Incidence of Vibrio cholerae from estuaries of the United States West Coast

The incidence of Vibrio cholerae in shellfish, sediment, and waters of California, Oregon, and Washington was determined during the summer of 1984. Samples from 24 distinct estuaries were analyzed qualitatively. V. cholerae non-O1 was found in 23 estuaries and in 44.6% of the 529 samples examined. V. cholerae O1 Inaba was isolated from water samples in Morro Bay, Calif. Vibrio mimicus was found in 2.3% of the samples. Cholera enterotoxin was not found in cell-free filtrates of the 100 isolates tested in the Y-1 mouse adrenal cell assay, but heat-labile cytotoxic activity was observed with 3% of the isolates.     

Migratory and postmigratory mouse primordial germ cells behave differently in culture

In all vertebrate groups, the progenitors of the germ line, the primordial germ cells (PGCs) arise extragonadally and move to the developing gonad early in embryonic development. We have examined the behavior of isolated pregonadal and gonadal PGCs in vitro on feeder layers of an embryo-derived cell line. Histochemically and serologically identified pregonadal germ cells are found to be actively motile in vitro and, furthermore, show behavior characteristic of invasive cells. PGCs isolated from the developing gonad, however, show little locomotory activity and are not invasive on the same cellular substrate. These observations suggest that PGCs undergo a major change in phenotype at the time of their entry into the gonad anlagen.     

Function of calmodulin in postsynaptic densities. II. Presence of a calmodulin- activatable protein kinase activity

Because the calmodulin in postsynaptic densities (PSDs) activates a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, we decided to explore the possibility that the PSD also contains a calmodulin-activatable protein kinase activity. As seen by autoradiographic analysis of coomassie blue-stained SDS polyacrylamide gels, many proteins in a native PSD preparation were phosphorylated in the presence of [γ-(32)P]ATP and Mg(2+) alone. Addition of Ca(2+) alone to the native PSD preparation had little or no effect on phosphorylation. However, upon addition of exogenous calmodulin there was a general increase in background phosphorylation with a statistically significant increase in the phosphorylation of two protein regions: 51,000 and 62,000 M(r). Similar results were also obtained in sonicated or freeze thawed native PSD preparations by addition of Ca(2+) alone without exogenous calmodulin, indicating that the calmodulin in the PSD can activate the kinase present under certain conditions. The calmodulin dependency of the reaction was further strengthened by the observed inhibition of the calmodulin-activatable phosphorylation, but not of the Mg(2+)-dependent activity, by the Ca(2+) chelator, EGTA, which also removes the calmodulin from the structure (26), and by the binding to calmodulin of the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine in the presence of Ca(2+). In addition, when a calmodulin-deficient PSD preparation was prepared (26), sonicated, and incubated with [γ-(32)P]ATP, Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), one could not induce a Ca(2+)-stimulation of protein kinase activity unless exogenous calmodulin was added back to the system, indicating a reconstitution of calmodulin into the PSD. We have also attempted to identify the two major phosphorylated proteins. Based on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it appears that the major 51,000 M(r) PSD protein is the one that is phosphorylated and not the 51,000 M(r) component of brain intermediate filaments, which is a known PSD contaminant. In addition, papain digestion of the 51,000 M(r) protein revealed multiple phosphorylation sites different from those phosphorylated by the Mg(2+)-dependent kinase(s). Finally, although the calmodulin-activatable protein kinase may phosphorylate proteins I(a) and I(b), the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, which definitely does phosphorylate protein I(a) and I(b) and is present in the PSD, does not phosphorylate the 51,000 and 62,000 M(r) proteins, because specific inhibition of this kinase has no effect on the levels of the phosphorylation of these latter two proteins.     

The tolerance of grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella Val., to aquatic herbicides

Because grass carp may feed selectively on water plants, additional conventional methods may be necessary for effective control of aquatic vegetation. For economic reasons aquatic herbicides are most likely to be used in conjunction with grass carp within an integrated aquatic weed control programme. The acutely lethal toxicities of ten herbicides to grass carp were measured. A preliminary evaluation of the risk to these fish showed that, when used at the recommended rate, the maximum herbicide concentration likely to be found in water should cause little harm to the fish, although attention should be given to the possible inhibition of feeding.     

Continuous Recording of Direct Arterial Pressure and Electrocardiogram in Unrestricted Man

A system has been devised which records direct arterial pressure, electrocardiogram, and other variables in man with no restriction of activity. The advantage of this system is that the record is on magnetic tape, and it is possible to replay the records at various speeds to analyse each beat or to produce an entire 24-hour record on a few feet of paper. A marker allows the timing of relevant events. Initial experience with this procedure indicates that is is safe and reliable.     

Are Markers of Inflammation More Strongly Associated with Risk for Fatal Than for Nonfatal Vascular Events?

Background

Circulating inflammatory markers may more strongly relate to risk of fatal versus nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, but robust prospective evidence is lacking. We tested whether interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen more strongly associate with fatal compared to nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.

Methods and Findings

In the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), baseline inflammatory markers in up to 5,680 men and women aged 70–82 y were related to risk for endpoints; nonfatal CVD (i.e., nonfatal MI and nonfatal stroke [n = 672]), fatal CVD (n = 190), death from other CV causes (n = 38), and non-CVD mortality (n = 300), over 3.2-y follow-up. Elevations in baseline IL-6 levels were significantly (p = 0.0009; competing risks model analysis) more strongly associated with fatal CVD (hazard ratio [HR] for 1 log unit increase in IL-6 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44–2.12) than with risk of nonfatal CVD (1.17, 95% CI 1.04–1.31), in analyses adjusted for treatment allocation. The findings were consistent in a fully adjusted model. These broad trends were similar for CRP and, to a lesser extent, for fibrinogen. The results were also similar in placebo and statin recipients (i.e., no interaction). The C-statistic for fatal CVD using traditional risk factors was significantly (+0.017; p<0.0001) improved by inclusion of IL-6 but not so for nonfatal CVD events (p = 0.20).

Conclusions

In PROSPER, inflammatory markers, in particular IL-6 and CRP, are more strongly associated with risk of fatal vascular events than nonfatal vascular events. These novel observations may have important implications for better understanding aetiology of CVD mortality, and have potential clinical relevance. Please see later in the article for Editors'' Summary     

Effects of human activities on the spatial distribution of eastern roe deerCapreolus pygargus bedfordi in the Lesser Khingan Mountains, northeastern China

Eastern roe deerCapreolus pygargus bedfordi Thomas, 1908 occurred throughout China historically, but today are only found in 7 provinces. Their populations in China have been greatly impacted by human disturbances. Little is known about what kinds of human disturbances impact their distribution and resource requirements for survival. A survey was conducted over 20 661 ha located at the Erkehe Forestry Farm in the Lesser Khingan Mountains, northeastern China. Field work lasted from January to March, 2006 and January to March, 2007, and a total of 613 plots were visited along 28 sampling transects. Predictive models of easter roe deer resource selection were developed with or without the inclusion of human disturbance factors. Whether human disturbance exists or not, eastern roe deer retained strong links to patch size and patch density of low shrub and swamp, and the probability of moose occurrence. Low shrub and swamps created after logging provide more abundant annual shoots for food, and were vital for survival in harsh winters. When human disturbance was not modeled, eastern roe deer avoided higher density of bothBetula platyphylla andLarix gmelinii patches at a landscape scale, and larger mixed coniferous and broad-leaf patchs at local scales. Once human disturbances existed, eastern roe deer occurred in areas with higher NDVI and they had a considerably lower probability of presence in areas associated with roads and with a forest harvest interval of 4 years. Consequently, to predict effects of human disturbance on eastern roe deer spatial distribution, models need to incorporate effects of other competitive species, multiple spatial scale resource variables respectively, which will provide more value information for management and use of eastern roe deer population.     

Continuous-time modeling of cell fate determination in Arabidopsis flowers

Background  

The genetic control of floral organ specification is currently being investigated by various approaches, both experimentally and through modeling. Models and simulations have mostly involved boolean or related methods, and so far a quantitative, continuous-time approach has not been explored.