Temperature dependence of neurotransmitter release in the antarctic fishPagothenia borchgrevinki

Summary The quantal contents of endplate potentials from extraocular muscles of an antarctic fishPagothenia borchgrevinki were measured over a range of temperatures. Quantal release was maximal at about 5°C but showed little dependence on temperature between –2°C and 10°C. Above 10°C quantal content declined until release ceased about 18°C. In view of the fact that the ambient temperature at which these fish live is constant at –1.9°C, the results suggest thatPagothenia borchgrevinki is only partially adapted to its environment despite 25 million years acclimatization.The authors wish to thank the staff of New Zealand's Scott Base, Antarctica, without whose cooperation the work would have been impossible. Mr J. Quinn of the Auckland University Physiology Department gave invaluable assistance with computing and electronics and the Antarctic Division of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research provided transportation and logistic support. The project was financially supported by the New Zealand University Grants Committee and the Auckland University Research Committee. S.P. was a Senior Fellow of the N.Z. Medical Research Council.     

Plasma prostaglandin levels in fed and starved lean,normal and obese women

Summary The plasma obtained from fed and starved lean, normal and obese women was estimated, by a radio-immunoassay method, for prostaglandins, owing to their implication in the regulation of adipose tissue lipolysis and the development of obesity. No significant differences were found due to nutritional status or body-build. However, a significantly higher plasma concentration of prostaglandins of the E-type than of the F-type, was found consistently. The very low levels of prostaglandins observed (a range of 0.10–0.15 ng ml^–1 for E-type and a range of 0.05–0.07 ng ml^–1 for the F-type) may be due, in part, to the activity of a plasmatic prostaglandin metabolizing system.Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Dr D.C. Williams for his support and encouragement and to the Upjohn Company for the generous gift of standard prostaglandins.     

Hemodynamic studies in a parabiotic model of portal hypertension

Summary Splanchnic and systemic hemodynamic studies were performed in a rat model of parabiosis and portal hypertension. A portal hypertensive and a normal rat were surgically united side to side. A hyperdynamic circulation, characterized by increased cardiac index (413±26 vs 318±23 ml·min^–1·kg^–1; p<0.05) and portal venous inflow (9.61±1.29 vs 6.33±0.36 ml·min^–1·100 g b.wt^–1; p<0.05), was found in all the portal hypertensive rats but not in the normal parabiotic partners. These results do not support the existence of a transferable humoral factor mediating the hyperdynamic circulatory state of chronic portal hypertension.Acknowledgment. The authors express their appreciation to Martha Shea for technical assistance.     

Asscorbic acid portects against male infertility in a teleost fish

An animal unable to synthesize ascorbic acid uniquely minicks human and non-human primates. Therefore, in this study we used the rainbow trout, a teleost fish, as the model animal to study the importance of dietary ascorbic acid on the fertilizing ability of sperm. A high concentration of ascorbic acid in semen plays a key role in maintaining the genetic integrity of sperm cells, by preventing oxidative damage to sperm DNA. This study will show that the concentration of asorbic acid in seminal plasma refelcts the dietary fed either an ascorbate-free diet (from 4.74±0.9 to 0.16±0.08 g ml^–1) or an ascorbate-rich diet (from 37.9±4.7 to 17.7± 3.2 g ml^–1) during the sperimnation season. The relationship between ascrobate status and fertility was studied in six groups of fish fed graded levels of ascorbic acid, which sperimated over a 150-day-period. Sperm from individual males was used to fertilize several batches of eggs. When the seminal plasma ascorbate concentration decreased to 7.3 g ml^–1 a significant decrease of fertilization rate and the hatching rate of embryos resulted. This is the first evidence that dietary ascorbate level directly affected sperm quality and influenced male fertility in a scruvy-prone vertebrate.     

Role of calcium in the histamine release induced by D-galactosamine from rat mast cells

Summary Rat peritoneal mast cells were isolated and purified by differential centrifugation in Ficoll. Cells pooled from three to four rats were suspended at approximately 10⁶ cells/ml in a buffered salt solution and incubated for 1 h at 37°C in 300 l volumes in the absence or presence (9×10^–4 M) of calcium chloride. Addition of D-galactosamine hydrochloride (DGM; 2.8×10^–4 M) caused (in addition to basal release) a mean ±SEM percent histamine release of 15.7±5.2 in the presence of Ca⁺⁺ and 19±4.9 in the absence of Ca⁺⁺ (p>0.05). It is suggested that D-galactosamine does not require extracellular Ca⁺⁺ for the release of histamine from the rat mast cell.A preliminary analysis of these results was presented at the International Symposium on calcium entry blockers and tissue protection, Rome, 15–16 March 1984.     

The influence of cold or isolation stress on resistance of mice to West Nile virus encephalitis

Summary The effect of cold or isolation stress on mortality rate and brain virus level were investigated in mice infected with West Nile virus (WNV). Exposure of mice for 5 min/day to cold water (1±0.5°C) for 8–10 days resulted in 92% mortality as compared to 47% in control mice (p<0.001). Mice housed in individual cages (isolation stress) were also more susceptible to WN viral infection, as shown by increased mortality rate reaching 85% as compared to 50% in mice housed 6 per cage (p<0.01). Cold or isolation stress increased blood brain and spleen virus levels as early as 2 days after inoculation. After 8 days of isolation or cold stress, mice inoculated with WNV had 8.9 and 9.0 log₁₀ plaque forming units in the brain, respectively, as compared to 6.9 in the control (p<0.01–0.001). Furthermore, lymphoid organs such as spleen and thymus showed severe mass loss. These data suggest that physical or non-physical stress situations enhance WNV encephalitis by accelerating virus proliferation and increase mortality in mice.     

Ion-solvent interaction: Viscosity,apparent molar volume and conductivity of univalent electrolytes in dioxanewater mixtures at different temperatures

Summary The viscosity, apparent molar volume and conductivity of NaCl, KCl, NaBr, KBr, NaNO₃ and KNO₃ solutions at mass fraction of dioxane (10, 20 and 30%)-water mixtures at 30–45°C±0.01°C have been measured. The ions appear to interact appreciably, and the ion-solvent interaction is of the order NO₃ ^–>Br^–>Cl^–.     

Über die Molekulargrösse des Hämovanadins

Summary The red-brown haemovanadin which is contained in the haemolysate (Henze Solution) of blood cells of the ascidiaPhallusia mamillata Cuvier is a chromoproteid with trivalent vanadium as the central atom and sulphuric acid bound coordinatively. It is found to have a molecular weight of 24,400±1,900 according to the estimation of the diffusion coefficient (D_5°=6.87±0.2 · 10^–7 cm² · s^–1 at pH 2.5–2.8).

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Dem Entdecker des Hämovanadins zum 80. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Bactericidal activity againstPseudomonas aeruginosa is acquired by cultured human monocyte-derived macrophages after uptake of myeloperoxidase

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme located within polymorphonuclear neutrophils capable of producting cytotoxic oxidant species that are particularly active against bacteria with polysaccharide capsules.Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10⁶ bacteria per 1 ml) are killed within 1 h in vitro by a MPO/H₂O₂/Cl^– system (48 mU=132 ng of MPO). The question arose as to whether human macrophages would acquire cytotoxic activity when loaded with this enzyme. Monocytes were therefore isolated from human blood and cultured for up to ten days to induce maturation to macrophages. These cells lost endogenous MPO within five days while H₂O₂ production in response to stimulation by phorbol myristate acetate (10^–6M) decreased to 23% within ten days. On the other hand, their capacity to take up exogenous MPO increased fourfold from day three to day ten. Human macrophages cultured from eight days (when both H₂O₂ production and MPO uptake were sufficient) were therefore used to study the effects of MPO uptake on cytocidal activity againstPseudomonas aeruginosa. After a 1 h MPO loading period, macrophages (5×10⁵ cells per ml) were incubated in the presence of bacteria (0.5 to 2×10⁶ bacteria per ml) for 2 h at 37°C. At a bacteria/macrophage ratio of 1, only 34.8±7.0% of bacteria survived (compared to killing by non-loaded macrophages), while 74.4±9.3% survived at a ratio of 4. From these results, we conclude that loading macrophages with exogenous MPO could enhance their microbicidal activity, suggesting a potentially useful therapeutic application.     

Cold tolerance of two Antarctic terrestrial arthropods

Summary Two Antarctic arthropods,Alaskozetes antarcticus (Acari) andCryptopygus antarcticus (Collembola) possess the ability to supercool to –30°C, but the realisation of this potential is dependent on starvation. The mite contains glycerol in a concentration of about 1% fresh weight.Acknowledgments. We thank the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge and the Zoological Institute. University of Oslo for support and reasearch facilities, and the Natural Environment Research Council for a research grant (GR. 3/2797). We are grateful to Ms I. Tambs-Lyche for technical assistance.     

Renal effects of a high unsaturated fat diet in renal artery stenosis in rats

The renal effects of an unsaturated fat (UNSAT) diet in mild to moderate two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) renovascular hypertension were evaluated. An UNSAT diet (37% by energy) prevented the development of hypertension compared to 2K1C rats fed a high saturated fat (SAT) (37% by energy) and a normal fat (CONTROL) (11% by energy) diet. Urinary sodium and fractional sodium excretion increased in 2K1C rats as compared to SHAM operated controls, regardless of the diet received. In the early weeks of the experiment (weeks 2–4 post-surgery to induce hypertension), an enhanced natriuresis occurred in the 2K1C UNSAT as compared to the 2K1C CONTROL and SAT diet groups. This resulted from an increase in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR in mls·min^–1) as measured using the single-injection [⁵¹Cr] EDTA method (2K1C UNSAT; 1.99±0.18 versus 2K1C SAT; 1.27±0.09, p<0.02; and versus SHAM CONTROL; 1.45×0.01; p<0.02). The increased GFR was not associated with alterations in effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) as measured using the single-injection [¹²⁵I] Na hippurate method. No differences in sodium excretion; GFR; ERPF or renal blood flow (microsphere technique) were noted between the 2K1C UNSAT and SAT diet groups at weeks 6–8 post-surgery, despite a continued antihypertensive effect of the UNSAT diet. Hence, the antihypertensive effect of an unsaturated fat diet in 2K1C renovascular hypertension in rats is associated with transient glomerular changes leading to an enhanced natriuresis.     

The pharmacokinetics of VIP in dog and pig

Summary Pure porcine VIP was infused systemically in 4 conscious dogs and systemically and intraportally in 6 anesthetized pigs. At 2.3 pmoles·kg^–1·min^–1 the MCR was 10.7±1.0 ml·kg^–1·min^–1 in dog and 7.6±1.5 (systemic) and 16.5±2.0 (portal) in pig. The t 1/2's were 1.0±0.12 and 1.0±0.05 respectively. These values agree with those observed in man. This very high single pass tissue clearance does not suggest a hormonal role for VIP.     

Ion-solvent interaction from viscosity,apparent molar volume and conductivity data of bromates,iodates and sulphates of potassium and sodium in dioxane-water mixtures at different temperatures

Summary The viscosity, apparent molar volume and conductivity of KBrO₃, NaBrO₃, KIO₃, NaIO₃, K₂SO₄ and Na₂SO₄ at mass fraction of dioxane (10, 20 and 30%) — water mixtures at 30–45°C±0.01°C have been measured. The ions appear to interact and the ion-solvent interaction is of the order BrO ₃ ^– >IO ₃ ^– >SO ₄ ^2– .     

Effects of low temperatures on survival of frozen-thawed mouse embryos

Summary Almost no damage to mouse morulae was observed between 0 and –40°C, and freezing damage to embryos in DMSO, glycerol or ethylene glycol occurred after exposure to –60, –50 or –50°C, respectively. Cooling embryos in DMSO or glycerol to temperatures below –50 to –60°C increased freezing damage. To the contrary, in the presence of ethylene, glycol, no more damage occurred after exposure to temperatures below –50°C.     

Temperature-dependent activity of mosquito larvicidal factor(s) present inBacillus sphaericus 1593–4 and 1691

Summary The larvicidal factor(s) ofBacillus sphaericus 1593–4 and 1691 was more active at high temperature (33–35 °C) as compared to low temperature (23–25 °C) for the larvae ofCulex fatigans andAnopheles subpictus.     

Temperaturabhängigkeit der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit einiger Tocopherole

Summary The electrical dark conductivity of several tocopherols has been measured and found to be analogous to that of organic semiconductors. Conductivity at 25°C varies between 10^–14 and 10^{–11 –1} cm^–1. The temperature dependence of the tocopherols yields a thermal activation energy of 1.6 ± 0.15 eV for most of the substances.     

Phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase activity in the ground squirrel (Citellus citellus)

Résumé L'activité de la phényléthanolamine-N-méthyltransférase (PNMT) a été mesurée dans l'homogénat des surrénales chez le Spermophile, soit actif, exposé aux températures extérieures de 20–25 °C ou de 6–8 °C, soit réveillé pendant l'hibernation. Chez les animaux actifs, l'effet du PNMT a été le plus faible. Une augmentation significative de l'activité enzymatique a été constatée chez les animaux actifs maintenus à la température de 6–8°C (p<0.001). L'activité du PNMT diminue immédiatement chez les Spermophiles réveillés pendant leur hibernation et ceci par rapport aux animaux actifs maintenus à la même température extérieure (p<0.01).     

Abbau von Quarz mit Brenzkatechin

Summary Fine divided HF-etched quartz was dissolved in a 0.2M solution of pyrocatechol at pH 9.6. Between 17 and 40 °C the dissolution rate (v _s ) follows the equation: logv _s =0.0295 T-20.87 At 25 °Cv _s amounts to 0.8 · 10^–12 g cm^–2 sec^–1. With several phenols the dissolution rate of quartz decreases in the order: pyrocatechol > pyrogallol > 2, 3-dihydroxynaphthalene.     

Dopamine and octopamine in whole body extracts of the bulb mite

Summary Using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, whole body extracts of the bulb mite,Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Fumouze and Robin), were found to contain the biogenic amines dopamine and octopamine at concentrations of 4.3±0.6 and 2.3±1.4 ng g^–1 wet weight, respectively. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, tyramine,N-methyldopamine,N-acetyldopamine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine, if present, were below the limits of detectability. This is the initial demonstration of the presence of octopamine in a mite species.     

Chronic sensory denervation reduces thrombin-stimulated endothelin release from aortic endothelial cells

The long-term (trophic) influence of perivascular nerves on the endothelium was investigated by measuring changes in thrombin-stimulated release of the potent vasoconstrictor, endothelin, after selective chronic denervation. Rat pups were treated with either guanethidine or capsaicin to destroy sympathetic or sensory nerves, respectively. The abdominal aortas from the rats at three months of age (5 pooled per experiment) were incubated with 4U thrombin/ml in medium for 24 h at 37°C, and the amount of endothelin released from the preparation determined by immunoassay. After neonatal sensory denervation there was a significant reduction in the thrombinstimulated release of endothelin compared to the controls (0.012±0.012 (4) compared to 0.063±0.012 (6), pmol/cm²/24 h, p<0.02). There was no change in endothelin release after sympathetic denervation. In summary, sensory nerves play a trophic role in the expression of endothelin in endothelial cells of the intima.