Effect of heat treatment on the ATPase activity of various sarcoplasmic reticulum preparations

Summary Ca²⁺-stimulated ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) preparations is activated after a short period of preincubation at temperatures between 40 and 45°C, but for temperatures higher than 48°C pronounced denaturation is observed. Heat denaturation is decreased if Mg²⁺ or K⁺ are present during heat treatment.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by research grants from Instituto de Alta Cultura (Grant No. CB/2) and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. We are grateful to Drs.A. P. Carvalho andV. M. C. Madeira for many discussions and suggestions during the course of this work.     

Thermal conductivity of wax comb and its effect on heat balance in colonial honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Summary Wax comb was found to have a thermal conductivity of 0.36×10^–3 cal/cm sec °C. At low air temperatures, honey bees,Apis mellifera L., form clusters inbetween the combs in their nests. The combs provide insulation and the bee behavior actually increases the insulating effectiveness of the combs. When they form a compact living layer over the wax comb, the conductivity can be reduced to 0.065×10^–3 cal/cm see °C. Some aspects of the role of the wax comb in heat balance are examined in this paper.     

The effect of chronic heat stress on cortisol levels in the antarctic fishPagothenia borchgrevinki

Radioimmunoassay was used to determine levels of the stress-inducible glucocorticoid, cortisol, circulating in the plasma of the extremely stenothermal Antarctic fishPagothenia borchgrevinki at rest and after heat stress. Fish sampled immediately after capture (–1.9°C) had low cortisol levels (10.4±1.4 ng ml^–1, mean±SEM) as did fish which were laboratory rested for 3 days. Sudden exposure to 5°C (48h) resulted in a peak cortisol value after 3 h (69.9±6.8 ng ml^–1) whereas exposure to 8°C (6h) resulted in a peak value after 1 h (73.5±8.0 ng ml^–1). At both temperatures levels remained significantly elevated (p<0.05) for the entire period of exposure. Increased temperature also resulted in a significant change in haemoglobin, haematocrit and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p<0.05). Plasma lactate was significantly elevated only after exposure to 8°C (p<0.05). Plasma cortisol levels fromP. borchgrevinki are reported here for the first time and show this cryopelagic Antarctic species to have an unusual hormonal stress profile.     

Establishment of serum based medium essentially free of proteolytic activity for the culture of mouse pancreatic islets

Summary The present study demonstrates that a) serum based culture medium degrades¹²⁵I insulin; b) heat in-activation of serum (1 h, 56°C) inhibits its proteolytic activity leading to the recovery of more insulin secreted by islets cultured in the presence of high glucose concentration alone or with glucagon; c) aprotinin also favoured the accumulation of secreted insulin by protecting the hormone from a residual degradative capacity of the heat treated serum.This work was supported by a grant (No. 71 5 426-2) from the INSERM and by the CNRS.These results have been presented at the V International Congress of Endocrinology. Hamburg, July 18–24, 1976.Acknowledgments. We should like to thank Mrs E. Gammelgard and K. Christensen for their technical assistance.     

Effect of hyperthermia upon gamma-ray induced crossing-over in an excision repair deficient maleDrosophila melanogaster

Summary Hyperthermia of 1 h at 38°C did increase gamma-ray induced crossing-over in meiotic cells of male larvae and adults. However, there was considerably less effect of the heat treatment upon radiation induced crossing-over (a chromosome breakage event) in an excision repair mutanty mei-9 ^a.5 January 1987     

Intraventricular administration of isoproterenol inhibits both heat production and heat loss mechanisms in rats

Summary At an ambient temperature (T_a) of 8°C, intraventricular administration of isoproterenol inhibited metabolic heat production and led to hypothermia in rats. In contrast, at a T_a of 22°C and of 30°C, isoproterenol decreased cutaneous circulation and led to hyperthermia. The data indicate that isoproterenol inhibits both heat production and heat loss mechanisms in rats.This work was supported by a grant from the National Science Council of the Republic of China. The authors are grateful to Dr C.Y. Chai for pertinent advice.     

Heavy metal hydrolysis of polyisoprenoid-phosphate mono- and oligosaccarides

Summary Mono- and oligosaccharide derivatives of dolichol phosphate can be hydrolyzed by heavy metal, preferably Zn⁺⁺ at 100°C or 65°C. The reactions follow first order kinetics. The reaction proceeds through hydrolysis of the sugar phosphate bond.This work was supported by GB No. 38335.     

Effect of temperature on in vitro proliferative activity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells, skin fibroblasts, and retinal pigment epithelial cells are cultivated in medium supplemented with 15 to 20% serum in our laboratory. The effects of various incubation temperatures on the proliferation of these cells was examined. Our study shows that the mitogenic response of the endothelial cells to a change of temperature differed markedly from that of the fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Cultivation of human umbilical vein endothelial at 37°C required seeding densities as high as 1–2×10⁴ cells/cm², and yet resulted in a low growth rate and premature senescence. However, under the same culture conditions, but at 33°C, the proliferative capacity of these endothelial cells was potentiated. The results were striking; at 33°C the cells grew actively and the life span was extended. The number of cumulative population doublings increased fourfold compared with that for the same cells cultivated at 37°C. The inoculum size could be reduced, since at 33°C the endothelial cells were able to replicate at seeding densities as low as 20 cells/cm². The cells serially subcultured at 33°C retained morphological features and specific immunological markers of endothelial cells.     

Development of photochemical activity during greening of heat-stressed etiolated seedlings of Zea mays

Summary When etiolated maize seedlings were subjected to a heat stress of 40 or 45°C for 16 h, and subsequently illuminated, photoreduction of ferricyanide and noncyclic photophosphorylation by chloroplasts isolated therefrom were retarded, and the lag in the appearance of these photochemical reactions was extended.     

Influence of temperature and seasons on H3-norepinephrine uptake by isolated strip ventricle of frog

Resumen La incorporación de H³NE al ventriculo aislado de rana no varía, si las preparaciones son sometidas a 25°C, 35°C o temperatura ambiente (15°C, aproximadamente); asimismo tampoco existen diferencias significativas entre experimentos hechos en verano o invierno a temperatura ambiente.     

Response of briefly glycerinated smooth muscle to Ca2+ and Mg2+

Summary Smooth muscle, treated with 50% glycerol solution at 27°C for 20 min, contracted on the application of Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺. The briefly glycerinated smooth muscle can be used as a model system of smooth muscle contraction.     

Cerebral ischemia is the main cause for the onset of heat stroke syndrome in rabbits

During the onset of heat stroke, rabbits displayed hyperthermia (42.8°C), and decreased cerebral perfusion pressure and decreased cerebral blood flow (as reflected by a prolonged cerebral circulation time) compared to those of normothermic rabbits. On the other hand febrile rabbits, during the fever plateau did not show the above responses, although they had a similar level of hyperthermia (42.4°C). The data support the concept that cerebral ischemia is the main cause for the onset of the heat stroke syndrome.The work reported here was supported by grants from the National Science Council (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China).     

Haloperidol produces hypothermic effects in rats

Summary Intraperitoneal administration of either haloperidol or chlorpromazine produced hypothermia both in the cold (8° C) and at room temperature (22°C). The hypothermia was brought about both by a decrease in metabolic heat production and an increase in the cutaneous temperature of tail and foot skin. However, at a higher temperature (29°C), there were no changes in rectal temperature and other thermoregulatory responses.The work reported here was supported by grants from the National Science Council of Republic of China and J. Aron Charitable Foundation (New York, N.Y.). The authors are grateful to Dr C.Y. Chai for his advice during the experimentation. The generous support of Dr C.J. Shih was much appreciated by the authors. Also, we thank Dr C.D. Bloomer (Smith, Kline and French Co.) for the supply of chlorpromazine.     

Effects of thyrotrophic-releasing hormone (TRH) on thermoregulation in the rat

Summary At ambient temperatures (T_a) of both 8 and 22°C, intraventricular administration of TRH (10–80 g) produced a dose-dependent hypothermia in rats. The hypothermia was due to both decreased metabolic heat production and cutaneous vasodilatation. In contrast, at 30°C T_a, TRH increased metabolic heat production (due to behavioral excitation) and led to hyperthermia.This work was supported by the grants from the National Science Council of Republic of China and the Pjing-Ling Neurological Foundation (VGH, Taipei, Taiwan).     

Amin-transport hypothalamischer Vesikel

Summary Noradrenaline storing vesicles were isolated from the pig hypothalamus and incubated at 0° and 37 °C. In the presence of ATP the uptake of noradrenaline is activated by Mg⁺⁺ but not by Ca⁺⁺. At 37 °C the passive transport of noradrenaline is practically accomplished within 1 min, the active one within 6 min.

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Ausgeführt mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Metabolic studies of Hg-203 onChlamydomonas reinhardi

Summary Sterile cultures ofChlamydomonas reinhardi, WT⁺, were treated with Hg-203 at 25°C to identify probably formed volatile mercury compounds. Experiments were performed with living and dead cells under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, respectively, and the mercury concentration was measured in the system algae/nutrient medium. We found a timerelated decrease of mercury concentration in the cell suspension and the cell-free nutrient medium due to a reduction of Hg⁺⁺ to Hg⁰, probably caused by extracellular enzymes; monomethyl or dimethyl mercury could not be detected.This work was supported by a grant of Österreichisches Bundesministerium für Gesundheit und Umweltschutz.     

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^–.     

Incorporation of phenylalanine-H3 in the fragments of the fertilized ascidian egg

Riassunto E'stata studiata l'incorporazione di fenilalanina-H³ nelle metà animali e vegetative delle uova fecondate di Ascidie tagliate subito dopo l'emissione del 1° e del 2° globulo polare, allo scopo di vedere se le potenzialità di sviluppo delle metà vegetative fossero legate con un diverso metabolismo proteico. I risultati hanno mostrato che entrambe le metà incorporano fenilalanina-H³.     

Diffusion loading conditions determine recovery of protein synthesis in electroporated P3X63 Ag8 cells

Summary Using the suspension cell line P3X63 Ag8 we have studied the impact of the composition of the diffusion medium on cellular protein synthesis under standard electroporation conditions in TBS-Na. This buffer contains the high saline concentration usually present in electroporation-mediated DNA transfection. Electroporation in the presence of TBS-Na resulted in an immediate shut-off of protein synthesis, even though both FITC-dextran (M_r 40 kD) and Semliki Forest virus core protein (M_r 33 kD) were incorporated efficiently into the cytoplasm across the electropores at 0°C. Subsequent resealing of the pores was completed after a 5-min incubation at 37°C. When compared with control cells, overall protein synthesis of electroporated cells recovered slowly to resume a 30% activity after 1 h of incubation at 37°C. We have determined optimal conditions for diffusion loading (which necessitates the presence of ATP, GTP, amino acids, K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺) and resealing (in the presence of K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺), leading to a full and lasting recovery of protein synthesis within 5 min after pore closure.     

Effects of the temperature of ice-seeding on survival of frozen-and-thawed mouse morulae

Summary Mouse morulae were frozen to –196°C in the presence of 1.2 M ethylene glycol or 1 M glycerol. After iceseeding in embryo samples at –10°C or below, the survival rates in vitro were lower than those obtained by ice-seeding between –4° and –8°C. The proportion morulae developing into live young in vivo after ice-seeding at –13°C and freezing was lower than that of embryos seeded at –4°C.