Changes in the β-adrenergic and M-cholinergic modulating activities of the blood serum and urine in bronchial asthma

Biological tests showed that bronchial asthma is associated with decreased contents of the endogenous sensitizer of β-adrenoreceptors (ESBAR) and the endogenous blocker of M-cholinoreceptors (EBMCR) and an increased content of the endogenous blocker of β-adrenoreceptors (EBBAR) in the blood and urine of children and adults. These phenomena are considered to be causes of bronchial asthma.     

The combined effects of dietary supplements and low-dose-rate high-LET radiation on mice in vivo

The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined actions of food supplements and lowdose-rate high-LET radiation on radiosensitivity, induction of the adaptive response, and tumor growth in SHK mice in vivo. The animals were irradiated with 0.11 Gy (0.005 Gy/day) of low-dose-rate high-LET radiation behind the concrete shield of a 70 GeV proton accelerator (Protvino, Moscow oblast). Four groups of the mice were fed with selected products (soy meat, buckwheat, lettuce leaves, and a drug based on cod-liver oil) during the entire irradiation period (22 days). The results of the study indicate that the mice with diets containing soy meat, buckwheat, and lettuce leaves in contrast to those fed with a diet containing cod-liver oil had reduced sensitivity to X-radiation at a dose rate of 1.5 Gy and a significant slowdown in the growth of the Ehrlich carcinoma. The combined effect of high-LET radiation and the food supplements mentioned above (except for the cod-liver oil) reduced the sensitivity of the mice to the irradiation at a dose rate of 1.5 Gy, induced the adaptive response, and caused a decrease in the growth rate of the Ehrlich carcinoma in contrast to the mice that were only irradiated with high-LET radiation.     

New World Stictocladius Edwards (Diptera: Chironomidae)

The orthocladiine Chironomidae genus Stictocladius Edwards was described originally from South America. Although recognised subsequently as present also in Australia and New Zealand, the true diversity in the Neotropics has remained unclear. After more than a decade of collections of both isolated adults and aquatic immature stages, we can recognise several new taxa and associate some immature stages. Thus, we describe Stictocladius prati n. sp. as male, female, pupa and larva; Stictocladius acutus n. sp. and Stictocladius acrilobus n. sp. as male, female and pupa; Stictocladius fimbriatus n. sp. as male and female; Stictocladius fovigus n. sp. and Stictocladius nudiventer n. sp. as male and pupa; and Stictocladius privicalcar n. sp. and Stictocladius prostatus n. sp. each as male imago alone. The male and female of Stictocladius pulchripennis Edwards is redescribed and the pupa described. The male and female of Stictocladius flavozonatus Edwards and the male of Stictocladius calonotum Edwards are described. Five pupal types are described: Stictocladius sp. A (near S. acrilobus), Stictocladius sp. B (possibly S. calonotum), Stictocladius sp. C (near S. calonotum), Stictocladius sp. D (possibly S. flavozonatus) and Stictocladius sp. E with uncertain affinity. A larva from Chile of the Stictocladius ??sofour type?? (Stictocladius sp. F) and an unreared larva from North America (Stictocladius sp. G) possibly belonging to S. acutus are described. Keys to named Neotropical male and female imagines of Stictocladius and to all pupal forms of Neotropical Stictocladius are provided. Some data concerning fourth instars of Stictocladius are presented. Means of differentiation from putative sister taxon Lopescladius are discussed.     

Influence of parathyroid hormone and heparin on tooth development in mice homozygous for the microphthalmia mutation]

In mice, homozygous by microphthalmia (mi/mi) gene the disturbance of dental development was due to defects in dental pulp and to the absence of bone resorpion. Administration of heparin or parathyroid hormone stimulated dental eruption in mi/mi mice. Following combined action of heparin and parathyroid hormone the number of erupted teeth was practically the same as after the action of heparin alone. Possibly the level of heparin is insufficient, but secretion of parathyroid hormone is unimpaired in mi/mi mice.     

Isolation and properties of a mannan-binding lectin from the coelomic fluid of the holothurian Cucumaria japonica

A new 44-kD, C-type mannan-binding lectin (MBL-C) consisting of two identical subunits was isolated from the coelomic fluid of the holothurian Cucumaria japonica. In the direct hemagglutination assay, the lectin was effectively inhibited by highly branched mannans similar in structure to yeast mannans and composed of alpha-(1-->2)- and alpha-(1-->6)-bound D-mannopyranose residues. Hemagglutination was not inhibited by mannosaccharides, common constituents of the hydrocarbon chains of "normal" glycoproteins. The lectin reaction depends on Ca2+ concentration: maximum activity of MBL-C is observed at 10 mM Ca2+. The activity of MBL-C increases in the pH range from 5 to 7 and reaches maximum at pH 7.0. The lectin is sensitive to temperature. Heating of the lectin solution at temperatures above 40 degrees C decreases activity, while incubation at 90 degrees C for 1 h leads to complete irreversible inactivation. Carbohydrate specificity, Ca2+-dependence, and amino acid composition indicate that MBL-C belongs to the C-type mannan-binding lectins. Polyclonal antibodies against MBL-C revealed its immunochemical similarity to a mannan-binding lectin from another holothurian species, Stichopus japonicus; this provides evidence for structural homology between these proteins.     

Onion yield as affected by plant density,nitrogen level and loss of leaf area

Onion (Allium cepa) is an important horticulture crop because of its value as a food with a long shelf life being a relatively non-perishable product. It is very helpful to understand the growth response of the seeded onion crop to conduct appropriate field practices in attaining the highest or optimum yields. A three year field experiment was conducted using a variety of onion Valcatorce INTA, in a randomized block design with five replicates. Treatments were two plant densities and three rates of N application. The bulb growth followed a classical sigmoid curve. During the rapid growing period, the crop had the greatest leaf area (LA) with at least six leaves per plant. Increasing plant density increased yield in kg/ha, but decreased bulb size. Defoliating 40 to 60% of the LA had a significant impact on bulb production only at early growth stages. Late in the growing period, the remaining LA was apparently large enough for producing sufficient amounts of metabolites to feed new leaves, increasing their photosynthesis efficiency for the benefit of bulb production.     

Influence of chloride on modification of unsaturated phosphatidylcholines by the myeloperoxidase/hydrogen peroxide/bromide system

The leukocyte enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is capable of catalyzing the oxidation of chloride and bromide ions, at physiological concentrations of these substrates, by hydrogen peroxide, generating hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypobromous acid (HOBr), respectively. Our previous results showed that the hypohalous acids formed react with double bonds in phosphatidylcholines (PCs) to produce chloro- and bromohydrins. Lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) is additionally formed in PCs with two or more double bonds. This study was conducted to determine the effect physiological chloride concentration (140 mM) has on the formation of bromohydrins and lyso-PC from unsaturated PC upon treatment with the myeloperoxidase/hydrogen peroxide/bromide (MPO/H2O2/Br-) system using physiological bromide concentrations (20-100 microM). The composition of reaction products was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). With monounsaturated PC, we demonstrated that the rate and extent of mono-bromohydrin formation were higher in the samples with 140 mM chloride compared to those with no added chloride. Moreover, mono-bromohydrin came to be the major product and no mono-chlorohydrin was observed already at 60 microM bromide. We attributed these effects to the involvement of HOBr arising from the reaction of MPO-derived HOCl with bromide rather than to the exchange of bromide with chlorine atoms of chlorohydrins or direct formation of HOBr by MPO. The presence of chloride shifted the pH optimum for mono-bromohydrin formation (pH 5.0) toward neutral values, and a significant yield of mono-bromohydrin was detected at physiological pH values (7.0-7.4). For polyunsaturated PC, chloride enhanced also lyso-PC production, the effect being pronounced at bromide concentrations below 40 microM. The results indicate that at physiological levels of chloride and bromide, chloride promotes MPO-mediated formation of bromohydrins and lyso-PC in unsaturated phospholipids.