THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROMOTION OF ELONGATION OF FERN PROTONEMATA BY LIGHT AND GROWTH SUBSTANCES

Germinating spores of the fern Onoclea sensibilis L. were grown in darkness, so that they developed as filaments (protonemata). Brief daily exposure of the filaments to red, far-red or blue light increased the rate of filament elongation. Filament elongation was also promoted by indoleacetic acid. When filament elongation was promoted with both indoleacetic acid and exposure to light, the growth promotions caused by red and far-red light were additive to auxin-induced growth. Blue light promoted elongation only at sub-optimal concentrations of auxin. Elongation induced by guanine was additive to red- and far-red-induced elongation. Gibberellic acid had no effect on elongation under any condition. Blue-light-induced elongation resembled auxin-induced elongation in its requirement for exogenous sucrose and sensitivity to inhibition by parachlorophenoxyisobutyric acid. Red and far-red light were active regardless of the presence or absence of sucrose and promoted elongation at a concentration of parachlorophenoxyisobutyric acid which completely inhibited blue-light-induced elongation.     

Agar-Gel Precipitin-Inhibition Technique for C-Reactive Protein Determinations

An application of the agargel precipitin-inhibition technique of Ray and Kadull detects the C-reactive protein present in the acute-phase human sera. The sensitivity of this procedure is compared with the capillary tube-precipitin method of Selman and Halpern.     

Agar-Gel Precipitin-Inhibition Technique for C-Reactive Protein Determinations: III. Quantitation of C-Reactive Protein in Serum Specimens

A quantitative C-reactive protein serological procedure has been developed. By use of this method, which is performed in agar-gel plates, from 2 to 654 μg of C-reactive protein per ml of titrated human serum can be detected. The method is based on the inhibition of a specific C-reactive protein antigen-antibody precipitate formed in agar-gel by the minimal reactive dilutions of each reagent in 48 hr. It is simple, sensitive, and readily reproducible.     

Effect of Phenolic Acids and Esters on Respiration and Reproduction of Bacteria in Urine

Vanillic, syringic, gallic, and protocatechuic acids, methyl-p-hydroxybenzoate, and propyl-p-hydroxybenzoate generally inhibited respiration in vitro of Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aerobacter aerogenes in human urine. In the absence of any other available carbon source, certain of the phenolic compounds were utilized. Reproduction was generally suppressed in urine buffered to pH 7, 5.6, 4.5, and 4.0. The phenolic compounds were used in the range of 0.11 to 0.99 μmole/ml.     

The Influence of Morphology on Prognosis in Acute Leukemia

The presence of definite cytoplasmic granulation in at least some of the malignant cells was used as the sole criterion to separate 156 patients with acute leukemia into two groups: 110 with myeloblastic (AML), and 46 with lymphoblastic or stem cell leukemia (ALL). The median survival from the onset of symptoms in patients with AML was 20 weeks, and those with ALL 37 weeks. The difference in survival in these two groups is much greater for patients under the age of 25 than for those over the age of 25.     

Parathyroid Glands of Amphibians. II. Structural and Biochemical Changes in Amphibian Tissues Elicited by Parathyroid Hormone Under Varying Conditions of Season and Temperature

The parathyroid glands have received relatively little attentionwith regard to their impact on the internal milieu in amphibians.Present information, however, clearly indicates that distributionof mineral in frog tissues and body fluids is under hormonalregulation; further modifications are imposed by season andtemperature. Under conditions of cold acclimation or duringwinter normal amphibian bone shows minimal rates of carbohydrateutilization: simultaneously, phosphate is conserved by reducedexcretion and increased incorporation in tissue. Exogenous parathyroidhormone, injected under these conditions when endogenous titersmay be low due to glandular degeneration, reverses these effects,and phosphate is lost in a hyperphosphaturic urine. During summeror periods of warm acclimation, hormone promotes incorporationof phosphate in tissues, and increases rates of carbohydratemetabolism in bone; citric acid, which may act in solubilizingbone mineral, is elevated in the bone. Concurrently, pre-existingsulfated mucopolysaccharides of "old" bone may be degraded,while epiphyseal zones enlarge and may exhibit accelerated orabnormal elaboration of sulfated components of cartilage and/orosteoid matrix.     

Preparation, properties and metabolism of 5,6-monoepoxyretinoic acid

1. Methyl retinoate has been converted into methyl 5,6-monoepoxyretinoate by reaction with monoperphthalic acid. The epoxy acid ester on alkaline hydrolysis gave 5,6-monoepoxyretinoic acid. 2. Treatment of the 5,6-monoepoxy compounds with ethanolic hydrochloric acid gave the corresponding 5,8-epoxy (furanoid) compounds. 3. With lithium aluminium hydride, the acid and the ester groups were selectively reduced to primary alcohols. 4. Administration of methyl 5,6-monoepoxyretinoate intraperitoneally and subcutaneously had good growth response in vitamin A-deficient rats. 5. 5,6-Monoepoxyretinoic acid, when given intraperitoneally as the sodium salt, was 157% as active as all-trans-retinyl acetate. 6. Methyl 5,6-monoepoxyretinoate was hydrolysed to the epoxy acid by rat-liver homogenate. It had 35% of the biological activity of all-trans-retinyl acetate in the rat when given orally.     

FINE STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF ZEA MAYS POLLEN I: CELL MEMBRANES AND EXINE ONTOGENY

Electron microscopy was used to study pollen wall ontogeny in Zea mays. The initial stage of development consisted of compartmentalization of microspores within callose special walls. Microspore plasma membranes retracted and tubular elements of the endoplasmic reticulum became perpendicularly oriented to the plasma membranes. Evaginations of the endoplasmic reticulum into the microspore plasma membrane resulted in the establishment of a template or blueprint of the mature pollen wall. Sporopollenin deposition upon the template began immediately after dissolution of the callose special walls and release of the microspores into the anther locule. The columellae were the first pollen wall units to be formed; the tectum and foot layer became established shortly thereafter. The granular endexine was the last-formed unit. The relationships of membrane systems to the ontogeny of the pollen wall units and the mode of pollen wall growth are discussed.