Arrangement of Integrated Avian Sarcoma Virus DNA Sequences Within the Cellular Genomes of Transformed and Revertant Mammalian Cells

We have examined the arrangement of integrated avian sarcoma virus (ASV) DNA sequences in several different avian sarcoma virus transformed mammalian cell lines, in independently isolated clones of avian sarcoma virus transformed rat liver cells, and in morphologically normal revertants of avian sarcoma virus transformed rat embryo cells. By using restriction endonuclease digestion, agarose gel electrophoresis, Southern blotting, and hybridization with labeled avian sarcoma virus complementary DNA probes, we have compared the restriction enzyme cleavage maps of integrated viral DNA and adjacent cellular DNA sequences in four different mouse and rat cell lines transformed with either Bratislava 77 or Schmidt-Ruppin strains of avian sarcoma virus. The results of these experiments indicated that the integrated viral DNA resided at a different site within the host cell genome in each transformed cell line. A similar analysis of several independently derived clones of Schmidt-Ruppin transformed rat liver cells also revealed that each clone contained a unique cellular site for the integration of proviral DNA. Examination of several morphologically normal revertants and spontaneous retransformants of Schmidt-Ruppin transformed rat embryo cells revealed that the internal arrangement and cellular integration site of viral DNA sequences was identical with that of the transformed parent cell line. The loss of the transformed phenotype in these revertant cell lines, therefore, does not appear to be the result of rearrangement or deletions either within the viral genome or in adjacent cellular DNA sequences. The data presented support a model for ASV proviral DNA integration in which recombination can occur at multiple sites within the mammalian cell genome. The integration and maintenance of at least one complete copy of the viral genome appear to be required for continuous expression of the transformed phenotype in mammalian cells.     

Isolation of selective 3H-chlornaltrexamine-bound complexes,possible opioid receptor components in brains of mice

The nonequilibrium narcotic antagonist, chlornaltrexamine (CNA) was used to bind selectively and covalently pioid specific sites on brain membrane preparations. Selective binding of [³H]CNA occured with a saturation maximum of 185 fmol/mg protein. Bound [³H]CNA was extracted with Triton X-100, dialyzed against Brij 36T, precipitated with trichloroacetic acid and chromatographed on an ultrogel AcA 22 column. The elution profile suggests that this extract contains a minimum of four selective [³H]CNA complexes. At least two of these complexes migrate in a single large peak. Column calibration showed that this peak eluted at 590,000 daltons. One of these specific [³H]CNA complexes elutes at the elution volume of the column and is dialyzable. Finally, putative aggregate of these complexes elutes with the void volume.     

Effect of counselling on the psychiatric morbidity associated with mastectomy.

A controlled trial was conducted to determine whether counselling by a specialist nurse prevented the psychiatric morbidity associated with mastectomy and breast cancer. Seventy-five patients were counselled by the nurse and monitored during follow-up, while 77 patients received only the care normally given by the surgical unit. Counselling failed to prevent morbidity, but the nurse''s regular monitoring of the women''s progress led her to recognise and refer 76% of those who needed psychiatric help. Only 15% of the control group whose condition warranted help were recognised and referred. Consequently, 12 to 18 months after mastectomy there was much less psychiatric morbidity in the counselled group (12%) than in the control group (39%). These findings highlight the high degree of psychiatric morbidity in patients who have undergone mastectomy and indicate the need to find ways of reducing this morbidity.     

Inactivation by gamma irradiation of animal viruses in simulated laboratory effluent

Several animal viruses were treated with gamma radiation from a 60Co source under conditions which might be found in effluent from an animal disease laboratory. Swine vesicular disease virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, and blue-tongue virus were irradiated in tissues from experimentally infected animals. Pseudorabies virus, fowl plague virus, swine vesicular disease virus, and vesicular stomatitis virus were irradiated in liquid animal feces. All were tested in animals and in vitro. The D10 values, that is, the doses required to reduce infectivity by 1 log10, were not apparently different from those expected from predictions based on other data and theoretical considerations. The existence of the viruses in pieces of tissue or in liquid feces made no difference in the efficacy of the gamma radiation for inactivating them. Under the "worst case" conditions (most protective for virus) simulated in this study, no infectious agents would survive 4.0 Mrads.     

Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Degeneration der Dunenfedermelanozyten

Zusammenfassung Die Degeration der Eumelanozyten in den Erstlingsdunen der Wachtel(Coturnix coturnix) ist licht- und elektronenmikroskopisch vom Ende der Pigmentierung bis zum vollständigen Abbau untersucht worden.Nach der Phagozytose der Pigmentzellausläufer durch die Primärleistenzellen runden sich die Perikaryen der Melanozyten ab. Dabei werden sie vom Pulpaepithel zwar vollständig umschlossen, jedoch nicht zellulär aufgenommen. Ihr Zytoplasma wird in der Folgezeit so stark kondensiert, daß mit Ausnahme unreifer oder reifer Granula sämtliche Zellorganellen verschwinden und ein homogen dicht erscheinendes Material mit unregelmäßiger Form zurückbleibt. Am Ende dieser Entwicklung sind von den über lange Zeit durch Desmosomen und tight junctions miteinander verbundenen Zellmembranen der Pulpaepithel- und Pigmentzellen nur noch Bruchstücke erhalten.

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Electron microscopic investigation of the melanocyte degeneration in down feathers

Summary The degeneration of eumelanocytes in down feathers of the quail(Coturnix coturnix) embryo has been investigated from the end of pigmentation to the total degradation with the aid of light and electron microscopy.Following phagocytosis of the pigment cell processes, the cell bodies of the melanocytes become round. Thereby they become completely surrounded by the cylinder cells but are nonetheless not taken up by these cells. The melanocyte cytoplasm subsequently becomes markedly condensed so that with the exception of mature and immature melanosomes, all cell organelles disappear and a homogeneously dense material or irregular form remains. At the end of this development, there exist only fragments of the cylinder and pigment cell membranes that had been previously held together for a long period by desmosomes and tight junctions.

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Folgende Abkürzungen werden verwendet Bl Basallamina - FS Federscheide - Fz Fibrozyt - K Kern - M Mitochondrium - Mz Melanozyt - PD Periderm - PE Pulpaepithel - Pl Plasmalemm - RD Radius - RDP Radiogenplatte - RM Ramus Mark - RMS Ramogensäule - RP Randplatte - RR Ramus Rinde     

Another name for the Umbrella Bamboo

The new combinationThamnocalamus spathaceus is made.     

Photosynthetic preparation and characterization of 13C-labeled carbohydrates in agmenellum quadruplicatum

The blue-green alga Agmenellum quadruplicatum (strain PR6) has been used to prepare photobiosynthetically ¹³C-labeled d-glucose, 2-O-(α-d-glucopyranosyl)-glyceric acid (glucosylglycerate), 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl α-d-gluco-pyranoside (glucosylglycerol), and α-d-glueopyranosyl β-d-fructofuranoside (sucrose). When grown to a cell density of 4.4 g.L^-1 (dry weight) under nitrate-nitrogen limiting growth conditions for 120 h, the algal cells contained 38% of the dry-cell weight as(1 → 4)-α-d-glucan (amylose). About 1% of the dry-cell weight was glucosylglycerol, glucosylglycerate, and sucrose. Glutamate was obtained, together with carbohydrates of low molecular weight, when the cells were extracted with chloroform-methanol; d-glucose was recovered from the extracted cells by acid hydrolysis of the starch. The algae were grown by using 20 mol% [¹³C] carbon dioxide for preparation of labeled carbohydrates and for cellular component identification by whole-cell n.m.r. spectroscopy.