Defective production of and response to IL-2 in acute human falciparum malaria

Patients with acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria have defective cell-mediated immune responses to malaria-specific Ag (MA). This immunologic defect may partially explain the difficulty with which natural immunity to falciparum malaria develops and may have important implications for the efficacy of potential malaria vaccines in endemic areas. To investigate the basis of this immune defect, we have examined the capacity of PBMC from patients with acute falciparum malaria to produce IL-2 and to express I1-2R in response to Ag stimulation. The effect of exogenous IL-1 and IL-2 on lymphocyte proliferation was studied. Soluble IL-2R levels were measured in acute and convalescent sera. Our results showed that no detectable IL-2 was produced and no IL-2R were expressed by PBMC in response to MA during the acute infection. IL-2 production and IL-2R expression were also depressed when PBMC were exposed to streptococcal Ag. The specific immune defect was not reconstituted by the addition of graded doses of purified human IL-1 or IL-2 and could not be attributed to suppressor adherent cells. In contrast to the absence of IL-2 and cell-bound IL-2R, circulating soluble IL-2R was elevated in acute sera. These findings suggest that the lack of IL-2, through either a defect in its production or inhibition of its activity, may be the basis of the Ag-specific immune unresponsiveness in acute P. falciparum malaria.     

Estimated feeding rates and energy requirements of gentoo penguins,Pygoscelis papua,at Macquarie Island

Summary Water and sodium turnovers of 6–7 week old gentoo penguin chicks and breeding adults were measured using isotopically labelled water and sodium. Influx rates for chicks averaged 188 ml·kg^-1·day^-1 and 13.9 mmol·kg^-1·day^-1 for water and sodium, respectively. Chicks consumed an estimated 228 g·kg^-1·day^-1 fresh food or 886 kJ kg^-1 day. These values correspond to 761 g·day^-1 or 2945 kJ·day^-1 for a gentoo chick mid-way through the growth period. Flux rates for adults attending chicks ranged from 199 to 428 ml·kg^-1·day^-1 for water and from 15 to 36 mmol·kg^-1·ay^-1 for sodium.     

Evaluation of eight and a half years of neonatal screening for haemoglobinopathies in Birmingham

A pilot neonatal screening programme for haemoglobinopathies linked with screening for phenylketonuria and congenital hypothyroidism was reviewed. During 1978 to December 1986 137 000 neonates were tested. There were improvements in the detection rate and accuracy of diagnosis for homozygotes and mixed heterozygotes, mainly associated with the introduction of citrate agarose gel electrophoresis as a follow up procedure on all specimens showing any abnormality on the initial cellulose acetate electrophoresis.We recommend that the programme is continued on a service basis.     

Daily relaxation modifies serum and salivary immunoglobulins and psychophysiologic symptom severity

This study investigated the effect of daily relaxation on concentrations of serum immunoglobulins A, G, and M and secretion rates of salivary immunoglobulin A (S-IgA). Twenty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to practice a relaxation technique daily for 3 weeks and 16 to a waiting list control condition. Blood and saliva samples were collected before and after a supervised 20-min relaxation session at the beginning and end of the 3-week practice period. S-IgA secretion rate increased significantly (p<.001) after 20 min of relaxation. A longer-term practice effect also occurred in that the increase in secretion rate in before to after relaxation samples was higher (p=.014) in subjects who had practiced relaxation once a day for 3 weeks than in waiting list control subjects practicing for the first time. Serum IgA (p<.001), IgG (p<.001), and igM (p<.05) increased significantly over the 3-week practice period. Relaxation may be a self-regulating strategy affecting both humoral and cellular divisions of the immune system.Parts of this paper were presented at the annual meeting of the Biofeedback Society of America, March 1987. Materials for the IgA assays were provided by Cooper Biomedical, Malvern, Pennsylvania.     

Interactions between double-stranded RNA regulators and the protein kinase DAI.

The interferon-induced protein kinase DAI, the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated inhibitor of translation, plays a key role in regulating protein synthesis in higher cells. Once activated, in a process that involves autophosphorylation, it phosphorylates the initiation factor eIF-2, leading to inhibition of polypeptide chain initiation. The activity of DAI is controlled by RNA regulators, including dsRNA activators and highly structured single-stranded RNAs which block activation by dsRNA. To elucidate the mechanism of activation, we studied the interaction of DAI with RNA duplexes of discrete sizes. Molecules shorter than 30 bp fail to bind stably and do not activate the enzyme, but at high concentrations they prevent activation by long dsRNA. Molecules longer than 30 bp bind and activate the enzyme, with an efficiency that increases with increasing chain length, reaching a maximum at about 85 bp. These dsRNAs fail to activate at high concentrations and also prevent activation by long dsRNA. Analysis of complexes between dsRNA and DAI suggests that at maximal packing the enzyme interacts with as little as a single helical turn of dsRNA (11 bp) but under conditions that allow activation the binding site protects about 80 bp of duplex. When the RNA-binding site is fully occupied with an RNA activator, the complex appears to undergo a conformational change.     

Glomerular bypass shunts and distribution of glomeruli in the kidney of the lesser spotted dogfish,Scyliorhinus caniculus

Summary Scanning electron microscopy of corroded resin casts of the renal vasculature of Scyliorhinus caniculus has revealed a novel vascular pathway arising from the afferent arteriole and bypassing the glomerulus. This glomerulus bypass shunt occurred in 36% of the glomerular casts examined. The shunt ran to join a peritubular network of capillaries and thereby offers the potential to vary the degree of glomerular perfusion and control the proportion of active glomeruli. In 29% of glomeruli two efferent arterioles drained the capillary knot. Glomeruli were located close to the dorsal margin of the posterior mass of the kidney, and towards the lateral edge of the anterior lobes of the kidney of female dogfish. In male dogfish, glomeruli were evenly distributed through the posterior mass of kidney, while in female dogfish 89% of glomeruli occurred in the posterior mass and 11% of glomeruli were located within the small anterior lobes.     

A nomenclature for the genes encoding the chlorophylla/b-binding proteins of higher plants

We propose a nomenclature for the genes encoding the chlorophylla/b-binding proteins of the light-harvesting complexes of photosystem I and II. The genes encoding LHC I and LHC II polypeptides are namedLhca1 throughLhca4 andLhcb1 throughLhcb6, respectively. The proposal follows the general format recommended by the Commision on Plant Gene Nomenclature. We also present a table for the conversion of old gene names to the new nomenclature.     

The Rex proteins of human T-cell leukemia virus type II differ by serine phosphorylation.

The Rex proteins of human T-cell leukemia virus types I and II (HTLV-I and HTLV-II) induce cytoplasmic expression of unspliced gag-pol mRNA and singly spliced env mRNA and are critical for virus replication. Two rex gene products, p27rex and p21rex of HTLV-I and p26rex and p24rex of HTLV-II, have been detected in HTLV-infected cells; however, the structural and biological relationship of the proteins has not been clearly elucidated. Endoproteinase digestion and phosphoamino acid analysis of HTLV-II Rex indicated that p24rex has the same amino acid backbone as p26rex and that the larger apparent molecular size of p26rex is attributable to serine phosphorylation.     

Pseudocyphellaria dissimilis: a desiccation-sensitive,highly shade-adapted lichen from New Zealand

Summary Pseudocyphellaria dissimilis, a foliose, cyanobacterial lichen, is shown not to fit into the normal ecological concept of lichens. This species is both extremely shade-tolerant and also more intolerant to drying than aquatic lichens previously thought to be the most desiccation-sensitive of lichens. Samples of P. dissimilis from a humid rain-forest site in New Zealand were transported in a moist state to Germany. Photosynthesis response curves were generated. The effect of desiccation was measured by comparing CO₂ exchange before and after a standard 20-h drying routine. Lichen thalli could be equilibrated at 15° C to relative humidities (RH) from 5% to almost 100%. Photosynthesis was saturated at a photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) level of 20 mol m^-2 s^-1 (350 bar CO₂) and PAR compensation was a very low 1 mol m^-2 s^-1. Photosynthesis did not saturate until 1500 bar CO₂. Net photosynthesis was relatively unaffected by temperature between 10° C and 30° C with upper compensation at over 40° C. Temporary depression of photosynthesis occurred after a drying period of 20 h with equilibration at 45–65% relative humidity (RH). Sustained damage occurred at 15–25% RH and many samples died after equilibration at 5–16% RH. Microclimate studies of the lichen habitat below the evergreen, broadleaf forest canopy revealed consistently low PAR (normally below 10–20 mol m^-2 s^-1) and high humidities (over 80% RH even during the day time). The species shows many features of an extremely deep shade-adapted plant including low PAR saturation and compensation, low photosynthetic and respiratory rates and low dry weight per unit area.