Cytidine Deaminase and the Development of Resistance to Arabinosyl Cytosine

THE effectiveness of arabinosyl cytosine (cytarabine: 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, ‘Cytosar’, abbreviated to ara-C) in the treatment of human leukaemia can be correlated with the rate of uptake of the molecule in vitro¹ and its subsequent phosphorylation. In man, this nucleoside is also rapidly deaminated to produce arabinosyl uridine which has no therapeutic activity²: both liver and serum contain pyrimidine nucleoside deaminase³. Consequently the half-life of unchanged ara-C in human sera is brief (about 15 min^?1) (ref. 2). These characteristics suggest a relationship between cytidine deaminase and the susceptibility of the leukaemic cell to ara-C and we have found that initial therapeutic responses in human leukaemia are correlated with lower intracellular concentrations of deaminase than those present in non-responders., Furthermore, in sequential treatment schedules, increasing concentrations of deaminase are associated with markedly reduced susceptibility of the tumour cell to ara-C.     

The impact of the crayfish Orconectes virilis on aquatic macrophytes

SUMMARY. 1. The impact of crayfish on the biomass, density and shoot morphology of four submersed plant species was examined under semi-natural conditions. Male or female crayfish ( Orconectes virilis ) were held for 5 weeks at biomasses of 0, 5, 10 or 18 g m⁻² (live weight) in twelve plastic pools (4.67 m², surface area) containing Potamogeton richardsonii, Myriophyllum exalbescens, Nuphar variegatum and Sparganium eurycarpum .
2. Crayfish significantly affected biomass, density and/or shoot morphology of all four macrophyte species. Differences in the effect of crayfish on macrophyte growth were related to plant species, crayfish sex and activity, and the abundance of alternative foods.
3. The effect of female crayfish on macrophyte growth was generally stimulatory. Myriophyllum and Potamogeton biomass, Potamogeton density and Myriophyllum length increased in the presence of female crayfish, possibly due to the reduction in herbivorous snails as a result of crayfish predation. In contrast, plant growth decreased in the presence of male crayfish: Myriophyllum, Nuphar and Potamogeton biomass, Myriophyllum and Sparganium density, and Sparganium and Poiamogeton length were reduced at male crayfish biomasses between 5 and 18 g m⁻².
4. These results indicate that even relatively low densities of crayfish can greatly affect the growth of submersed aquatic plants. Because of their ability to modify aquatic macrophyte, macroinvertebrate and, ultimately, fish communities, the introduction of crayfish into lakes where they do not occur could have a major effect on the structure and composition of the littoral zone.     

Shape analysis of two sympatric coral species: Implications for taxonomy and evolution

Fourier shape analysis of Pleurodictyum americanum and P. dividua , favositid tabulate corals, from the Middle Devonian Hamilton Group of New York State, indicates that colony growth form is variable within species between environments, but that the range of variability in growth form is static through time. Pleurpdictyum dividua displays a columnar morphotype; however, P. dividua and P. americanum cannot be discriminated from one another based on colony shape alone. A major prediction of the punctuated equilibrium model of evolution is morphological stasis throughout the duration of a species. Harmonic means of assemblages of P. americanum show no persistent temporal trends. The range of harmonic means present among the oldest assemblages (Centerfield Limestone) are comparable to those among the youngest assemblages (Windom Shale) and to those in the intervening intervals. Character stasis in colony growth form lasted throughout a 2.5-3.5 my interval. In tabulate corals, where reproductive modes such as fragmentation have not been demonstrated, growth form may be useful in interpreting ancient environments. In addition, the tempo of evolution of growth form can be analyzed when sufficient morphological data are available from a wide distribution of environments. Thus, Fourier shape analysis of growth form provides a powerful tool for paleontologists to interpret the ecology and evolution of colonial marine animals.     

Seed transmission of turnip yellow mosaic virus in winter turnip and winter oilseed rapes

This is the first record of seed transmission of turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) in oilseed and turnip rapes. The seed transmission of TYMV in a naturally infected winter turnip rape (Brassica napus var. silvestris) cultivar Perko PVH was investigated. By ELISA 1.6%, 3.2% and 8.3% seed transmission of the virus was found in seed of plants from three localities. The proportion of infected seeds produced by artificially infected plants of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus ssp. oleifera) and winter turnip rape cultivars was determined. The virus transmission rate, expressed as the proportion of virus-infected plants which germinated from the seed was for the oilseed rape cvs Jet Neuf 0.1%, Solida 0.4%, Silesia 0.8%, Darmor 1.2%, SL-507 0.2%, SL-509 0.0% and for the winter turnip rape cv. Perko 1.5%. ELISA cannot be used in direct tests on bulk seed lots to estimate proportion of infected seed, but must be used on germinated seedlings.     

Aspects of hadrosaurian cranial anatomy

Supraorbital bones in Saurolophus angustirostris are described, and their presence in all hadrosaurs is suggested. Frontal-nasal and premaxillar-nasal fontanellae are distinguished in hadrosaurs; their presence is explained as connected with growth and considered to he responsible for the variability of crest structures. New data indicating the presence of a cartilaginous diverticulum nasi within the circumnarial depression in Saurobphus ongustirostris are presented. A physiological (respiratory and/or thermoregulatory) function of the nasal diverticulum is proposed.     

European checkerspots (Melitaeini: Lepidoptera,Nymphalidae) are not aposematic – the point of view of great tits (Parus major)

相似文献   

Characterization of 36 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) including two sex‐linked loci and their amplification in four other Charadrius species

We isolated 45 new Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) microsatellite loci. These were tested for polymorphism in 42 Kentish plovers breeding in the Çukurova Delta, Turkey. Thirty‐six of the 45 loci were polymorphic with observed heterozygosity varying between 0.22 and 0.93. Genotypes of individuals of known sex indicated that two loci were sex‐linked (Calex‐26 is located on the Z chromosome and Calex‐31 on the W chromosome). Additionally, we tested all loci for amplification in four other species of Charadridae (Kittlitz's plover, Madagascar plover, three‐banded plover and white‐fronted plover). On average 34 loci amplified per species (range 29–36).     

Multiplex panels of polymorphic microsatellite loci for two cryptic bat species of the genus Pipistrellus,developed by cross‐species amplification within the family Vespertilionidae

The paper presents multiplex panels of polymorphic microsatellites for two closely related cryptic species Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus. We tested the cross‐species amplification of 34 microsatellite loci, originally developed for five vespertilionid bat species. Ten and nine polymorphic loci in P. pipistrellus (mean number of alleles per locus = 10.5) and P. pygmaeus (8.1), respectively, in three multiplex polymerase chain reactions per species were amplified. All loci can be analysed in a single fragment analysis and can be used as markers to the study of evolution and the ecology of structured populations of socially living bats.