Seasonality in human sleep

The timing of sleep and sleep EEG parameters in 10 healthy male subjects were investigated in four seasons under controlled conditions. The phase of nocturnal sleep was delayed about one and a half hours in winter as compared to that in summer. The duration of stage 4 sleep decreased and REM sleep increased significantly in winter compared with summer. The seasonality in the timing of sleep can be explained by photoperiodic time cues, but the changes in sleep EEG parameters are diffucult to explain in terms of photoperiod.     

Sleep in an Amazonian manatee, Trichechus inunguis.

For the first time, sleep was studied in a representative of the order of Sirenia. Slow wave sleep occupied 27%, and paradoxical sleep 1% of the total recording time in the Amazonian manatee. Trichechus inunguis. The circadian rhythmicity of sleep was pronounced. During the sleep period, the manatee woke up for a short time for each respiratory act. Interhemispheric asynchrony of the electrocortical slow wave activity was found.     

Changes in cAMP concentration in the rat preoptic area during synchronized and desynchronized sleep

Summary cAMP concentration was found to be significantly lower during desynchronized sleep than during synchronized sleep in the preoptic area of rats kept at normal laboratory temperature. No significant changes in cerebral cortex cAMP concentraion were observed in the same experimental conditions.This work was supported by grants from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche and Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione.The authors wish to thank G. Mancinelli and L. Sabattini for technical assistance and M. Luppi for secretarial assistance.     

Prokaryote-eukaryote interactions in trace element metabolism.Desulfovibrio sp. inHelix aspersa

Summary Snails (Helix aspersa) contain sulphate-reducing bacteria in their crops. Feeding such animals on food containing sulphate and molybdate ions does not induce a copper deficiency and in fact the bacteria appear to facilitate metal absorption. This is in contrast to the effects of these bacteria in ruminant cattle.     

Luffolide,a novel anti-inflammatory terpene from the spongeLuffariella sp.

Summary Luffolide (4) is a minor metabolite of the spongeLuffariella sp. from Palau. The structure of luffolide was determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. Luffolide is relatively unstable and undergoes a complex cyclization reaction to give the hexacyclic products5 and6. Luffolide (4) has some of the anti-inflammatory properties of manoalide (1): this may help to define the chemical reaction between manoalide (1) and phospholipase A₂.All crystallographic calculations were done on a PRIME 9950 computer operated by the Cornell Chemistry Computing Facility. Principal programs employed were: FOBS, a data reduction program by G.D. Van Duyne, Cornell University, 1987; MULTAN 80, and RANTAN 80, systems of computer programs for the automatic solution of crystal structures from X-ray diffraction data (locally modified to perform all Fourier calculations including Patterson syntheses) written by P. Main, S. E. Hull, L. Lessinger, G. Germain, J. P. Declercq and M. M. Woolfson, University of York, England, 1980 BDLS, an, anisotropic block diagonal least squares refinement written by K. Hirotsu, E. Arnold, and G. D. Van Duyne, Cornell University, 1987; PLUTO 78, a locally modified crystallographic illustration program by W. D. S. Motherwell, Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, 1978; and BOND, a program to calculate molecular parameters and prepare tables written by K. Hirotsu and G. Van Duyne, Cornell University, 1985.Acknowledgment. We thank the Government of the Republic of Palau for a scientific research permit. We thank Dr Klaus Rützler, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. for identifying the sponge and Mary Kay Harper for performing additional bioassays. This research was supported by grants from the Sea Grant College Programs of California [Projects R/MP-30 to DJF) and R/MP-31 (to RSJ)] and New York (to JC) and the National Institutes of Health (CA 24487 to JC).     

Luffariellolide,an anti-inflammatory sesterterpene from the marine spongeLuffariella sp.

Summary Luffariellolide (2) is a sesterterpene from the Palauan spongeLuffariella sp. that has useful anti-inflammatory properties. In contrast with the irreversible action of manoalide (1) on phospholipase A₂, luffariellolide (2) is a slightly less potent but partially reversible PLA₂ inhibitor.30 December 1986Acknowledgment We thank Edward Luedtke, Elise Clason and Ellen Snideman for performing some of the assays reported above. The sponge was identified by Dr. Klaus Rützler, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. The research was supported by grants from Allergan Pharmaceuticals and the California Sea Grant College Program (Projects R/MP-30 and R/MP-31).     

Occurrence of ricinoleic acid in submerged cultures of variousClaviceps sp.

Summary Ricinoleic acid was found in differentClaviceps sp., indicating that it is neither specific chemotaxonomic marker ofClaviceps purpurea, nor a specific indicator of peptide alkaloid synthesis.     

Phosphate transport inClaviceps sp. strain SD-58

Summary Phosphate uptake inClaviceps sp. strain SD-58 was found to be linear for 20 min, proportional to cell density in mg/ml, energy dependent, and taking place against a concentration gradient with a K_m value of 45.45×10^–5 M. Osmotic shock treatment to the cell caused a reduction in phosphate uptake associated with the release of binding protein. Partial restoration of uptake was observed on incubation of osmotically shocked cells with shock fluid. The results are discussed with reference to the effect of phosphate on alkaloid synthesis inClaviceps sp. strain SD-58.     

Fe^3＋对脆杆藻增殖的影响

采用AGP实验的方法,研究了Fe3 的不同质量浓度对脆杆藻(Fragilaria sp.)细胞增殖的影响.对光密度值和叶绿素a的测定结果显示:Fe3浓度<50 μg/L,脆杆藻的细胞增殖受到抑制.Fe3浓度在50～500μg/L之间时,脆杆藻的细胞增殖明显.Fe3浓度达到1000μg/L时,实验前6 d,细胞密度基本无增长,在7～14 d脆杆藻已适应该浓度,细胞进行分裂,密度增长.第15 d后细胞分裂又处于停止状态.说明Fe3浓度>1000μg/L对脆杆藻细胞的代谢、分裂产生了一定程度的抑制作用.适宜的铁浓度对水体富营养化有促进作用.     

Marine indoles of novel substitution pattern from the acorn wormGlossobalanus sp.

Summary 4,6-Dibromoindole and 4,6-dibromo-2-methylindole have been isolated from the acorn wormGlossobalanus sp. The biosynthetic implications of this finding are discussed.We wish to thank Prof. Paul J. Scheuer, University of Hawaii for his encouragement and for use of his facilities during spectroscopic work. T.H. gratefully acknowledges the giving of a travel grant by the University of the Ryukyus Foundation for International Exchange.     

Use of griseofulvin for the isolation of auxotrophic mutants ofRhodotorula sp.

Zusammenfassung Nach Vorbehandlung von Hefezellen mit Griseofulvin (selektive Eliminierung von Prototrophen) zu nachfolgender UV-Behandlung und Induktion von Mutanten, haben die bestrahlten Zellen der überlebendenRhodotorula-Population fünfmal mehr Auxotrophe als die Kontrollen ohne das Antibiotikum.     

Sleep in an Amazonian manatee,Trichechus inunguis

For the first time, sleep was studied in a representative of the order of Sirenia. Slow wave sleep occupied 27%, and paradoxical sleep 1% of the total recording time in the Amazonian manatee,Trichechus inunguis. The circadian rhythmicity of sleep was pronounced. During the sleep period, the manatee woke up for a short time for each respiratory act. Interhemispheric asynchrony of the electrocortical slow wave activity was found.     

Luffolide, a novel anti-inflammatory terpene from the sponge Luffariella sp.

Luffolide (4) is a minor metabolite of the sponge Luffariella sp. from Palau. The structure of luffolide was determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. Luffolide is relatively unstable and undergoes a complex cyclization reaction to give the hexacyclic products 5 and 6. Luffolide (4) has some of the anti-inflammatory properties of manoalide (1): this may help to define the chemical reaction between manoalide (1) and phospholipase A2.     

2,3-Dihydrolinderazulene,a new bioactive azulene pigment from the gorgonianAcalycigorgia sp.

Summary A new azulene pigment, 2,3-dihydrolinderazulene, has been isolated along with guaiazulene and linderazulene as bioactive metabolites from the gorgonianAcalycigorgia sp.     

Brominated diphenyl ethers from a marine bacterium associated with the spongeDysidea sp.

Summary BacteriaVibro sp. isolated from the spongeDysidea sp. were shown to biosynthesize brominated diphenyl ethers. We identified one of the bacterial brominated metabolites using gas liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to compare this product with standard 3,5-dibromo-2-(3,5-dibromo-2-methoxyphenoxy)phenol. The latter has been isolated from ethanol extracts of the spongeDysidea sp.