A new physical assay method for tobacco mosaic virus using a radioactive virus recovery standard and the first derivative of the ultraviolet absorption spectrum

A new physical assay method for tobacco mosaic virus is described which incorporates two improvements on previous procedures. Losses of up to 75% of virus during extraction are corrected by adding a trace of radioactive virus to leaf samples before homogenization, and determining percentage recovery of radioactivity in final virus preparations. Estimation of virus concentration in partially purified preparations is from the first derivative (dA/d lambda) of the ultraviolet absorption spectrum, using a pronounced signal from the tryptophan fine-structure absorption band at 285-293 nm. This method is highly insensitive to ultraviolet-absorbing contaminants, which cause errors and increase variation between replicates, when estimation of virus concentration is by normal measurement of ultraviolet absorption (A260). The method can be applied to at least some other viruses.     

小鼠第一次卵裂周期中线粒体分布的变化

用线粒体专一性活体荧光染色剂罗丹明１２３显示小鼠受精卵在第一次卵裂周期中Ｍ的分布变化，雌原核和雄原核在汇合之前，Ｍ在细胞质中呈弥散状随机分布，两原核汇合后，Ｍ在核周围略显聚集，第一次卵裂后期，Ｍ沿纺锤体微管和２个子核周围集中，但在赤道区域内明显稀少，预示出细胞分裂面的定位，这说明细胞质分裂是收综环收缩和细胞结构调整共同作用的结果。２－细胞阶段，Ｍ在细胞核周围明显聚集。２－细胞胚受秋水仙素作用后，Ｍ     

The distribution of fetal nuchal translucency thickness in normal Korean fetuses

The aim of present study was to establish normative data for the distribution of nuchal translucency (NT) thickness in normal Korean fetuses. The data were collected from pregnant women with singleton pregnancies in whom fetal ultrasound was performed and the fetal NT thickness was measured between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation. Among them, a total of 2,577 fetuses with a known normal outcome were included in this study. The distribution of multiple of median (MoM) values of the NT thickness with crown-rump length (CRL) in 10-mm intervals and the 95th percentile of MoM were calculated with the linear regression method. The present study showed that NT measurements increase with increasing CRL and a false positive rate increases with increasing gestational age. Therefore, a fixed cut-off point through the first trimester was not appropriate and each NT measurement should be examined according to the gestational age. The present study offers normative data of the fetal NT thickness in a Korean population, which can be used as reference for screening chromosomal aberrations or other congenital abnormalities in the first trimester.     

Median frequency of the myoelectric signal

Summary A study was performed to investigate the changes that occur in the median frequency of the myoelectric signal during local ischemia or reduction of intramuscular temperature produced by surface cooling. Data was obtained from experiments which involved the first dorsal interosseous muscle of 10 female and 16 male subjects. These subjects were asked to perform isometric constant-force abduction contractions of the index finger at 20% and 80% of maximal voluntary contraction level. The initial median frequency (IMF) of the myoelectric signal during the first 0.5 s of contraction was calculated. Results showed a significant reduction of the IMF in contractions performed under ischemic conditions; upon release, the IMF recovered quickly. At 80% maximal voluntary level of contraction, a greater decrease of the IMF was recorded. Similar results were demonstrated during reduction of intramuscular temperature with gradual recovery of the IMF after cooling. These results demonstrate that the median frequency of the myoelectric signal displays behavior similar to that reported for conduction velocity and this is consistent with the notion that accumulation of metabolic byproducts in muscle tissue causes a decrease in the conduction velocity of the muscle fibers.Dr. R. Merletti was on a leave of absence from the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Italy     

The Follow-Up Study of Skin Reactivity to Recall Antigens and E- and EAC-RFC Profiles in Blood in Asbestos Workers

We have determined cutaneous DTH reactions to SK-SD and PPD and peripheral blood lymphocyte profiles in a group of asbestos workers in two consecutive surveys. It was found that asbestosis and, to a lesser extent, the presence of ANA are significantly correlated with the lack of response to the above antigens. 83% of asbestos workers when tested at a 4 year interval fell into the same two categories of responsiveness (lack of response or response at least to one antigen).The asbestosis cases had lower total lymphocyte count as well as proportions and absolute number of E-RFC as compared to asbestos workers without asbestosis and/or ANA. Furthermore, the latter group showed the lower percentages and absolute number of E-RFC than the matched controls. The presence of ANA is also correlated with lower proportions of E-RFC. However, this is related at least in part to asbestosis.     

Growth of diploid cells from breast cancers

Cell cultures were derived from normal and cancerous breast tissues and from metastases by methods that selected for relatively adherent epithelial aggregates. Karyotypic analyses of first or second passage cultures yielded predominantly normal diploid cells. Nonclonal aberrations were more common in tumor-derived than in normal cultures. Three of the cultures that originated from metastases were characterized by abnormal clones. These results support observations based on DNA content, which indicate that a considerable fraction of breast cancers are composed predominantly of diploid cells. They differ greatly from chromosomal findings in long-term cultures of tumor effusions and thus emphasize the karyotypic diversity that can be found in tumors from a single tissue of origin--the breast.     

Effect of prostaglandin D2 and I2 on the airways of rhesus monkeys

Prostaglandin (PG) D2 and PGI2 were evaluated to determine their effect on pulmonary function parameters when aerosolized in anesthetized rhesus monkeys. PGD2 resulted in an increase in frequency (f) and pulmonary resistance (rl) and a decrease in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), tidal volume (VT), and dynamic compliance (Cdyn), with the major effect on RL. PGI2 primarily effected an increase in f and a decrease in PEFR and VT. PGI2 had a variable effect, generally a decrease, on RL. The metabolite of PGI2, 6-keto-PGF 1 alpha, had no effect on the rhesus airway. PGF 2 alpha responses were similar to PGD2 except that the PGF 2 alpha produced a less strikingly consistent increase in RL. When PGI2 and PGD2 were aerosolized simultaneously, they simulated previously described antigen responses. Further, PGI2 plus PGD2 produced an airway response at 1/10 the concentration of either agent alone.     

The synthesis and actions of mouse and human interferons in mouse-human hybrid cells.

Lines of mouse-human hybrid cells segregating either mouse or human chromosomes were used for the analysis of various aspects of the production and actions of mouse and human interferons. In one of the hybrid cell lines capable of producing both mouse and human interferons, the proportion of the two interferon activities produced varied greatly under different inducing conditions, suggesting that there are differences in the triggering mechanisms of the two interferons. Generally both mouse and human interferon production could be enhanced (“superinduced”) by sequential treatment with cycloheximide and actinomycin D; however, in one of the lines producing both mouse and human interferon, only the latter could be superinduced. There was no correlation between the capacity of the lines to produce mouse or human interferons and the sensitivity to their action. However, there was good correlation between the sensitivity to the antiviral action and the priming action (i.e., enhancement of subsequent interferon production) by the two interferons. Thus, line 55-91F2 produced both mouse and human interferons, but was sensitive to the antiviral and priming actions of human interferon only. Line GM52 × BalbVC15 produced only mouse interferon but was sensitive to the antiviral and priming actions of both interferons.     

Further insight into the task-dependent excitability of motor evoked potentials in first dorsal interosseous muscle in humans

We have reexamined the contradictory evidence in which task-dependent excitation of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle was stronger with increasingly more complex finger tasks than with individual finger movement tasks. In the first step of the experiment, based on previous findings, we investigated remarkable functional differences between intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles during complex finger tasks (precision and power grip). During the performance of the tasks, the optimal stimulus intensity of the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to the contralateral motor cortex. MEPs of the FDI, extensor carpi radialis (ECR), and flexor carpi radialis (FCR) muscles were recorded simultaneously with increased background EMG activity step by step in both tasks. The intensity threshold of TMS was lower in the precision grip. Furthermore, the MEP amplitudes of FDI muscle dependent on the background EMG activity were different between these two tasks, i.e., MEP amplitudes and regression coefficients in a precision grip were larger than those in a power grip. Although our results for MEP amplitude and threshold in the FDI muscle were similar to previous reported evidence, the different contributions of a synergistic muscle (in particular, the ECR muscle) during performance in these tasks was new evidence. Since there were no differences in cutaneous afferent effects on both tasks, corticomotoneuronal (CM) cells connected to FDI motoneurons seemed generally to be more active during precision than power gripping, and there were different contributions from synergistic muscles during the performance of these tasks. In the second part of the experiment, the results obtained from the complex tasks were compared with those from a simple task (isolated index finger flexion). MEP amplitudes, dependent on the background EMG activity during isolated index finger flexion, varied among subjects, i.e., the relationship between the MEP amplitude and the background EMG of the FDI muscle showed individual, strategy-dependent modulation. There were several kinds of individual motor strategies for performing the isolated finger movement. The present results may explain the previous contradictory evidence related to the contribution of the CM system during coordinated finger movement.