Distribution of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea in the Amazon molly, Poecilla formosa (Girard), after a single intraperitoneal injection*

The distribution and accumulation of labelled N-methyl-N nitrosourea (MNU) has been described in the Amazon molly following intraperitoneal injection. Two hours after injection the label was present throughout the body, with enhanced deposition in the macrophages of the atrium of the heart, the kidney and the spleen; about half of the liver cells were labelled. The compound was taken up by the cells of the renal excretory tubules, and certain cells in the optic tectum and corpus cerebelli of the brain. By 6 h, the distribution picture had changed radically. There was little label remaining, except in a few macrophages in the heart and kidneys, and in the nuclei of the renal tubule cells. There was a slight decrease in the numbers of cells in the brain that were labelled, but the amount of material that the individual cells had accumulated had increased. By 48 h there was further loss and only brain cells were labelled. Our findings indicate preferential accumulation of MNU in undifferentiated, pluripotential cells of the optic tectum and corpus cerebelli.     

Computing approximate standard errors for genetic parameters derived from random regression models fitted by average information REML

Approximate standard errors (ASE) of variance components for random regression coefficients are calculated from the average information matrix obtained in a residual maximum likelihood procedure. Linear combinations of those coefficients define variance components for the additive genetic variance at given points of the trajectory. Therefore, ASE of these components and heritabilities derived from them can be calculated. In our example, the ASE were larger near the ends of the trajectory.     

Bestimmung von deoxynivalenol mittels LC - MS/MS (Tandem Massenspektrometrie)

A sensitive and selective method using high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spetrometry (LC-APCI-MS/MS) has been developed for the determination of Deoxynivalenol (DON) in trace levels. The extract was purified with a MultiSep? column followed by the Vicam? DON immunoaffinity column. Quantification is based on an external standard method using positive Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM). The limit of detection was 5 μg/kg with a signal to noise ratio of 3:1.     

Adverse environmental conditions influence age-related innate immune responsiveness

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare premature aging disorder that belongs to a group of conditions called laminopathies which affect nuclear lamins. Mutations in two genes, LMNA and ZMPSTE24, have been found in patients with HGPS. The p.G608G LMNA mutation is the most commonly reported mutation. The aim of this work was to compile a comprehensive literature review of the clinical features and genetic mutations and mechanisms of this syndrome as a contribution to health care workers. This review shows the necessity of a more detailed clinical identification of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome and the need for more studies on the pharmacologic and pharmacogenomic approach to this syndrome.     

ArrayIDer: automated structural re-annotation pipeline for DNA microarrays

Background  

Systems biology modeling from microarray data requires the most contemporary structural and functional array annotation. However, microarray annotations, especially for non-commercial, non-traditional biomedical model organisms, are often dated. In addition, most microarray analysis tools do not readily accept EST clone names, which are abundantly represented on arrays. Manual re-annotation of microarrays is impracticable and so we developed a computational re-annotation tool (ArrayIDer) to retrieve the most recent accession mapping files from public databases based on EST clone names or accessions and rapidly generate database accessions for entire microarrays.     

A re-assestment of p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in sorghum bicolor seedlings

Free p-hydroxybenzaldehyde is present in seedlings previously heated to inactivate hydrolytic enzymes and in chloroform extracts of the surface. It is also present in epicuticular wax removed from plants by mechanical means.     

The need for high levels of phenylalanine in the diet of Schistocerca gregaria nymphs

It has been demonstrated that an apparently good, nutrient-rich plant can be relatively short of phenylalanine for fifth-instar nymphs of Schistocerca gregaria. Supplementary phenylalanine invariably increased the efficiency of conversion of ingested food to body substance, showing that this was the limiting nutrient. Relatively large quantities of phenylalanine are required for cuticle protein over a few days in the first half of the instar, which is when this amino acid is at a premium.     

The use of antiserum with specific reactivity toward fat-cell surface antigen(s) to follow the progression of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiationin vitro

Using an i n d i r e c t , labelled-second-antibody cellular immunoassay technique, an adipocyte-specific antiserum haS been investigated. Components of the antiserum were shown to bind to differentiated 3T3-L₁ cells; the cellular capacity for binding increased progressively during the induced differentiation of these ceils in vitro.