Probit analysis of thermal sensation assessments

The probit technique for analysis of subjective assessments of thermal sensation is described. It enables transition temperatures from any selected thermal sensation to the adjacent thermal sensation (e.g. from neutral to warm) to be identified. A transition temperature is defined as that temperature at which the maximum number of people would change their assessment from one thermal sensation to the next. Thus if a seven-point scale of thermal sensation is used, six transition temperatures are possible. Increments between them will not necessarily be identical, as would be assumed in a linear regression analysis. The method has been applied in three studies: laboratory studies by the Kansas State University, field studies in Port Moresby, and field studies in Melbourne. In the first it is shown that men are more thermally tolerant than women, in the second it is shown that in Port Moresby the preferred temperatures of Melanesians are 2°C higher than those of Caucasians and in the third it is suggested that subjects in Melbourne have a slightly lower preferred temperature than predicted by Fanger (1972).     

Localization of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase binding sites on bacteriophage S13 and 0X174 DNAs by electron microscopy.

Complexes between Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and bacteriophage S13 and phage phiX174 replicative form III DNAs have been shown to form at specific locations on the phage genomes. The major locations on S13 have been mapped at 8 to 10 and 92 to 96% of the genome length, starting from the unique Pst I cleavage site. The locations correspond to the beginnings of genes D and B, respectively. Four minor locations map at 18 to 22, 28 to 32, 50 to 56, and 70 to 74% of the genome. The 70 to 74% site corresponds to the beginning of the A gene. The major locations on phiX174 are at 8 to 10, 50 to 54, and 92 to 94% of the genome. The 50 to 54% site is at the start of the H gene and has an equivalent minor site on S13, but it is not a promoter site. Three minor sites on phiX174, at 20 to 24, 26 to 32, and 68 to 74% of the genome, correspond to sites on S13. The data confirm the locations of sites identified by restriction fragment binding experiments (E. Rassart and J. H. Spencer, J. Virol. 27:677--687, 1978) and the assignment of putative promoters at the start of genes A, B and D.     

Fat content of expressed breast milk: a case for quality control.

Expressed breast milk used to feed preterm infants is precious and so, despite heterogeneity of composition, all available milk is used. A study of 274 samples of expressed breast milk supplied by preterm mothers and National Childbirth Trust donors showed pronounced variation in fat content as measured by the "creamatocrit" method. This was not due to differences between term and preterm mothers or between transitional and mature milk. The composition was affected by diurnal variation and method of collection. Substantial amounts of fat were also wasted as a result of continuous nasogastric feeding. Several milk samples did not contain enough fat to supply even a fraction of the recommended energy requirements of these infants. Some type of quality control over samples of expressed breast milk is clearly essential. The creamatocrit method is simple and feasible.     

6-d-glucopyranosyl fatty acid esters from Brassica napus pollen

6-d-Glucopyranosyl esters of palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids were identified in Brassica napus (rape) pollen. These esters are inactive as plant growth promoters in the bean second-internode bioassay.     

Partial characterization of a soluble ATPase from pea cotyledon mitochondria.

A partially purified soluble ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) from pea cotyledon mitochondria was characterized. Inhibition patterns with azide, NaF, and cold, and a stimulation by 2,4-dinitrophenol were typical of F1-ATPases from mammalian mitochondria. The enzyme hydrolysed GTP, ITP, and ATP, but not CTP, UTP, ADP, or IDP. ATPase and ITPase activities were strongly inhibited by ADP and to a lesser extent by IDP. Distinctive properties of the pea mitochondrial enzyme were activation by high concentrations of CaCl2 and stimulation by NaCl.     

Effects of specific inhibition of sterol biosynthesis on the uptake and utilization of low density lipoprotein cholesterol by HepG2 cells.

Treatment of HepG2 cells in lipoprotein-deficient media with 4,4,10 beta-trimethyl-trans-decal-3 beta-ol (TMD) abolished the incorporation of [3H]acetate into cholesterol with concomitant accumulation of squalene 2,3(S)-oxide and squalene 2,3(S):22(S),23-dioxide, indicating a specific inhibition of oxidosqualene cyclase. The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase was affected in a biphasic manner, being inhibited by 30% at low concentrations of TMD and stimulated by 30% at concentrations that completely shut down oxidosqualene cyclase. Treatment with TMD (greater than 20 micrograms/ml) doubled the specific binding and internalization of low density lipoproteins (LDL) and also enhanced their degradation to a degree comparable to that produced by lovastatin, a well-known inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase. The enhanced binding of LDL to HepG2 cells appeared to occur as a result of an increase in the number of binding sites with no change in their binding affinity for the lipoprotein. At concentrations that completely inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis, TMD did not affect the ability of LDL-derived cholesterol to stimulate cholesterol esterification by seven- to tenfold or to stimulate bile acid secretion to a lesser degree. However, TMD treatment inhibited overall bile acid secretion by 75-85%. The compound had no inhibitory effect on the rates of secretion of either apolipoprotein B or of cholesterol by HepG2 cells into the culture medium. These data demonstrate that a specific inhibition of the sterol branch of isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway in hepatic cells by TMD is sufficient to induce the expression of LDL receptors and that the cholesterol delivered by LDL is available for normal metabolic purposes of the cell.     

Phylogenetic relationships within the class Oligohymenophorea,phylum Cilophora,inferred from the complete small subunit rRNA gene sequences ofColpidium campylum,Glaucoma chattoni,andOpisthonecta henneguyi

Summary Phylogenetic relationships within the class Oligohymenophorea, phylum Ciliophora, were investigated by determining the complete small subunit rRNA (SSrRNA) gene sequences for the hymenostomesColpidium campylum, Glaucoma chattoni, and the peritrichOpisthonecta henneguyi. The affiliations of the oligohymenophoreans were assessed using both distance matrix (DM) and maximum parsimony (MP) analyses. Variations do exist in the phylogenies created by the two methods. However, the basic tree topologies are consistent. In both the DM and MP analyses the hymenostomes (C. campylum, G. chattoni, and the tetrahymenas) all form a very tight group associated with the peritrichO. henneguyi. TheTetrahymena lineage was monophyletic whereasColpidium andGlaucoma were more closely related to each other than either was to the tetrahymenas. The monophyly of the genusTetrahymena in the present analysis supports the phylogenies determined from morphological data and molecular sequence data from the histone H3II/H4II region of the genome. The perplexing and controversial phylogenetic position of the peritrichs is once again depicted in the present analysis. The distinctiveness of the peritrichOpisthonecta from both hymenostome and nassophorean ciliates based on evolutionary distances suggests that the elevation of the peritrichs to a higher taxonomic rank should be reconsidered.     

Population Genetic Models of Genomic Imprinting

The phenomenon of genomic imprinting has recently excited much interest among experimental biologists. The population genetic consequences of imprinting, however, have remained largely unexplored. Several population genetic models are presented and the following conclusions drawn: (i) systems with genomic imprinting need not behave similarly to otherwise identical systems without imprinting; (ii) nevertheless, many of the models investigated can be shown to be formally equivalent to models without imprinting; (iii) consequently, imprinting often cannot be discovered by following allele frequency changes or examining equilibrium values; (iv) the formal equivalences fail to preserve some well known properties. For example, for populations incorporating genomic imprinting, parameter values exist that cause these populations to behave like populations without imprinting, but with heterozygote advantage, even though no such advantage is present in these imprinting populations. We call this last phenomenon "pseudoheterosis." The imprinting systems that fail to be formally equivalent to nonimprinting systems are those in which males and females are not equivalent, i.e., two-sex viability systems and sex-chromosome inactivation.