Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of a newly established neuroblastoma cell line LS

Summary A new human neuroblastoma cell line (LS) that originated from an abdominal tumor of a 16-month-old girl is presented; it was classified, according to Evans, as being stage III. Morphological (dense-core particles) and biochemical characteristics (dopamine--hydroxylase, acetylcholinesterase, neuron-specific-enolase) confirmed the diagnosis. In addition to a slightly variable modal chromosome number of 48 or 49 (because of marker-chromosomes and autosomal trisomies), cytogenetic analysis revealed two constantly appearing chromosomes with homogeneously stained regions (HSR's). The karyo-type remained constant over 50 passages in vitro [49,XX, –12,+der5, + 17,+mar1,+mar2]. Double minutes were a rare phenomenon and appeared only in a few metaphases. In situ hybridization showed that some of the HSR's consisted of amplified N-myc copies. The distribution of the N-myc copies according to in situ hybridization signals along the HSR's was compared with the data of Southern and Northern blotting analyses.     

Development of beta-adrenergic control of phospholipid secretion in rabbit lung

Lung distension is associated with increased phospholipid secretion into the air spaces. Basal, lavage-induced, and inflation-produced phospholipid secretion, in postmortem in situ lungs of newborn rabbits, were examined at three different levels of maturity, with and without 10(-3) M dl-propranolol. Lungs were lavaged with saline at successive 3- and 15-min time intervals to separate basal from lavage-induced secretion. Inflation-produced secretion was studied after static inflation at 30 cmH2O for 30 min. At 27.5 days gestation, basal secretion was undetectable, and neither lavage-induced nor inflation-produced secretion were influenced by propranolol. At 29.5 days gestation, basal secretion was only just detectable. Distension-associated secretion was increased over that present at 27.5 days gestation, and propranolol had a significant inhibitory effect, especially on lavage-induced secretion, in which the inhibition was shown to be rapidly reversible. There was a significant increase of basal secretion at 2.5 days postterm, possibly inhibited by propranolol. In addition, there was a further substantial increase of distension-associated secretion, and the inhibitory effect of propranolol persisted. These changes were independent of the sedimentation behavior of lavaged phospholipid. Overall, the results are consistent with evidence, produced in other laboratories, that there is an increasing density of sympathetic neurons and beta-adrenergic receptors in whole lung preparations during late gestation in the rabbit and suggest that granular pneumocytes, the presumed source of secreted phospholipid, take part in this developmental change.     

Organization of the ribosomal ribonucleic acid genes in various wild-type strains and wild-collected strains of Neurospora

Summary The organization of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repcat unit in the standard wild-type strain of Neurospora crassa, 74-OR23-1A, and in 30 other wild-type strains and wild-collected strains of N. crassa, N. tetrasperma, N. sitophila, N. intermedia, and N. discreta isolated from nature, was investigated by restriction enzyme digestion of genomic DNA, and probing of the Southern-blotted DNA fragments with specific cloned pieces of the rDNA unit from 74-OR23-1A. The size of the rDNA unit in 74-OR23-1A was shown to be 9.20 kilobase pairs (kb) from blotting data, and the average for all strains was 9.11+0.21 kb; standard error=0.038; coefficient of variation (C.V.)=2.34%. These data indicate that the rDNA repeat unit size has been highly conserved among the Neurospora strains investigated. However, while all strains have a conserved HindIII site near the 5 end of the 25 S rDNA coding sequence, a polymorphism in the number and/or position of HindIII sites in the nontranscribed spacer region was found between strains. The 74-OR23-1A strain has two HindIII sites in the spacer, while others have from 0 to at least 3. This restriction site polymorphism is strain-specific and not species-specific. It was confirmed for some strains by restriction analysis of clones containing most of the rDNA repeat unit. The current restriction map of the 74-OR23-1A rDNA repeat unit is presented.     

Zum Ortungsverfahren von Gyrinus substriatus Steph

Zusammenfassung Die vorliegende Arbeit befaßt sich mit dem Orientierungsvermögen des Taumelkäfers (Gyrinus substriatus) im Bereich der Wasseroberfläche mit Hilfe der Antennenorgane.Der Taumelkäfer besitzt eine hohe Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Oberflächenwellen und ist in der Lage, deren Einfallsrichtung festzustellen. Im Nahbereich werden Hindernisse, die in die Wasserfläche eintauchen und einen Meniskus hochziehen, gut erkannt.Die mechanischen und elektrophysiologisohen Eigenschaften der Antennen werden ermittelt. Mechanische Erschütterungen rufen Relativbewegungen zwischen Pedicellus und dem frei in die Luft ragenden Flagellum hervor und erregen das Johnstonsehe Organ. Pedicellus und Flagellum sind als schwingungsfähiges System anzusehen, dessen Eigenfrequenz 250 Hz beträgt und dessen relatives Dämpfungsmaß etwa den Wert 0,7 hat. In dem in Frage kommenden Frequenzbereich bis 150 Hz arbeitet das Schwingungssystem vorwiegend als Beschleunigungsmesser.Die elektrophysiologischen Untersuehungsergebnisse stimmen gut mit den auf Grund der Schwingungsmessungen gefundenen Eigenschaften überein. In der vom Antennennerven abgenommenen elektrophysiologischen Signalspannung werden reizsynchrone Pulssalven beobachtet, denen sich bei steigender Erregungsfrequenz ein synchrones Summenpotential überlagert. Vergleiche mit den mechanischen Untersuchungsergebnissen zeigen, daß das Summenpotential seinen Ursprung im Johnstonschen Organ hat. Die Amplitude dieses Signals steigt proportional mit der Relativbewegung zwischen Flagellum und Pedicellus an; sie ist in einem weiten Bereich unabhängig von der Frequenz.Der Käfer ist in der Lage, äußerst feine Erschütterungen der Wasserfläche wahrzunehmen. Wasserwellen, deren Amplitude nur wenige m beträgt, bringen das Johnstonsche Organ zum Ansprechen. Die Empfindlichkeit nimmt mit steigender Frequenz zu. Hat der Käfer eine Eigengeschwindigkeit, die der Ausbreitungsrichtung eines Wellenzuges entgegengerichtet ist, so erkennt er diese Wellen auf Grund des Doppier-Effektes besser. Mit einer ähnlich guten Empfindlichkeit nimmt der Käfer in der Nähe von Hindernissen den Meniskus wahr. Die ansteigende Wasserfläche ruft infolge der Eigengeschwindigkeit des Käfers eine zeitlich sich ändernde Antennenauslenkung hervor. Bei normalen Schwimmgeschwindigkeiten ist sie bereits in der Entfernung von 0,5–1,5 cm vom Rand so groß, daß der Käfer reagiert.

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On the orientation of Gyrinus substriatus StephWhirligig beetle

Summary The orientation of whirligig beetles Gyrinus substriatus on the surface of water by means of the antennae has been investigated. Whirligig beetles are very sensitive to waves on the surface and are able to find out the direction from where the waves come. They are also able to perceive objects which dip into the water surface and form a meniscus.The antennae have been investigated mechanically and electrophysiologically. Mechanic percussions produce movements between the pedicellus and the flagellum which does not touch the surface of water (Figs. 2, 14). These movements excite the Johnston-Organ. Pedicellus and Flagellum form a vibration system; the resonance-frequency is about 250 Hz and the relative attenuation constant is about 0,7. In the interesting frequency range below 150 Hz the system is mainly measuring accelerations.The results of electrophysiological investigations show a good conformity with those found by mechanical measurements. In the electrophysiological signal, derived from the antenna nerve, groups of spikes are to be observed which are in synchronism with the exciting signal. By increasing the exciting frequency a synchronous sum potential appears which is superimposed upon the original signal (Figs. 19...21).Comparisons with mechanical investigations show that the sum potential has its origin in the Johnston-Organ. The amplitude of this signal increases proportionally to the relative motion between flagellum and pedicellus, independent of frequency in a wide range (Fig. 23).The beetle is able to perceive very small percussions of the surface of water. Waves on the surface with an amplitude of several m produce a response in the Johnston-Organ. The sensivity increases with increasing frequency (Fig. 31). If the beetle is moving against a train of waves, it will perceive them better by reason of the Doppler-Effect.The sensivity is similar when the beetle approaches the meniscus near objects. The inclined water surface produces an excursion of the antenna as a function of time depending on the velocity of the beetle. At normal velocities and in an distance of 0.5–1.5 cm this effect will be large enough to produce a response (Fig. 32).

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Der Verfasser dankt Herrn Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. H. Tischner und Herrn Dr.-Ing. A. Schief für die Anregung zu diesen Untersuchungen und dem Herrn Ministerpräsidenten des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen — Landesamt für Forschung — für die Bereitstellung der Mittel.     

Depth of the facial nerve in face lift dissections

Facial nerve depth was measured in 12 cadaver face halves after bilateral face lift dissections. The main nerve trunk emerged anterior to the midearlobe and was 20.1 +/- 3.1 mm deep. Nerve exit from the parotid edge also was deep, averaging 9.1 +/- 2.8 mm for temporal, 9.2 +/- 2.2 mm for zygomatic, 9.6 +/- 2.0 mm for buccal, and 10.6 +/- 2.7 mm for mandibular branches. Distal to the parotid gland, danger areas where nerve branches became superficial were distal temporal, lower buccal, and upper mandibular branches over the masseter muscle and marginal mandibular as it crossed the facial artery. Some protection in these danger areas was provided by fascia, especially superficial temporal and masseteric, while platysma provided some protection for the mandibular branch. Fascial and muscle protection was less in thin cadavers. Face lift dissection can be rapid in areas where facial nerve branches are deep or absent, such as postauricular, inferior to the zygomatic prominence, and near the earlobe.