Complementarity of particles and pits in freeze-fractured hepatic and cardiac gap junctions

Summary Particles and pits of freeze-fractured gap junctions are considered as complementary structures despite the frequent observations of more regular and closer spacings of pits, ascribed to plastic deformation of particle arrays. Recently, however, the noncomplementarity of pits and particles in Purkinje fibers has been reported. To ascertain the relationship between both structures, gap junctions from fixed, cryoprotected liver and myocardium were investigated using spacing and density measurements and complementary replicas.In hepatocyte gap junctions, the center-to-center distances (mean±sd) among pits, 9.57±1.49 nm, and particles, 9.70±1.77 nm, are not significantly different. Density determinations yielded a slightly higher value for the pits, (11,510±830)/m², than for the particles, (11,230±950)/m². In the myocardium, the spacing of the regularly arrayed pits, 9.55±1.33 nm barely exceeds the value of 9.44±1.62 nm for the particles, which show some clustering. However, the packing density for the pits, (10,090±740)/m², appears a little higher than that of the particles (9,890±920)/m². As density and spacing measurements provided no decisive answers, the positions of individual pits and particles of complementary junctional faces were recorded on transparent sheets and compared. In this fashion, a one-to-one correspondence between particles and pits could be established, while small discrepancies may be attributed to plastic deformation. Moreover, the collinearity of pits and particles may be suggested by the observation of a platinum grain in the center of many pits.     

越冬期间香蕉果穗套袋的防寒效果及其对产量的影响

冬季香蕉果穗用兰色聚乙烯薄膜套袋之后,可提高袋内温度1～5℃,果实低温伤害卑只有1％左右,而未经套袋的达23％～35％,果指长度和径围增加率分别达12％和9％左右,果实产量比对照增加8％～16％。试验结果表明,兰色聚乙烯薄膜套袋是越冬期间香蕉防寒保果和增产的一项有效措施。     

Linear dichroism and orientational studies of carotenoid Langmuir-Blodgett films

The linear dichroism of single monolayers of lutein, zeaxanthin and a mixture of lutein and synthetic phosphatidylcholine has been measured. The angle of orientation of the carotenoid molecules was found to lie between 45° and 51° relative to the plane of the solid support. Although the adsorbed monolayers were mostly in a monomeric state, microscopic observations, as well as the II-A isotherms, indicated the existence of crystalline islets. The results have been interpreted in connection with Haidinger's polarization brushes.     

The second life of terrestrial and plastic carbon as nutritionally valuable food for aquatic consumers

Primary production is the basis for energy and biomolecule flow in food webs. Nutritional importance of terrestrial and plastic carbon via mixotrophic algae to upper trophic level is poorly studied. We explored this question by analysing the contribution of osmo- and phagomixotrophic species in boreal lakes and used ¹³C-labelled materials and compound-specific isotopes to determine biochemical fate of carbon backbone of leaves, lignin–hemicellulose and polystyrene at four-trophic level experiment. Microbes prepared similar amounts of amino acids from leaves and lignin, but four times more membrane lipids from lignin than leaves, and much less from polystyrene. Mixotrophic algae (Cryptomonas sp.) upgraded simple fatty acids to essential omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Labelled amino and fatty acids became integral parts of cell membranes of zooplankton (Daphnia magna) and fish (Danio rerio). These results show that terrestrial and plastic carbon can provide backbones for essential biomolecules of mixotrophic algae and consumers at higher trophic levels.     

Photo-induction of electrical current with the cyanobacteriumAgmenellum quadruplicatum PR-6

We investigated the possibility of eliciting a measurable photoinduced electrical current from the cyanobacteriumAgmenellum quadruplicatum PR-6 (Synechococcus PCC 7002). This proved virtually impossible for intact cells. However, treated PR-6 cells fixed in an alginate matrix on tin oxide as the active electrode in a three electrode electrochemical cell gave rise to a significant light response. Cell treatments involving toluene, chloroform or detergents were effective and gave current responses up to 250 nA. Drying the cyanobacterial matrix increased the current yield at least fifty-fold. These effects were observed for light wavelengths > 650 nm and were not influenced by inhibitors or enhancers of photosynthesis nor by sustained argon bubbling of the electrolyte.French pressure cell lysates facilitated distinction between two light induced current components. Lysates prepared without CaCl₂ gave current induction kinetics that were indistinguishable from those on chemically treated cells i.e. slowly rising to a stable maximum in 10–15 min. When CaCl₂ was present during lysis, a rapidly induced (<1 s) unstable component was observed. Toluenization of PR-6 either prior to or post lysing abolished the CaCl₂ related effect. CaCl₂ had no effect on current induction in strain PR-6008, which lacked the and subunits of phycocyanin and exhibited slow current induction kinetics.The observed effects are interpreted as responses of components of the photosystems of PR-6 rather than in terms of an integrated photosynthetic process.     

Protection of plants from frost using hydrophobic particle film and acrylic polymer

Frost damage to potatoes, grapevine and citrus plants was assessed following treatment with either an acrylic polymer (Antistress?) or with a hydrophobic particle film (CM‐96–018). In large freezing tests, the application of the hydrophobic particle film consistently led to less damage whilst the acrylic polymer led to the same amount or more damage when compared to control plants. Detailed examination of the freezing of leaves of all three species using infrared thermal imaging revealed that the hydrophobic particle film delayed the entry of ice from a frozen water droplet containing ice nucleating active bacteria and in some cases for the complete duration of the frost test. In contrast, the acrylic polymer was only able to influence the time of ice nucleation of the leaves of citrus plants. It was concluded that the hydrophobic particle film shows considerable promise as a frost protectant applied to susceptible crops just prior to a freezing event.     

A rapid method for determination of Proteus vulgaris with a piezoelectric quartz crystal sensor coated with a thin liquid film

A rapid method for microorganism detection using a piezoelectric quartz crystal sensor (PQC) coated with a thin liquid culture medium film was developed and applied to detect the cell number of Proteus vulgaris. This method employed the viscosity and density response of PQC and utilized the coagulation of gelatine medium solution in which the microorganisms had grown to determine the microorganism indirectly. Three time points (TT₁, DT, TT₂) were obtained from the coagulation curve and were found to be in good linear relationship with the logarithm of the initial number of P. vulgaris in the range 1·3 × 10²−1·3 × 10⁵ cells/ml. The detection was rapid and accurate because the coagulation of the thin liquid culture medium film was quick and the time points in the response curve were sharp and so were easy to determine accurately. The detection time was less than 4 h and only a micro sample was needed. A 5 h preincubation was needed before detection. Some experimental conditions are discussed in detail.     

磷脂DMPC Langmuir－Blodgett膜晶格结构的原子力显微镜研究

用原子力显微镜（ＡＦＭ）研究了磷脂ＤＭＰＣ三层Ｌａｎｇｍｕｉｒ－Ｂｌｏｄｇｅｔｔ（ＬＢ）膜的分子排列结构,结果表明：在磷脂ＬＢ膜的两相（液体压缩相Ｌｉｑｕｉｄ－ｃｏｎｄｅｎｓｅｄｐｈａｓｅ和液体扩张相Ｌｉｑｕｉｄ－ｅｘｐａｎｄｅｄｐｈａｓｅ）共存时,液体压缩相中的磷脂分子排列紧密,取向一致,分子间作用力较大,因而能够得到分子图像。而液体扩张相中的磷脂分子排列松散,取向混乱。分子间的作用力较弱,难于得到分子图像。在液体压缩相中磷脂分子以单斜晶格结构排列,分子间隔为０．７２ｎｍ．分子高度为２．１ｎｍ。这一结果和ＤＭＰＣ的单晶结构进行了比较。