Mitochondrial heredity: a determinant in the toxic response of maize to the insecticide methomyl

Mitochondria isolated from etiolated Texas male-sterile (TMS) cytoplasm maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings were adversely affected by methomyl (Lannate, 90 wettable powder), while those isolated from normal-fertile seedlings were not. In a manner analogous to that reported for Bipolaris (Helminthosporium) maydis (race T) toxin, experiments with TMS mitochondria showed that 1 to 3 millimolar methomyl inhibited the state 4 oxidation rate of combined malate and pyruvate while stimulating that of succinate or exogenous reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Similar concentrations of methomyl effected an inhibition of phosphorylation, an increase in the percentage of transmittance of light through mitochondrial suspensions, and a decrease in the density of the mitochondrial matrix. Methomyl (15 millimolar) had little effect on the physiological activity or ultrastructure of isolated normal-fertile mitochondria. These observations provide the opportunity to specifically assess the homogeneity, or lack of it, of a cytoplasmic heritable characteristic in a widely divergent group of higher plants.     

Nucleotide formation as a determinant of 5-Fluorouracil response in mouse leukemias

Survival of mice bearing different transplantable leukemias and treated with 5-fluorouracil was compared with accumulation of drug nucleotides in vitro. There was significant correlation,suggesting that cellular capacity for conversion of the drug to nucleotides is a major determinant of inherent drug sensitivity of these leukemias.     

Control of carcinogenesis: a possible role for the activated macrophage

Cytotoxic activity of activated mouse macrophages against mouse embryo fibroblasts was tested before and after spontaneous transformation of the fibroblasts in vitro. Activated macrophages caused little or no destruction of untransformed fibroblasts but were markedly cytotoxic to the same fibroblasts after spontaneous transformation. The efferent limb of this cytotoxic reaction appears to be nonimmunologic and to be related to abnormal growth properties rather than to the antigenic composition of target cells.     

基于通量源区模型的雷竹林生态系统碳通量信息提取

基于浙江省临安市太湖源雷竹Phyllostachys violascens林涡度相关通量观测塔2013年全年数据,应用通量源区模型（flux source area model,FSAM）,分析不同大气稳定度条件、不同风向和不同时间段该观测点通量信息的贡献区的分布,并基于贡献区分析结果,从通量观测值中分解出来自雷竹林生态系统的碳通量信息。结果表明:90%贡献水平的通量贡献区在观测塔为中心的2.0 km 2.0 km范围内,大气稳定度相同时,4个不同方向的通量贡献区范围差别不大。通量贡献区长度在稳定的大气条件下要显著大于在不稳定大气条件下,前者为96.19～941.63 m,后者为28.62～313.54 m。通过雷竹林和非雷竹林在通量贡献区所占面积和各自的贡献率,从涡度相关所测通量数据中分解出雷竹林和非雷竹林的月平均碳通量。通量分解后的雷竹林生态系统年总净固碳量为4.25 thm－2a－1,当下垫面全部为非雷竹林时年总净固碳量为6.65 thm－2a－1。如果不进行碳通量的分解,把涡度相关所测通量值作为雷竹林的通量值,则年总净固碳量为5.46 thm－2a－1。该研究对于正确评价雷竹林生态系统的固碳能力可提供一定理论依据。图4表4参29     

An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy

Variable x-ray and γ-ray emission is characteristic of the most extreme physical processes in the universe. We present multiwavelength observations of a unique γ-ray-selected transient detected by the Swift satellite, accompanied by bright emission across the electromagnetic spectrum, and whose properties are unlike any previously observed source. We pinpoint the event to the center of a small, star-forming galaxy at redshift z = 0.3534. Its high-energy emission has lasted much longer than any γ-ray burst, whereas its peak luminosity was ～100 times higher than bright active galactic nuclei. The association of the outburst with the center of its host galaxy suggests that this phenomenon has its origin in a rare mechanism involving the massive black hole in the nucleus of that galaxy.     

Gas-rich meteorites: possible evidence for origin on a regolith

The asymmetry of irradiation features of grains in the Kapoeta and Fayetteville meteorites suggests irradiation on a regolith before meteorite formation. Chondrules and broken grains require approximately 10(4) years of irradiation time between formation or fracturing and compaction into the meteorite. Shock erasure of tracks from irradiated Kapoeta feldspars requires a severe shock event during or after meteorite formation.     

Oncogenic purine derivatives: evidence for a possible proximate oncogen

Two additional urinary metabolites of the chemical oncogen 3-hydroxyxanthine are now identified as 8-chloroxanthine and 8-methylmercaptoxanthine. Such products are thought to be derived from a reactive intermediate which can be tentatively considered to be a proximate oncogen. Since each of these 8-substituted xanthines has also been obtained in vitro by reactions of 3-acetoxyxanthine with chloride ion or methionine, their production in vivo can be explained as resulting through the metabolic formation of an activated ester with a reactivity similar to that of the chemical model.     

Auditory cortex of squirrel monkey: response patterns of single cells to species-specific vocalizations

Most of the neurons tested in the superior temporal cortex of awake squirrel monkeys responded to recorded species-specific vocalizations. Some cells responded with temporally complex patterns to many vocalizations. Other cells responded with simpler patterns to only one call. Most cells lay between these two extremes. On-line deletion of parts of a vocalization revealed the role of temporal interactions in determining the nature of some responses.     

Lectins: a possible basis for specificity in the Rhizobium--legume root nodule symbiosis

Soybean lectin labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate combined specifically with all but 3 of 25 strains of the soybean-nodulating bacterium Rhizobium japonicum. The lectin did not bind to any of 23 other strains representative of rhizobia that do not nodulate soybeans. The evidence suggests that an interaction between legume lectins and Rhizobium cells may account for the specificity expressed between rhizobia and host plant in the initiation of the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis.     

Thymine: a possible prebiotic synthesis

A possible prebiotic synthesis of thymine has been achieved via the methylation of uracil with formaldehyde and hydrazine.     

Evidence for DNA loss as a determinant of genome size

Eukaryotic genome sizes range over five orders of magnitude. This variation cannot be explained by differences in organismic complexity (the C value paradox). To test the hypothesis that some variation in genome size can be attributed to differences in the patterns of insertion and deletion (indel) mutations among organisms, this study examines the indel spectrum in Laupala crickets, which have a genome size 11 times larger than that of Drosophila. Consistent with the hypothesis, DNA loss is more than 40 times slower in Laupala than in Drosophila.     

Space plasma physics: electron flux intensity distributions observed in response to particle beam emissions

Modifications of the suprathermal electron population were observed by an electron spectrometer on Spacelab 1 during electron beam injections. The instrument covered its energy range (100 to 12,500 electron volts) and field of view ( approximately 2pi) with high energy, angle, and time resolution. The measurements demonstrate the presence of strong beam-plasma interactions during high-current modes of accelerator operations. Spacecraft charging could be studied as well as processes that accelerated electrons to more than four times the injection energy.     

Cancer therapy: a possible new approach

Two substances, one promoting growth (promine) of ascites tumors in mice and the other inhibiting it (retine) have both been found in several tissues, namely, thymus, aorta, muscle, and tendon. In spite of similar solubilities in the solvents used for their extraction, the substances could be roughly separated. The value of the ratio between these substances in the same tissue may be significant.     

Menstrual cycles: fatness as a determinant of minimum weight for height necessary for their maintenance or onset

Weight loss causes loss of menstrual function (amenorrhea) and weight gain restores menstrual cycles. A minimal weight for height necessary for the onset of or the restoration of menstrual cycles in cases of primary or secondary amenorrhea due to undernutrition is indicated by an index of fatness of normal girls at menarche and at age 18 years, respectively. Amenorrheic patients of ages 16 years and over resume menstrual cycles after weight gain at a heavier weight for a particular height than is found at menarche. Girls become relatively and absolutely fatter from menarche to age 18 years. The data suggest that a minimum level of stored, easily mobilized energy is necessary for ovulation and menstrual cycles in the human female.     

Superplumes from the core-mantle boundary to the lithosphere: implications for heat flux

Three-dimensional modeling of upper-mantle anelastic structure reveals that thermal upwellings associated with the two superplumes, imaged by seismic elastic tomography at the base of the mantle, persist through the upper-mantle transition zone and are deflected horizontally beneath the lithosphere. This explains the unique transverse shear wave isotropy in the central Pacific. We infer that the two superplumes may play a major and stable role in supplying heat and horizontal flow to the low-viscosity asthenospheric channel, lubricating plate motions and feeding hot spots. We suggest that more heat may be carried through the core-mantle boundary than is accounted for by hot spot fluxes alone.     

Rhesus monkey vestibular cortex: a bimodal primary projection field

Single units in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulata) cortex responded to both vestibular and proprioceptive somatosensory stimuli. This bimodal response characteristic is unlike the modality specificity noted for other primary sensory fields. The vestibular field is located, contrary to previous opinion, within a distinct cytoarchitectonic area outside of area 2.     

Silicon: a possible factor in bone calcification

Silicon, a relatively unknown trace element in nutritional research, has been uniquely localized in active calcification sites in young bone. Silicon increases directly with calcium at relatively low calcium concentrations and falls below the detection limit at compositions approaching hydroxyapatite. It is suggested that silicon is associated with calcium in an early stage of calcification.     

High winds of neptune: a possible mechanism

Neptune receives only 1/900th of the earth's solar energy, but has wind speeds of nearly 600 meters per second. How the near-supersonic winds can be maintained has been a puzzle. A plausible mechanism, based on principles of angular momentum and energy conservation in conjunction with deep convection, leads to a regime of uniform angular momentum at low latitudes. In this model, the rapid retrograde winds observed are a manifestation of deep convection, and the high efficiency of the planet's heat engine is intrinsic from the room allowed at low latitudes for reversible processes, the high temperatures at which heat is added to the atmosphere, and the low temperatures at which heat is extracted.