The synergistic effect of carbon concentration and high temperature on lipid peroxidation in Peridinium gatunense

Lipid peroxidation in Peridinium samples taken from two differentdepths in Lake Kinneret fluctuated throughout the spring withan overall increasing trend. Samples from 0.5 and 5 m showeda similar peroxidation pattern, which was maximal after thefall off in algal biomass. The rapid decline in Peridinium biomasscoincided with ambient lake temperatures of 21–23C. Fattyacid composition profiles were similar at both depths, althoughafter the peak of the bloom, a significant increase in polyunsaturatedfatty acids and oleic acid was only found at 0.5 m, togetherwith a decrease in the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids.These effects were related to ambient light stress rather thana result of lipid peroxidation. Lake samples taken at differentperiods of the bloom and incubated at various temperatures showeddifferential peroxidation. Higher temperatures caused increasedlipid peroxidation, but this appeared to be dependent on thesampling period. Samples withdrawn from the lake at the beginningof the bloom showed little peroxidation after a 5 day incubationat 14C, room temperature (25C) or ambient lake temperature(16C) compared to mid-bloom samples in which there was a significantincrease in peroxidation when they were incubated at room temperature(25C) or ambient lake temperature (22C). Incubation at 14Cinhibited peroxidation; however, samples from mid-bloom againshowed enhanced peroxidation compared with those from the beginningof the bloom. These in situ results suggested a relationshipbetween temperature, another environmental variable during thebloom and lipid peroxidation in Peridinium. As total dissolvedinorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations fall significantly duringthe progress of the bloom and represent an important sourceof environmental stress, laboratory experiments were establishedto investigate the synergistic effect of temperature and carbonnutrition on lipid peroxidation in Peridinium cultures. Increasedtemperature alone caused a slight increase in lipid peroxidation,but this was greatly augmented by carbon limitation. Althoughcarbon limitation induced increased catalase activity, at highertemperatures activity declined after 48 h, allowing for thesubstantial increase in lipid peroxidation.     

Aphanizomenon ovalisporum (Forti) in Lake Kinneret, Israel

The filamentous cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum wasobserved for the first time in Lake Kinneret in August 1994and formed a prominent bloom from September through October.Aphanizomenon ovalisporum reappeared in diminished amounts inthe summer and fall of 1995. These events are the first recordof significant quantities of a potentially toxic nitrogen-fixingcyanobacterium in this lake. No definite provenance of inoculumhas been identified, although A.ovalisporum was also observedin a newly reflooded area (Lake Agmon) in the catchment. Unusuallyhigh water temperatures and low wind inputs were observed priorto and during the A.ovalisporum bloom period. These, togetherwith possibly enhanced availability of phosphorus or other growthfactors, may have contributed to the cyanobacterium growth in1994. Phosphorus limi tation, as indicated by high cellularalkaline phosphatase activity, the onset of stormy conditionsand a fall in water temperatures led to the demise of the 1994bloom. Although the A. ovalisporum bloom in 1994 had no seriousdirect impact on water quality, the continued presence of apotentially toxic cyanobacterium in Lake Kinneret, a major nationalwater supply source, is a cause for serious concern.     

Sensitivity of erythrocyte acetycholinesterase to inhibition by linolenoyl sorbitol. Dependence on a transmembrane potential

Acetylcholinesterase activity of human erythrocytes is known to be inhibited by linolenoyl sorbitol, the inhibition being critically dependent on cell membrane intactness. The extent of enzyme inhibition by the added lipid is correlated with the magnitude of Cl^? gradient across the erythrocyte membrane, indicating that enzyme sensitivity is associated with a transmembrane potential. If linolenoyl sorbitol is allowed to interact with the erythrocytes while a Cl^? gradient exists, enzyme sensitivity can subsequently be demonstrated not only in the absence of a gradient but even when the cells are lyzed. It is concluded that the transmembrane potential determines the accessibility of a membrane component to the added lipid.     

SV40 immortalizes myogenic cells: DNA synthesis and mitosis in differentiating myotubes

Primary skeletal muscle myoblasts have a limited proliferative capacity in cell culture and cease to proliferate after several passages. We examined the effects of several oncogenes on the immortalization and differentiation of primary cultures of rat skeletal muscle myoblasts. Retroviruses containing a SV40 large T antigen (LT) gene very efficiently immortalize myogenic cells. The immortalized cell lines retain a very high differentiation capacity and form, in the appropriate culture conditions, a very dense network of muscle fibers. As in primary culture, cell fusion is associated with the synthesis of large amounts of muscle-specific proteins. However, unlike normal myoblasts (and previously established myogenic cell lines), nuclei in the multinucleated fibers of SV40-immortalized cells synthesize DNA and enter mitosis. Thus, withdrawal from DNA synthesis is not obligatory for cell fusion and biochemical differentiation. Using a retrovirus coding for a temperature-sensitive SV40 LT, myogenic cell lines were produced in which the SV40 LT could be inactivated by a shift from 33 degrees C to 39 degrees C. The inactivation of LT induced massive cell fusion and synthesis of muscle proteins. The nuclei in those fibers did not synthesize DNA, nor did they undergo mitosis. This approach enabled the reproducible establishment of myogenic cell lines from very small populations of myoblasts or single primary myogenic clones. Activated p53 also readily immortalized cells in primary muscle cultures, however the cells of eight out of the nine cell lines isolated had a fibroblastic morphology and could not be induced to form multinucleated fibers.     

Characterization of Bradykinin-Induced Phosphoinositide Turnover in Neurohybrid NCB-20 Cells

Phosphoinositide hydrolysis was studied in neurohybrid NCB-20 cells prelabeled with myo-[3H]inositol. Among nearly 20 neurotransmitters and neuromodulators examined, only bradykinin, carbachol, and histamine significantly increased the accumulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate (IP1) in the presence of lithium. The EC50 of bradykinin was 20 nM and the saturating concentration was approximately 1 microM. The bradykinin response was robust (10-fold) and was potently and selectively blocked by a bradykinin antagonist, B 4881 [D-Arg-(Hyp3, Thi, D-Phe)-bradykinin], with a Ki of 10 nM. This effect of bradykinin appeared to be additive to that mediated by activation of muscarinic cholinergic and histamine H1 receptors. The accumulation induced by bradykinin or carbachol was dependent on the presence of calcium in the incubation medium; less than twofold stimulation was observed in the absence of exogenous calcium. Bradykinin-induced [3H]IP1 accumulation required high concentration of lithium to elicit its maximal stimulation; the concentration of lithium required for half maximal effect was about 13 mM, similar to the value reported previously for carbachol-induced accumulation in the same cell line. In contrast, using related neurohybrid NG108-15 cells, bradykinin-induced [3H]IP1 accumulation was found to require much less lithium. IN the presence of lithium, bradykinin also evoked a transient increase in the production of [3H]-inositol bis- and trisphosphate. Basal and bradykinin-induced phosphoinositide breakdown was inhibited by 4 beta-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, but was unaffected by the biologically inactive 4 beta-phorbol. Pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin induced only about 30% loss of the bradykinin-induced [3H]IP1 accumulation, without affecting basal activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A novel immunoassay with direct relevance to protection against organophosphate poisoning

Antiparaoxon immune sera were employed in a new immunoassay based on competition between acetylcholinesterase and antibodies for the binding ofparaoxon. Unlike radioimmunoassay, the new assay described herein can be extended to predict the feasibility of antibodies to confer in vivo protection of acetylcholinesterase against organophosphate poisoning. The toxicity of paraoxon was reduced in mice which were pre-injected with the immune sera.     

Simulation of nitrogen assimilation by heterotrophic soil microbial biomass

Assimilation of N by heterotrophic soil microbial biomass is associated with decomposition of organic matter in the soil. The form of N assimilated can be either low molecular weight organic N released from the breakdown of organic matter (direct assimilation), or NH⁺₄ and NO⁻₃ from the soil inorganic N pool, into which mineralized organic N is released (mineralization immobilization turnover). The kinetics of C and N turnover in soil is quantifiable by means of computer simulation models. NCSOIL was constructed to represent the two assimilation schemes. The rate of N assimilation depends on the rate of C assimilation and microbial C/N ratio, thereby rendering it independent of the assimilation scheme. However, if any of the N forms is labeled, a different amount of labeled N assimilation will be simulated by the different schemes. Experimental data on inorganic N and ¹⁵N and on organic ¹⁵N dynamics in soils incubated with ¹⁵N added as NH⁺₄ or organic N were compared with data simulated by different model schemes. Direct assimilation could not account for the amount of ¹⁵N assimilated in any of the experimental treatments. The best fit of the model to experimental data was obtained for the mineralization immobilization turnover scheme when both NH⁺₄ and NO⁻₃ were assimilated, in proportion to their concentration in the soil.     

Preferential feeding behaviour of Daphnia magna

Preferential feeding behaviour by Daphnia magna was shown when Daphnia were fed on a mixture of ¹⁴C-labelled algae (Chlorella vulgaris or Scenedesmus quadricauda) and ³H-labelled bacteria (Escherichia coli). Daphnia consumption of bacteria was equal or higher in the presence of algae. On the other hand, in the presence of bacteria, algal consumption decreased by 40–70% compared to algal consumption in the absence of bacteria. ¹⁴C radioactive uptake was in good agreement with the chlorophyll content and demonstrates the preferential feeding behaviour of Daphnia.     

The Role of Culture/Ethnicity in Communicating with Cancer Patients About Mental Health Distress and Suicidality

Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry - To explore the role of culture in communicating with cancer patients about mental health distress and suicidality. The Grounded Theory method of data collection...     

Potassium deficiency triggers the development of dormant cells (akinetes) in Aphanizomenon ovalisporum (Nostocales,Cyanoprokaryota)1

Akinetes are spore‐like nonmotile cells that differentiate from vegetative cells of filamentous cyanobacteria from the order Nostocales. They play a key role in the survival and distribution of these species and contribute to their perennial blooms. Various environmental factors were reported to trigger the differentiation of akinetes including light intensity and quality, temperature, and nutrient deficiency. Here, we report that deprivation of potassium ion (K⁺) triggers akinete development in the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum. Akinetes formation is initiated 3 d–7 d after an induction by K⁺ depletion, followed by 2–3 weeks of a maturation process. Akinete formation occurs within a restricted matrix of environmental conditions such as temperature, light intensity or photon flux. Phosphate is essential for akinete maturation and P‐limitation restricts the number of mature akinetes. DNA replication is essential for akinete maturation and akinete development is limited in the presence of Nalidixic acid. While our results unequivocally demonstrated the effect of K⁺ deficiency on akinete formation in laboratory cultures of A. ovalisporum, this trigger did not cause Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii to produce akinetes. Anabaena crassa however, produced akinetes upon potassium deficiency, but the highest akinete concentration was achieved at conditions that supported vegetative growth. It is speculated that an unknown internal signal is associated with the cellular response to K⁺ deficiency to induce the differentiation of a certain vegetative cell in a trichome into an akinete. A universal stress protein that functions as mediator in K⁺ deficiency signal transduction cascade, may communicate between the lack of K⁺ and akinete induction.