Effect of ultraviolet radiation on the microsporidian Octosporea muscaedomesticae with reference to protectants provided by the host Phormia regina

The effect of ultraviolet light on the microsporidian Octosporea muscaedomesticae in relation to infection in the adult black blowfly, Phormia regina, was investigated. A 30-Watt germicidal lamp, 253.7-nm wavelength, was used as source of uv light in five investigations. In addition, sunlight served as a uv source in two studies. Viable naked dried spores exposed to the uv lamp at a distance of 10 cm were killed after 15 min. Viable naked spores in an aqueous suspension were killed after 30 min of exposure to the uv lamp and after 3 hr of exposure to bright sunlight, respectively. Daily 30-min uv lamp exposures on living hosts harboring all life phases of the parasite did not interfere with the ensuing infection in the blowfly's midgut and the pathogen's developmental cycle. Spores harvested from uv-treated infected hosts were found to be as infective as spores retrieved from hosts not treated with uv. Spores contained in dried fecal droplets and exposed up to 3 hr to the uv lamp, or 12 hr to bright sunlight, respectively, remained infective. Addition of uric acid to a preparation of naked spores prior to 15- and 30-min uv irradiations yielded 100% infection in both host groups. A uv-protective function is ascribed to components provided by the host's tissues and feces.     

MORPHOGENESIS OF CAPITATE GLANDULAR HAIRS OF CANNABIS SATIVA (CANNABACEAE)

The glandular secretory system in Cannabis sativa L. (marihuana) consists of three types of capitate glandular hairs (termed bulbous, capitate-sessile, and capitate-stalked) distinguishable by their morphology, development, and physiology. These gland types occur together in greatest abundance and developmental complexity on the abaxial surface of bracts which ensheath the developing ovary. Bulbous and capitate-sessile glands are initiated on very young bract primordia and attain maturity during early stages of bract growth. Capitate-stalked glands are initiated later in bract growth and undergo development and maturation on medium, to full sized bracts. Glands are epidermal in origin and derived, with one exception, from a single epidermal initial. The capitate-stalked gland is the exception and is of special interest because it possesses a multicellular stalk secondarily derived from surrounding epidermal and subepidermal cells. Glands differentiate early in development into an upper secretory portion and a subtending auxiliary portion. The secretory portion, depending on gland type, may range from a few cells to a large, flattened multicellular disc of secretory cells. The secretory portion produces a membrane-bound resinous product which caps the secretory cells. Capitate-stalked glands are considered to be of particular evolutionary significance because they may represent a gland type secondarily derived from existing capitate-sessile glands.     

The identification of membrane glycocomponents in polyacrylamide gels: A rapid method using I-labeled lectins

A rapid method is described for the identification of lectin binding membrane glycocomponents in polyacrylamide gels. The method requires only small quantities of membrane material and is applicable to a wide variety of lectins. Solubilized membrane components are electrophoretically separated according to molecular weight in a SDS-polyacrylamide gel. The gel is then incubated in a solution containing the ¹²⁵I-lectin. After elution of unbound ¹²⁵I-lectin, the gel is dried down and those bands which have bound the ¹²⁵I-lectin are identified by radioautography. The amount of bound ¹²⁵I-lectin can be quantified by either densitometric scanning of the radioautogram or by liquid scintillation counting of the dried gel.     

Susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila to Ultraviolet Radiation

Distilled water suspensions of Legionella pneumophila were found to be sensitive to low doses of germicidal ultraviolet radiation.     

Nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor effects in the proton NMR spectra of the oligoribonucleotides ApGpX and CpApX

The variable-temperature proton nmr spectra of the oligoribonucleotides in the series CpApX and the series ApGpX, X = A, G, C, U, together with the parent dimers CpA and ApG have been measured. A complete analysis of all the nonexchangeable base proton resonances and ribose H-1′ proton resonances was made. The presence of trends in the shielding abilities of the various bases at both the nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor positions were identified. The observed shieldings could be used to predict the chemical shifts of protons in related systems. Based on the empirical results from ribodinucleoside monophosphates, the temperature-dependent behavior of the J_1′2′ coupling constants of the triribonucleotides suggested that the compounds in the CpApX series stacked from the 5′-end to the 3′-end, while those in the ApGpX series stacked from the 3′-end to the 5′-end.     

Comparison of phospho- and dephospho-ATP citrate lyase

The dephospho- form of rat liver citrate lyase has been prepared by treating purified [³²P]-ATP citrate lyase with a partially purified phosphatase. A comparison of the properties of the phospho- and dephosphoenzyme has been performed. The pH optima were the same for both forms of the enzyme in four different buffer systems although the optimum values varied identically for both enzyme forms with the buffer. Both the phospho- and dephosphoenzymes show the same kinetic properties except for the K_m observed for ATP in 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid buffer system where it was 54 μm for the phosphoenzyme and 292 μm for the dephosphoenzyme. The present study also indicates that both enzymes are cleaved by trypsin and lysosomal proteases in a similar manner. Both forms of the enzyme tend to associate with mitochondria to the same extent and both enzymes have identical temperature stability curves.     

Comparison by Elisa of serum anti-Candida albicans mannan IgG levels of a normal population and in diseased patients

Quantitative and qualitative studies were made of the fungi of the air in Barcelona City. The genera Cladosporium and Alternaria formed two of the most important components of the fungus population studied during a two-year period running from January 1976 through January 1978. Penicillium species formed the 16.3 % of the total colonies while Aspergillus species represented only the 2.8 %. The occurrence of these genera was greatly affected by climatic conditions. An attempt was made to summariza the data of various kinds of fungi on a volumetric basis. Most of the fungi reported here have been identified as far as genera.

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Résumé Une étude qualitative ainsi que quantitative a été réalisée sur la population fongique présente dans l'atmosphère de la ville de Barcelone. Les genres Cladosporium et Alternaria constituent les moisissures les plus inportantes quant à leur présence parmis la population fongique étudiée durant la période de deux ans comprise entre le mois de Janvier 1976 et le mois de Janvier 1978. Le genre Pénicillium représentait le 16.3% de la totalité des colonies isolées, tandis que le genre Aspergillus ne représentait que le 2.8%. La présence d'espéces de ces genres était largement influencée par les conditions climatologiques. Les données sur la présence des différents genres de moisissures ont été établies sur une base volumétrique. La plupart des moisissures identifiables l'ont été jusqu'au genre.

     

BRAIN TISSUE AND PLASMA ASSAY OF L-DOPA AND α-METHYLDOPA METABOLITES BY HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTION

Using reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection with mobile phases composed of simple acids, we have developed an assay technique to measure multiple catecholamines and their catechol metabolites in plasma or brain tissue with sensitivity to the picomole level. Ion-pairing chromatography with nitric or trichloroacetic acid as the mobile phase permits separation and quantitation of norepinephrine, α-methylnorepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, α-methyldopamine, l -DOPA, α-methyldopa, carbidopa, and DOPAC. Alumina extraction selectively isolates catechols which are then separated on a reverse-phase column and measured by a commercially available electrochemical detector. This method has been applied to measurement of L-DOPA metabolites in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with L-DOPA and carbidopa and to measurement of catecholamines in rat hypothalamus in the course of studies on L-DOPA and α-methyldopa metabolism. Dihydroxybenzylamine is added as an internal standard and standard curves are linear over two orders of magnitude in concentration with coefficients of variation averaging 3.1%. Quantitation is routinely done to 20 pmol with absolute sensitivity possible to 0.5 pmol.     

Interaction of [3H]gibberellin A1 with a sub-cellular fraction from lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) hypocotyls

The relationship between protein synthesis and the incorporation of [³H]gibberellin A₁ ([³H]GA₁) into a 2,000xg pelletable (2KP) fraction from lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) hypocotyl sections has been investigated. Concentrations of D-2-(4-methyl-2,6-dinitroanilino)-N-methylpropionamide (MDMP) between 10^-7 M and 10^-4 M caused increasing inhibition of growth, 2KP labelling and incorporation of [¹⁴C]leucine into soluble protein. Growth and 2KP radioactivity were highly correlated (r=0.996). Transfer to MDMP early or late in the course of GA response caused reductions in both growth and incorporation into the 2KP fraction. Exposure to the inhibitor had more effect at 4 h than at 20 h. The proportions of alkali-soluble and insoluble radioactivity in the 2KP fraction were also altered by this treatment. The implications of these findings are discussed.Abbreviations GA₁ gibberellin A₁ - MDMP D-2-(4-methyl-2,6-dinitroanilino)-N-methylpropionamide - 2KP a2,000xg pelletable fraction     

Sexual development of patients with isochromosomes for the long arm of the X chromosome

Summary The sexual development of 14 girls with non-mosaic monocentric 46,X,iXq karyotype was studied. Seven out of eight girls were found to have immature secondary sexual characteristics and amenorrhoea, a finding greatly contrasting with that in Triplo-X girls. The relative ineffectiveness of the isochromosome Xq in maintaining fertility may be due to the absence of one short arm, which probably also carries a gonadal determinant. Alternatively, the presence of two inactivation sites on one isochromosome may render the gonadal determinants inactive at an important stage in gonadal development.