A photosynthetic alveolate closely related to apicomplexan parasites

Many parasitic Apicomplexa, such as Plasmodium falciparum, contain an unpigmented chloroplast remnant termed the apicoplast, which is a target for malaria treatment. However, no close relative of apicomplexans with a functional photosynthetic plastid has yet been described. Here we describe a newly cultured organism that has ultrastructural features typical for alveolates, is phylogenetically related to apicomplexans, and contains a photosynthetic plastid. The plastid is surrounded by four membranes, is pigmented by chlorophyll a, and uses the codon UGA to encode tryptophan in the psbA gene. This genetic feature has been found only in coccidian apicoplasts and various mitochondria. The UGA-Trp codon and phylogenies of plastid and nuclear ribosomal RNA genes indicate that the organism is the closest known photosynthetic relative to apicomplexan parasites and that its plastid shares an origin with the apicoplasts. The discovery of this organism provides a powerful model with which to study the evolution of parasitism in Apicomplexa.     

The molecular mechanisms of transition between mesenchymal and amoeboid invasiveness in tumor cells

Tumor cells exhibit at least two distinct modes of migration when invading the 3D environment. A single tumor cell’s invasive strategy follows either mesenchymal or amoeboid patterns. Certain cell types can use both modes of invasiveness and undergo transitions between them. This work outlines the signaling pathways involved in mesenchymal and amoeboid types of tumor cell motility and summarizes the molecular mechanisms that are involved in transitions between them. The focus is on the signaling of the Rho family of small GTPases that regulate the cytoskeleton-dependent processes taking place during the cell migration. The multiple interactions among the Rho family of proteins, their regulators and effectors are thought to be the key determinants of the particular type of invasiveness. Mesenchymal and amoeboid invasive strategies display different adhesive and proteolytical interactions with the surrounding matrix and the alterations influencing these interactions can also lead to the transitions.     

A late Miocene dust shower from the break-up of an asteroid in the main belt

Throughout the history of the Solar System, Earth has been bombarded by interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), which are asteroid and comet fragments of diameter approximately 1-1,000 microm. The IDP flux is believed to be in quasi-steady state: particles created by episodic main belt collisions or cometary fragmentation replace those removed by comminution, dynamical ejection, and planetary or solar impact. Because IDPs are rich in 3He, seafloor sediment 3He concentrations provide a unique means of probing the major events that have affected the IDP flux and its source bodies over geological timescales. Here we report that collisional disruption of the >150-km-diameter asteroid that created the Veritas family 8.3 +/- 0.5 Myr ago also produced a transient increase in the flux of interplanetary dust-derived 3He. The increase began at 8.2 +/- 0.1 Myr ago, reached a maximum of approximately 4 times pre-event levels, and dissipated over approximately 1.5 Myr. The terrestrial IDP accretion rate was overwhelmingly dominated by Veritas family fragments during the late Miocene. No other event of this magnitude over the past approximately 10(8) yr has been deduced from main belt asteroid orbits. One remarkably similar event is present in the 3He record 35 Myr ago, but its origin by comet shower or asteroid collision remains uncertain.     

The presence of colchicine alkaloids inKreysigia multiflora reichb

Zusammenfassung Die Isolierung der Alkaloide Colchicin und N-Formyl-N-desacetylcolchicin ausKreysigia multiflora wird beschrieben.

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The author wishes to thank Prof.A. R. Battersby, Liverpool, England, for the plant material.     

Metabolic implications in the elevation of serum activity of intestinal alkaline phosphatase in chronic renal failure

Summary The activity of intestinal isoenzyme of serum alkaline phosphatase was evaluated in 21 non-dialyzed patients with advanced renal failure and in 52 patients on regular hemodialysis. In patients without hepatopathy, a significant inverse correlation was found between the enzyme activity and serum calcium levels. Hepatopathy was the most significant variable influencing the enzyme activity in patients on dialysis. Secondary hyperparathyroidism and a decreased rate in enzyme elimination should be assessed for the above-normal activities of intestinal ALP in serum in chronic renal failure.     

The interaction of protamine with human blood plasma proteins

Zusammenfassung Es wurden Interaktionen von Protamin mit vorher in Agar-Gel elektrophoretisch getrennten plasmatischen Eiweisskörpern untersucht. Neben der schon früher bekannten Interaktion mit Fibrinogen wurden auch solche mit beiden Klassen der plasmatischen Lipoproteine gefunden.     

Changes in the concentration of adenohypophyseal prolactin and morphological manifestations in the adenohypophysis of lactating rats after administration of D-6-methyl-8-[β-isopropylaminoethyl] ergoline-I

Summary The four days administration of D-6-methyl-8-[-isopropylaminoethyl]ergoline-I (VÚFB-10726) to nursing rats decreases adenohypophyseal prolactin as determined with disc electrophoresis, and produces changes in the histological appearance of adenohypophyses, which indicate the inhibition of prolaction production and secretion.The authors thank Dr.I. J. Skála, Mrs.J. Boubínová, Mrs.J. Emanuelová and Mrs.V. Maitová for technical assistence.     

Effect of an antiandrogen on the lymphoid system

Summary A side-effect of the administration of cyproterone acetate, an antiandrogenic steroid, to newborn, juvenile or adult male mice (in doses comparable to those used clinically) was found in a marked reduction of the white pulp of the spleen and reduced weight or even absence of the thymus.This investigation received financial support from the World Health Organization.     

Parasitic, amoeboid dinoflagellates

SEXUAL reproduction has so far been unknown among the Dinococcales, unicellular brown algae belonging to the Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates). As we report here, however, the life cycles of two members of this group, Stylodinium sphaera and Cystodinedria inermis, include a parasitic amoeboid stage which brings about vegetative reproduction and also possibly sexual reproduction. We believe that the two amoeboid forms have previously been identified mistakenly as a separate taxon of protozoon.     

Antiviral treatment is more effective than smallpox vaccination upon lethal monkeypox virus infection

There is concern that variola virus, the aetiological agent of smallpox, may be used as a biological weapon. For this reason several countries are now stockpiling (vaccinia virus-based) smallpox vaccine. Although the preventive use of smallpox vaccination has been well documented, little is known about its efficacy when used after exposure to the virus. Here we compare the effectiveness of (1) post-exposure smallpox vaccination and (2) antiviral treatment with either cidofovir (also called HPMPC or Vistide) or with a related acyclic nucleoside phosphonate analogue (HPMPO-DAPy) after lethal intratracheal infection of cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) with monkeypox virus (MPXV). MPXV causes a disease similar to human smallpox and this animal model can be used to measure differences in the protective efficacies of classical and new-generation candidate smallpox vaccines. We show that initiation of antiviral treatment 24 h after lethal intratracheal MPXV infection, using either of the antiviral agents and applying various systemic treatment regimens, resulted in significantly reduced mortality and reduced numbers of cutaneous monkeypox lesions. In contrast, when monkeys were vaccinated 24 h after MPXV infection, using a standard human dose of a currently recommended smallpox vaccine (Elstree-RIVM), no significant reduction in mortality was observed. When antiviral therapy was terminated 13 days after infection, all surviving animals had virus-specific serum antibodies and antiviral T lymphocytes. These data show that adequate preparedness for a biological threat involving smallpox should include the possibility of treating exposed individuals with antiviral compounds such as cidofovir or other selective anti-poxvirus drugs.