Changes in cell-surface expression of MHC and Thy-1.2 determinants following treatment with lipid modulating agents

Treatment of normal mouse spleen cells with lipid fluidity modulators changes the expression of cell-surface H-2 determinants. BALB/c spleen cells treated for 1 to 2 hr with cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS) displayed reduced levels of all tested H-2 determinants (H-2L, H-2K, and H-2D) as evaluated by flow microfluorometry and increased membrane lipid packing density as determined by 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) fluorescence polarization. In contrast, decreasing membrane lipid packing density by phosphatidylcholine treatment decreased DPH fluorescence polarization and increased the expression of MHC determinants. The effects were selective in that expression of Thy-1.2 determinants was decreased by the latter treatment and not increased by CHS. The results are discussed in terms of passive modulation of antigenic expression.     

Screening for Chlamydial Infections in Women Attending Family Planning Clinics—Evaluation of Presumptive Indicators for Therapy

Chlamydia trachomatis was recovered from the cervices of 9.8 percent (268/2,729) of women attending seven family planning clinics. The infection rate varied from 5.5 percent to 22.5 percent in different clinics. Chlamydial infection could be associated with younger age, nulliparity, being black and use of oral contraceptives. Most (70 percent) of the chlamydial infections were inapparent and presumptive indicators for antichlamydial therapy that are useful for symptomatic women will not make a major impact on this reservoir. It is concluded that chlamydial cultures are needed to deal with the high prevalence of these infections.     

Thymus-independent induction and antigen-dependent recovery of idiotype-specific suppression

BALB/c nude (nu/nu) mice and euthymic (nu/+) littermates were treated as neonates with anti-T15 antibody and challenged at various ages with either a thymus-independent, PC-Brucella abortus (PC-BA), or thymus-dependent, PC-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (PC-KLH), form of phosphorylcholine (PC). Nu/nu mice challenged with PC-KLH received KLH-primed splenic T cells prior to immunization. Neither neonatally anti-idiotype-treated nu/+ nor nu/nu mice responded with the production of T15-positive anti-PC antibodies after challenge with either form of PC antigen. It is concluded that neither induction nor maintenance of a state of T15-specific suppression requires thymus-matured T cells. Recovery of anti-PC responsiveness in suppressed nu/+ or nu/nu mice was similar and was found to be related to the form of antigen used to elicit the response. Immunization with PC-KLH revealed a long-lasting unresponsiveness (up to 16 weeks). In contrast, immunization with PC-BA elicited a full anti-PC response as early as at 6.5 weeks of age.     

"Whey" proteins of milk of the red (Macropus rufus) and eastern grey (Macropus giganteus) kangaroo

1. A comparison is made of gel electrophoretic patterns of the "whey" proteins of the milk of red (Macropus rufus) and eastern grey (Macropus giganteus) kangaroos at various stages of lactation. Qualitative and quantitative changes occur with time during the mature phase of lactation of both types. Their onset is related solely to the stage of lactation. "Whey" proteins are isolated and characterised and the nature of protein changes determined for the first time. 2. The anodic electrophoretic pattern is divided into 6 main zones (designated A F in order of decreasing mobility) and 2 cathodic zones (G and H) that are only detected in the milk of M. giganteus. 3. Zones A, B and C are milk specific. Zone B is present throughout lactation in both species and is an alpha-lactalbumin. Zones A and C are present only in late lactation, zone C, usually, but not always, appearing first. Zone A is an alpha-lactalbumin in M. giganteus, but is not an alpha-lactalbumin in M. rufus. Zone C appears to be the same protein in both species and is possibly a beta-lactoglobulin. 4. Zone D is kangaroo serum albumin and zone E is possibly a beta 2-microglobulin. Zone F contains three main iron (III) binding bands whose relative intensity varies with stage of lactation. Their intensity differs from the corresponding blood serum transferrin bands. 5. Zone H of Macropus giganteus is a lysozyme. 6. Lactose is present in the milk, but is not the principal sugar. 7. The significance of the results is discussed.     

Cells Persistently Infected with Newcastle Disease Virus III. Thermal Stability of Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase of a Mutant Isolated from Persistently Infected L Cells

Data were obtained which indicated the possible cause of the defective elution from erythrocytes of the mutant virus (NDV(pi)) isolated from L cells persistently infected with the Herts strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV(o)). The chicken erythrocyte receptors for the mutant and wild-type viruses were equally sensitive to the action of Vibrio cholera filtrate neuraminidase; this suggests that the failure of NDV(pi) to elute from chicken erythrocytes is not due to a specific neuraminidase-resistant receptor for this virus on the erythrocyte membrane. There was no difference in the enzyme content of the intact virions of NDV(o) and NDV(pi) when tested with a soluble substrate, indicating that the inefficient elution of NDV(pi) was not due to a reduced enzyme content. The neuraminidase activity of intact NDV(pi) virions was significantly more stable at 55 C than the enzyme of NDV(o) virions, whereas the dissociated enzymes of the two viruses were inactivated at the same rate. On the basis of these findings, it seems likely there is a structural difference between the two viruses. The neuraminidase protein of the mutant NDV(pi) may be incorporated into the viral envelope in such a manner that it is prevented from reacting with the substrate in the erythrocyte membrane, although it can react with a soluble substrate. The hemagglutinin activity of both intact and disrupted NDV(pi) was significantly more resistant to thermal inactivation than that of the wild-type NDV(o). This finding suggests a genetic difference in the hemagglutinin protein of the two viruses.     

Properties of Mutants in Galactose Taxis and Transport

beta-Methylgalactoside (mgl) permease mutants of Escherichia coli, which are defective in three genes, mglA, mglB, and mglC, were assayed for galactose taxis and galactose transport. The mglB product is the galactose-binding protein. Previous evidence, supported by our new findings, shows that the galactose-binding protein is the recognition component for galactose taxis as well as for galactose transport. Most mutants defective in mglB showed strong effects on both chemotaxis and transport; however, a couple showed effects chiefly on one process or the other, thus allowing a separation of chemotaxis and transport. The mglA and mglC products have not yet been identified, but they must be components of the galactose transport machinery since mutants defective in mglA or mglC, or both, showed strongly reduced transport. Although some of these mutants showed little chemotaxis, most gave close to wild-type chemotactic responses. Thus, transport is not required for galactose taxis. The bacteria detect changes in the fraction of binding protein associated with galactose, not changes in the rate of transport.     

La microvascularisation de la muqueuse vaginale et ses variations au cours du cycle ovarien chez la Femme

Résumé A la suite de recherches antérieures intéressant la vascularisation de la trompe utérine et celle de l'ovaire, la présente étude concerne la microvascularisation de la muqueuse vaginale chez la Femme et se fonde sur l'examen de dix vagins humains prélevés chez des sujets en période d'activité génitale, vagins dont le système vasculaire est injecté à l'encre de Chine gélosée.L'étude de l'angioarchitectonie de la muqueuse vaginale en général laisse apparaître un dispositif vasculaire spécifique de cette dernière et représenté au niveau du chorion par des artérioles superficielles qui s'arborisent en de multiples branches se résolvant en un réseau capillaire sous-muqueux; ce dernier est constitué d'une part, d'un dense réseau capillaire à mailles ovalaires ou polygonales, étalé sous la couche basale de l'épithélium malpighien, d'autre part, d'anses capillaires intra-papillaires, sensiblement perpendiculaires à l'épithélium malpighien et se répétant à intervalles réguliers. Ce réseau capillaire est draîné par un plexus veineux étendu que résument de volumineuses veines au calibre irrégulier.Les variations de cette angioarchitectonie au cours des diverses phases du cycle ovarien sont essentiellement marquées au cours de la 2e phase de ce cycle où elles se caractérisent par une augmentation de calibre des artérioles comme des capillaires et surtout par l'accroissement de la hauteur et de la spiralisation des anses capillaires.

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The angioarchitectony of the submucous network of the human vagina and its variations during the ovarian cycle

Summary The microvascularization of the vaginal mucosa has been investigated on 10 human vaginae taken from autopsies of women having been in their sexual active period, the vascular system of the vaginae being injected with solutions of China ink and gelose.The angioarchitectony of the vaginal mucosa shows a specific vascular pattern. The latter is represented at the level of the stroma by superficial arterioles which divide into multiple branches giving rise to the submucous capillary network. This network consists on one hand of a thick capillary plexus with ovale or polygonal stitches, spread under the basal layer of the malpighian epithelium, and on the other hand of intrapapillary capillary creeks arranged in regular intervals and perpendicularly oriented to the malpighian epithelium. This capillary network is drained by a wide spread venous plexus connected with big veins of irregular calibre.The variations of this angioarchitectony are especially pronounced during the second part of the menstrual period, when the calibre of the arterioles as well as that of the capillaries creeks grow in height and become spiralized.

     

Allelopathy as a factor in ecological process

Zusammenfassung Allelopathie (chemische Hemmung) ist ein Faktor bei ökologischen Prozessen wie Konkurrenz, Dominanz, Sukzession, Produktivität.Es ist zu erwarten daß die von Pflanzen ausgeschiedenen Chemikalien sich in der Umgebung der Pflanze ansammeln, bis sie für andere Pflanzen, oder für ihre eigene Entwicklung, eine hemmende Konzentration erreichen. Auch steht es fest, daß manche Pflanzen sich so gegen Tierfraß schützen.Biochemische Produkte kommen weitgehend in biotischen Wechselwirkungen vor und allelopathische Effekte spielen in fast allen natürlichen oder angepflanzten Pflanzengemeinschaften eine Rolle.

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This study has been supported by National Science Foundation, contracts GB-149, GB-4058, and GB-6814, under which this is the tenth publication.     

Antibacterial Action of Essential Oils of Artemisia as an Ecological Factor: II. Antibacterial Action of the Volatile Oils of Artemisia tridentata (Big Sagebrush) on Bacteria from the Rumen of Mule Deer

Rumen microorganisms of wild and captive deer were subjected to increasing amounts of volatile oils. The oils had a marked antibacterial effect on the rumen bacteria when the concentration reached approximately 16 muliters of oil per 10 ml of rumen fluid nutrient broth. The gross reactions of rumen bacteria obtained from wild, as well as captive, deer to the volatile oils seemed to be of the same magnitude; thus no adaptation by the bacteria to the oils was apparent.