Indomethacin, but not dazoxiben, reduced lung fluid filtration after E. coli infusion

Goats were divided into three groups and given infusions of live Escherichia coli bacteria. Group I received no treatment, group II was treated with indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase inhibitor), and group III with dazoxiben (a thromboxane synthase inhibitor). Double indicator-dilution extravascular lung water (EVLW) in group I was significantly different from the treated groups. There was an early increase in EVLW in group I and group III but not in group II animals. At 6 h EVLW's in group I, group II, and group III were 100, 45, and 30% above base line, respectively. Lymph flow (QL) and lymph-to-plasma protein ratio (L/P) was not statistically different between groups. Estimated total fluid filtration [QL + d(EVLW)/dt] in group I and III was markedly elevated between 0 and 1.5-2 h after E. coli infusion. Cardiac output (QT) decreased to 40% of base line in group I, and it decreased slightly in group II because of the indomethacin but did not decrease after E. coli. QT decreased in group III but recovered more rapidly than group I. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure increased more rapidly in group I and reached a higher peak than either treated group. At 6 h these groups had similar pulmonary arterial and pulmonary arterial wedge pressures. We conclude that 1) indomethacin but not dazoxiben blocks the early increase in total fluid filtration after bacterial infusion, 2) dazoxiben does not prevent the increased endothelial permeability resulting from infusion of live bacteria, and 3) indomethacin may somewhat ameliorate the endothelial permeability change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cell surface expression of 4β-galactosyltransferase accompanies rat parotid gland acinar cell transition to growth

Rat parotid gland acinar cells stimulated to divide by a chronic regimen of isoproterenol demonstrate a dramatic increase in the synthesis of the glycosyltransferase 4β-galactosyltransferase. A plasma membrane localization for much of the increase in 4β-galactosyltransferase was determined by density gradient membrane fractionation. Golgi-enriched fractions showed no increase in specific activity, while plasma membrane activity increased 40-fold. This selective increase at the cell surface was confirmed by immunofluorescence of intact, nonpermeabilized cells from treated glands, using a monospecific antibody prepared against the purified bovine milk transferase. In detergent-permeabilized cells staining of nontreated cells was seen only as groups of perinuclear vesicles, presumed to be Golgi apparatus. In isoproterenol-treated and permcabilized cells both presumptive Golgi and cell surface staining was apparent. Enzyme assays performed on intact cells established that the enzyme's active site was oriented to the exterior of the cells. The transferase could be detected as early as 3 hr after the primary challenge with isoproterenol. Pretrcatment of rats with cycloheximide prevented its appearance.     

Plant wound compounds from oviposition scars used in host discrimination by a stem-galling sawfly

The stem-galling sawfly Euura lasiolepisuses one or more plant wound compounds resulting from oviposition scars as cues in host discrimination (avoiding sites occupied by conspecifics). Four experiments were conducted to test hypotheses about how Euurapartitions resources. Experiment 1 demonstrated that Euuraavoids ovipositing on nodes with scars from previous ovipositions. Experiment 2 showed no evidence that the sawfly uses oviposition-deterring pheromones and indicated there is a time lag following oviposition before the oviposition scar becomes a deterrent. Experiment 3 showed that sawflies avoid artificially formed scars, demonstrating that a plant cue alone can lead to host discrimination. Experiment 4 showed that visual or tactile cues are not necessary for host discrimination and indicated that a plant wound compound functions as an oviposition deterrent. Both experimental results and field surveys showed that Euuraoviposition scars were more uniformly distributed than expected if sawflies were ignoring previous ovipositions.     

Field test of resource regulation by the bud-galling sawfly, Euura mucronata, on Salix cinerea

The attack by the bud-galling sawfly, Euura mucronata , on its willow host was simulated by removing every other living bud from previous year's shoots in a natural stand of Salix cinerea . The impact of simulated attack on the growth of the willow and the subsequent attack by E. mucronata was estimated after one growing season. Experimental bud-killing resulted in a growth reaction in S. cinerea characterized by significant increase in the length of new shoots produced by the remaining buds Also the number of buds and E. mucronata galls per shoot were significantly higher on bud-removal branches as compared with control branches. The overall survival of E. mucronata larvae was better on long shoots than on short shoots. The result shows that sawfly attack increases the amount of high quality resources for the subsequent generation of the same sawfly as predicted by "resource regulation hypothesis". We conclude that these highly specialized insect herbivores have adapted to utilize and to maintain the willow's juvenile traits. Rapid regrowth of willows after damage may have originally arisen as an adaptation in response to other, less specific pressures such as mammal browsing or snow and ice damage.     

A prospective study of maternal and fetal outcome in acute Lassa fever infection during pregnancy.

Several viral infections have been reported to result in more severe disease in pregnant than non-pregnant women, but the relative risks have not been well characterised. This has now been done for Lassa fever in a prospective study of 68 pregnant and 79 non-pregnant women who were admitted to hospital in Sierra Leone with confirmed Lassa fever. Lassa fever was the main cause of maternal mortality in the hospital, accounting for 25% of maternal deaths. Twelve of 40 patients in the third trimester died, compared with two of 28 in the first two trimesters and 10 of 79 non-pregnant women. The odds ratio for death in the third trimester compared with the first two trimesters was 5.57 (95% confidence intervals 1.02 to 30.26). The condition of the mother improved rapidly after evacuation of the uterus, whether by spontaneous abortion, evacuation of retained products of conception, or normal delivery; 10 of 26 women without uterine evacuation died, but only four of 39 women with evacuation died (p = 0.0016). The odds ratio for death with pregnancy intact was 5.47 (95% confidence interval 1.35 to 22.16). Fetal and neonatal loss was 87%. The risk of death from Lassa fever in the third trimester is significantly higher than that in the first two trimesters and higher than that for non-pregnant women, but evacuation of the uterus can significantly improve the mother''s chance of survival.     

Zinc fingers and other domains cooperate in binding of Drosophila sry beta and delta proteins at specific chromosomal sites.

The closely related Drosophila serendipity (sry) beta and delta zinc finger proteins display consensus in vitro DNA recognition sequences differing by 4 of 13 nucleotide positions and bind in vivo to distinct sets of sites on polytene chromosomes. We compared the pattern of in vivo chromosomal binding of deleted forms of the sry delta protein fused to beta-galactosidase and expressed in Drosophila transgenic lines. Results show that the carboxy-terminal DNA-binding finger domain is required and sufficient for binding at specific chromosomal sites but that this binding does not nearly reproduce the wild-type pattern. An NH2-terminal domain of the sry delta protein is essential to its specificity of in vivo interaction with chromatin. In vitro and in vivo experiments using reciprocal finger swap between the sry beta and delta proteins suggest that the in vivo specificity is dependent on selective protein-protein contacts at defined chromosomal sites, in addition to DNA specific recognition.     

Absence of Turner stigmata in a 46,XYp-female

A 46,XY female patient with streak gonads and a large deletion of Yp is described. The deletion included the Y chromosomal genes SRY, ZFY, and RPS4Y. The patient did not display any Turner stigmata, such as webbing of the neck, cardiac or other abnormalities. The findings argue against an important role of RPS4Y in the prevention of Turner stigmata in males and are consistent with a role of SRY in testis differentiation in humans.     

The Machado-Joseph disease locus is different from the spinocerebellar ataxia locus (SCA1).

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative spinocerebellar ataxia that has been described primarily in families of Azorean or Portuguese descent. MJD and chromosome 6p-linked spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA1) are difficult to differentiate clinically, and it has been suggested that they may be allelic variants of the same disorder. We have tested MJD families for linkage to six DNA sequence polymorphisms located on chromosome 6p, including the highly informative dinucleotide repeat, D6S89. Seventeen centimorgans telomeric to and 41 cM centromeric to D6S89, a region that includes the SCA1 locus reported to be within 3 cM of D6S89, have been excluded. These data provide conclusive evidence that MJD and SCA1 are nonallelic.     

Cyclic behavior of plum curculio,Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), within caged dwarf apple trees in spring

From 12 to 19 May 1987, during Morspur apple bloom, 21 radioactively labeled (⁶⁵ Zn) adult plum curculios, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst), were released within a field cage containing four dwarf apple trees and located three times a day. A technique was developed for quickly obtaining (x, y, z)coordinates of location for adults foraging within apple trees. Cyclic patterns of behavior were detected using spectral analysis procedures. Over 70% of plum curculios exhibited diel periodicity with respect to activity and rate of movement, 36% exhibited such periodicity with respect to presence in the trees, and 27% with respect to movements from the center to the periphery of the canopy. Presence in fruit clusters, height in the trees, and movements along east-west and north-south axes showed little or no periodicity. Factors triggering cyclic behavior and practical implications of the results are discussed.     

Cellular localization of a metabotropic glutamate receptor in rat brain.

In rat brain, the cellular localization of a phosphoinositide-linked metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1 alpha) was demonstrated using antibodies that recognize the C-terminus of the receptor. mGluR1 alpha, a 142 kd protein, is enriched within the olfactory bulb, stratum oriens of CA1 and polymorph layer of dentate gyrus in hippocampus, globus pallidus, thalamus, substantia nigra, superior colliculus, and cerebellum. Lower levels of mGluR1 alpha are present within neocortex, striatum, amygdala, hypothalamus, and medulla. Dendrites, spines, and neuronal cell bodies contain mGluR1 alpha. mGluR1 alpha is not detectable in presynaptic terminals. mGluR1 alpha and ionotropic alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) receptor subunits show differential distributions, but in Purkinje cells, mGluR1 alpha and specific AMPA receptor subunits colocalize. The postsynaptic distribution of mGluR1 alpha is consistent with postulated physiological roles of this subtype of glutamate receptor.