The effect of silicon on the manganese nutrition of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill)

Summary Silicon during the early vegetative stage did not affect the oven dry weight of any of the various tissues of the soybean plant. Silicon did, however, decrease the Mn concentration in the youngest fully mature leaf at intermediate levels of Mn. This effect did not occur at the lowest or highest Mn levels. Deficiency and toxicity symptoms were moderated to a slight degree by Si except at the highest level of Mn.     

Interaction between macrophages and Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula: Role of IgG peptides and aggregates on the modulation of β-glucuronidase release and the cytotoxicity against schistosomula

Discharge of lysosomal enzymes, measured by release of β-glucuronidase and cytotoxicity against Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula, was studied when rat macrophages were incubated in the presence of either IgG peptides, resulting from the cleavage of nonimmune IgG by parasitic proteases, or nonimmune aggregated IgG. With peptides, the macrophage activity showed a dramatic decrease while they were stimulated by IgG aggregates. In contrast, the synthesis of lymphocyte activating factor by macrophages was unaffected. The hydrolysis of IgG is carried out by two distinct enzymatic molecules released into the medium by the larvae. The mechanism by which nonimmune IgG peptides or aggregates inhibit or stimulate macrophage activity, regulated by both parameters indicated above, is discussed and is suggested as a general regulation mechanism for the macrophage activity required for parasite survival in the host.     

Amino acid sequences around the sites of phosphorylation in the pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

1. When pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was phosphorylated to completion with [gamma-32P]ATP by its intrinsic kinase, three phosphorylation sites were observed. The amino acid sequences around these sites were: sequence 1, Tyr-Gly-Met-Gly-Thr-Ser(P)-Val-Glu-Arg; and sequence 2, Tyr-His-Gly-His-Ser(P)-Met-Ser-Asp-Pro-Gly-Val-Ser(P)-Tyr-Arg. 2. When phosphorylated to inactivation by repetitive additions of limiting quantities of [gamma-32P]ATP, phosphate was incorporated mainly (more than 90%) into Ser-5 of sequence 2. Phosphorylation of this site thus results in activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase. 3. If Ser-5 is phosphorylated with ATP and the enzyme then incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP, phosphorylation of the remaining sites occurred. Ser-12 of sequence 2 is phosphorylated about twice as rapidly as Ser-6 of sequence 1. 4. Incubation of pyruvate dehydrogenase with excess [gamma-32P]ATP with termination of phosphorylation at about 50% complete inactivation showed that Ser-5 of sequence 2 was phosphorylated most rapidly, but also that Ser-12 of sequence 2 was significantly (15% of total) phosphorylated. Ser-6 sequence 1 contained about 1% total P. 5. These results suggest that addition of limiting amounts of ATP produces primarily phosphorylation of Ser-5 of sequence 2 (inactivating site). This also occurs during incubation with excess ATP before complete inactivation occurs, but a greater occupancy of other sites also occurs during this treatment.     

Adenylyl cyclase deficient cr-1 (Crisp) mutant of Neurospora crassa: Cyclic AMP-dependent nutritional deficiencies

The inability to synthesize cyclic AMP drastically affects the nutritional metabolism of Neurospora crassa. The adenylyl cyclase-less mutant cr-1 (crisp) did not utilize several carbon sources, including glycerol, mannitol, arabinose, and casaminoacids. However, in glucose or acetate it grew as well as the wild type. The following evidence suggested that these nutritional deficiencies were a direct result of the cr-1 mutation: (i), in crosses to wild type they segregated together with the crisp morphological marker; (ii), cyclic AMP added to the cr-1 mutant growth medium overcame the nutritional deficiencies; (iii), the cyclic AMP effect was specific for the crisp mutant, for it was not observed with the wild type, nor with a spontaneous glycerol-utilizing cr-1 strain.     

Cytochemical analysis on a case of familial 17ps

Summary Chromosome 17ps was identified in the mother and daughter but not the father of a normal family with no history of congenital abnormality. In addition to G-band and Ag-NOR staining, previously used to study this abnormality, we applied N-band and C-band techniques. Our results showed that 17ps has no demonstrable ribosomal cistron or constitutive heterochromatin.     

A modified MOPP regimen in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease stage III B and IV (author's transl)

In a retrospective study 80 patients with Hodgkin's disease of stage III B (n = 32) and IV (n = 48) were investigated, who had been treated with a modified MOPP regimen. 28 patients (35%) were previously untreated. A completed remission was reached in 51 patients, a partial remission in 16, and 13 patients failed to respond. 16 patients had died in the observation period. Complete remissions were twice as frequent with 90% in stage III as compared with 45% in stage IV. The group of patients surviving 4 years was 92% in stage III and 62% in stage IV.