Characterisation of the anti-bladder-cancer monoclonal antibody BLCA-8: Identification of its antigen as a neutral glycolipid

A monoclonal antibody, BLCA-8, was raised against the human bladder cancer cell line, UCRU-BL-17CL. By flow cytometry and immunoperoxidase staining, this antibody was found to possess high specificity for bladder tumours, some reactivity with fetal tissues, and no reactivity with normal bladder, or any normal or malignant tissue. This high specificity and the stability of the antigen to the urinary environment suggest that BLCA-8 may have potential for use as an anti-bladder-cancer therapeutic agent. By thin-layer chromatography and autoradiography, BLCA-8 was found to bind four components within the neutral lipid fraction of a bladder cancer cell line, UCRU-BL-17/23. These components hadR _F values of 0.22, 0.16/0.15 (doublet), 0.12 and 0.08, and migrated below globoside, indicating the presence of more than four sugars. By enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay and thin-layer chromatography it was found that the binding of BLCA-8 to the lipid extract was increased by both mild alkaline hydrolysis and enzymatic treatments, indicating that adjacent phospholipids and glycolipids interfere with the accessibility of the antibody-binding site. Full biochemical characterisation of the BLCA-8 antigen is currently underway.     

Comparison of a Bone Criterion and a dental Criterion for estimation of age at death in the study of an Ancient Cemetery

Two methods, a visual method based on the appearance of the auricular surface of the ilium and a metric method based on two dental criteria, were used in conjunction for estimation of skeletal age at death in paleodemographic study of an ancient cemetery, and were found to be coherent. However, the paleodemographic profiles differed according to sex, indicating a sexual difference in the evolution of the sacroiliac joint.     

Effect of ammonium sulfate on the phytotoxicity, foliar uptake, and translocation of imazamethabenz in wild oat

Experiments were conducted in greenhouse, growth chamber, and laboratory conditions to determine the effect of ammonium sulfate [(NH₄)₂SO₄] on the phytotoxicity, foliar uptake, and translocation of imazamethabenz on wild oat. Rates of (NH₄)₂SO₄ up to 5% (w/v) applied with a greenhouse sprayer did not affect the phytotoxicity of the herbicide when the mix was applied at the one- to two-leaf stage. However, inclusion of 1 and 2% (NH₄)₂SO₄ increased the phytotoxicity of the herbicide when the mix was sprayed at the two- to three-leaf, or the three- to four-leaf stage. At 10%, (NH₄)₂SO₄ decreased the phytotoxicity of the sublethal dosage of the herbicide. When the herbicide was applied as individual drops to the growth chamber-grown plants, inclusion of (NH₄)₂SO₄ at 1% did not affect phytotoxicity as measured by shoot growth. The presence of (NH₄)₂SO₄ did not affect the amount of imazamethabenz retained by wild oat foliage, but it decreased [¹⁴C]imazamethabenz absorption, slightly antagonized acropetal translocation, and increased the basipetal translocation of [¹⁴C]imazamethabenz. It was concluded that application methods greatly modify the effect of (NH₄)₂SO₄ on imazamethabenz phytotoxicity. Herbicide absorption and translocation as determined by one method do not necessarily represent the absorption and translocation patterns when different application methods are used. Absorption and translocation were not the factors that were responsible for the observed effect of (NH₄)₂SO₄ on the herbicide phytotoxicity.Abbreviations SC suspension concentrate     

Promoter regions of cysteine endopeptidase genes from legumes confer germination-specific expression in transgenic tobacco seeds

Cysteine endopeptidases, SH-EP from Vigna mungo and EP-C1 from Phaseolus vulgaris, act to degrade seed storage protein during seed germination. Using transgenic tobacco plants, expression of SH-EP and promoter activity of the EP-C1 gene were analyzed in transgenic tobacco plants. The promoters of the two genes in tobacco seeds showed germination-specific activation, although post-translational processing of SH-EP and regulatory regions of promoter of the gene for EP-C1 were found to differ between leguminous seeds and transgenic tobacco seeds.     

Induction of cysteine and serine proteases during xylogenesis in Zinnia elegans

The terminal process of xylogenesis, autolysis, is essential for the formation of a tubular system for conduction of water and solutes throughout the whole plant. Several hydrolase types are implicated in autolysis responsible for the breakdown of cytoplasm. Here, we characterize p48h-17 cDNA from in vitro tracheary elements (TEs) of Zinnia elegans which encodes a preproprotein similar to papain. The putative mature protein, a cysteine protease, has a molecular mass of 22,699 Da with a pI of 5.7. DNA gel blot analysis indicated that p48h-17 is likely encoded by one or two genes. The p48h-17 mRNA accumulated markedly in in vitro differentiating TEs, whereas it appeared not to be induced in response to senescence and wounding in the leaves or H₂O₂ challenge in the cultured mesophyll cells. In stems, the expression of the p48h-17 gene was preferentially associated with differentiating xylem. Activity gel assays demonstrated that a cysteine and a serine protease, which had apparent molecular masses of 20 kDa and 60 kDa, respectively, were markedly induced during in vitro TE differentiation. The cysteine protease activity was also preferentially present in the xylem of Zinnia stems. Transient expression of the p48h-17 cDNA in tobacco protoplasts resulted in the production of a 20 kDa cysteine protease. Taken together, the results indicate that the p48h-17 gene appears to be preferentially associated with xylogenesis, and both the cysteine and serine proteases might be involved in autolysis during xylogenesis.     

The growth pattern of chimpanzees: Somatic growth and reproductive maturation inPan troglodytes

Growth of chimpanzees reared at the Kumamoto Primates Park of Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co. Ltd. was studied cross-sectionally from the viewpoints of somatic growth and reproductive maturation. Distance and velocity curves were expressed using spline function method. Males showed adolescent growth acceleration in body weight, with a peak at 7.86 yrs of age, but not in trunk length. Females showed continuous rapid growth from mid-juvenile to adolescent phase in both body weight and trunk length, but no isolated adolescent spurt. The Sanwa chimpanzees matured at about 12.5 yrs of age for females and 15.0 yrs for males. The mean adult weights and trunk lengths were 53.2 kg and 507.8 mm for males and 42.7 kg and 481.6 mm for females. The Sanwa chimpanzees had similar growth patterns to those of the Yerkes chimpanzees, although they showed a slight delay in infancy, and a higher growth rate from the early juvenile phase onwards. Growth patterns in these two laboratories may be regarded as “normative” for laboratory-reared chimpanzees. They matured earlier than wild chimpanzees by more than two years. The major reason for the retarded maturation in wild chimpanzees is the delay of growth from infant to the early juvenile phases (0–4 yrs of age), probably owing to a limited nutritional supply from the mother. Development of the testes comprised three phases: slow growth from infant to juvenile (until 6.4 yrs); rapid growth around adolescence (until 9.2 yrs); and adult (mean testicular volume, 187 cm³). Setting the nutritional standard at 2,000–2,600 Cal/day (= Kcal/day) per adult, calories were considered for captive chimpanzees in each age class.     

A Monte Carlo method for Bayesian analysis of linkage between single markers and quantitative trait loci. I. Methodology

A Bayesian approach to the statistical mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) using single markers was implemented via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms for parameter estimation and hypothesis testing. Parameter estimators were marginal posterior means computed using a Gibbs sampler with data augmentation. Variables sampled included the augmented data (marker-QTL genotypes, polygenic effects), an indicator variable for linkage, and the parameters (allele frequency, QTL substitution effect, recombination rate, polygenic and residual variances). Several MCMC algorithms were derived for computing Bayesian tests of linkage, which consisted of the marginal posterior probability of linkage and the marginal likelihood of the QTL variance associated with the marker.     

Estimation of the position and effect of a lethal factor locus on a molecular marker linkage map

In the mapping of DNA markers the distortion of segregation of marker genotypes is often observed, which may be caused by a lethal factor acting in filial generations derived from distant crosses. A method is presented for estimating the recombination values between a lethal factor locus and neighboring molecular markers, and the relative viability or fertilization ability of gametes or zygotes affected by the lethal factor in an F₂ population using the maximum likelihood method and the expectation conditional maximization (ECM) algorithm. Three selection models of gamete or zygote were considered, and the most likely one was determined by goodness of fit of the observed frequency of the phenotypes to the expected ones under the models. The method was applied to segregation data of molecular markers of an F₂ population consisting of 144 individuals derived from a cross between an Indica and a Japonica rice variety. The presence of a lethal factor locus (L) located on chromosome III that caused partial gametic selection in both the male and female sides was suggested. The locus L was tightly linked to RFLP marker number 23 of the RFLP linkage map of Saito et al. (1991a), and the fertilization chance of a male or female gamete possessing the lethal factor was, on average, 41.5% of that of the normal gamete.     

Differences between observed and predicted energy costs at rest and during exercise in three subsistence-level populations

Estimates of daily energy expenditure are important for many areas of research in human ecology and adaptability. The most common technique for estimating human energy expenditure under field conditions, the factorial method, generally relies on activity-specific energy costs derived from published sources, based largely on North American and European subjects. There is concern that such data may not be appropriate for non-Western populations because of differences in metabolic costs. The present study addresses this concern by comparing measured vs. predicted energy costs at rest and during sub-maximal exercise in 83 subjects (52 males, 31 females) from three subsistence-level populations (Siberian herders and high-land and coastal Ecuadorian farmers). Energy costs at rest (i.e., lying, sitting and standing) and while performing a standard stepping exercise did not significantly differ among the three groups. However, resting energy costs were significantly elevated over predicted levels (+16% in men, +11% in women), whereas exercising costs were comparable to predicted values (?6% in men, +3% in women). Elevations in resting energy needs appear to reflect responses to thermal stress. These results indicate that temperature adjustments of resting energy costs are critical for accurately predicting daily energy needs among traditionally living populations. o 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.