A proton NMR study of the glycine-mercury(II) system in aqueous solution

The proton NMR spectrum of glycine was monitored in D2O solution as a function of added Hg(II) concentration and pD. Reliable values were established for formation constants for the Hg(II):glycine 1:1 and 1:2 complexes and also for the mixed glycine/deuteroxy and glycine/chloride complexes. Ligand exchange kinetics are relatively slow, and it is possible to observe coupling to 199Hg through the coordinating nitrogen. The formation constants were used to calculate speciation over a range of ligand concentrations for the Hg(II)/glycine and Hg(II)/glycine/chloride systems.     

Induction of porphobilinogen oxygenase and porphobilinogen deaminase in rat blood under conditions of erythropoietic stress

Porphobilinogen is the substrate of two enzymes: porphobilinogen deaminase and porphobilinogen-oxygenase. The first one transforms it into the metabolic precursors of heme and the second diverts it from this metabolic pathway by oxidizing porphobilinogen to 5-oxopyrrolinones. Rat blood is devoid of porphobilinogen-oxygenase under normal conditions while it carries porphobilinogen-deaminase activity. When the rats were submitted to hypoxia (p_O2 = 0.42 atm) for 18 days, the activity of porphobilinogen-oxygenase appeared at the tenth day of hypoxia and reached the maximum at the 14–16th day. It decreased to a half after 2 days (half-life of the enzyme) and disappeared after 4 days of return to normal oxygen pressure. Porphobilinogen-deaminase activity increased after the first day of hypoxia, reached a maximum at the 14–16th day and did not decrease to normal values until the 15th day after return to normal oxygen pressure. The activities of both prophobilinogen-oxygenase and porphobilinogen-deaminase were induced by administration of erythropoietin. When rats were made anaemic with phenylhydrazine, porphobilinogen-oxygenase activity also appeared in the blood cells. Although the reticulocyte concentration was higher when compared to that obtained under hypoxia, the activities of the oxygenase obtained under both conditions were comparable. Porphobilinogen-deaminase activity was always closely related to the reticulocyte content. The appearance of porphobilinogen-oxygenase under the described erythropoietic conditions was due to a de novo induction of the enzyme, as shown by its inhibition with actinomycin D and cycloheximide. Porphobilinogen-oxygenase as well as porphobilinogen-deaminase were present in the rat bone marrow under normal conditions. Their activities increased in phenylhydrazine treated rats. The properties and kinetics of porphobilinogen-oxygenase from the rat blood and bone marrow were determined and found to differ in several aspects.     

Somatic cell fusion of Trichoderma reesei resulting in new genetic combinations

Summary A selection method has been developed for the isolation of recombinant strains of Trichoderma reesei QM 9414. The method is based on somatic hybridization via anastomosis or protoplast fusion, and on the difference in growth rate of the resulting heterokaryons and synkaryons. The more intensive growth of the synkaryons as due to allelic complementation of adenine-requiring auxotrophic strains mutated in the adenylosuccinate synthetase gene. The synkaryons appeared is energetically growing spots in the heterokaryotic background. Stable diploids could not be isolated, which points to the transient nature of the diploid state in this species.     

A determination key to the structural types of seattered green using the air multispectral photography

Scattered green was studied in Czechoslovakia by means of the air multispectral photography and of the field observation. According to various repartition and canopy 19 structural types of seattered green were derived.     

Capillary filtration during postischaemic hyperaemia in human limbs.

The rate of capillary filtration after 5 minutes' ischaemia of the lower limbs was studied in man by the venous occlusive plethysmography method. The measured values were 3 times lower on an average than the control values. Comparison of the plethysmographic curves with isotope recordings after the intravenous administration of In-113m shows that volume changes induced by venous occlusion during reactive hyperaemia take place mainly intravascularly and do not allow any conclusions to be drawn on changes in blood-tissue fluid shifts.     

Effect of intraperitoneal administration of amino acids on the food intake of piglets on a liquid diet during the first month after birth

The effect of single intraperitoneal 1 g.kg-1 doses of a solution of 20 amino acids (AA) on food intake was investigated in 20 piglets examined repeatedly between 2 and 26 days of age. The animals were reared individually from day 1 after birth in cages and bottle-fed a liquid diet nine times per day at two-hour intervals from 6 to 22 h. Although amino acid administration did not significantly affect plasma concentrations of total free AA throughout the experiment (as measured just before and 2 and 5 h after AA administration in blood withdrawn from the external jugular vein) it did produce a downward trend in food intake of piglets at 9-10 d of age. In older animals, the depressive effect on food intake was significantly greater and lasted longer. It is suggested that the aminostatic component of food intake regulation in piglets does not begin to operate until the weaning period.