Ferritin in normal human peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subpopulations

Six peripheral blood lymphoid fractions (total lymphocytes, non-T, T, Tar (autologous rosette-forming T cells/precursor), T mu (helper), and T gamma (suppressor) lymphocytes) isolated through rosetting procedures were examined for the presence of ferritin by a direct immunofluorescence technique. Although ferritin was present in all lymphoid fractions studied, a significantly higher proportion of ferritin-containing cells were detected in the T-cell fraction than in the non-T-cell fraction, (mean +/- SD = 7.9 +/- 1.6% and 5.0 +/- 1.2%, respectively). T mu- and T gamma-cell fractions showed a twofold increase in the number of ferritin-positive cells (14.1 +/- 1.4% and 15.4 +/- 2.6%, respectively), as compared with Tar (7.0 +/- 0.9%)-and total lymphocyte (6.9 +/- 1.3%)-cell fractions. These results indicate that ferritin is preferentially distributed in T mu and T gamma lymphocytes and may constitute the basis for explaining some of the roles exercised by these cells in the control of other biological systems.     

Intracellular Calcium Deficits in Drosophila Cholinergic Neurons Expressing Wild Type or FAD-Mutant Presenilin

Much of our current understanding about neurodegenerative diseases can be attributed to the study of inherited forms of these disorders. For example, mutations in the presenilin 1 and 2 genes have been linked to early onset familial forms of Alzheimer''s disease (FAD). Using the Drosophila central nervous system as a model we have investigated the role of presenilin in one of the earliest cellular defects associated with Alzheimer''s disease, intracellular calcium deregulation. We show that expression of either wild type or FAD-mutant presenilin in Drosophila CNS neurons has no impact on resting calcium levels but does give rise to deficits in intracellular calcium stores. Furthermore, we show that a loss-of-function mutation in calmodulin, a key regulator of intracellular calcium, can suppress presenilin-induced deficits in calcium stores. Our data support a model whereby presenilin plays a role in regulating intracellular calcium stores and demonstrate that Drosophila can be used to study the link between presenilin and calcium deregulation.     

Endorphin mediated increase in pain threshold induced by long-lasting exercise in rats

Rats were trained to run spontaneously, without stress, in running wheels. The running activity increased gradually and could reach a plateau of 7 km/night after 3–4 weeks. During the first hour of running in the dark phase the squeak threshold increased significantly and remained high in the morning. The degree of increased threshold was correlated to the amount of running activity. The squeak threshold declined during the following 6 hours of inactivity. A rapid decrease in threshold occurred after naloxone (1–2 mg/kg i.p.). It is suggested that long-lasting muscle exercise (e.g. jogging), acupuncture, and low frequency electrical stimulation of afferent nerve fibres produce discharges in muscle afferents which influence central endorphin mechanics giving analgetic effects.     

Group-selective reagent modification of the sodium- and chloride-coupled glycine transporter under native and reconstituted conditions.

Glycine transporter from rat brain stem and spinal cord is inactivated by specific sulfhydryl reagents. Modification of lysine residues also promotes a decrease of the transporter activity but in a lesser extent than that promoted by thiol group reagents. Mercurials showed a more marked inhibitory effect than maleimide derivatives. SH groups display a similar reactivity for p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS) and mersalyl in synaptosomal membrane vesicles and proteoliposomes reconstituted with the solubilized transporter. However, different reactivity is observed with N-ethylmaleimide (MalNEt), the greatest effect being attained in membrane vesicles. The rate of inactivation by pCMBS and MalNEt is pseudo-first-order showing time- and concentration-dependence. pCMBS and MalNEt decrease the Vmax for glycine transport and to a lesser extent act on the apparent Km. Treatment with dithiothreitol (DTT) of the transporter modified by pCMBS results in a complete restoration of transporter activity indicating that the effect exercised by the reagent is specific for cysteine residues on the protein. It is concluded that SH groups are involved in the glycine transporter function and that these critical residues are mostly located in a relatively hydrophilic environment of the protein.     

Water-use efficiency as a means of modelling net assimilation in boreal forests

Although the processes governing photosynthesis are well understood, scaling from shoot to canopy in coniferous forests is complex. Development of different sap-flow techniques has made it possible to measure transpiration of whole trees and thereby also of whole canopies. There is a strong link between photosynthesis and transpiration, for which reason it would be interesting to test whether measurements of canopy transpiration could also be used to estimate canopy photosynthesis. As a first step towards this, water-use efficiency (WUE) was studied at branch and canopy scales on the basis of branch gas-exchange measurements, with half-hourly and daily temporal resolution. Half-hourly and daily WUE at both branch and canopy scales showed a strong dependency on vapour-pressure deficit ('e). Branch photosynthesis modelled from branch transpiration and 'e mimicked well measured branch photosynthesis. Also, modelled photosynthesis, scaled to canopy and compared to net forest CO₂ exchange measured by the eddy-covariance technique, occasionally showed good agreement. In spite of these seemingly promising results, there was a difference in the response to 'e between branches and between years, which needs to be better understood.     

Neuromuscular, anaerobic, and aerobic performance characteristics of elite power athletes

Various aspects of neuromuscular, anaerobic, and aerobic performance capacity were investigated in four powerlifters, seven bodybuilders, and three wrestlers with a history of specific training for several years. The data (means +/- SD) showed that the three subject groups possessed similar values for maximal isometric force per unit bodyweight (50.7 +/- 9.6, 49.3 +/- 4.1, and 49.3 +/- 10.9 N/kg, respectively). However, significant (P less than 0.05) differences were observed in the times for isometric force production, so that e.g., times to produce a 30% force level were shorter for the wrestlers and bodybuilders (28.3 +/- 3.1 and 26.4 +/- 6.6 ms) than that (53.3 +/- 23.7 ms) for the powerlifters. Utilization of elastic energy by the wrestlers was significantly (P less than 0.05) better than that of the other two subject groups, as judged from differences between the counter-movement and squat jumps at 0, 40, and 100 kg's loads. No differences were observed between the groups in anaerobic power in a 1-min maximal test, but the values for VO2 max were higher (P less than 0.05) among the wrestlers and bodybuilders (57.8 +/- 6.6 and 50.8 +/- 6.8 ml X kg-1 X min-1) as compared to the powerlifters (41.9 +/- 7.2 ml X kg-1 X min-1). Within the limitations of the subject sample, no differences of a statistical significancy were observed between the groups in fibre distribution, fibre areas, or the area ratio of fast (FT) and slow (ST) twitch fibres in vastus lateralis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)