Studies on the immediate and delayed leucocytosis elicited by brief (30-min) strenuous exercise

Eight healthy male volunteers exercised for two 30-min sessions starting 3 h apart on an electronically braked cycle ergometer at a work load (mean 155.9 W, SD 33.4 W) which required an oxygen consumption that was 70% of their maximal rate of oxygen uptake. Venous blood samples were taken through an indwelling cannula over a period of 6 h beginning shortly before the first bout of exercise and were analysed for routine haematological parameters and for lactate, noradrenaline, adrenaline and cortisol. Both bouts of exercise induced an immediate leucocytosis due to rises in lymphocytes and neutrophils but only the first exercise bout induced a substantial delayed neutrophilia. In at least five subjects, changes in lymphocyte and platelet numbers were correlated (Spearman's rank procedure, P less than 0.05) with simultaneous changes in the plasma concentrations of lactate, noradrenaline and adrenaline over the 6-h period studied. Increases in the plasma concentration of cortisol due to exercise correlated positively with the percentage changes in neutrophil numbers at 3 h and 6 h. These results are consistent with the suggestion that the immediate and delayed leucocytosis induced by exercise are mediated respectively by catecholamine and by cortisol.     

The use of the rat hepatoma cell line MH1C1 to investigate the stimulus-secretion response of hepatic acute phase proteins

The rat hepatoma cell line MH1C1 has been characterized to show a stimulated secretion of C-reactive protein in response to both leukocyte supernatant and a purified human interleukin-1 preparation. The time-dependency and dose-response relationship of CRP secretion were comparable to and somewhat more sensitive than the effects of leukocyte supernatant and purified human interleukin-1 on the proliferative rate of murine thymocytes; the proliferative rate of the hepatoma cell line MH1C1 was unchanged under these conditions. Agents which affect the thymocyte bioassay response to interleukin-1 namely interleukin-2, lipopolysaccharide, concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin showed no effect on the C-reactive protein release of the MH1C1 cell line. These data strongly support the suitability of this cell line for the in vitro study of the hepatic acute phase stimulus-secretion response.     

The localisation of an Mr 74,000 major chromatin antigen on native salivary chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster

An antigen making a major contribution to the immune response to Drosophila melanogaster chromatin resides primarily on a nonhistone charge-class family of proteins of Mr 74,000. Immunofluorescence detects this antigen at interbands, puffs and diffuse bands of D. melanogaster salivary chromosomes isolated without exposure to acid fixatives, and on nucleoplasmic ribonucleoprotein droplets. In the electron microscope, gold labelling reveals the binding of monoclonal antibodies specific for the antigen at chromosomal loci generally bearing putative ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles. However, the locus 3C 11–12 is remarkable in that it bears putative RNP particles but is virtually unlabelled, suggesting protein specificity at different active loci.     

Biochemical genetic stock structure of the southern African anchovy, Engraulis capensis Gilchrist

The geographical distributions of inherited biochemical markers were used to measure the amount of genetic isolation between stocks of Namibian and South African anchovy, Engraulis capensis . A contingency-table analysis of allele frequencies for 10 polymorphic protein-coding loci revealed no significant frequency differences between spawning areas. The average Nei genetic distance between samples was 0.0003 and there were no geographic trends in the amount of genetic distance between populations. Average population heterozygosity for 31 loci was 0.115 and this accounted for 99.26% of the total genetic variation. The remaining 0.24% was due to all temporal and spatial differences combined. The observed amount of genetic divergence between populations was used to estimate the amount of migration between spawning areas, using the stepping-stone model of migration. As few as 13 migrants may account for the observed genetic divergence between spawning areas. The validity of using the genetic stock concept in the management of marine fishes is discussed.     

Endocrine and metabolic responses of the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) to immobilization with ketamine hydrochloride

Serial physiological responses were examined for 150 min from captive collared peccaries during immobilization with ketamine hydrochloride. Rectal temperatures decreased significantly (P less than 0.01) during anesthesia. Serum concentrations of total proteins, albumin, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, and calcium declined significantly (P less than 0.05) during the first 45 min post-immobilization before stabilizing. Concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase in sera showed similar but nonsignificant (P greater than 0.05) trends. Inorganic phosphorus and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations increased significantly (P less than 0.05) throughout the trial. Concentrations of serum glucose and glucocorticoid during the immobilization period were highly variable between individuals. Serum electrolytes, urea nitrogen, creatinine, gammaglutamyl transferase and progesterone were not significantly (P greater than 0.05) affected by immobilization. Elevations in serum testosterone were noted. Results indicated appropriate sampling times relative to immobilization for assay of particular serum biochemicals and steroid hormones during investigations of the physiology of the collared peccary.     

PALEOZOIC LYCOPSID FRUCTIFICATIONS. I. LEPIDOCARPON PETRIFACTIONS

A reinvestigation of the 4 American species of Lepidocarpon described from petrifactions and of Illiniocarpon cadyi, also described from petrifactions, shows that they are all conspecific. When they, in turn, are compared with specimens of the British petrifaction L. lomaxi, no significant differences can be demonstrated. The criteria cited as diagnostic for the American petrifaction species of Lepidocarpon were found to fail as bases of discrimination when 400 specimens of Lepidocarpon found in coal balls of Pennsylvanian age were studied. Measurements and observations made of a sample size of 136 of these 400 specimens reveal a degree of variation compatible with that of a single species. All previously described American and British petrifaction taxa fall within (or not significantly beyond) this range of variability of a single species as determined from this sample. Additional evidence concerning the 3-dimensional sporophyll structure of this one species of Lepidocarpon and the configurations obtained by certain planes of section through it have served to demonstrate that Illiniocarpon cadyi is in reality a taxon based on sectioned structures of the sporophyll of this Lepidocarpon species. Under the rules of priority, this species of Lepidocarpon and the following are assigned to Lepidocarpon lomaxi: Illiniocarpon cadyi, Lepidocarpon ioense, L. magnificum (megasporangiate form), L. crenatum and L. palmerensis. On the basis of the morphological evidence, the British petrifaction described as Lepidocarpon wildianum is also equated with L. lomaxi.     

HYBRIDS AND GENOME RELATIONS OF HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA,H. MEEUSEI,H. RADIATUS AND H. ACETOSELLA

Chromosome pairing was studied in the following hybrids: Hibiscus radiatus-meeusei (tetraploid F₁), H. sabdariffa-meeusei (tetraploid F₁ and spontaneous allooctoploid F₂), and hexaploid H. acetosella-(sabdariffa-meeusei). Genome constitutions of the species adduced from these data are symbolized as follows: H. radiatus and H. acetosella, AABB; H. meeusei, AAXX; H.sabdariffa, XXYY or AAYY.