Pharmacologic properties of the toxins isolated from the sea anemone (Anemonia sulcata)]

We have shown that if toxin II isolated from Anemonia sulcata is mainly cardiotoxic on Rats it nevertheless displays neurotoxic effects. Furthermore it releases acetylcholine from isolated Guinea Pig ileum.     

Modification of human adenovirus type 7 after culture in guinea pig brain cells in vitro]

Multiplication of human adenovirus 7 (Ad7) is restricted in subcultures of adult Guinea Pig brain cells. It was however possible to recover enough infectious virus to purify it, and to study its properties. Several properties are similar to that of Ad 7 produced in HeLa cells but differences in sensitivity to cesium chloride and in its polypeptide composition were found.     

Action of toxins isolated from scorpion and sea anemone venoms on ileum isolated from reserpine-treated guinea pigs]

We have shown that the ileum isolated from a reserpinized guinea Pig does respond to toxin II obtained from Scorpion venom but does not react to Anemonia sulcata toxin. We conclude that if Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter inducing pharmacological activity of Scorpion toxin it is serotonin which triggers activity of Anemonia sulcata toxin in ileum of a normal guinea Pig.     

Evidence of an ileal hormone inhibiting pancreatic secretion (ACP anticholecystokinine peptide)]

The contact of long and medium chain fatty acids with the ileal mucosa inhibits basal or stimulated pancreatic protein secretion of Man, Dog, Cat and Rat. This inhibition is due to an inhibitory factor transmitted by cross-circulation. We isolated from partially purified extracts of Pig ileum a peptide which inhibits strongly volume and protein pancreatic output of the conscious Rat. We propose to call this factor ACP, anticholecystokinine peptide.     

Superiority of human complement for assaying bacterial lipopolysaccharides by their anticomplementary activity.

In assaying bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) for anticomplementary activity, human complement (C) allowed detection of approximately 200 times smaller amounts of LPS than guinea-pigs C. Pig C was slightly inferior to human.     

Superiority of human complement for assaying bacterial lipopolysaccharides by their anticomplementary activity

Summary In assaying bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) for anticomplementary activity, human complement (C) allowed detection of approximately 200 times smaller amounts of LPS than guinea-pig C. Pig C was slightly inferior to human.     

Specific binding of 3H-progesterone to a plasma protein in the guinea pig fetus]

The presence of a protein that binds specifically and with high affinity to progesterone is found in the plasma of fetal guinea Pig. Progesterone and 5 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone strongly compete for the 3H-progesterone-protein complex. 5 beta-dihydroxy progesterone, 20 beta-dihydroxyprogesterone, testosterone and synthetic progestagen, R-5020 (17,21-dimethyl-19-norpregna-4, 9-diene-3,20 dione), also compete but less intensely. 17-hydroxyprogesterone, aldosterone, cortisol, oestradiol and oestrone have no effect. The 3H-progesterone-protein, complex has an affinity of Kd = 8.8 +/- 3.5 x 10(-10) M and in sucrose density gradient the sedimentation coefficient is 4.6 S.     

Plant-sucking bugs can remove the contents of cells without mechanical damage

Summary A mirid and a coreid, feeding on a variety of plant tissues, evacuated the contents of cells up to 3.5 mm from the furthest penetration of their mouthparts. A pectinase occurred in the salivary glands of the mirid and an invertase in those of the coreid, but not vice versa. Cells in the mirid lesions were apparently emptied while the walls retained their shape, whereas coreid lesions showed an immediate inward collapse of cell walls and engorgement of intercellular spaces.14 October 1986Work based on the Biology Department of the University of Papua New Guinea, to which I am grateful for provision of facilities. I am especially grateful to Dr Elaine Brough for arranging the contacts and visits that made field observations and collection of materials possible.     

Testing for (common) stochastic trends in the presence of structural breaks

This paper considers the problem of testing for the presence of stochastic trends in multivariate time series with structural breaks. The breakpoints are assumed to be known. The testing framework is the multivariate locally best invariant test and the common trend test of Nyblom and Harvey (2000). The asymptotic distributions of the test statistics are derived under a specification of the deterministic component which allows for structural breaks. Asymptotic critical values are provided for the case of a single breakpoint. A modified statistic is then proposed, the asymptotic distribution of which is independent of the breakpoint location and belongs to the Cramér‐von Mises family. This modification is particularly advantageous in the case of multiple breakpoints. It is also shown that the asymptotic distributions of the test statistics are unchanged when seasonal dummy variables and/or weakly dependent exogenous regressors are included. Finally, as an example, the tests are applied to UK macroeconomic data and to data on road casualties in Great Britain. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antibiotically active tripeptides of the sequence L-arg-D-X-L-phe] (author's transl)]

Five tripeptides with the sequence L-Arg-D-X-L-Phe showed antibiotic activity on fungi and on some pathogenic moulds. The action of the peptides could be neutralized in the cross-strip test by the L-amino acid corresponding to the D-amino acid in the middle position.     

Binding of (125I) triiodothyronine to human peripheral leukocytes and its internalization

Ultrastructural autoradiography showed high specific binding of (125I) triiodothyronine, as confirmed by a competition test, to plasma membranes, nuclei and mitochondria of human peripheral leukocytes. A high level of binding was also noted on the granulocytes' granules, especially in eosinophils.     

Toxicity of Temik (aldicarb) for a fresh water teleost,Barbus conchonius Hamilton

Summary The toxic effects of Temik (aldicarb) on a fresh water Himalyan lake teleost,Barbus conchonius were investigated in hard and soft water. The 48-, 72- and 96-h TL_m-values in mg/l were 8.99, 2.39 and 2.42 respectively in the hard-water test and 3.30, 0.62 and 0.46 in the soft-water test. The toxicity of Temik toB. conchonius increases many fold in soft water.One of us (S. C. P.) is grateful to U. G. C., for the award of a senior research fellowship.     

Binding of (125I) triiodothyronine to human peripheral leukocytes and its internalization

Summary Ultrastructural autoradiography showed high specific binding of (¹²⁵I) triiodothyronine, as confirmed by a competition test, to plasma membranes, nuclei and mitochondria of human peripheral leukocytes. A high level of binding was also noted on the granulocytes' granules, especially in eosinophils.     

Complement evasion by the Lyme disease spirocheteBorrelia burgdorferi grown in host-derived tissue co-cultures: role of fibronectin in complement-resistance

The effectiveness of complement-mediated killing ofBorrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, in the presence of host-derived tissues was studied. Second and high passage forms ofB. burgdorferi 297 isolate were grown in a LEW/N rat joint tissue co-culture system and in artificial BSK medium. Guinea pig complement and third week immune serum from hamsters with experimental Lyme disease were added to the cultures. Both high and low passage borrelia grown in BSK medium died and did not revive after 3 weeks incubation in BSK medium. However, 5–12% of tissue co-cultured borrelia survived the first complement-mediated lysis. Repeated re-growth and lysis cycles in tissue co-culture resulted in isolation of an 85% complement-resistant population ofB. burgdorferi. Joint tissue culture supernatant collected on the third day of tissue culture, and fibronectin (25 g/ml), also protected spirochetes from complement-mediated lysis in contrast to BSK or fresh co-culture medium. Complement-mediated lysis may not be an effective mechanism in eradication of borrelia, and the chronicity of Lyme disease may be due to resistance ofB. burgdorferi variants to host immune defense mechanisms in the presence of host-derived tissues.     

Magnetic compass orientation in the subterranean rodent Cryptomys hottentotus (Bathyergidae)

To test whether mole-rats Cryptomys hottentotus were able to use the magnetic field for orientation, laboratory experiments were conducted which were based on the animals' spontaneous tendency to build their nests at the same position in a circular arena. In the local geomagnetic field, the animals preferred the SE-sector. When magnetic north was turned by 120 degrees or by 180 degrees, the mole-rats changed their nest position accordingly. This clearly shows that they can use the magnetic field for direction finding.     

Effect of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) produced byEscherichia coli on in vitro cell proliferation

Summary Filtrates fromE. coli H10407 cultures, giving a positive response for heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) in the Y-1 cell test, show an inhibitory activity both on³H-thymidine uptake by Ehrlich ascites cells and on granulocytic-macrophagic precursors (CFU-C) in murine bone marrow.Acknowledgments. We gratefully acknowledge the expert technical assistance of L. Basso and A. Gerosa of Department of Pathology, Hospital of Desio.     

Endotoxin-like activity inPseudomonas paucimobilis (group IIK biotype 1) andFlavobacterium multivorum (group IIK biotype 2)

Summary 7 strains ofPseudomonas paucimobilis and 7 strains ofFlavobacterium multivorum (formerly groups IIK biotype 1 and biotype 2, respectively) showed endotoxin-like activity in vitro by the limulus amoebocyte lysate test.     

Bone marrow genotoxicity of N-methyl, N-nitrosourea (NMU): n-alkanols as sister chromatid exchange (SCE) anti-inducers

The in vivo SCE test was used to demonstrate significant inhibition of NMU bone marrow genotoxicity by pretreatment of Chinese hamsters with n-alkanols. Our findings exclude a loss of intracellular DNA alkylation potential through a competitive direct reaction of NMU with the weakly nucleophilic polar end of the n-alkanols, but not through methylations of nucleophilic membrane sites possibly liberated by structural modifications which the membrane-active amphiphilics induce.     

Splitting of the circadian activity rhythm in common marmosets (Callithrix j. jacchus; primates)

Long-term recordings of the free-running circadian activity rhythm in common marmosets, Callithrix j. jacchus, living under constant environmental conditions (LL 200-470 lx) provided evidence of rhythm splitting in nonhuman primates. In two out of ten test animals two different types of splitting occurred; spontaneous persistent splitting and temporary splitting. Neither a reduction of the illumination intensity nor the application of dark pulses had any effect on the two activity components of the persistently split rhythm.