Physical and genetic characterization of the IncI plasmid R144-drd3

A physical and genetic map of the IncI plasmid R144-drd3 was obtained by determining restriction endonuclease sites and by physical and genetic analysis of cloned fragments, of Tn1 insertion mutants and of deletion mutants.     

Preparation of isolated liver endothelial cells and Kupffer cells in high yield by means of an enterotoxin

A new method for preparing non-parenchymal rat liver cells (NPC) is described. The liver cell suspension, prepared by perfusing the liver with collagenase, was treated with enterotoxin from Clostridium perfringens for 15 min. The enterotoxin made the parenchymal cells leaky, and these cells could be separated from the NPC by centrifugation in a solution containing Nycodenz (20%, w/v). During the centrifugation, the NPC floated, while the parenchymal cells sedimented. The yield of NPC per liver (200 g rat) was about 250 X 10(6) cells. The NPC were further separated into endothelial cells, Kupffer cells and stellate cells by centrifugal elutriation. This method was particularly useful for preparing endothelial cells in high yield (100 X 10(6) cells per liver). Intravenously injected formaldehyde-treated albumin was selectively taken up by the endothelial cells. Isolated endothelial cells in suspension as well as in surface culture maintained their ability to endocytose this ligand.     

Studies in vitro on the uptake and degradation of sodium hyaluronate in rat liver endothelial cells.

Rat liver endothelial cells in primary cultures at 7 degrees C bind radioactively labelled sodium hyaluronate (HA; Mr 400 000) specifically and with high affinity (Kd = 6 X 10(-11) M). Maximal binding capacity is approx. 10(4) molecules per cell. Inhibition experiments with unlabelled HA and oligosaccharides from HA indicate that each molecule is bound by several receptors acting co-operatively and that the single receptor recognizes a tetra- or hexa-saccharide sequence of the polysaccharide. At 37 degrees C the liver endothelial cells endocytose the HA. The process combines the features of a receptor-mediated and a fluid-phase endocytosis. The rate of internalization does not show any saturation with increasing HA concentration, but is approximately proportional to the polysaccharide concentration at and above the physiological concentration. At 50 micrograms of free HA/l each liver endothelial cell accumulates 0.1 fg of the polysaccharide/min. Fluorescent HA accumulates in perinuclear granules, presumably lysosomes. Degradation products from HA appear in the medium about 30 min after addition of the polysaccharide to the cultures. The radioactivity from HA containing N-[3H]acetyl groups or 14C in the sugar rings is recovered mainly as [3H]acetate and [14C]acetate respectively. Estimations of the capacity of liver endothelial cells to internalize and degrade HA in vitro indicate that these cells may be primarily responsible for the clearance of HA from human blood in vivo.     

Candidose et tumeur obstructive intestinales chez un Babouin captif, ‘Papio Papio’ (Desm.)

Résumé Une candidose intestinale associée à une tumeur épithéliale, à métaplasie glandulaire, à pouvoir invasif marqué, provoquant une gêne du transit, a été découverte chez un Babouin de Guinée,Papio papio (Desm.) de la collection du Parc zoologique de Paris. A cette occasion nous avons rapporté les résultats concernant deux autres affections du tube digestid de nos Babouins captifs.

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Report of a case of candidiasis of the digestive tract associated to an obstructive epithelial tumor, with great invasive ability, in a captive Baboon,Papio papio (Desm.). Included is a discussion of the incidence of some intestinal disturbances involving candidiasis of subhuman Primates.

     

Polarization and fluorescent microscopy —Simple methods for demonstrating pulmonary surfactant lipids

Summary Birefringence and fluorochrome lipid staining with benzpyrene are demonstrated as simple morphological methods to reveal the presence or absence of surfactant lipids in human newborn lung tissue. Lack of lipid birefringence proves to be an associated finding in the lungs of premature infants with hyaline membrane disease, indicating the possible pathogenetical importance of surfactant deficiency.     

Physical conditions of propagation media and their influence on the rooting of cuttings

Summary The air content in three types of propagation media, Jiffy-7 and Jiffy-9 which are Sphagnum peat and Grodan which is rockwool, were investigated when they were held at moisture tensions of 0,6 and 12 cm measured from the base of the media. At 0 cm tension the air content (vol. %) was highest in Jiffy-9 and lowest in Jiffy-7. At 12 cm tension the air content was higher in Grodan than in Jiffy-9 and Jiffy-7. Oxygen diffusion coefficients (ODC) and oxygen diffusion rates (ODR) were measured at the different air contents. At air contents below 20 vol. % ODC was about the same for Jiffy-9 and Grodan but at air contents above 20 vol.% it was larger for Jiffy-9 than for Grodan. The oxygen diffusion rate was measured at 0, 4 and 8 cm moisture tension. At all tensions it was approximately 20% higher in Jiffy-9 than in Grodan and Jiffy-7. The ODR in Jiffy-7 and Grodan were affected equally at the same tension, although Grodan contained more air. Report no 253     

Elastosis in breast carcinoma

Elastosis, the significant increase of elastic tissue, was identified by histochemical methods in 45 (53.5%) cases of an unselected series of breast cancers. They were all invasive ductal carcinomas with or without tubular differentiation. The highest proportion of tumors with elastosis was found in the "scirrhous" type of carcinomas. Elastosis was preponderantly of the focal variety, periductal and perivenous. The affected ducts were of large calibre, containing a normal, benign hyperplastic or carcinomatous epithelium. There were not observed correlations with the grade of malignancy and the extent of axillary lymph node metastases.     

Strategy in drug reseabch. Synthesis and study of the psogestational and ovulation inhibitory activity of a series of 11β-substituted-17α-ethynyl-4-estren-17β-ols

Using the strategy based on the Hansch method which analyses effects of substituents on biological activity in terms of their hydrophobic, electronic and steric effects we selectively synthesised a series of 11β-substituted-17α-ethynyl-4-estren-17β-ols that combine ease of synthesis with good discrimination between these factors aiming at finding the compounds with optimum biological activity in that series. The compounds were tested quantitatively in the Clauberg test (rabbit) and the ovulation inhibition test (rat). The differences in biological activity could reasonably be correlated with two steric effects introduced by the 11β-substituent. These were a change in the overall shape of the 11β-substituent and the angular methyl group, and direct steric hindrance of the steroid-receptor protein binding. Some exceptions were found possibly due to metabolic conversion of these compounds to the corresponding 11β-substituted-17α-ethynyl-l,5,5(10)-estratriene-5, 17β-diols.     

Produits neutres et alcaloides de Myrtopsis macrocarpa,M. myrtoidea,M. novae-caledoniae et M. sellingii

Stems and leaves of Myrtopsis macrocarpa, M. myrtoidea, M. novae-caledoniae and M. sellingii yielded terpenes, sterols, coumarins, alkaloids (furoquinolines and quinolones) and amides. A new quinolone (8-methoxy flindersine) occurs in Myrtopsis macrocarpa, a new amide (N-benzoyltryptamine) in M. myrtoidea, two new coumarins (myrsellin and myrsellinol) and a new dihydrofuroquinoline (myrtopsine) in M. sellingii. Structures of the new compounds are proposed from chemical and spectroscopic evidence.