Parturition in a free-ranging Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata)

Parturition behavior of a multiparous female and her interactions with group members throughout the birth process were recorded for a free-ranging Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata). The female showed evidence of 18 contractions during the 35 min prior to delivery, with a mean duration and a mean intercontraction interval of 30 sec and 96 sec, respectively. These values were similar to those in individually caged Japanese monkeys. Some adult females remained in proximity to the female who was giving birth during the prepartum phase, and her 2-year-old daughter watched the delivery of the infant. Even during the prepartum phase the female moved in order to keep up with the group which traveled from the feeding site to a sleeping site in the forest.     

Effect of addition of polyethyleneimine on thermal stability and activity of glucose dehydrogenase

When polyethyleneimine (PEI), a water-soluble cationic polymer, was added to solutions of glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) from Bacillus megaterium IWG3 at a molar ratio of PEI to GDH greater than 10, the thermal stability of GDH markedly increased. By addition of PEI, the rate of GDH-catalysed oxidation of -d-glucose increased in a low concentration range of NAD⁺ and NADP⁺ and the Michaelis constants and inhibition constants for both NAD⁺ and NADP⁺ decreased. These results suggested that negatively charged GDH interacts with cationic water-soluble polymers to form conjugates by electrostatic attraction, and also that negatively charged coenzymes are adsorbed by the polymers, resulting in enrichment of the coenzymes in the vicinity of GDH. Addition of PEI was also found to be effective for preventing the denaturation of GDH by acrylamide.Correspondence to: M. Teramoto     

Local formation and degradation of endothelin-1 in guinea pig airway tissues

Endothelin(ET)-1 and big ET-1 caused potent and sustained constriction of isolated guinea pig bronchus. The response to ET-1 was enhanced by phosphoramidon in a simple dose-related manner (0.01-1000 microM), while the response to big ET-1 was enhanced at lower doses (0.01-0.1 microM) but was suppressed at higher doses (100-1000 microM) of phosphoramidon. Big ET-1, when given intravenously (i.v.) to anesthetized guinea pigs, increased both bronchopulmonary inflation pressure and mean arterial blood pressure (2.5, 5, 10 nmol/kg i.v.). The pressor response to big ET-1 was attenuated by phosphoramidon dose-relatedly, while the pulmonary response was modified in a complex fashion composed of delayed onset and prolonged duration of action. These results suggest that ET converting as well as degrading enzymes coexist in the airway tissue and both enzymes are sensitive to phosphoramidon, so that phosphoramidon acts bifunctionally to reduce and stimulate the airway responses to big ET-1.     

Evaluation of chemical pretreatment for enzymatic solubilization of rice straw

Summary Rice straw was treated with NaOH, peracetic acid (PA), and sodium chlorite (NaClO₂). Quantitative changes in the composition of the treated straw, crystallinity of the treated straw and extracted cellulose, and susceptibility of the treated straw to Trichoderma reesei cellulase were studied. The alkali treatment resulted in a remarkable decrease in hemicellulose as well as lignin. Consequently, the recovery of residual straw after NaOH treatment was lowest among the three chemical reagents evaluated. The treatment with PA or NaCIO₂ resulted in a slight loss in hemicellulose and cellulose in the straw. The three chemical treatments caused little or no breakdown of the crystalline structure of cellulose in the straw. The treated straw was solubilized with the culture filtrate of T. reesei. The degree of enzymatic solubilization relative to the amount of residual straw was 69% after treatment with 0.25 N NaOH, 42% after treatment with 20% PA, and 50% after treatments with NaClO₂ (twice). The degree of enzymatic solubilization relative to the amount of the untreated straw, however, was 30% after treatment with 0.25 N NaOH, 32% after treatment with 20% PA, and 37% after treatments with NaClO₂ (twice).     

Polyploid cytotypes and their habitat preferences inLycopodium clavatum

Morphological, cytological and ecological observations were made onLycopodium clavatum. Among 121 individuals from 26 populations studied 31 were of the diploid cytotype with 2n=68, 45 were of the triploid cytotype with 2n=102 and 45 were of the tetraploid cytotype with 2n=136. The populations were divided into three types: (1) the sole type—characterized by a single cytotype occupying an entire population, (2) the mixed type A—characterized by two or three cytotypes occupying together the same population, but each cytotype choosing different habitats, (3) the mixed type B—characterized by two or three cytotypes occupying together the same population and sharing the same habitat with each other. The mixed type B populations were found in the places of the early phase of secondary succession in a plant community. In the sole type and the mixed type A, the habitat preference for each cytotype was described as follows: the habitat for the diploid was in humid and shady places, that for the tetraploid was in open and sunny, unstable places, and that for the triploid was intermediate between the other two. Each cytotype can progress towards occupying their optimum habitat successively from the mixed type B population to the mixed type A population and finally reaching the sole type population.     

Detection of the Nicotiana rustica chloroplast genome coding for the large subunit of Fraction I protein in a somatic hybrid in which only the N. tabacum chloroplast genome appeared to have been expressed

Nine plants were produced from anthers of a somatic hybrid which had been obtained by fusion of Nicotiana tabacum L. and N. rustica L. protoplants. As determined by electrofocusing, the Fraction I protein of the original somatic hybrid had largesubunit polypeptides exclusively of the N. tabacum type. Two of the plants regenerated from anthers contained Fraction-I-protein large subunits exclusively of the N. rustica type. Since each plant was regenerated from a single cell, the somatic hybrid must have had cells containing both the N. tabacum and N. rustica chloroplast genome although the latter was not expressed. Possibilities to account for this non-expression of a chloroplast genome in the somatic hybrid are discussed.     

α-Guanidinoglutaric Acid in Cobalt-Induced Epileptogenic Cerebral Cortex of Cats

: Guanidino compounds in the cobalt-induced epileptogenic cerebral cortex of cats were fluorometrically analysed by a JASCO G-520 guanidino compounds analyser, and an unknown high peak was observed in the chromatogram that was identical to the peak of authentic α-guanidinoglutaric acid. In another experiment, the substance was extracted from the cobalt focus tissue, converted into dimethylpyrimidyl derivative-butylester, and analysed by a GC/MS technique. The mass spectrum of the substance was identical to the dimethylpyrimidyl derivative of α-guanidinoglutaric acid butylester (M⁺= 365).