A Trade-Off Between Current Reproduction and Moult in the Pied Flycatcher- an Experiment

1994

1. Mechanisms causing costs of reproduction in birds are poorly understood. Here we focus on the renewing of feathers (= moult) which may be a possible physiological link between successive breeding attempts. 2. We performed clutch size manipulations to study whether the reproductive effort of the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) has any effect on the initiation and progress of the moult in the late nesting period. 3. The absolute timing of breeding did not affect the onset of parents' moult, i.e. latebreeding individuals did not start moulting before nestlings were fledged more frequently than early ones. This indicates that moult was closely related to the breeding schedule of each in…

New qsar models for polyhalogenated aromatics

1994

Electronic properties of polychlorinated dibenzo p dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs) were calculated using the semi-empirical AM1 method The calculated electronic descriptors — the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (ELUMO), the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (EHOMO), the ELUMO-EHOMO gap (dE), and molecular polarizability — are related to the Ah receptor binding affinity values of PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs and immunotoxicity values for PCDEs The quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs) based on chlorine substitution patterns were also constructed, an…

Surface-directed spinodal decomposition in a thin-film geometry: A computer simulation

1994

The phase separation kinetics of a two-dimensional binary mixture at critical composition confined between (one-dimensional) straight walls which preferentially attract one component of the mixture is studied for a wide range of distancesD between the walls. Following earlier related work on semiinfinite systems, two choices of surface forces at the walls are considered, one corresponding to an incompletely wet state of the walls, the other to a completely wet state (forD→∞). The nonlinear Cahn-Hilliard-type equation, supplemented with appropriate boundary conditions which account for the presence of surfaces, is replaced by a discrete equivalent and integrated numerically. Starting from a …

Group identities on units of rings

1994

Fixation conditions affect the intensity but not the pattern of NADPH-diaphorase staining as a marker for neuronal nitric oxide synthase in rat olfac…

1994

NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) is commonly used as a histochemical marker for the neuronal form of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). A recent biochemical study showed that in broken-cell preparations NADPH-d activity did not fully represent NOS and that NOS-unrelated NADPH-d activity was suppressed during fixation. Because it is unknown whether fixation also affects NOS-associated NADPH-d activity, we investigated the effects of various widely used fixatives on NADPH-d staining in relation to NOS immunoreactivity, obtained with polyclonal antibodies, in rat olfactory bulb. We found that the intensity of NADPH-d staining associated with NOS, as well as that unrelated to NOS, depends on fi…

Electron microscopy and biochemical characterization of a 350-kDa annular hemolymph protein from the keyhole limpet Megathura crenulata

1994

The isolation and biochemical characterization of an annular non-hemocyanin hemolymph protein from a marine gastropod, the Californian giant keyhole limpet (Megathura crenulata) is presented. By analytical ultracentrifugation, the protein has a sedimentation coefficient of 12S and molecular mass of approximately 350 kDa. The subunit mass, obtained by SDS/PAGE in the presence of -SH reagent and 8 M urea, is approximately 35 kDa, thereby indicating the presence of 10 subunits in the native molecule. By negative staining, the protein is revealed in one predominant image projection as a pentagonal approximately 8 nm ring-like structure with an approximately 2-nm stain-filled centre and, in anot…

Global integrability of the gradients of solutions to partial differential equations

1994

Organometallic complexes with biological molecues, part 3.in vivo cytotoxicity of diorganotin (IV) chloro and triorganotin (IV) chloro derivatives of…

1994

In order to obtain a continuous source of mitotic metaphases, gill tissue of Aphaius fasciatus (Pisces, Cyprinodontiformes) has been successfully employed. Results gathered after exposure of fish to R2SnClpenG, R3SnClpenGNa, to the parents R2SnCl2, R3SnCl and to penGNa (penGNa = penicillinGNa; R = methyl, butyl and phenyl) suggest that both the parent organotin (IV) chloride and organotin (IV) chloropenG derivatives are toxic while penGNa exerts no significant toxic activity. Essentially, all of the chromosome abnormalities are classifiable as irregularly staining of chromosomes, breakages, side-arm bridges or pseudochiasmata.

Anatomia e patologia del labirinto membranoso studio con sequenze RM sensibili al flusso

1994

Nonostante i deludenti esordi nella valutazione delle strutture labirintiche costituenti l'orecchio interno, la risonanza magnetica costituisce oggi, grazie anche al miglioramento dell'hardware e del software disponibili, una modalità diagnostica di grande efficacia non solo nell'analisi della patologia espansiva o infiammatoria coinvolgente il VII ed VIII nervo cranico, ma anche nella valutazione delle alterazioni patologiche del segnale endolabirintico in rapporto a focolai emorragici o, come recentemente dimostrato mediante uso di Gd-DTPA, nell'analisi delle alterazioni a carico della capsula oticanella fase spongiotica dell'otosclerosi. Tuttavia, lo scarso contrasto esistente tra liqui…

Rapid characterization of four species of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto complex according to mitochondrial DNA patterns

1994

Several strains of the four sibling species of the genus Saccharomyces (S. bayanus, S. cerevisiae, S. paradoxus, and S. pastorianus) were characterized by using a rapid and simple method of restriction analysis of mitochondrial DNA. Patterns obtained with four-cutter endonucleases (such as AluI, DdeI, HinfI, and RsaI) made it possible to differentiate each species. S. cerevisiae and S. paradoxus presented a greater number of large fragments than S. pastorianus and S. bayanus with all the assay enzymes. With AluI and DdeI, species-specific bands clearly permitted differentiation between S. pastorianus and S. bayanus. To test the resolution of this method, wild Saccharomyces strains were anal…

Roxindole, a dopamine autoreceptor agonist, in the treatment of positive and negative schizophrenic symptoms

1994

Twenty schizophrenic inpatients with either predominantly positive or predominantly negative symptoms were treated with the dopamine autoreceptor agonist roxindole in prospective open clinical trials. There was no antipsychotic effect in the subgroup with positive symptoms, whereas the subgroup with negative symptoms, especially those with the residual type of schizophrenia, showed a moderate but significant 20% reduction in total scores on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms.

Mononuclear Cells in Exudative Malignant Pleural Effusions

1994

The aims of this study were to develop a methodology for the isolation of highly enriched mononuclear phagocyte populations from exudative malignant pleural effusions (EMPE) and to characterize the phenotype and functional properties of these cells. Pleural effusion mononuclear cells (PEMC) were isolated by Ficoll centrifugation of EMPE and transudative pleural effusions and allowed to adhere to plastic for 1 h to obtain a pleural effusion mononuclear adherent cell (PEMAC) fraction. Only 66.0±4.2 percent of PEMAC ingested latex particles, indicating that a significant proportion of PEMAC were not phagocytic cells. Latex-positive PEMAC had the morphologic appearance of macrophages and staine…

Willingness of Student to Favour the Protection of Endangered Species in a Trade-off Conflict in Finland

1994

Abstract This paper explores the willingness of Finnish students to favour protection of endangered species in a hypothetical trade-off conflict, where conservation would cause an increase in the household energy cost. The most striking result was the very distinct preference of species which the students felt worth protecting. The students favoured species which are well known, taxonomically close to man and actually endangered. Major differences occurred among students due to sex, educational institute, nature-related activity groups, as well as knowledge of nature and conservation issues.

E-wave and heart rate responses during anticipation of nonmotor events.

1994

This study concentrated on three main questions: 1) can anticipatory late negative shift (expectancy wave, E-wave) be elicited in nonmotor S1-S2 paradigm, 2) is it sensitive to variation of emotional aspects of the task and 3) is there a connection between heart rate (HR) responses and E-wave. S1 was a letter row that was replaced tachistoscopically by another letter row (S2). The task of the subjects (n = 12) was to detect if the critical aspects of S2 were similar to S1. After their delayed response they received feedback of their performance. The emotional aspects of the task were varied by presenting aversive noise bursts at the end of the feedback period either always, contingently to …

Indomethacin treatment in amphotericin B induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

1994

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is a serious side effect of various drugs. Elevated renal prostaglandin E2 levels have been found in patients with lithium-induced NDI and have been implicated in the pathogenesis. We report the case of a patient who developed NDI following treatment with amphotericin B. Prostaglandin levels were elevated. Indomethacin had an antidiuretic effect and normalized prostaglandin levels.

Increasing incidence of childhood celiac disease in Sicily: Results of a multicenter study

1994

By screening the patient list of four Sicilian centers of gastroenterology and those with gluten-free product consumption, 1074 patients (607 females and 467 males) with celiac disease, diagnosed between 1975 and 1989, were identified. A maximum cumulative incidence rate by birth cohort was reached in 1986 (1.65/1000). When the incidence rate was adjusted for the years of follow-up, the actual standardized rate was 3 cases per 1000 live births. Growth failure and chronic diarrhea were the most common symptoms, but a diminishing trend for chronic diarrhea was observed when symptoms were distributed by year of diagnosis. Even though 61.1% of all cases were diagnosed within six months from the…

Quantitative interpretation of the red edge excitation (REE) effect of 9,9′-bianthryl in polyisobutene by band shape analysis of the temperature-depe…

1994

Optical fluorescence spectra of 9,9′-bianthryl (BA) in polyisobutene (PIB) were measured as a function of the excitation wavelength at various temperatures between 210 and 293 K. Irradiation at the red edge of the absorption spectra selectively excites distinct conformers with respect to the torsional angle. This leads to a strong dependence of the vibronic band shape of the fluorescence spectra on the excitation wavelength. The marked temperature dependence of the band shape may be attributed to the viscosity-dependent deceleration of the torsional relaxation of BA in the highly viscous polymer which prevents the excited state ensemble from reaching thermal equilibrium. The predominant bro…

Interferon-α as an Antagonist to Proinflammatory and Hematopoietic Cytokines

1994

Late proterozoic island arc volcanics from Gebeit, Red Sea Hills, north-east Sudan

1994

The area of Gebeit Mine in the northern Red Sea Hills, Sudan, is built up of voluminous volcanic rocks and minor volcaniclastic and clastic sequences. According to their chemical and modal compositions the Gebeit volcanics can be devided into four groups: (a) cpx-physic basalts with clinopyroxene and plagioclase as the dominant phenocrysts and minor opaques; (b) hbl-physic basalts with hornblende, clinopyroxene, plagioclase and subordinate magnetite including one rare dacite; (c) pl-phyric andesites with plagioclase phenocrysts in a matrix that is rich in magnetite; and (d) aphyric basalts. The compositional variation within the distinct volcanic groups can only partly be explained by fract…

A Novel Approach to the Characterization and Modelig of Microwave Transistor Packages

1994

A novel approach to the characterization and modeling of microwave transistor packages through dedicated VNA measurements is presented. By combining a multi-step partitioning method with the use of purposely realized - but technologically simple - "package style" test devices, the proposed technique permits to derive in a systematic manner an equivalent circuit for both the transistor package and the test-fixture mount employed for the characterization. Since it does not rely on the indirect, optimization-based, conventional extraction methods of the literature, nor on a simplified circuit structure for the overall parasitic fourport embedding the active device, it is able to provide a high…

Phenolic Compounds in Needles of Norway Spruce Trees in Relation to Novel Forest Decline. II. Studies on Trees from Two Sites in Middle Western Germa…

1994

Abstract The content of several phenolic compounds in needles of 20- to 30-year-old Norway spruce trees (Picea abies) was measured using HPLC. The results of two forestry sites in middle western Germany are reported in this paper. They are part of a research programme on novel forest decline which was carried out in various regions of Germany. Distinct amounts of picein, catechin, piceatannol glucoside, and other phenolic compounds were detected in the studied spruce needles. Additionally, their contents changed in relation to damage. Some compounds, especially catechin, showed increased levels in the needles of the damaged trees compared to the undamaged ones. Here, the values for the unda…

Factors controlling adventitious bud induction and plant regeneration in matureJuniperus oxycedrus leaves cultured in vitro

1994

The morphogenetic capacity of matureJuniperus oxycedrus L. leaves cultured in vitro has been studied, noting nutritive, hormonal, and environmental factors inducing differentiation and development of adventitious shoots. Bud primordia formed directly from the leaves. Highest bud differentiation rates were obtained when the explants were cultured for at least 21 days on a modified Schenk and Hildebrandt solidified medium containing 0.5 μM benzyladenine under a 16-h photoperiod. Maximum bud development and elongation was achieved on cytokinin-free medium containing 4% (wt/vol) sucrose and 0.05% (wt/vol) activated charcoal. Regenerated shoots were excised and induced to root on media with auxi…

GERM CELL TUMORS OF THE TESTIS (tgct) IN CHOLDHOOD. A Review from a National Case Report

1994

Tha Authors report a retrospective Study carried out because of the rarity of Primary Testicular Tumors (PTT) in childhood. The aim was to revise the surgical treatment performed in 60 Pz affected by PTT during a 10 year period.

GEPOL: An improved description of molecular surfaces. III. A new algorithm for the computation of a solvent-excluding surface

1994

To understand and calculate the interactions of a solute with a solvent, a good method of computing the molecular surface is needed. Three kinds of surfaces may be used: the van der Waals Surface, the Accessible Surface, and the Molecular Surface. The latter is redefined in this article as the Solvent-Excluding Surface. The new algorithm for computing the Solvent-Excluding Surface included in the GEPOL93 program is described. GEPOL93 follows the same concept as former versions of GEPOL but with a full new algorithm. Thus, it computes the Solvent-Excluding Surface by filling the spaces not accessible to the solvent with a set of new spheres. The computation is controlled by three parameters:…

A NEW PCR-BASED TYPING OF THE RODGERS AND CHIDO ANTIGENIC DETERMINANTS OF THE FOURTH COMPONENT OF HUMAN COMPLEMEMT

1994

The Rodgers (Rg) and Chido (Ch) blood groups are antigenic determinants of the fourth component of human complement C4. They are associated with the two isotypes of C4, C4A and C4B, respectively. They serve as markers to distinguish C4A from C4B as well as for the definition of subtypes of common and rare allotypes. As an alternative to the serological typing method using human alloantisera, a PCR typing procedure with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) was designed. The method was tested on selected DNA samples from individuals with well-defined C4 allotypes. No false-positive or false-negative typing results were obtained and all the determinant combinations could be distinguished. The P…

Human interleukin-4 enhances stromal cell-dependent hematopoiesis: costimulation with stem cell factor

1994

Abstract Interleukin-4 (IL-4) has distinct hematopoietic activities, primarily as a costimulant with other cytokines to enhance colony formation of hematopoietic progenitors. We investigated the influence of IL-4 on stromal cell-supported long-term cultures (LTCs) of normal human bone marrow. Addition of IL-4 to LTCs of unseparated bone marrow or highly enriched CD34+ cells resulted in a significant increase of myeloid progenitors in the nonadherent, as well as in the stromal cell-adherent cell populations. In contrast, the total cell number was not influenced by IL-4, suggesting a selective effect on primitive progenitor cells. Cord blood cells or CD34+ bone marrow cells were incubated wit…

Sensitivity of the central visual field in 70- to 81-year-old male athletes and in a population sample.

1994

The sensitivity of the central visual field (0°–30°) was studied using an automatic Octopus 500E perimeter in elderly male athletes and in a population sample of men of corresponding age. The athletes (N=96) were endurance and power athletes, who were still active in competitive sports with training histories spanning tens of years. The athletes’ results were compared with those of a sample of men of the same age (70–81 years, N=41) randomly selected from the local population register. The sensitivity values of the athletes, and the endurance athletes in particular, were significantly better than those of the controls, with differences varying from 1 to 2.5 dB in the different areas of the …

Suppression of ischemia-induced fos expression and AP-1 activity by an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to c-fos mRNA.

1994

The molecular events of brain adaptation to injury that may underlie functional recovery after stroke remain largely undefined. Recent observations of altered gene expression in ischemic brain using animal stroke models have opened new avenues for exploration of the biochemical cascades after stroke [1–11]. These postischemic events include an increase in extracellular excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters such as glutamate. Glutamate receptor–mediated activation of phospholipases and protein kinases results in the alteration of nuclear regulatory processes, including the expression of immediate early genes such as c-fos, junB, and c-jun [5, 12]. The Fos, Jun, and JunB proteins have been …

Hereditary Progressive Mucinous Histiocytosis

1994

Background: Hereditary progressive mucinous histiocytosis was first described in 1988. The clinical features of this probably autosomal dominant inherited disease are skin-colored or red pea-sized tumors all over the skin appearing in the first decades of life and increasing gradually in number throughout life. In contrast to other benign histiocytic skin diseases there is no spontaneous tumor resolution. Observation and Results: A 52-year-old woman and her 25-year-old daughter of a further family are reported. Both showed similar longstanding lesions without tumor regression. There was no evidence of visceral involvement. Histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural examinations re…

Phylogenetic relationship of ubiquitin repeats in the polyubiquitin gene from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

1994

Ubiquitin is a 76-residue protein which is highly conserved among eukaryotes. Sponge (Porifera) ubiquitin, isolated from Geodia cydonium, is encoded by a gene (termed GCUBI) with six repeats, GCUBI-1 to GCUBI-6. All repeat units encode the same protein (with one exception: GCUBI-4 encodes ubiquitin with a change of Leu to Val at position 71). On the nt level the sequences of the six repeats differ considerably. All changes (except in GCUBI-4) are silent substitutions, which do not affect the protein structure. However, there is one major difference between the repeats: Codons from both codon families (TCN and AGPy) are simultaneously used for the serine at position 65. Using this characteri…

The Anticonvulsant FCE 26743 is a Selective and Short-acting MAO-B Inhibitor Devoid of Inducing Properties towards Cytochrome P450-dependent Testoste…

1994

Abstract The effects of the potent anticonvulsant FCE 26743 ((S)-2-(4-(3-fluorobenzyloxy)benzylamino)propionamide) on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity were measured in-vitro and ex-vivo using rat tissue homogenates. In-vitro, FCE 26743 showed potent and selective inhibitory properties towards liver MAO-B, with IC50 values about 10−7  m for MAO-B and higher than 10−5  m for MAO-A. When determined ex-vivo in brain, the ED50 value for the inhibition of MAO-B was 1·1 mg kg−1 (p.o.) 1 h post-dosing, whereas MAO-A remained virtually unaffected after administration of 60 mg kg−1. Similar effects were seen in liver. Following oral administration of 5 mg kg−1 FCE 26743 to rats, brain MAO-B inhibitio…

Peritumoral Edema in Meningiomas

1994

Although generally benign tumors, meningiomas may be associated with extensive peritumoral brain edema as seen on computed tomographic scans. Fifty-two patients with intracranial meningiomas were studied, and the hypodense areas on computed tomographic scans were related to the intraoperative microsurgical findings and to the sizes of the tumors. We have identified three kinds of tumor-brain interfaces characterized by different difficulties in microsurgical dissection: smooth type, transitional type, and invasive type. These different microsurgical interfaces seem to correlate very precisely with computed tomographic images of halo-like and finger-like hypodense areas, allowing prediction …

Effects of Hypericum Extract on the Expression of Serotonin Receptors

1994

The influence of hypericum extract LI 160 on the expression of serotonin receptors was investigated using a neuroblastoma cell line to establish a model for the regulation of neurotransmitters by immunologically active compounds such as cytokines. The cells were incubated with hypericum extract LI 160 in kinetic form for 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 hours, then washed. The serotonin receptor expression analysis was compared to that of a placebo control solution. The neuroblastoma cells showed a clearly reduced expression of the serotonin receptors under treatment with hypericum extract. First stimulation experiments with interleukin-1 (IL-1) and hypericum extract suggest that a further reduction of …

Central action of cinnarizine and flunarizine: A saccadic eye movement study

1994

The mechanism of action of flunarizine (FZ) and cinnarizine (CZ) on the CNS is not fully understood. Computer analysis of saccadic eye movements (SEM) provides a sensitive and objective method for evaluating drug effect on the function of specific brain structures. This study aimed to assess the effect of a single oral dose of FZ (20 mg) and CZ (150 mg) on CNS function by means of computer analysis of SEM. Ten healthy volunteers were studied according to a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design. Peak saccadic velocity (PSV), which is related to the function of a specific group of burst neurons located in the brain stem, was significantly reduced by FZ. No significant effect of …

Mental adjustment to cancer and quality of life in breast cancer patients: An exploratory study

1994

This study explores the relationship between adjustment to cancer and quality of life in a sample of 68 newly diagnosed non-metastatic breast cancer patients. Responses were assessed on three occasions following communication of the diagnosis and included the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale, a measure of denial and a Spanish quality of life questionnaire for breast cancer patients. Appropriate medical variables were considered and included in the analysis. MAC subscales showed adequate internal consistency; nevertheless, there was overlap between subscales and a second order factorial analysis suggested that two dimensions (‘perceived threat’ and ‘perceived control’) suffice to desc…

Age and tectonic setting of granitoid gneisses in the Eastern Desert of Egypt and south-west Sinai

1994

Strongly deformed and locally migmatized gneisses occur at several places in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt and in Sinai and have variously been interpreted as a basement to Pan-african (≈900 to 600 Ma) supracrustal and intrusive assemblages. A suite of grabbroic to granitic gneisses was investigated in the Hafafit area, which constitutes an I-type calc-alkaline intrusive assemblage whose chemistry suggests emplacement along an active continental margin and whose granitoid members can be correlated with the so-called ‘Older Granites’ of Egypt. 207Pb/206Pb single zircon evaporation from three samples of the Hafafit gneisses yielded protolith emplacement ages between 677 ± 9 and 700 ± 1…