Fragments of myelin basic protein derived from human brain are not mitogenic in cultures of human amniotic fluid cells and other cells

The possible mitogenic effects of a number of preparations of the myelin basic protein (MBP) of human brain have been investigated in various cell types in culture, including human amniotic fluid cells. Intact human MBP, as well as fragments derived by BNPS-skatole and cathepsin D treatment, and isoelectric focusing fractions of human MBP, showed no mitogenic activity. These results are consistent with recent findings that the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activity of bovine brain does not originate from MBP.     

Growth of the dune wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia ssp.maritima) at Braunton Burrows in relation to weather factors

The dune wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia ssp.maritima) is an evergreen perennial herb which has spread extensively in recent decades to, and on, various British dune systems including Braunton Burrows, N. Devon. Its multiplication is partly vegetative, by rhizomes bearing leaf rosettes. This study primarily concerns the relation between: (i) the growth of one particular invasive colony on Braunton Burrows, as shown by the numbers of living rosettes counted at midsummer from 1964–74 inclusive; and (ii) concurrent meteorological records made nearby. Monthly weather means were calculated on various quarterly bases. After de-trending thePyrola data statistically, correlations were sought between the growth in numbers achieved in each year and the local air temperature (three bases), rainfall and duration of bright sunshine. While the annual increase in net numbers appears to have been unaffected by sunshine hours, this increase does seem to have been much diminished by cold nights, particularly in early spring and, though less strongly so, by low rainfall in the latter part of the preceding summer. Taking account of the performance ofPyrola in other habitats on the Burrows, it is suggested that the rainfall correlation may reflect the influence of atmospheric humidity rather than water supply to the roots.Local meteorological records over a 51-year period show combined temperature and rainfall conditions consistently favourable toPyrola growth throughout a 5-year run to a degree which might be expected to occur in only three such runs out of every hundred. The favourable period (1957–61) occurred between the inferred first occurrence ofPyrola on the Burrows and its observed rapid spread.     

Preliminary biological evaluation and mechanism of action studies of selected 2-arylindoles against glioblastoma

A series of related 2-arylindoles have been evaluated for their anticancer activity against a range of glioblastoma cell lines using a number of different cell-based assays to determine cell viability after treatment with the compounds. The best indoles, which showed comparable activity to cisplatin against a U87MG cell line in the MTS assay, were taken forward and initial studies suggest that their mechanism of action is consistent with the generation of reactive oxygen species followed by autophagic cell death. Furthermore, activity was also observed in glioblastoma short-term cell cultures for the best lead compound and in some cases gave low micromolar IC₅₀s.     

Intestinal iron absorption and mucosal transferrin in rats subjected to hypoxia

Three days hypoxia (0.5 atm) increased the haemoglobin and haematocrit values in rats paralleled by enhanced intestinal iron absorption. The destination of recently-absorbed iron was primarily the erythropoietic system, viz. bone marrow, spleen and red cells. Total plasma transferrin, was increased by 30%, but no significant changes in mucosal transferrin were found. No increase in labelling of mucosal transferrin by absorbed iron was observed. These results suggest that mucosal transferrin does not play a major role in the regulation of intestinal iron absorption in hypoxia.     

A simple PCR-based method for scoring the ph1b deletion in wheat

 The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique was used to isolate DNA sequences present in the euploid wheat Chinese Spring but not in the Chinese Spring ph1b mutant (which has a deletion of the Ph1 gene, a suppressor of homoeologous chromosome pairing). The polymorphic DNA fragments identified by AFLP were then cloned, sequenced, and used to design two primer pairs. These primers were used in a PCR-based assay to specifically amplify products from the Chinese Spring euploid but not from the ph1b mutant. This PCR assay can be carried out from extracted genomic DNA or directly from alkaline-treated wheat leaves, and the reaction products can be scored on a plus-minus basis, making the screening amenable to automation. The reliability of the assay was tested using a F₁-derived doubled-haploid population of 55 lines which segregate for the ph1b deletion. This PCR-screening technique is less time and labour consuming, and more accurate and reliable, than cytologically based conventional methods. Received: 4 September 1997 / Accepted: 19 September 1997