfineTiO₂ that had been photostabilized(particles were coated to prevent catalyticactivity), as a UV protectant for the OBs ofthe NPV of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). Inthe absence of UV, activity of the OBs wasreduced by nonphotostabilized TiO₂ but wasunaffected by photostabilized TiO₂ or byzinc oxide (ZnO). None of these materialsinfluenced larval feeding rates. Undersimulated sunlight, photostabilizedTiO₂ protected the OBs to a greater degreethan did ZnO. Photostabilized TiO₂ wascompatible with a viral enhancer, thefluorescent brightener Blankophor HRS. Undersimulated sunlight, both materials increasedactivity of the OBs, relative to OBs withneither material, in a largely additive manner. In bioassays of foliage collected from fieldplots of lima bean plants sprayed with OBs withor without one or both of these materials,TiO₂ increased persistence of the OBs, butBlankophor HRS had no significant effect.     

A novel homozygous 10 nucleotide deletion in BBS10 causes Bardet–Biedl syndrome in a Pakistani family

Bardet–Biedl Syndrome is a multisystem autosomal recessive disorder characterized by central obesity, polydactyly, hypogonadism, learning difficulties, rod-cone dystrophy and renal dysplasia. Bardet–Biedl Syndrome has a prevalence rate ranging from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 160,000 births although there are communities where Bardet–Biedl Syndrome is found at a higher frequency due to consanguinity. We report here a Pakistani consanguineous family with two affected sons with typical clinical features of Bardet–Biedl Syndrome, in addition to abnormal liver functioning and bilateral basal ganglia calcification, the latter feature being typical of Fahr's disease. Homozygous regions obtained from SNP array depicted three known genes BBS10, BBS14 and BBS2. Bidirectional sequencing of all coding exons by traditional sequencing of all these three genes showed a homozygous deletion of 10 nucleotides (c.1958_1967del), in BBS10 in both affected brothers. The segregation analysis revealed that the parents, paternal grandfather, maternal grandmother and an unaffected sister were heterozygous for the deletion. Such a large deletion in BBS10 has not been reported previously in any population and is likely to be contributing to the phenotype of Bardet–Biedl Syndrome in this family.     

Aluminum-Induced Cholinergic Deficits in Different Brain Parts and Its Implications on Sociability and Cognitive Functions in Mouse

Aluminum is associated with etiology of many neurodegenerative diseases specially Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic exposure to aluminum via drinking water results in aluminum deposition in the brain that leads to cognitive deficits. The study aimed to determine the effects of aluminum on cholinergic biomarkers, i.e., acetylcholine level, free choline level, and choline acetyltransferase gene expression, and how cholinergic deficit affects novel object recognition and sociability in mice. Mice were treated with AlCl₃ (250 mg/kg). Acetylcholine level, free choline level, and choline acetyltransferase gene expression were determined in cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. The mice were subjected to behavior tests (novel object recognition and social novelty preference) to assess memory deficits. The acetylcholine level in cortex and hippocampus was significantly reduced in aluminum-treated animals, as compared to cortex and hippocampus of control animals. Acetylcholine level in amygdala of aluminum-treated animals remained unchanged. Free choline level in all the three brain parts was found unaltered in aluminum-treated mice. The novel object recognition memory was severely impaired in aluminum-treated mice, as compared to the control group. Similarly, animals treated with aluminum showed reduced sociability compared to the control mice group. Our study demonstrates that aluminum exposure via drinking water causes reduced acetylcholine synthesis in spite of normal free choline availability. This deficit is caused by reduced recycling of acetylcholine due to lower choline acetyltransferase level. This cholinergic hypofunction leads to cognitive and memory deficits. Moreover, hippocampus is the most affected brain part after aluminum intoxication.     

Taxonomic Significance of Sclerenchyma Distribution in the Secondary Phloem of Some Indian Tropical Trees

Analysis of the relative amount and distribution pattern of phloem sclerenchyma in some 29 tropical trees of India was carried out with systematic considerations. Both the features exhibited considerable diversity among the species analyzed. The extent of area occupied by sclerenchyma in transections of the bark of these species varied from zero to 35% and 3 to 49% in the conducting and non-conducting phloem zones respectively, the overall amount constituting about 3 to 45% of the secondary phloem as a whole. The sclerenchyma cells differentiated either as isolated elements or in the form of bands or fascicles of diverse shape and size showing various distribution patterns.