Comparative evaluation of 7 helminth antigens in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (E.L.I.S.A.)

Summary 112 sera from Europeans with parasitologically proven helminthiasis were tested in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (E.L.I.S.A.) against 6 crude extracts of various helminths (2 of adult worms:Dipetalonema viteae, Fasciola hepatica; 3 of eggs:Ascaris suum, Toxocara canis, Schistosoma mansoni; and ofEchinococcus granulosus scolices) and against bovine hydatid fluid. Each serum was tested simultaneously at a fixed dilution of 1:160 against all antigens. Extensive cross-reactions were observed, leading to the conclusion that non-purified helminth antigens, even in combination, are of limited value for reliable serodiagnosis in E.L.I.S.A.     

Biological activity of enantiomerically pure forms of insect juvenile hormone I and III inBombyx mori

Summary Biological activity of enantiomerically pure juvenile hormones was assayed by topical application on allatectomizedBombyx fourth instar larvae. JHs tested were (10R)-JH I [methyl (2E,6E,10R,11S)-10,11-epoxy-3,11-dimethyl-7-ethyl-2,6-tridecadienoate], (10S)-JH I [methyl (2E, 6E, 10S, 11R)-10,11-epoxy-3,11-dimethyl-7-ethyl-2,6-tridecadienoate], (10R)-JH III [methyl (2E,6E,10R)-10,11-epoxy-3,7,11-trimethyl-2,6-dodecadienoate] and (10S)-JH III [methyl (2E,6E,10S)-10,11-epoxy-3,7,11-trimethyl-2,6-dodecadienoate]. Among these compounds, natural (10R)-JH I was most active and the dose needed to induce 50% larval molting was 0.04 g/larva; it was approximately 12,000 times more active than unnatural (10S)-JH I. Though natural (10R)-JH III showed slight biological activity, it was only one three-thousandth of that of (10R)-JH I. Unnatural (10S)-JH III exhibited no biological activity at the levels assayed.     

Reduction in bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) infectivity vis-a-vis crude leaf extract of some higher plants

Summary Crude leaf extracts of 17 plants were tested for their antiviral activity against BCMV. An extract ofAzadirachta indica A. Juss. was found to be most potent in reducing the infectivity of the virus.Authors are thankful to Dr R. D. Joshi for his valuable guidance and Prof. S. N. Mathur for providing lab facilities. Financial assistance by U. G. C. and C. S. I. R. is gratefully acknowledged.     

Dog behaviour as related to spinal cord temperature

Summary 3 dogs could behaviourally modify their own spinal cord temperature (T_{spin. cord}). In a hot environment, 2 dogs did not cool their spinal cord, 1 dog warmed it. The higher the environmental temperature, the higher the chosen T_{spin. cord}. These results seem to imply that this latter dog tended, in warm environment, to behaviourally reduce: T_s>T_{spin. cord} (T_s mean skin temperature). Data obtained previously support this explanation.This experiment has been supported by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (L.A. No. 181 C.N.R.S.) and by the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale I.N.S.E.R.M./A.T.P. No. 4-74-25).     

Development of DNA probes for cytotoxin and enterotoxin genes in enteric bacteria

Summary DNA probes to identify the genes encoding toxins in enteric bacteria have been developed. Use of these probes reduces the number of animals required for toxicity testing, as suspect bacteria can be directly tested for the presence of toxin. We have augmented the gene probes available by developing probes against theEscherichia coli enterotoxin LTII and shiga toxin fromShigella dysenteriae 1.The LTII gene fromE. coli 357900 was identified and characterised and a suitable internal probe was obtained. The LTII gene was found not to be common among enterobacteriae from various geographical locations. Isolates predominately of animal origin from Nigeria and Thailand hybridized with the probe.The shiga toxin gene was isolated fromS. dysenteriae 1 by a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods. An internal probe was identified and used against different serogroups ofShigella andE. coli isolated. The probe was found to hybridize withS. dysenteriae 1 isolates and also someS. flexneri andS. sonnei strains. Representatives were tested for toxin production and found to produce toxin at low levels.     

Development of DNA probes for cytotoxin and enterotoxin genes in enteric bacteria

DNA probes to identify the genes encoding toxins in enteric bacteria have been developed. Use of these probes reduces the number of animals required for toxicity testing, as suspect bacteria can be directly tested for the presence of toxin. We have augmented the gene probes available by developing probes against the Escherichia coli enterotoxin LTII and shiga toxin from Shigella dysenteriae 1. The LTII gene from E. coli 357900 was identified and characterised and a suitable internal probe was obtained. The LTII gene was found not to be common among enterobacteriae from various geographical locations. Isolates predominately of animal origin from Nigeria and Thailand hybridized with the probe. The shiga toxin gene was isolated from S. dysenteriae 1 by a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods. An internal probe was identified and used against different serogroups of Shigella and E. coli isolates. The probe was found to hybridize with S. dysenteriae 1 isolates and also some S. flexneri and S. sonnei strains. Representatives were tested for toxin production and found to produce toxin at low levels.     

Absence of relationship between erythrocyte and viral antigen expressed on the surface of chick erythrocytes]

Anti-gs antisera were tested on embryo and adult Chick erythrocytes. Specific immunsera directed against Chick embryo or adult erythrocyte antigens have been tested on Hamster cell lines infected with the Rous virus. Results demonstrate that the erythrocyte and viral antigens are different.     

Antimicrobial activity of carbazole derivatives

Summary Glycozoline and girinimbine isomers (IV andVII) were synthesized and their activity against 2 bacterial strains, viz.E. coli andS. aureus, and 2 fungal strains, viz.C. albicans andA. niger were studied. The hydroxy synthons (III) were also tested. The authors are thankful to Dr B.N. Apte, Association of Microbiologists of India, Bombay Unit, for providing some of the organisms, to Prof. A.K. De, Indian Institute of Technology, for financial assistance, to Prof. G. D. Shah, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology for guidance, encouragement and helpful discussions.     

Improving the thermal stability of lactate oxidase by directed evolution

Lactate oxidase is used in biosensors to measure the concentration of lactate in the blood and other body fluids. Increasing the thermostability of lactate oxidase can significantly prolong the lifetime of these biosensors. We have previously obtained a variant of lactate oxidase from Aerococcus viridans with two mutations (E160G/V198I) that is significantly more thermostable than the wild-type enzyme. Here we have attempted to further improve the thermostability of E160G/V198I lactate oxidase using directed evolution. We made a mutant lactate oxidase gene library by applying error-prone PCR and DNA shuffling, and screened for thermostable mutant lactate oxidase using a plate-based assay. After three rounds of screening we obtained a thermostable mutant lactate oxidase, which has six mutations (E160G/V198I/G36S/T103S/A232S/F277Y). The half-life of this lactate oxidase at 70 °C was about 2 times that of E160G/V198I and about 36 times that of the wild-type enzyme. The amino acid mutation process suggests that the combined neutral mutations are important in protein evolution. Received 15 September 2006; received after revision 21 October 2006; accepted 2 November 2006     

Immunological and radioimmunological studies of membrane antigen(s) from human breast carcinomas and non-tumoral breast tissues. I.

Summary The authors extracted and partially purified a pool of antigens from primary breast carcinomas. The antigens responded to anti-CEA antibody in a radioimmunoassay (R. I. A.) and were not detected in non-tumoral breast tissues used as controls. Antisera were obtained by immunizing rabbits.The authors want to express their appreciation to Dr Sergio Orefice, Prof. Carlo Mor and Dr Luisa Amante for their collaboration.     

Early Influences on Probability and Statistics in the Russian Empire

Historiography of the development of probability and statistics in the Russian Empire focusses on the contributions of the central figure Pafnutiy Lvovich Chebyshev (1821–1894) and his successors. The purpose of this article is to concentrate on an earlier period which culminates with Chebyshev, and specifically on two less-than-well-explored aspects: (1) The background and motivation for his activity in probability and statistics; (2) The French connections and influences on his work. The key figures in this account are A.F. Pavlovsky (1789–1875); M.V. Ostrogradsky (1801–1862); V.Y. Buniakovsky (1804–1889); N.D. Brashman (1796–1866); N.E. Zernov (1804–1862), S.G. Stroganov (1794–1882); P.S. de Laplace (1749–1827); A.L. Cauchy (1789–1857); I.J. Bienaymé (1796–1878); N.V. Khanykov (1819–1878); and, in Chebyshevs childhood, a governess and relation, Avdotiia Kvintillianovna Sukhareva. Chief among these, from the years of Chebyshevs maturity, are Buniakovsky and Bienaymé. The cultural contacts between France and the Russian Empire in the 19th century were strong, and these connections are particularly well-illustrated in this setting. (Received January 10, 1998)     

Spontaneous maze ambulation in two mouse strains

Summary A simple device is described, which permits us to quantify several parameters of spontaneous behaviour of small animals. Using this device with mice we obtained statistically satisfactory results, showing a strong genetic influence on the behavioural characteristics tested.We wish to thank Mr R. Laplace for technical help, Mr J. P. Arnould for electronic work as well as I.N.S.E.R.M.-SCR 3.     

Systemic animal external parasiticidal activity of perfluoroalkylbenzimidazoles and their aminoanilide precursors

Summary In vitro and in vivo efficacy data indicate that chemical activity is optimized at the 2 carbon chain length and that these compounds have injectable potency and spectrum of activity against major animal external parasite species.Acknowledgments are due to R.O. Drummond, U.S.D.A., Kerrville, Texas; T.E. Elward, Stanford Research Institute and D.E. Weidhaas, U.S.D.A., Gainesville, Florida.     

Production of monoclonal anti-Schistosoma mansoni antibodies. Preliminary study of their biological activities]

Monoclonal antibodies against Schistosoma mansoni have been produced by fusion of splenic lymphocytes from S. mansoni infected Rats and P3-X63-Ag8 BALB/c cells. In vitro and in vivo studies of the biological activities of these antibodies have led to the identification of IgE antibodies with a high reaginic activity and antibodies which in a complement dependent or eosinophil dependent system were shown to have a marked cytotoxicity for schistosomula in vitro. This methodology seems to open new perspectives for the study of antibody function in immunity against parasites as well as for the isolation of the corresponding target antigens.     

Serological study of Ia antigens determined at the I-A and I-E sub-regions of the H-E complex in the H-2 complex of mice

Immune serum B10.S (7R) anti-B10.S (9R)(anti I-JEkCd) contained as expected an anti-Ia7 antibody. A series of weaker but reproducible extra-reactions might recognize Ia3 specificity coded at the I-A subregion of the H-2 complex. Results with recombinant haplotypes confirmed this mapping. Such a reactivity could be interpreted as an interlocus cross-reaction (I-E/I-A) since the immunization was induced against an I-E subregion product. Another interpretation was possible: the immune serum would thus contain an antibody recognizing Ia7 (on the E alpha k Ia chain) and another antibody recognizing an antigenic determinant carried by the E beta k Ia chain. The latter antibody might recognize by cross-reaction as specificity carried by the A beta chain of various haplotypes (H-2b,k,q).     

Astragalin ausPodophyllum peltatum L. undP. emodi Wall.

Summary A yellow flavonoid pigment, which occurs as a companion of the lignan glycosides inPodophyllum peltatum L. andP. emodi Wall. has been identified as astragalin (=kaempferol-3-glucoside).

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18. Mitt. über mitoschemmende Naturstoffe. 17. Mitt.:E. Schreier, Helv. chim. Acta47, 1529 (1964).     

Kelletinin I and kelletinin A from the marine mollusc Buccinulum corneum are inhibitors of eukaryotic DNA polymerase alpha

The inhibitory effect of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (kelletinins I and A), extracted from the marine gastropod Buccinulum corneum, have been tested on eukaryotic and prokaryotic enzymes of DNA metabolism such as DNA polymerases alpha and beta, DNA polymerase I, Exo III, pancreatic DNAse I, micrococcal DNAse and E. coli RNA polymerase. Kelletinin I and kelletinin A inhibit preferentially DNA polymerase alpha. The inhibitory effect of kelletinin I involves the hydroxyl group of p-hydroxybenzoic acid.     

Antiparasitic agents. 4. Injectable phenylguanidine anthelmintics

Summary A series of phenylguanidine anthelminties has been discovered to be active by injection against nematode and trematode species.For the previous paper in this series, see R. D. Haugwitz, B. V. Maurer, G. A. Jacobs, V. L. Narayanan, L. R. Cruthers and J. Szanto, J. med. Chem.22, 1113 (1979).     

Adenovirus type 12 infection of defined mouse-human hybrid cell clones.

Human adenovirus type 12 does not multiply in mouse cells; only viral T-antigen is detected. Mouse-human cell hybrid clones containing human chromosomes A3, B5, C7, C11, C12, D14, E17, F19 and F20, support synthesis of adenovirus DNA and capsid antigens.     

Effect of synthetic polynucleotides on the growth of transplantable tumours in BALB/c mice.

The effect of BALB/c mice pretreatment with tumour cells (a mammary adenocarcinoma, ADK-1t and an IgA secreting plasmocytoma, MOPC-315) adsorbed with poly I:C, poly I and poly C is examined. Only mice pretreated with cells of both tumours adsorbed with poly I:C and poly C proved to be extensively protected against challenge by homologous untreated tumour cells, whereas this was not so in the case of poly I. A possible explanation of this phenomenon is discussed.