Low-pressure microwave-induced helium plasma emission spectrometry: Vaporization characteristics of metal chlorides,nitrates, and sulfates

A low-pressure microwave-induced helium plasma serves as an excitation source for metal chlorides, nitrates, and sulfates vaporized from a filament, resulting in fractional vaporization and differential sensitivities of detection of the elements depending on the vapor pressures of their salts. The shapes of the single emission peaks, which are simple in the presence of potassium chloride, become complex and may double in number.     

Continuous acetic acid production by the bioreactor system loading a new ceramic carrier for microbial attachment

Summary We have developed a bioreactor system for aerobic fermentation, using a new ceramic carrier APHROCELL which has a suitable shape for liquid and gas passage. In acetic acid fermentation byAcetobacter cells from ethanol, as a typical example of aerobic fermentation, a productivity of 17.25 g/l h was attained at continuous production of 23 g-acetic acid/l; at an acetic acid concentration around 53 g/l, the productivity was 6.4 g/l h. Thus a marketable vinegar can be obtained continuously by this bioreactor system. Because of the simplicity of the APHROCELL reactor, scale up should be relatively easy.     

Incidence of herpes infection of the uterine cervix observed in cytologic specimens in the Tokyo metropolitan area

In a high-volume cytology laboratory in the metropolitan Tokyo area, the incidence of cytologically diagnosed herpes infection in cervical scraping smears of the female genital tract was studied according to the year-by-year changes, age distribution, seasonal variation and types of cytologic alteration. The overall incidence over the 12 years studied was 0.007% (87 cases among 1,230,773 examined). The incidence varied from 0.003% to 0.005% in the early 1970s (except for 1973) and increased to 0.011% in the last three years (1980 to 1982). A large increase was noted in younger age groups in comparison with middle and older age groups. There was a tendency for the infection rate to be higher in the spring (0.011%) and lower in the fall (0.005%). Multinucleation and a ground-glass appearance were observed in the infected cells in almost every case while eosinophilic inclusion bodies were found in 20.7% of the cases.     

Cytolytic activity of cytotoxin isolated from Indian cobra venom against experimental tumor cells

Cytolytic activity of cytotoxin isolated from the venom of the Indian cobra (Naja naja) on experimental tumor cells was far stronger than that on normal cells such as peritoneal exudate cells, spleen cells, and erythrocytes of the rat. The effect on Yoshida sarcoma cells was temperature-dependent, being stronger at 37 degrees C than at 0 degrees C. Intramolecular disulfide linkages and free amino groups in the cytotoxin molecule were shown to be essential for the lytic action on the cell membrane. Yoshida sarcoma cells treated with 0.1 mM N-ethylmaleimide reduced the cytolytic action of the toxin. Antitumor activity of the cytotoxin toward a Yoshida sarcoma inoculated intraperitoneally into a rat was not observed.     

Identification of a common molecular basis for combined 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency in two Mennonite families

Summary During the course of studies to characterize mutations of the CYP17 gene that cause the 17-hydroxylase-deficient form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia we have discovered two ostensibly unrelated Mennonite families in which affected individuals are homozygous for the same mutation. The defect is a four-base duplication in exon 8 of the CYP17 gene, which alters the reading frame encoding the C-terminal 26 animo acids of cytochrome P450₁₇.     

A target protease activity of serpins in insect hemolymph

Two zymogens of the serine enzymes (prophenoloxidase activating enzyme and BAEEase, an enzyme hydrolyzing ethyl ester), which are thought to be components of prophenoloxidase cascade in silkworm (Bombyx mori) plasma, were activated through the action of microbial cell wall components. The two active enzymes of the zymogens were studied with regard to the regulation of their activities by two endogenous serpins (silkworm anti-trypsin and silkworm anti-chymotrypsin).

BAEEase activity was shown to be inactivated by silkworm antitrypsin, whereas the inactivation of prophenoloxidase activating enzyme by either of silkworm antitrypsin and silkworm antichymotrypsin could not be demonstrated under the experimental conditions.     

Change in growth kinetics of hybridoma cells entrapped in collagen gel affected by alkaline supply

The growth yields for glucose and glutamine of murine hybridoma cells entrapped in collagen gel particles were examined during the growth phase. The immobilized hybridoma cells were cultivated in a fluidized bed fermenter where the medium was circulating to supply oxygen separately. Procedures to supply an alkaline solution for adjusting the pH level strongly affected the growth yields. A direct supply of the alkaline solution to the cultivation system reduced both the growth yields for glucose and glutamine, probably due to a local increase in pH level. On the other hand, when fresh medium in which the pH was adjusted to around 8.5 was added to the cultivation system, the growth yields were unchanged even at the same pH level as when direct alkaline supply was used. These results suggest that an indirect alkaline supply could be recommended to ajust the pH level when using medium-circulating-fermenters.     

Additive Induction of Egr-1 (zif/268) mRNA Expression in Neuroblastoma × Glioma Hybrid NG108-15 Cells via Cholinergic Muscarinic, α2-Adrenergic, and Bradykinin Receptors

Abstract: Administration of carbachol, noradrenaline, and bradykinin induced Egr-1 mRNA expression within 1 h in mouse neuroblastoma × rat gliomahybrid NG108–15 cells. With specific receptor antagonists, the Egr-1 inductions by carbachol and noradrenaline were shown to be mediated via cholinergic muscarinic and α₂-adrenergic receptors, respectively. At their saturation levels for Egr-1 induction, the two agonists had additive effects when added together, but no prolongation of the effect on Egr-1 induction was observed. Addition of carbachol or noradrenaline 6 h after primary stimulation with carbachol or noradrenaline did not result in secondary Egr-1 induction, probably because of receptor desensitization. On the other hand, bradykinin consistently had an additive effect on Egr-1 induction, irrespective of the time of its addition, suggesting that the signal pathways for Egr-1 induction by carbachol or noradrenaline and by bradykinin are different. Treatment of cells with pertussis toxin or cholera toxin strongly inhibited Egr-1 induction by carbachol or noradrenaline but only partially inhibited the induction by bradykinin. Thus, the signals transduced in NG108–15 cells by different neurotransmitter receptors appear to have different effects on Egr-1 induction, depending on the times of stimulation and the combinations of receptors stimulated.