Role in hemolysis of the interaction of tellurium compounds with glutathione

We have shown that tellurite and tellurate require the interaction with reduced glutathione (GSH) to hemolyze human erythrocytes. The study of the nature of this interaction is the main object of this paper. The degree of hemolysis was determined by the method of Angelone. The addition of extracellular 1 mM GSH or cysteine increased the rate of hemolysis. Concanavalin A (0.3 mg/mL) and/or 4 mg/mL adenosine did not affect the hemolysis by 0.1 mM tellurite. One tenth to 1 mM 4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonate (SITS) inhibited this hemolysis by 60–100%. Millimolar GSH released this inhibition. Incubation of 0.1 mM tellurite with 1 mM GSH for 90 min at 37°C, produced a hemolytic agent when prepared and tested under nitrogen, but one that was not active when prepared in air. The hemolysis byp-hydroxymercuribenzoate orp-hydroxymercuriphenylsulfonate did not involve GSH. Scanning electron micrographs showed a sphero-echinocyte transformation, in the pre-hemolytic stage, with all the agents tested. The rate of penetration of tellurite plays a role in determining the rate of hemolysis, as shown by the effect of SITS. The release by GSH of the inhibition by SITS poses questions concerning the site of action and cell membrane penetration of the hemolytic agent. Telluride or some intermediate in the interaction of GSH with tellurite is the actual hemolytic agent.     

The cellular and humoral immune response to Schistosoma mansoni infections in inbred rats. V. Prerequisite mechanisms for the development of optimal protective immunity.

The mechanisms whereby natural infection or artificial immunization lead to the development of optimal protective immunity against reinfection by homologous Schistosoma mansoni were investigated. Animals, exposed to normal or irradiated cercariae, demonstrated strong resistance to reinfection by S. mansoni. They also developed a population of T lymphocytes, which could adoptively transfer resistance in vivo and specifically interact with immunogen in vitro. Subsequently these animals produced antibody capable of adoptively transferring resistance and possessing a variety of antischistosomal activities. Animals exposed to soluble cercarial immunogen demonstrated moderate resistance upon reexposure. They failed to produce a significant population of sensitized T lymphocytes. Moreover, although these animals produced unimpaired levels of cytotoxic, complement-fixing, and hemagglutinating antibody, their sera did not adoptively transfer resistance. Adult worm and egg immunogens were even less effective than cercarial immunogen in stimulating resistance. In addition, these membrane-derived immunogens directly stimulated B-lymphocyte blastogenesis in vitro. These studies suggest that the optimal production of protective immunity requires the stimulation of T-dependent mechanisms by stage-specific immunogens. This stimulation is produced more effectively by the use of natural infection or irradiated cercariae than by the use of soluble schistosome immunogens which may be working through relatively T-independent mechanisms.     

The pathogenicity of bovine strains of foot and mouth disease virus for impala and wildebeest.

Impala (Aepyceros melampus) and wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) were infected with bovine strains of foot and mouth disease virus by intradermolingual inoculation. No clinical signs developed in the impala but mild atypical lesions developed in the tongues of the wildebeest with generalized spread to one foot in two of the eight animals exposed. All the impala but only some of the wildebeest developed viraemia. No virus could be isolated from any tissues in either species after the 7th day following virus inoculation. Immune response occurred in both species. A field survey revealed few animals of either species with significant antibody titers and no virus 'carriers' were found.     

Global changes may be promoting a rise in select cyanobacteria in nutrient‐poor northern lakes

The interacting effects of global changes—including increased temperature, altered precipitation, reduced acidification and increased dissolved organic matter loads to lakes—are anticipated to create favourable environmental conditions for cyanobacteria in northern lakes. However, responses of cyanobacteria to these global changes are complex, if not contradictory. We hypothesized that absolute and relative biovolumes of cyanobacteria (both total and specific genera) are increasing in Swedish nutrient‐poor lakes and that these increases are associated with global changes. We tested these hypotheses using data from 28 nutrient‐poor Swedish lakes over 16 years (1998–2013). Increases in cyanobacteria relative biovolume were identified in 21% of the study sites, primarily in the southeastern region of Sweden, and were composed mostly of increases from three specific genera: Merismopedia, Chroococcus and Dolichospermum. Taxon‐specific changes were related to different environmental stressors; that is, increased surface water temperature favoured higher Merismopedia relative biovolume in low pH lakes with high nitrogen to phosphorus ratios, whereas acidification recovery was statistically related to increased relative biovolumes of Chroococcus and Dolichospermum. In addition, enhanced dissolved organic matter loads were identified as potential determinants of Chroococcus suppression and Dolichospermum promotion. Our findings highlight that specific genera of cyanobacteria benefit from different environmental changes. Our ability to predict the risk of cyanobacteria prevalence requires consideration of the environmental condition of a lake and the sensitivities of the cyanobacteria genera within the lake. Regional patterns may emerge due to spatial autocorrelations within and among lake history, rates and direction of environmental change and the niche space occupied by specific cyanobacteria.     

The poor health of deep-water species in the context of fishing activity and a warming climate: will populations of Molva species rebuild or collapse?

Many deep-water fish populations, being K-selected species, have little resilience to overexploitation and may be at serious risk of depletion as a consequence. Sea warming represents an additional threat. In this study, the condition, or health, of several populations of common ling (Molva molva), blue ling (Molva dypterygia) and Mediterranean or Spanish ling (Molva macrophthalma) inhabiting different areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean was evaluated, to shed light on the challenges these deep-water species are facing in the context of fishing activity and a warming climate. The data on the condition of Molva populations which are analysed here have been complemented with data on abundance and, for the southernmost species (Mediterranean ling), with two other health indicators (parasitism and hepato-somatic index). Despite some exceptions (e.g., common ling in Icelandic waters), this study shows that the condition of many populations of Molva species in the northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea has worsened, a trend which, in recent decades, has usually been found to be accompanied by a decline in their abundance. In addition, the poor health status of most populations of common ling, blue ling and Mediterranean ling considered in this analysis points to a lower sustainability of these populations in the future. Overall, the health status and abundance of Molva populations in the northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean suggest that only some populations located in the North Atlantic may be able to rebuild, whereas the populations in southern North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, which are probably most at risk from sea warming, are facing serious difficulties in doing so. In the context of fisheries and global warming, this study's results strongly indicate that management bodies need to consider the health status of many of the populations of Molva species, particularly in southern European waters, before implementing their decisions.