Developmental changes in the activities of prostaglandin synthesizing enzymes in the digestive and immune systems of rat

The developmental changes of prostaglandin (PG) synthesizing enzymes in the digestive system (stomach and small intestine) and the immune system (spleen and thymus) of rats were investigated. In all the digestive organs, the predominant PG produced from PGH2 changed at around 2 weeks after birth to another PG. Further, the predominant activities of PG synthesizing enzymes were different organ by organ in the digestive system. In the case of the immune system, only the activity of PGD2 synthesizing enzyme displayed a significant increase during development and the activities of other PG synthesizing enzymes remained insignificant throughout the development. These results suggest that PGs may play important roles during the development of each organ.     

Analysis of sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes cultured from 71 healthy men

Sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were analyzed in peripheral blood lymphocytes from a select group of 71 healthy men, 56 nonsmokers and 15 cigarette smokers. In addition to estimating baseline SCE, data were examined to seek relationships of SCE frequencies to age and smoking. The baseline value of 7.53 SCE per cell from the 56 nonsmokers was within the range (5.60 to 9.10 SCE/cell) reported for other human populations. No relationship was found between the mean SCE frequency per cell and age. However, a significant increase in the SCE mean value was observed in smokers as compared to nonsmokers. The results of this study are compared with those of other reports on SCE effects of age and smoking.Abbreviations BUdR 5-bromo,2-deoxyuridine - SCE sister chromatid exchange     

Analysis of a continuous, aerobic, fixed-film bioreactor. I. Steady-state behavior

The analysis of a continuous, aerobic, fixed-film bioreactor is performed by simulating the behavior of penicillin production in a three-phase fluidized bed. Rigorous mathematical models are developed for a fluidized-bed fermentor in which bioparticles are fluidized by the liquid medium and air. The steady-state performance of the fluidized-bed reactor is appraised in terms of penicillin productivity and outlet concentration by considering the two extremes in contacting patterns, complete back-mix and plug flow, in the absence of a growing biofilm. The results show that the complete back-mix contacting pattern is preferred over that of plug flow due to the nature of the penicillin kinetic relationships. It is also shown that for the dual-nutrient (glucose and oxygen) penicillin reaction system the optimum biofilm thickness does not equal the penetration depth of a limiting nutrient, but depends upon the total reactor configuration.     

Monoclonal antibody against K562 cell line accelerates killing of the target cells by large granular lymphocytes

A monoclonal antibody (MoAb 11-4) was raised against K562, a human erythroleukemia cell line sensitive to natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NK-CMC). Immunological analysis revealed MoAb to be IgG_2b. Alone, the MoAb was not cytotoxic for K562 and did not bind to the effector cells, but the addition of this antibody to macrophage-depleted human peripheral blood lymphocytes increased killing of K562 in a 4-hr NK-CMC assay. The maximum increase in NK-CMC was observed when MoAb 11-4 was added to target cells prior to the formation of effector/target cell conjugates. This effect was dose dependent, was specific for K562, and, contrary to conventional antisera, occurred at very low concentrations of MoAb. When MoAb was added either to Percoll-purified large granular lymphocytes (LGL) or to LGL-depleted lymphocytes, only the latter demonstrated a significant increase in the killing of K562 in a 4-hr chromium release assay. Kinetics studies revealed that although the overall LGL-mediated lysis was only slightly increased at 4 hr, the maximum lytic activity was reached within 2 hr. These studies suggest that (1) human LGL and LGL-depleted cell populations bear Fc receptors for mouse IgG_2b and (2) although the cytotoxic activities of both cell populations are increased by treatment with MoAb 11-4, the kinetics of this increase are different.     

Productivity of Agave deserti: measurement by dry weight and monthly prediction using physiological responses to environmental parameters

Summary An environmental productivity index based on physiological responses to three environmental variables was used to predict the net productivity of a common succulent perennial of the Sonoran Desert, Agave deserti, on a monthly basis. Productivity was also independently measured in the field from dry weight changes. The index was based on soil water availability, day/night air temperatures, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which were individually varied in the laboratory and the effect on net CO₂ uptake by the leaves determined. From monthly precipitation, temperature, and PAR at the field site together with the responses measured in the laboratory, an index (maximum value of unity) was assigned to each of these three environmental variables and their product was termed the environmental productivity index. This index indicates the fraction of maximal CO₂ uptake expected in the field for each month (well-watered A. deserti assimilated 285 mmol CO₂ m^-2 leaf area day^-1 at PAR saturation and optimal day/night temperatures of 25° C/15° C). The dry weight analysis was based on the monthly unfolding of new leaves from the central spike of the rosette and their seasonal increase in dry weight, which were determined in the field. The production of new leaves was highly correlated with the environmental productivity index (r²=0.93), which in turn was highly correlated with the water status index (r²=0.97). After correction for respiration by folded leaves, stem, and roots, plant productivity predicted by the average environmental productivity index (0.36) over a wet June-to-October period agreed within 4% with the productivity based on the conventional dry weight analysis. The net productivity of A. deserti over this 5-month period was 0.57 kg m^-2 ground area (5.7 Mg ha^-1), a large value for a desert CAM plant. The environmental productivity index proposed here may provide a reliable means for predicting net productivity on a monthly basis, which may be particularly useful for species in relatively variable environments such as deserts.     

The material properties of bone-particle impregnated PMMA

The elastic Young's modulus and shear modulus of bone-particle impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been measured experimentally at room temperature as a function of bone particle concentration. It was found that the moduli increased with increasing bone particle content. This increase was less than the stiffness increase predicted by higher-order composite theory [1, 2] under the assumption of perfect bonding between particles and matrix. It was concluded that a bond existed but that it was not a perfect bond.     

Monoclonal antibody-directed immunopurification and identification of cytochromes P-450

A 28 amino acid peptide with diuretic and natriuretic activity has been purified from rat atrial muscle. The primary structure of this atrial peptide is H-Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser-Cys-Phe-Gly-Gly-Arg-Ile-Asp-Arg-Ile-Gly- (sequence in text) Ala-Gln-Ser-Gly-Leu-Gly-Cys-Asn-Ser-Phe-(Arg)-Tyr-OH. The biological activity of this peptide is identical to that of atrial natriuretic factor and cardionatrin I isolated from rat atria.     

Drug protein conjugates--III. Inhibition of the irreversible binding of ethinylestradiol to rat liver microsomal protein by mixed-function oxidase inhibitors, ascorbic acid and thiols

The metabolism of [6,7-3H]ethinylestradiol [( 3H]EE2) by rat liver microsomes was studied in vitro. After incubation of [3H]EE2 with rat liver microsomes for 20 min, 90% of the substrate was metabolised and 18% of the 3H-labelled material irreversibly bound to microsomal protein. Ascorbic acid (1 mM) decreased irreversible binding of 3H and produced an accumulation of 2-hydroxyethinylestradiol (2OH-EE2), while mixed-function oxidase inhibitors (0.5 mM) decreased binding of 3H to protein by inhibiting EE2 2-hydroxylation. Addition of thiols gave water-soluble metabolites which were characterised as 1(4)-thioether derivatives of 2OH-EE2 by co-chromatography with synthetic products. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the chemically reactive metabolite of EE2 formed in vitro is either a quinone or o-semiquinone derived from 2OH-EE2 [1].     

Antigens on human plasma cells identified by monoclonal antibodies

Two monoclonal antibodies that define distinct plasma cell-associated antigens, termed PCA-1 and PCA-2, were developed against human plasma cell leukemia cells. These antigens are strongly expressed on human myelomas, plasma cell leukemia, and plasmacytoma tumor cells, but are not detected on other lymphoid malignancies of B, T, null, or myeloid origin. PCA-1 and PCA-2 are not expressed on either normal T or B lymphocytes, but are weakly expressed on granulocytes and monocytes. When pokeweed mitogen is used to induce human B lymphocyte differentiation, PCA-1 is expressed when other B cell determinants are lost and plasmacytoid morphology, intracytoplasmic immunoglobulins, and surface T10 staining characteristic of plasma cells appear. In contrast, PCA-2 cannot be induced and may therefore appear later in the B cell differentiation scheme. These antigens may be of utility for the study and regulation of normal and abnormal plasma cell growth, traffic, and tissue distribution and may aid in understanding heterogeneity within plasma cell dyscrasias.