Biological effects of D2O administration to Coturnix japonica

Levels of 7.8, 18.5 and 26 mole % deuterium oxide were administered sequentially to $\text{Coturnix japonica}$ (Japanese quail) via the drinking water. The primary effect observed was on egg frequency, which decreased from a normal level of 0.89 for 7.8 mole % D₂O to a low of 0.38 during the administration of 26 mole % D₂O. Adverse symptoms, such as hyperexcitability, convulsions, skin ulcerations, comatosity, weight loss, or death, which have been associated with deuterium toxicity in other animals, were not observed in these experiments. The amount of deuterium deposited in the water of the egg was 6.9, 13.98, and 19.83 mole % when 7.8, 18.5 and 26 mole % deuterium respectively was administered. For each period, the deuterium content of egg water rapidly reached a maximum concentration after which the concentration decreased slightly. This dilution effect has not been noted previously in body fluids from other animals.     

Procedure and Analysis of a Useful Method in Determining Mycelial Dry Weights from Agar Plates

The evaluation of growth by dry weight determination of fungus mycelium for agar plates was examined. The data obtained were statistically analyzed. This method was shown to be sufficiently accurate to be used as an investigative tool.     

Circadian clock adjustment to plant iron status depends on chloroplast and phytochrome function

Plant chloroplasts are not only the main cellular location for storage of elemental iron (Fe), but also the main site for Fe, which is incorporated into chlorophyll, haem and the photosynthetic machinery. How plants measure internal Fe levels is unknown. We describe here a new Fe‐dependent response, a change in the period of the circadian clock. In Arabidopsis, the period lengthens when Fe becomes limiting, and gradually shortens as external Fe levels increase. Etiolated seedlings or light‐grown plants treated with plastid translation inhibitors do not respond to changes in Fe supply, pointing to developed chloroplasts as central hubs for circadian Fe sensing. Phytochrome‐deficient mutants maintain a short period even under Fe deficiency, stressing the role of early light signalling in coupling the clock to Fe responses. Further mutant and pharmacological analyses suggest that known players in plastid‐to‐nucleus signalling do not directly participate in Fe sensing. We propose that the sensor governing circadian Fe responses defines a new retrograde pathway that involves a plastid‐encoded protein that depends on phytochromes and the functional state of chloroplasts.     

First descriptions of Coelometopini pupae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Australia,Southeast Asia and the Pacific region,with comments on phylogenetic relationships and antipredator adaptations

Abstract. The pupal stage of ten Coelometopini species occurring in Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia and the Pacific region are described and a key for their identification is provided. The species are Chrysopeplus expolitus Broun, Derosphaerus hirtipes Kaszab, Hypaulax crenata (Boisduval), Leprocaulus borneensis Kaszab, Metisopus purpureipennis Bates, Promethis carteri Kaszab, P. nigra (Blessig), P. quadraticollis (Gebien), P. quadricollis Pascoe and P. sulcigera (Boisduval). The gin trap structures of D. hirtipes and P. quadraticollis are described in detail using scanning electron micrographs. A summary of antipredator structures of all known Coelometopini pupae is given. The phylogenetic value of pupal characters is assessed at intra‐ and intergeneric levels within the tribe.     

Contribution à la connaissance de la faune parasitaire d' Argentine,XV. Etude morphologique de Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) viscaciae n. sp. (Nematoda,Heteroxynematidae) parasite de Lagidium viscacia boxi (Mammalia,Rodentia)

Résumé Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) viscaciae n. sp., parasite du caecum et du gros intestin d'un rongeur caviomorphe d' Argentine, Lagidium viscacia boxi Thomas, est décrit. Cette nouvelle espèce est très proche de Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) chiliensis Quentin, 1975, parasite d' Octodon degus (Molina) au Chili, dont elle se distingue essentiellement par ses mensurations et par la disposition de certaines papilles génitales des mâles. L'étude de cette nouvelle espèce montre l'existence: (i) au niveau des structures buccales d'un dimorphisme sexuel d'un type peu fréquent chez les Oxyuroidea; (ii) de quatre paires seulement de papilles génitales mâles voisinant avec des reliefs cuticulaires qui, dans d'autres espèces, ont peut-être été confondus avec des terminaisons nerveuses supplémentaires; (iii) d'un gubernaculum et d'un spicule, organes rarement observés chez les Heteroxynematidae, mais dont la présence dans d'autres espèces du groupe pourrait avoir été ignorée; (iv) au niveau de l'ovéjecteur, d'un sphincter particulièrement différencié et développé.

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Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) viscaciae n. sp., parasitic in the caecum and large intestine of Lagidium viscacia boxi Thomas, is described. The most closely related species is Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) chiliensis Quentin, 1975, a parasite of Octodon degus (Molina) from Chile, from which the new species differs by its measurements and disposition of the male's genital papillae. Study of this new species shows the existence of: (i) a type of sexual dimorphism infrequent in the Oxyuroidea, at the level of the buccal structures; (ii) only four pairs of male genital papillae adjoining cuticular protuberances which in other species may have been confused with supplementary nerve endings; (iii) a gubernaculum and a spicule, structures infrequently observed in the Heteroxynematidae, and possibly overlooked or ignored in other species; (iv) a sphincter which is strongly differentiated and developed.

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Resumen Se describe a Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) viscaciae n. sp. paràsito del ciego intestino grueso del rodeor Lagidium viscacia boxi Thomas. Esta nueva especie se asemeja a Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) chiliensis Quentin, 1975, paràsito de Octodon degus (Molina) de Chile de la cual se diferencie esencialmente por sus medidas y por la disposicion de las papilas genitales del macho. El estudio de esta nueva especie muestra la existencia de: (i) un tipo poco frecuente en los Oxyuroidea de dimorfismo sexual a nivel de las estructuras bucales; (ii) cuatro pares de papilas genitales en el macho ubicadas proximas a relieves cuticulares que en otras especies pueden haber sido confundidos con terminaciones nerviosas suplementarias; (iii) de un gubernàculo y una espicula, organos raramente observables en los Heteroxynematidae, pero cuya presencia en otras especies del grupo pudo haber sido ignorada; (iv) de un sphincter particularmente diferenciado y desarollado.

     

Polyploid cells in blastocysts and early fetuses from Australian Merino sheep

Cytogenetic examination was made of 103 13-14-day-old blastocysts and 116 24-32-day-old fetuses from untreated and androstenedione-7-HSA-immunized Merino ewes. There were no differences in the chromosome composition of blastocysts or fetuses from treated or untreated ewes and so the data were combined. At Days 13-14 a 1N/2N mosaic and a 2N - 1/2N/4N mosaic embryo were observed. In addition, 52 of the blastocysts were 2N/4N mosaics, with 8 of these also containing 8N cells, and one blastocyst was a 2N/8N mosaic. No aneuploid fetuses were observed, but 80 of the 116 fetuses contained polyploid cells, including 4N, 6N and 8N cells. The polyploid cells observed in the blastocysts and fetuses should not be considered as abnormal cells as they appear to be a normal part of the developmental processes leading to trophoblast formation and fetal differentiation.     

A yeast protein analogous to Escherichia coli RecA protein whose cellular level is enhanced after UV irradiation

Summary In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a protein was recognized by polyclonal antibodies raised against homogeneous Escherichia coli K12 RecA protein. The cellular level of the yeast protein called RecAsc (molecular weight 44 kDa, pI 6.3), was transiently enhanced after UV irradiation. Protease inhibitors were required to minimize degradation of the RecAsc protein during cell lysis. The RecAsc protein exhibited similar basal levels and similar kinetics of increase after UV irradiation in DNA-repair proficient (RAD ⁺) strains carrying mitochondrial DNA or not (rho ⁰). This was also true for the following DNA-repair deficient (rad ^-) strains: rad2-6 rad6-1 rad52-1, a triple mutant blocked in three major repair pathways; rad6-, a mutant containing an integrative deletion in a gene playing a central role in mutagenesis; pso2-1, a mutant that exhibits a reduced rate of mutagenesis and recombination after exposure to DNA cross-linking agents.     

Tyrosine-311 of a beta chain is the essential residue specifically modified by 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan in bovine heart mitochondrial ATPase

A peptide containing an essential tyrosine residue, modified with the nitrobenzofurazan group, has been purified from bovine heart mitochondrial ATPase. The composition of the peptide indicates that this tyrosine is residue 311 in the sequence of a beta chain. The problem of the instability of the tyrosyl-nitrobenzofurazan bond was overcome by working throughout at relatively acidic pH and using pepsin digestion of the enzyme.     

Thermography as a predictive tool for laser treatment of port-wine stains

The argon laser, which has been proven both useful and safe for port-wine stain therapy, interacts with the hemoglobin of the vessels. In a percentage of cases, this treatment is still inefficient, and there is a lack of correlation between these bad results and clinical or histologic criteria. Thermography, which explores the vascularization of the port-wine stain, leads us to consider port-wine stains from a physical point of view. This very simple test shows no correlation with the clinical parameters of port-wine stain but is closely related to the results obtained with laser therapy. It seems to be a good criterion to estimate the argon laser treatment prognosis.