A comparison of the drying of chymotrypsin bound to bead cellulose by lyophilisation and in air at 25 to 70°C

Summary The effect was studied of the method of drying chymotrypsin attached to bead cellulose on its chemical and physical characteristics. These characteristics are not deteriorated when replacing the commonly used lyophilisation by fluid drying in the air stream. The preparations saved essentially the same proteolytic activity as well as stability even when increasing the drying air temperature to 70°C.     

Electric organ polyamines and their effects on the acetylcholine receptor

1. The electric organ of Torpedo nobiliana contained putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), spermine (SPM), and cadaverine (CAD). Traces of acetylated SPD and SPM were occasionaly seen. 2. Upon fractionation of the tissue by differential centrifugation, the polyamines (PA) were found predominantly in the soluble fraction. The postsynaptic membrane fraction, containing a high concentration of acetylcholine receptor (AChR), was proportionally enriched in SPM. The molar ratio of SPM to AChR was approximately two in these membranes. 3. The effect of exogeneous PA on AChR function was studied by two methods: carbamoylcholine (CCh)-dependent 86Rb+ influx into receptor-rich membrane vesicles and [alpha-125I]bungarotoxin (Bgt) binding to the AChR. 4. SPM inhibited both ion influx and the rate of Bgt binding at concentrations above 1 mM, and therefore it appears to act as a competitive antagonist of the AChR. 5. At submicromolar concentrations, and only after preincubation with the receptor-rich membrane, SPM and PUT increased the ion influx by about 20% over control values. 6. Preincubation with 100 nM SPM did not affect the equilibrium binding of iodinated toxin or the rate of toxin binding, and therefore SPM was not uncovering new receptors. 7. By measuring the initial rate of toxin binding after different periods of preincubation with 1 microM CCh, the rate of the slow phase of receptor desensitization was determined. This rate was not changed by 100 nM SPM. 8. Although these results suggest that at low concentrations SPM is a positive modulator of the AChR, the precise mechanism of action is not determined yet.     

Structure and mapping of the fosB gene. FosB downregulates the activity of the fosB promoter.

We have determined the genomic structure of the fosB gene and shown that it consists of 4 exons and 3 introns at positions also found in the c-fos gene. By deletion analysis we have characterized a region upstream of the TATA box which is the promoter region of the gene. Several consensus sequences have been identified, including an SRE and AP-1 binding site whose relative positions are identical to those in the 5' upstream region of the c-fos gene. We have also shown that FosB and c-Fos can downregulate the activity of the fosB promoter to a similar extent. The fosB gene is located in the [A1-B1] region of mouse chromosome 7.     

Hormone-induced vocal behavior and midbrain auditory sensitivity in the green treefrog,Hyla cinerea

Summary Twenty four castrated male, 6 intact male, and 11 intact female Hyla cinerea were injected subcutaneously with 25 g arginine-vasotocin (AVT) and induced to call 1 h later in response to the playback of a conspecific mating call. Eighteen castrated males and 8 intact females were implanted 5 mg androgen pellets for 3 weeks prior to the neuropeptide injection. Among castrated males, 6/9 testosterone (T) implanted, 4/9 dihydrotestosterone (DHT) implanted and 2/6 non implanted individuals produced calls after being administered AVT. 5/6 intact non implanted males and 6/8 T intact implanted females also called, and 3 intact non implanted females remained silent after the injection. Evoked calls had a mid-frequency spectral peak at about 1900 Hz which is absent in field-recorded mating calls of this species. Calls of implanted females and castrated non implanted males were shorter than those of castrated implanted and intact non implanted males. Audiograms measured before hormone implants showed dips of enhanced sensitivity at about 0.5, 0.9 and 3.0 kHz in males and females. After AVT injection, thresholds at frequencies within the 0.7–1.5 kHz range were increased in castrated males. Such reduction in sensitivity points to an inhibition of the auditory system during hormone induced vocal activation.Abbreviations AVT arginine-vasotocin - DHT dihydrotestosterone - T testosterone - TS torus semicircularis     

Frequency of the ΔF508 deletion and G551D,R553X and G542X mutations in Yugoslav CF patients

Summary A study was undertaken to find the frequency of the F508 deletion and those of the G551D, R553X and G524X mutations among the mainly Slavic population of Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro and compare the frequencies determined with those in other European populations. The F508 mutation was found to account for about 70% of CF genes in central Jugoslavia, where its frequency is significantly higher than elsewhere in Southern European populations.     

Exposure to p-phenylendiamine in hairdressing parlours

Summary The purpose of this study is to verify and assess, in working conditions, the respiratory exposure to PPD of hairdressing parlour personnel. Several air samples collected in a hairdressing parlour during the time required for 8 applications of dyeing products containing PPD 2.52% have been analyzed. Tests are also carried out by extracting air immediately above the bowls containing the dyeing products, both at room temperature and at 37°C. PPD was assessed by means of HPLC. Only air sampled directly on bowls at 37°C has shown a level of 1 g, corresponding to an environmental release of PPD equivalent to 8 applications of dyeing products. On the basis of these experimental data, the PPD concentration in the air according to the parlour volume and to the supposed air exchanges has been calculated. Our results show a substantial insignificance of the concentration of PPD released in the environmental air during normal operations of hair dyeing: authors are of the opinion that hairdressers can't be truly considered as a PPD-asthmatic risk category like other workers exposed to PPD dust dispersed in the air of their working environment.     

Pollinosis in trentino (Northern Italy). Aerobiological and clinical research

Summary A study to evaluate and define the atmospheric pollen concentration in Trentino was carried out through the aerobiologic sampling in three localities chosen according to their different climatic conditions.1375 patients with pollinosis living in Trentino were studied retrospectively over the period ranging from 1986 to 1988 and selected according to the area they came from.Results have proved that the most allergenic pollen types are the following: Poaceae, Urticaceae (Parietaria), Compositae (Artemisia) and the tree pollen of Betulaceae and Corylaceae (Alnus, Betula, Corylus), and that pollinosis caused by such pollen, types has different features and frequencies according to the different localities.As far as symptoms are concerned, our data shows that rhinoconjuntivitis is more frequent in those patients who are allergic toParietaria while asthma results being more frequent in patients who are allergic to tree pollen.     

Ethmoidal endocranium in primitive triassic amphibians

Three-dimensionally preserved and chemically prepared skulls and natural casts of representatives of the families Benthosuchidae, Melosauridae, and Capitosauridae yield data on the structure of the ethmoidal endocranium, i. e. of those nasal cranial structures that consisted originally of cartilage. This study demonstrates that the ethmoidal endocranium was principally a dorsoventrally compressed plate, pierced by a broad and oblique canal which communicated anteriorly with the outer dorsal surface by the fenestra endonarina and posteriorly with the mouth cavity by the fenestra endochoanalis(seu foris). The canal was very short, and housed the olfactory organ. The ethmoidal endocranium was connected with the palatoquadrate by the commissura quadratocranialis anterior; there was no lateral ethmoidal commissure, however, in older individuals the anterior section of the palatoquadrate might also contact the postchoanal part of the nasal endocranial skeleton.     

A detailed study of the regulation and evolution of the two classes of patatin genes in Solanum tuberosum L.

The class-specific expression of patatin genes was investigated by analysing four new patatin genes. A class I patatin gene from cv. Berolina as well as a class I and two class II patatin genes from the monohaploid cultivar AM 80/5793 were isolated and partially sequenced. Sequence comparison indicates rearrangements as the major source for the generation of diversity between the different members of the classes. The expression of single genes was studied in potato plants transformed with chimaeric genes where the putative patatin promoters were fused to the GUS reporter gene. A detailed histochemical analysis reveals that both class I genes are expressed as the previously described class I patatin gene B33 from cv. Berolina [1], i.e. in the starch-containing cells of potato tubers and in sucrose-induced leaves. The class II gene pgT12 shows the same pattern as the previously described class II gene pgT2 [2], i.e. expression in root tips and in the vascular tissue of tubers, whereas no activity was detectable for pgT4. Thus the expression pattern of both classes of genes seems to be stable at least within or even between different cultivars.