Cytometric analysis of the DNA content of the thymus, spleen and liver in C57BL/6 mice

Flow cytometric analysis of cell DNA content in the mouse C 57 BL/6 shows better results with fine needle aspiration than with mechanical dissociation of the tissues. There is no difference fresh and deep frozen stored tissues. In the liver, it has been found two cell populations with different DNA content including diploid and tetraploid cell lines. In the spleen and the thymus, only diploid cells are encountered with different cell cycles belonging to the organ.     

Oryzalin,a dinitroaniline herbicide,binds to plant tubulin and inhibits microtubule polymerization in vitro

The effects of oryzalin, a dinitroaniline herbicide, on chromosome behavior and on cellular microtubules (MTs) were examined by light microscopy and immunogold staining, respectively, in endosperm cells from Haemanthus katherinae Bak. Brief treatments with 1.0·10^-8 M oryzalin reduced markedly the migration rate of anaphase chromosomes and 1.0·10^-7 M oryzalin stopped migration abruptly. Oryzalin (1.0·10^-7 M) depolymerized MTs and prevented the polymerization of new MTs at all stages of the mitotic cycle. The chromosome condensation cycle was unaffected by oryzalin. Endothelial cells from the heart of Xenopus leavis showed no chromosomal or microtubular rearrangements after oryzalin treatment. The inhibition by oryzalin of the polymerization of tubulin isolated from cultured cells of Rosa sp. cv. Paul's scarlet was examined in vitro by turbidimetry, electron microscopy and polymer sedimentation analysis. Oryzalin inhibited the rapid phase of taxol-induced polymerization of rose MTs at 24°C with an apparent inhibition constant (K _i ) of 2.59·10⁶ M. Shorter and fewer MTs were formed with increasing oryzalin concentrations, and maximum inhibition of taxol-induced polymerization occurred at approx. 1:1 molar ratios of oryzalin and tubulin. Oryzalin partially depolymerized taxol-stabilized rose MTs. Ligand-binding experiments with [¹⁴C]oryzalin demonstrated the formation of a tubulin-oryzalin complex that was time- and pH-dependent. The tubulin-oryzalin interaction (24°C, pH 7.1) had an apparent affinity constant (K _app) of 1.19·10⁵ M^-1. Oryzalin did not inhibit taxol-induced polymerization of bovinebrain MTs and no appreciable binding of oryzalin to brain tubulin or other proteins was detected. The results demonstrate pharmacological differences between plant and animal tubulins and indicate that the most sensitive mode of action of the dinitroaniline herbicides is the direct poisoning of MT dynamics in cells of higher plants.Abbreviations MT microtubule - SIB sucrose isolation buffer - TO tubulin-oryzalin complex     

Dynamics of breathing in the hypoxic awake lamb

Newborn mammals respond to hypoxia with an immediate hyperventilation that is rapidly dampened. Changes in mechanical properties of the respiratory system during hypoxia have been considered an important reason for this fall in minute ventilation (VE). We have studied the dynamic mechanical behavior of the respiratory system in eight unanesthetized intact newborn lambs (mean age 2 days) during normoxia and hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.08). Mouth pressure (P), airflow (V), and volume (V) were recorded while lambs were breathing through a leak-proof face mask and a pneumotachograph. Active compliance (C') and resistance (R') of the respiratory system were computed from P developed during an inspiratory effort against airway closure at end expiration and V and V of the preceding breaths. Tidal expiratory V-V curves were analyzed to estimate the elevation in functional residual capacity (FRC) over resting volume (Vr). After hypoxia, there was an immediate increase in VE in the first 2 min, from 0.49 to 1.13 l.kg-1.min-1, followed by a rapid decrease to 0.80. After 8 min of hypoxia, C' was unchanged. The inspiratory R' decreased during hypoxia, probably reflecting a drop in inspiratory laryngeal resistance. The expiratory V-V curves during hypoxia showed considerable braking, often with a double peak in expiratory V. This pattern was only occasionally seen during normoxia. In animals with a linear segment of the expiratory V-V curves the FRC-Vr difference could be calculated and averaged 1.93 ml/kg during normoxia and 3.47 during hypoxia. The recoil P of the respiratory system at end expiration was 0.75 cmH2O during normoxia vs. 1.63 cmH2O during hypoxia (P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Direct measurement of static chest wall compliance in animal and human neonates

The measurement of pulmonary mechanics has been developed extensively for adults, and these techniques have been applied directly to neonates and infants. However, the compliant chest wall of the infant frequently predisposes to chest wall distortion, especially when there is a low dynamic lung compliance (CL,dyn). We describe a technique of directly measuring the static chest wall compliance (Cw,st), developed initially in the newborn lamb and subsequently applied to the premature neonate with chest wall distortion. The mean CL,dyn in seven intubated newborn lambs in normoxia was 2.45 +/- 0.41 ml.cmH2O-1.kg-1, whereas Cw,st was 11.81 +/- 0.25 ml.cmH2O-1.kg-1. These values did not change significantly in seven animals breathing through a tight-fitting face mask or with hypercapnia-induced tachypnea. For the eight premature infants the mean CL,dyn was 1.35 +/- 0.36 ml.cmH2O-1.kg-1, whereas the mean Cw,st was 3.16 +/- 1.01 ml.cmH2O-1.kg-1. This study shows that, under relaxed conditions when measurements of static compliance are performed, the chest wall is more compliant than the lung. The measurement of Cw,st may thus be used to determine the contribution of the respiratory musculature in stabilizing the chest wall.     

松辽盆地阿尔必期微体浮游植物新属种

该文描述了松辽盆地中白垩世阿尔必期泉头组三段的微体浮游植物化石1新属7新种,隶属于微咸水沟鞭藻类2属5新种(含4新亚种),淡水绿藻1属1种和疑源类1新属1新种。并对沟鞭藻 Ngktericysta Bint,1986进行了修订。     

Hypoxia-induced periodic breathing in newborn lambs

This study was designed to elucidate the effect of hypoxia on the breathing rhythmicity and the effect of hypoxia on periodic breathing (PB) in two groups of newborn lambs (less than 2 days and 10 days of age). Lambs undergoing a hypoxic ventilatory test [0.08 inspired O2 fraction (FIo2) for 13 min] experienced no apnea or PB in hypoxia, but all developed PB during the 1-min period immediately after their abrupt return to 0.21 FIo2. This PB occurred when alternation of arterial PO2 and PCO2 in mild hypoxic and hypocapnic conditions induced an overshoot-undershoot response of the chemical drive to breathe. The magnitude of PB was found to be greater in the animals with a higher peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity to hypoxia but ceased altogether when the hypoxic-hypocapnic conditions were resolved. When these conditions were removed more quickly, that is, when the animals were returned either to 0.50 FIo2 or to 0.03 FIco2, no PB was observed. To clarify the role of hypoxia as a central depressant on the genesis of PB, we tested to determine whether additional central tissue hypoxia, using carboxyhemoglobin (30%), would worsen the episodes of PB. No effect on breathing rhythmicity was observed. These findings suggest not only that, in newborn animals and adults, the mechanisms of post-hypoxia-induced PB are identical but that the PB elicited in mild hypoxic conditions is a peripheral chemoreflex-mediated event rather than a centrally mediated one.     

FVB mice transgenic for the H-2Db gene become resistant to persistent infection by Theiler's virus.

The DA strain of Theiler's virus causes a persistent infection of the white matter of the spinal cord with chronic inflammation and primary demyelination. Inbred strains of mice differ greatly in their susceptibility to this disease. It has been shown that both viral persistence and demyelination are controlled mainly by a gene located in the H-2D region. This raised the possibility that the H-2D gene itself controls viral persistence, which in turn determines demyelination. In the present work we introduced the H-2Db gene of resistant C57BL/6 mice into the genome of susceptible H-2q FVB mice and showed that the FVB mice become resistant to persistence of the infection and did not develop inflammatory lesions.     

黑龙江宁安盆地穆棱组及其孢粉型组合新发现

黑龙江宁安盆地是一个具有油气勘探远景的中小型盆地,主要目的层为下白垩统。新发现了一套相当于邻区穆棱组的地层,孢粉化石十分丰富,建立了５个孢粉组合带,通过对两口石油探井生物地层的研究,建立了该舅地新的地层层序,并对穆棱组的时代和沉积环境进行了讨论。     

The lepidopteran mitochondrial control region: structure and evolution

For several species of lepidoptera, most of the approximately 350-bp mitochondrial control-region sequences were determined. Six of these species are in one genus, Jalmenus; are closely related; and are believed to have undergone recent rapid speciation. Recent speciation was supported by the observation of low interspecific sequence divergence. Thus, no useful phylogeny could be constructed for the genus. Despite a surprising conservation of control-region length, there was little conservation of primary sequences either among the three lepidopteran genera or between lepidoptera and Drosophila. Analysis of secondary structure indicated only one possible feature in common--inferred stem loops with higher-than-random folding energies-- although the positions of the structures in different species were unrelated to regions of primary sequence similarity. We suggest that the conserved, short length of control regions is related to the observed lack of heteroplasmy in lepidopteran mitochondrial genomes. In addition, determination of flanking sequences for one Jalmenus species indicated (i) only weak support for the available model of insect 12S rRNA structure and (ii) that tRNA translocation is a frequent event in the evolution of insect mitochondrial genomes.