Congenital malformation syndromes and elevation of amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein

Fetal malformations may introduce complications of maternal pregnancy. A polyhydramnios represents one such complication during pregnancy. We want to report five abnormal pregnancies which were marked by acute polyhydramnios and/or premature labor due to an amniotic band syndrome associated with cerebral herniation in two cases, malignant oral teratoma in one case, bilateral cystic hygromas associated with generalized fetal hydrops in one case, and multiple internal malformations in one case alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) values between the 25th and 34th week of gestation were elevated 3.5 to 44 times the normal median value. Since all fetuses showed severe malformations incompatible with life our observations indicate the necessity to determine AFP in cases of acute polyhydramnios independent of the week of gestation. Conversely, elevated AFP levels in amniotic fluid obtained during prenatal diagnosis in the 16th week of gestation may also suggest rare fetal malformations outlined above.     

Dispersed 5S RNA genes in N. crassa: structure, expression and evolution

The 5S RNA genes (5S genes) in N. crassa are not tandemly arranged or tightly clustered as in other eucaryotes that have been examined. 55 RNA or cloned 5S DNA hybridizes to at least 30 different restriction fragments of Neurospora DNA. Of 34 5S DNA clones examined, each contains a single 5S gene. Saturation hybridization analyses indicate that there are about 100 copies of 5S genes in the genome of this organism. We have partially or completely sequenced the 5S region of 15 clones. Both identical and highly divergent 5S coding regions were found. Nine are of one type (alpha). The other six include four different types (beta, beta', gamma and delta) which differ from each other and from the alpha genes to various degrees. Eleven of 15 genes have distinct flanking regions. Analysis of Neurospora 5S RNA showed that it consists of one principal species which matches the alpha-type gene sequence. Additional 5S species corresponding to the less abundant 5S gene types were also detected. The pattern of nucleotide substitutions between the predicted Neurospora 5S RNAs and between these and S. cerevisiae 5S RNA suggests that a particular 5S RNA secondary structure occurs in vivo and is conserved.     

Comparison of rat and guinea pig as sources of the S9 fraction in the salmonella/mammalian microsome mutagenicity test

A highly significant enhancement of mutagenicity occurs with 11 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons when 3-methylcholanthrene-induced guinea pig liver S9 is substituted for Aroclor-induced rat liver S9 in the Ames test. The use of MC-induced guinea pig liver S9 is particularly valuable for detecting the weak mutagenicity of benz[c]acridine, which is barely positive in a standard Ames assay. However, anthracene and phenanthrene, which are generally considered not to be carcinogens, remain non-mutagenic for strain TA100. This enhancement of mutagenicity does not correlate with arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activities of the various liver preparations and does not apply to certain other non-PAH mutagens, including β-naphthylamine, aflatoxin B₁ and 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene.     

Chemical regulators of carotenogenesis by Blakeslea trispora

The activation of the carotene biosynthetic pathway in Blakeslea trispora was found to occur by trisporic acid and many other compounds such as abscisic acid, β-ionone, α-ionone and vitamin A which share significant structural similarity with trisporic acid. The magnitude of stimulatory activities of these effectors was in the order trisporic acid > abscisic acid > β-ionone > α-ionone > vitamin A. Comparison of structures and stimulatory activities of all the effectors indicated that the short length of the side chain and the presence of a keto group in the ring structure of the trisporic acid molecule contributed significantly to the biological activity towards carotenogenesis.     

Zinc deficiency in wetland rice along a toposequence of hydromorphic soils in the Philippines

Summary Zinc deficiency in rice induced by prolonged water saturation of the soil is widespread in the Philippines. The poor drainage associated with the disorder is mostly due to upwelling of shallow artesian water in footslope areas and to ponding of water from continually flowing artesian wells common in such areas. One toposequence where no Zn deficiency occurred in the highest field and progressively severe Zn deficiency in successive lower fields, was studied in detail. With lower elevation soils showed an increase in organic matter and free carbonate, associated with increased upwelling and ponding of artesian water very high in dissolved Mg and Ca bicarbonate.     

Demonstration of 2n spermatids in carriers of the “sex reversed” factor in the mouse by feulgen cytophotometry

Summary The Sex Reversed factor (Sxr) leads to development of XX males. The condition is transmitted by XY-Sxr males. The testes of XY-Sxr carriers are characterized by patches of defective spermatogenesis with meiotic failure and appearance of extraordinary large spermatids. In the present study DNA content of the large spermatids is determined by Feulgen DNA measurement using a scanning cytophotometer. The large spermatids in XY-Sxr testes are shown to be 2n.This study is dedicated to Prof. Dr. W. Graumann on occasion of his 65th birthday     

Assignment of the human gene for muscle-type phosphofructokinase (PFKM) to chromosome 1 (region cen leads to q32) using somatic cell hybrids and monoclonal anti-M antibody

Human phosphofructokinase (PFK; EC 2.7.1.11) is under the control of three structural loci which encode muscle-type (M), live-type (L), and platelet-type (P) subunits; human diploid fibroblasts and leukocytes express all three loci. In order to assign human PFKM locus to a specific chromosome we have analyzed human x Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids for the expression of human M subunits, using an anti-human M subunit-specific mouse monoclonal antibody. In 18 of 19 hybrids studied, the expression of the PFKM locus segregated concordantly with the presence of chromosome 1 (discordance rate 0.05) as indicated by chromosome and isozyme marker analysis. The discordance rates for all the other chromosomes were 0.32 or greater, indicating that the PFKM locus is on chromosome 1. For the regional mapping of PFKM, eight hybrids were studied that contained one of five distinct regions of chromosome 1. These results further localize the human PFKM locus to region cen leads to q32 chromosome 1.     

Description of a new species of Petalopthalmus (Mysidacea) with a revised definition of the genus

A new species of Petalopthalmus, P. australis is described.This species can be easily distinguished from its congenersby the broad antennal scale whose outer margin is straight andnaked. A key for the identification of Petalopthalmus spp. isalso included.