immunocytochemical localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator in lewis lung carcinoma

The invasively growing and metasizing Lewis lung carcinoma consistently contained urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) enzyme activity. When investigated immunocytochemically with antibodies against u-PA, different parts of individual tumors showed a pronounced heterogeneity in staining intensity. Strong staining was found in areas with invasive growth and degradation of surrounding normal tissue, while other areas were completely devoid of staining. Immunoreactivity occurred both with a perinuclear cytoplasmic localization in tumor cells and associated with apparently extracellular material. SDS PAGE of tumor extracts, under both reducing and nonreducing conditions, followed by immunoblotting, showed only one immunocytochemically stainable band with an electrophoretic mobility corresponding to that of purified proenzyme to u-PA, while no two-chain u-PA was detected. This indicates that the major part of the activator in Lewis lung carcinoma is present as one-chain pro-u-PA.     

Sugar Content and Metabolic Activities in Cold-Stored Fragmented Xylopodium of Ocimum nudicaule Benth. var. anisifolia Giul. (Labiatae)

Sugar content and hydrolytic activities were measured in fragmentsof xylopodia of Ocimum nudicaule Benth. stored for one weekat 5 °C and 5.28 °C. At 5 °C the soluble carbohydratecontent first decreased and at 5.28 °C it increased duringstorage and then declined drastically during cultivation afterplanting. Galactose, glucose and fructose levels also rose at5–28 °C whereas at 5 °C only glucose increased.These changes in sugar level were found to be correlated withchanges in the activity of certain hydrolytic enzymes: at 5–28°C there was a rapid rise in the activities of -galactosidaseand hemicellulase followed by an increase in the activity ofinvertase and ß-galactosidase. The rapid changes inenzymes and carbohydrate levels are discussed in terms of adaptationof the plant to tropical and subtropical environments. Key words: Carbohydrates, Carbohydrate hydrolases, Underground organ (xylopodium), Cold storage     

Histological Aspects of Root Formation in Petioles of Detached Leaves of Pereskia grandifolia (Cactaceae): Natural Conditions and Effects of GA3 and Dark

Adventitious roots arise naturally on petioles of Pereskia grandifoliaHaw. held in light. At about the 12th day after the beginningof the experiment, the root primordia arise in a callus tissuedeveloped from the basal portion of the petiole. Associatedwith the development of the callus, noticeable structural changesoccur in the originating organ. Petioles maintained in darkalso form callus; however, they die in a few days. On the otherhand, petioles treated with GA,, maintained in light, developcallus and survive; but they do not give rise to roots. Someaspects are discussed, such as: the kind of origin observedfor the roots, and the possible physiological basis for theirformation, as wdl as for the inhibition of their appearance Pereskia grandifolia, adventitious root formation, gibberelljc acid, petiole structure, rooting     

Post-construction avian mortality monitoring at Project West Wind

Abstract

Post-construction avifauna investigations were undertaken at Project West Wind, Meridian Energy Limited's 62-turbine wind farm on the Wellington south coast. These investigations were required in accordance with the resource consent conditions to quantify the level of avian mortalities occurring at the wind farm, particularly in regard to New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae), kākā (Nestor meridionalis) and kererū (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae). This is the first comprehensive study at a New Zealand operating wind farm. The methods included three field components necessary to calculate annual estimates of mortalities across the wind farm site: routine turbine searches; carcass detection trials; and carcass removal trials. Results from years 1 and 2 of a three-year programme are presented. To date, mortalities have been recorded for 17 taxa at 18 of the 24 study turbines. There have been no recorded mortalities of falcon, kākā or kererū. Australasian harrier (Circus approximans) has been the species for which the most mortalities have been recorded. Overall estimated annual mortality rates for years 1 and 2 were calculated to be approximately six and five birds per turbine respectively.     

Genetic architecture of survival and fitness-related traits in two populations of Atlantic salmon

The additive genetic effects of traits can be used to predict evolutionary trajectories, such as responses to selection. Non-additive genetic and maternal environmental effects can also change evolutionary trajectories and influence phenotypes, but these effects have received less attention by researchers. We partitioned the phenotypic variance of survival and fitness-related traits into additive genetic, non-additive genetic and maternal environmental effects using a full-factorial breeding design within two allopatric populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Maternal environmental effects were large at early life stages, but decreased during development, with non-additive genetic effects being most significant at later juvenile stages (alevin and fry). Non-additive genetic effects were also, on average, larger than additive genetic effects. The populations, generally, did not differ in the trait values or inferred genetic architecture of the traits. Any differences between the populations for trait values could be explained by maternal environmental effects. We discuss whether the similarities in architectures of these populations is the result of natural selection across a common juvenile environment.     

Linking environmental warming to the fitness of the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea

Climate warming is discussed as a factor that can favour the success of invasive species. In the present study, we analysed potential fitness gains of moderate warming (3 °C above field temperature) on the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea during summer and winter. The experiments were conducted under seminatural conditions in a bypass-system of a large river (Rhine, Germany). We showed that warming in late summer results in a significant decrease in the clams' growth rates (body mass and shell length increase) and an increase in mortality rate. The addition of planktonic food dampens the negative effect of warming on the growth rates. This suggests that the reason for the negative growth effect of temperature increase in late summer is a negative energetic balance caused by an enhanced metabolic rate at limited food levels. Warming during early summer revealed contrasting effects with respect of body mass (no warming effect) and shell length (increased shell growth with warming). This differential control of both parameters further enhances the loss of the relative (size-specific) body mass with warming. In contrast, warming in winter had a consistently positive effect on the clams' growth rate as demonstrated in two independent experiments. Furthermore, the reproduction success (as measured by the average number of larvae per clam) during the main breeding period (April) was strongly enhanced by experimental warming during winter, i.e. by eight times during the relatively cold winter 2005/2006 and by 2.6 times during the relatively warm winter 2007/2008. This strong, positive effect of moderate winter warming on the clams' fitness is probably one reason for the recent invasion success of C. fluminea in the northern hemisphere. However, warm summer events might counteract the positive winter warming effect, which could balance out the fitness gains.     

Leptin activation of mTOR pathway in intestinal epithelial cell triggers lipid droplet formation,cytokine production and increased cell proliferation

Accumulating evidence suggests that obesity and enhanced inflammatory reactions are predisposing conditions for developing colon cancer. Obesity is associated with high levels of circulating leptin. Leptin is an adipocytokine that is secreted by adipose tissue and modulates immune response and inflammation. Lipid droplets (LD) are organelles involved in lipid metabolism and production of inflammatory mediators, and increased numbers of LD were observed in human colon cancer. Leptin induces the formation of LD in macrophages in a PI3K/mTOR pathway-dependent manner. Moreover, the mTOR is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a key role in cellular growth and is frequently altered in tumors. We therefore investigated the role of leptin in the modulation of mTOR pathway and regulation of lipid metabolism and inflammatory phenotype in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6 cells). We show that leptin promotes a dose- and time-dependent enhancement of LD formation. The biogenesis of LD was accompanied by enhanced CXCL1/CINC-1, CCL2/MCP-1 and TGF-β production and increased COX-2 expression in these cells. We demonstrated that leptin-induced increased phosphorylation of STAT3 and AKT and a dose and time-dependent mTORC activation with enhanced phosphorilation of the downstream protein P70S6K protein. Pre-treatment with rapamycin significantly inhibited leptin effects in LD formation, COX-2 and TGF-β production in IEC-6 cells. Moreover, leptin was able to stimulate the proliferation of epithelial cells on a mTOR-dependent manner. We conclude that leptin regulates lipid metabolism, cytokine production and proliferation of intestinal cells through a mechanism largely dependent on activation of the mTOR pathway, thus suggesting that leptin-induced mTOR activation may contribute to the obesity-related enhanced susceptibility to colon carcinoma.