Biochemical pathways in prokaryotes can be traced backward through evolutionary time

For the first time, a credible prokaryotic phylogenetic tree is being assembled by Woese and others using quantitative sequence analysis of oligonucleotides in the highly conservative rRNA. This provides an evolutionary scale against which the evolutionary steps that led to the arrangement and regulation of contemporary biochemical pathways can be measured. This paper presents an emerging evolutionary picture of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis within a large superfamily assemblage of prokaryotes that is sufficiently developed to illustrate a new perspective that will be applicable to many other biochemical pathways.      

Substitution of Manganese for Tomato Juice in the Cultivation of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Tomato juice was separated by chemical and physical methods into various active fractions, as measured by growth response and acid production by numerous lactic acid bacteria. Incineration of the treated extracts with little apparent loss in activity established the fact that the stimulatory component was of inorganic composition. Of the various cations tested, manganese was the only element that produced biological activity comparable to that of the original extract. Of the 71 strains of lactic acid bacteria tested, 63 strains showed a definite requirement for manganese or tomato juice.     

Laser Doppler blood flow measurements of common cutaneous donor sites for reconstructive surgery

The purpose of this study was to evaluate cutaneous blood flow in regions commonly used as donor sites in reconstructive surgery in order to better establish normal flow ranges. Flow was measured with the TSI Laserflo BPM 403 in 27 healthy volunteers and compared to the flow in uncomplicated postoperative autologous tissue transplants. The forehead produced the highest flow, with an average value of 6.50 +/- 0.31 (mean +/- SE), and the dorsalis pedis had the lowest flow, with an average value of 0.60 +/- 0.04. Gender differences were noted in the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and rectus abdominis areas. There were no significant differences between smokers and nonsmokers, hand dominance, musculocutaneous and fasciocutaneous tissues, or supine and sitting body positions. Flow levels in volunteers were similar to those in postoperative surviving autologous tissue transplants. The site-specific flow and flow changes over long time periods (hours) have helped clinical monitoring of 77 patients in the last 24 months. In every case identified by the flowmeter as decreased perfusion, a definite etiology for low reduction was documented. Complications occurred in 12 patients, and the rate of salvaging compromised tissue has increased from 50 percent using temperature monitoring and clinical observation to 83 percent with the computerized laser Doppler flowmeter.     

Differences in Body Image and Depression Among Obese Women With and Without Binge Eating Disorder

Obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) differ from obese non-binge eating (NBE) individuals in a number of clinically relevant ways. This study examined attitudinal responses to various measures of body image in women seeking obesity treatment, by comparing NBE participants (n=80) to those with BED (n=48). It was hypothesized that women with BED would demonstrate greater attitudinal disturbance of body image compared to NBE individuals. It was further hypothesized that significant differences between groups would remain after statistically controlling for degree of depression. Consistent with the primary hypothesis, BED participants reported significantly increased attitudinal disturbance in body dissatisfaction and size perception compared to NBE participants. Although shared variance was observed between measures of depression and body image on some items, several aspects of increased body image disturbance remained after statistically controlling for depression. Treatment implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

Autonomic nervous control of gastric somatostatin secretion from the perfused rat stomach

The effect of parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve stimulation on the secretion of gastric somatostatin and gastrin has been studied in an isolated perfused rat stomach preparation. Stimulation of the vagus nerve inhibited somatostatin secretion and increased gastrin release. Splanchnic nerve stimulation increased somatostatin release during simultaneous atropine perfusion, but not in its absence, whereas gastrin secretion was unchanged. The secretory activity of the gastric D-cell was therefore reciprocally influenced by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves but sympathetic stimulation was only effective during muscarinic blockade.     

Plankton secondary productivity and biomass: Their relation to lake trophic state

The biomass and production of the most important zooplankton species were followed for two years in three lakes of varying trophic status in the Lake Washington watershed. Cladocerans and copepods were of equal importance in the biomass of lakes Findley and Chester Morse (both oligotrophic), whereas, copepods were the main biomass component in Lake Sammamish (mesotrophic). Cladocerans dominated production in lakes Sammamish and Chester Morse, while in Findley Lake their productive role, like that of biomass, was equal to that of the copepods. Rotifers contributed a relatively small biomass and production.Data from this study supported Hillbricht-Ilkowska's postulate that the energy transfer efficiency between the primary and secondary trophic levels decreases with increasing trophic state. Energy transfer efficiencies for the lakes of this study expressed as a two year mean of the ratio-secondary: primary production, were as follows: Findley Lake-0.13; Chester Morse Lake-0.08; and Lake Sammanish-0.04.On the other hand, the hypothesis of Patalas that the secondary productivity: biomass ratio (P/B) tended to increase in proportion to the productivity of a lake, could not be supported. Lake Sammamish, the most productive of the lakes studied, had a P/B ratio of 0.03 while lakes Findley and Chester Morse had P/B ratios of 0.04.