A simple and cheap remotely operated system for the iodination of proteins

The manipulations involved proved to be uncomplicated and rapid, the whole procedure taking only 20 min. There was 70% attenuation of radioactivity by the Perspex front panel as measured at the site of the operator. Further attenuation could be achieved at an increased cost by replacing the Perspex screen by a heavy plate glass front. The technique has been used routinely in our laboratory for the iodination of LH and FSH for twelve months, during which time we have made twenty successful preparations. The apparatus described could be adapted to any small scale reaction involving nonvolatile noxious chemicals, including radioisotopes.     

Alternative pathway activation of complement by a murine parasitic nematode (Nematospiroides dubius)

The cuticular surface of the infectious third-stage larvae of Nematospiroides dubius activates complement via the alternative pathway. Sensitisation of larvae with complement or with antibodies from the serum of immune mice (resistant to reinfection) promoted the adherence of mouse peritoneal exudate cells to the larval cuticle during incubation in vitro. The infectivity of larvae sensitized with antibody or complement was significantly reduced after incubation with cells from immune mice.     

Acute toxicity and adverse effects of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Parkia biglobosa pods on biochemical parameters of Clarias gariepinus

The acute toxicity of the aqueous and ethanol extracts of Parkia biglobosa pods against Clarias gariepinus was investigated under laboratory conditions. Agitated behaviours and respiratory distress were also observed during the exposure period. The adverse effects on biochemical parameters were assessed using semi-static bioassays for 28 days. The ethanol extract of P. biglobosa pods was found to be more acutely toxic with a 96 h LC₅₀ value of 13.96 mg l^?1 than the aqueous extracts, with a 96 h LC₅₀ value of 19.95 mg l^?1 against C. gariepinus. Both extracts induced agitated behaviours and respiratory distress in exposed organisms. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in groups of organisms exposed to extracts of P. biglobosa when compared with the control group after 14 days. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were also significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared with activities of the enzymes in the control group after 28 days. The current study has shown that the introduction of P. biglobosa pods into aquatic ecosystems is acutely toxic to fish and would possibly be to other non-target aquatic organisms especially invertebrates.     

Phylogeography of the marine macroalga Sargassum hemiphyllum (Phaeophyceae,Heterokontophyta) in northwestern Pacific

Sargassum hemiphyllum is commonly found in Japan and Korea, with a variety, var. chinense, that is found distributed in the southern Chinese coast. We previously reported distinct genetic differentiation between the two taxa based on the PCR‐RFLP data of plastid RubiscoL‐S spacer. The present study aims at elucidating the phylogeographic pattern of S. hemiphyllum based on more markers in the nuclear and extranuclear genomes, with a view to reveal the occurrence of hybridization. The two allopatrically distributed taxa were found to be genetically distinct in nuclear ITS2, plastidial Rubisco (Rbc) and mitochondrial TrnW_I (Trn) spacers. Their divergence was postulated to be attributable to the vicariant event which resulted from the isolation of the Sea of Japan during the late Miocene (6.58–11.25 Mya). Divergence within both S. hemiphyllum and the chinense variety was observed based on Trn spacer, while the divergence in S. hemiphyllum was further confirmed in Rbc spacer. This divergence appears to correspond to the separation of the Japanese populations between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific that occurred around 0.92–2.88 Mya (the early Pleistocene). The presence of an ITS2 clone resembling var. chinense sequences in a Japanese population of S. hemiphyllum (JpNS) raises the possibility of the introgression of var. chinense individuals into S. hemiphyllum population. Compared to that between S. hemiphyllum and the chinense variety, hybridization among the Japanese and Korean populations of S. hemiphyllum is highly probable as all these individuals share a pool of nuclear ITS2 sequences, possibly attributable to incomplete concerted evolution of ITS2.     

Effect of fatty acids on growth of Japanese encephalitis virus cultivated in BHK-21 cells and phospholipid metabolism of the infected cells.

Growth of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in BHK-21 cells was stimulated in the presence of 20 to 40 mug of the sodium salt of oleic acid (cis-9-octadecenoic acid, 9-18:1) per ml supplemented in Waymouth medium. The stimulatory effect of the salt was highest when 9-18:1 was added after adsorption of the virus. Study of the effect of other fatty acids on growth of JEV showed the following results: the longer the chain length of the saturated fatty acid salt, the higher the stimulatory effect on viral growth. In contrast, polyunsaturated fatty acids had an inhibitory effect on viral growth. The effect of isomeric cis-octadecenoic acids on viral growth was variable, depending upon the position of the double bond. The cis-6-octadecenoic acid had the highest inhibitory effect on growth of JEV compared to other isomeric octadecenoic acids. The sodium salt of (1-14C) cis-9-octadecenoic acid (9-18:1, 20 mug/ml) was rapidly incorporated into control and JEV-infected cells. Specific radioactivity in phosphatidylcholine dropped 12 to 24 h after virus inoculation, whereas synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine increased 12 to 24 h after virus inoculation in infected cells compared to uninfected cells. Results from these studies suggest that phospholipid metabolism of infected cells is markedly changed, which can be associated with altered fatty acid metabolism when using labeled 9-18:1 fatty acid as a marker.