Circulating immune complexes in the pathogenesis of recurrent erysipelas

The dynamics of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in comparison with the level of SH-groups of serum deproteinate and other characteristics of cell-mediated and humoral immunity (the reaction of the inhibition of antibodies, the levels of T-cells and their main subpopulations) was studied in 103 erysipelas patients and in 46 persons having had the disease at the acute period of this infection and at the periods between relapses. The elevated levels of CIC and SH-groups of serum deproteinate were found to be directly correlated with the inhibition index. The study showed that, as a rule, in patients with the elevated level of CIC the frequently relapsing form of erysipelas, accompanied by the formation of relative hypersuppressor-type secondary immunodeficiency and by a decrease in the functional activity of dermal macrophages, was observed.     

Response of lentil to VA Mycorrhizal inoculation and plant available P levels of unsterile soils

Summary Responses of lentil in unsterile soils at low, medium and high levels of plant available soil P toGlomus fasciculatum inoculation were evaluated. It was observed that growth, dry matter accumulation, nodulation, and nitrogen fixation were considerably improved in VAM inoculated plants over uninoculated control at low and medium levels of plant available soil P.     

Epidermal growth factor enhancement of insulin-like growth factor-I-induced down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor I receptor in cultured placental trophoblastic cells.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) synergistically stimulate placental lactogen (hPL) secretion by placental cells. To understand the mechanism of actions we have investigated a possible heterologous regulatory effect of EGF and IGF-I on each other's receptors. Pretreatment of the cells with IGF-I had no effect on [125I]-EGF binding or the down-regulation of EGF receptor. Pretreatment of the cells with EGF, concomitantly with IGF-I, had no effect on [125I]-IGF-I binding but it augmented the IGF-I down-regulation of IGF-I receptor. The time required to initiate the IGF-I-induced down-regulation of IGF-I receptor was reduced by 4 h in the presence of EGF. IGF-I-down-regulated decreased (P less than 0.05) receptor numbers were further decreased (p less than 0.05) in the presence of EGF. These results suggested that the synergistic effect of EGF and IGF-I seen in hPL secretion by placental cells is not due to direct heterologous hormone-receptor interactive effects. However, the effects seen may be due to a differentiating effect of EGF sensitizing the cells for responsiveness to IGF-I.     

Putrescine uptake regulation in response to alpha-difluoromethylornithine treatment in Leishmania infantum promastigotes

Summary The putrescine uptake/efflux regulation and their regulatory role on intracellular polyamine pools have been studied in the parasitic protozoa Leishmania infantum. Putrescine uptake was age-dependent with maximal values in logarithmic phase promastigotes and minimal in stationary phase. Moreover, putrescine uptake was activated in response to depletion of intracellular polyamines by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) — a well known irreversible enzyme-activated inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase. Kinetic studies of putrescine uptake induction showed a notable rise in Vmax without Km changes, suggesting a de novo synthesis of putrescine carriers. Putrescine uptake was able to replenish polyamine content and also to recover the proliferative rate in cells treated during 24 hours with DFMO.     

Glycolipid and phospholipid composition of wheat and barley chloroplasts

Composition of complex lipid of chloroplasts of two cultivars of wheat and barley was determined at tillering, ear emergence and grain filling stages. The chloroplast lipids, MGDG, DGDG and PG were maximum at grain filling stage in both wheat and barley. PC content showed variations at different stages in both the crops while no significant changes were observed in PI concentrations at grain filling stage.     

Characterization of two mutant metJ proteins with reduced, temperature-dependent capacity to regulate Escherichia coli K-12 met regulon elements.

At 28 degrees C, but not at 34 or 42 degrees C, strains with the metJ193 allele repressed chromosomal met genes but not a plasmid-borne met promoter. Increasing the metJ193 gene dosage to two copies resulted in overrepression of chromosomal and plasmid-borne met promoters at 28 degrees C. Suppressing the metJ185 amber mutation with supF (tRNATyr) produced the MetJ185F protein. Strains producing MetJ185F repressed chromosomal met promoters but not a plasmid-borne met promoter at 42 degrees C. These are the first known defective MetJ proteins with documented temperature-dependent function.     

Isubgol as an Alternative Gelling Agent for Microbial Culture Media

Isubgol, the mucilaginous husk derived from the seeds of Plantago ovata, has been successfully used as a gelling agent for microbial culture media. As illustrative examples, fast growing symbiotic bacterium, Rhizobium meliloti and saprophytic fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium chrysogenum were cultured on media gelled with either Isubgol or agar. All the three microbes employed in the study exhibited normal growth when cultured on their respective media gelled with Isubgol. Rather, Isubgol gelled medium appears to promote the growth of bacterial cultures as the colonies on this medium were denser than the corresponding ones on the medium gelled with agar. Likewise, on Isubgol gelled medium, sporulation in both the fungi took place earlier than on the medium gelled with agar, thus indicating the promotive influence of the former gelling agent.     

Establishment and characterization of a cell line (SS78) from a human renal cell carcinoma

Summary A new cell line, SS78, was established from a primary renal cell carcinoma of a Caucasian male. The tissue was dispersed with collagenase, and viable cells were separated by flotation on a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. In culture, the SS78 cells retained a distinct epithelial morphology, and no fibroblastlike cells were seen. The cultured cells were aneuploid with a modal chromosome number of 80 and had several marker chromosomes. Inoculation of the cultured cells into athymic nude mice caused tumors at the sites of inoculation. This research was supported in part by Grants CA 15972 and CA 14930 from the National Cancer Institute through the National Bladder Cancer Project and by the Medical Research Service of the Veterans Administration.