Early harvest and ensilage of forage sorghum infected with ergot (Claviceps africana) reduces the risk of livestock poisoning

Sorghum ergot produces dihydroergosine (DHES) and related alkaloids, which cause hyperthermia in cattle. Proportions of infected panicles (grain heads), leaves and stems were determined in two forage sorghum crops extensively infected 2 to 4 weeks prior to sampling and the panicles were assayed for DHES. Composite samples from each crop, plus a third grain variety crop, were coarsely chopped and half of each sealed in plastic buckets for 6 weeks to simulate ensilation. The worst-infected panicles contained up to 55 mg DHES/kg, but dilution reduced average concentrations of DHES in crops to approximately 1 mg/kg, a relatively safe level for cattle. Ensilation significantly (P = 0.043) reduced mean DHES concentrations from 0.85 to 0.46 mg/kg.     

Analyses of monoclonal antibodies reacting with porcine wCD6: Results from the Second International Swine CD workshop

Among the 57 monoclonal antibodies analyzed within the T-cell group of the Second International Swine CD Workshop, one mAb fell within cluster T14a that included the CD6 standard a38b2 (No. 175). The new mAb MIL8 (No. 082) and a38b2 both precipitated from activated T-cells a 150 kDa monomeric protein. Staining patterns on the various cell types were similar. There was no inhibition of binding of either mAb to peripheral blood T-cells with the opposite mAb. The new mAb, MIL8, reacts with a separate epitope on porcine wCD6.     

Report on the analyses of mAb reactive with porcine CD8 for the second international swine CD workshop

Based on an analysis of their reactivity with porcine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), only three of the 57 mAbs assigned to the T cell/activation marker group were grouped into cluster T9 along with the two wCD8 workshop standard mAbs 76-2-11 (CD8a) and 11/295/33 (CD8b). Their placement was verified through the use of two-color cytofluorometry which established that all three mAbs (STH101, #090; UCP1H12-2, #139; and PG164A, #051) bind exclusively to CD8⁺ cells. Moreover, like the CD8 standard mAbs, these three mAbs reacted with two proteins with a MW of 33 and 35 kDa from lymphocyte lysates and were, thus, given the wCD8 designation. Because the mAb STH101 inhibited the binding of mAb 76-2-11 but not of 11/295/33, it was given the wCD8a designation. The reactivity of the other two new mAbs in the T9 cluster with the various subsets of CD8⁺ lymphocytes were distinct from that of the other members in this cluster including the standards. Although the characteristic porcine CD8 staining pattern consisting of CD8^low and CD8^high cells was obtained with the mAb UCP1H12-2, a wider gap between the fluorescence intensity of the CD8^low and CD8^high lymphocytes was observed. In contrast, the mAb PG164A, not only exclusively reacted with CD4⁻/CD8^high lymphocytes, but it also failed to recognize CD4/CD8 double positive lymphocytes. It was concluded that this mAb is specific for a previously unrecognized CD8 epitope, and was, thus, given the wCD8c designation. A very similar reactivity pattern to that of PG164A was observed for two other mAbs (STH106, #094; and SwNL554.1, #009). Although these two mAbs were not originally positioned in the T cell subgroup because of their reactivity and their ability to inhibit the binding of PG164A, they were given the wCD8c designation. Overall, five new wCD8 mAbs were identified. Although the molecular basis for the differences in PBL recognition by these mAbs is not yet understood, they will be important in defining the role of CD8⁺ lymphocyte subsets in health and disease.     

Seasonal development of secondary xylem in Pinus Strobus L.

Secondary xylem, or wood, is the tissue that conducts water and minerals in the tree; thus it performs physiologically one of the most important functions for the tree. In addition secondary xylem is the tissue that primarily determines the suitability of a tree for various economic uses.Investigation of the development of secondary xylem shows that it was gradual. Xylem mother cells, the immediate derivatives of cambial initals, were, at first, small cells with thin cell walls. Then the xylem mother cells enlarged radially, but still retained thin cell walls. When these cells reached the radial diameter of mature tracheids, the secondary wall deposition began. This continued until thick, rigid cell walls were attained. These thick, rigid walls determine the physical properties of a certain species of wood. This investigation shows that physical properties of tracheids can differ with stages of development.

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Zusammenfassung Das Sekundärxylem, oder das Holz, ist dasjenige Gewebe, welches Wasser und Mineralstoffe im Baum führt. Damit erfüllt es eine der wichtigsten physiologischen Funktionen für den Baum. Außerdem bestimmt das Gewebe des Sekundärxylems in erster Linie die Verwendbarkeit des Baumes bzw. des Holzes zu wirtschaftlichen Zwecken. Die Untersuchung der Entwicklung des Sekundärxylems zeigte, daß diese Entwicklung abgestuft vor sich geht. Die Xylem-Mutterzellen, unmittelbare Abkömmlinge der Kambium Initialen, zeigten sich zuerst als kleine Zellen mit dünnen Zellwänden. Dann erweiterten sie sich in radialer Richtung, blieben aber immer noch dünn in ihren Zellwänden. Als diese Zellen etwa den Durchmesser von reifen Tracheiden erreicht hatten, begann die Auflagerung der Sekundärschicht. Dieser Vorgang setzte sich fort bis sich dicke, feste Zellwände gebildet hatten. Diese dicken, steifen Zellwände bestimmen weitgehend die physikalisch-mechanischen Eigenschaften der betreffenden Holzart. Die vorliegenden Untersuchungen zeigen, daß die physikalischen Eigenschaften der Tracheiden je nach der Entwicklungsstufe schwanken können.

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This report is based on portions of work in fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Botany at the University of Wisconsin.

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Maintained at Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, U. S. A., in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin.     

Cell wall formation in secondary xylem of Pinus strobus L.

Summary Vesicular membrane-bound bodies that participate in forming the cell wall of differentiating xylem cells in white pine appeared on electron microscopical examination to originate from the Golgi apparatus. Golgi bodies released vesicles that contained dark material, fibrillar material, or no contents. The vesicles were seen at different stages on their path to the cell wall; their contents came in contact with the wall by fusion of vesicular membranes with the plasmalemma. Individual filaments of fibrillar material within the vesicles were 60 to 80 Å in diameter; structurally they resembled the fibrillar component of the existing wall and became intertwined with the wall. The authors assume the dark material in the Golgi-derived vesicles represents the hemicellulosic and the pectic components of the wall, and the fibrillar material, the cellulosic.Maintained in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin.     

Improved flow rates with porous sephadex gels

The use of an internal support of siliconized glass beads 6 millimeters in diameter was found to improve markedly the flow rates obtainable with porous Sephadex gels without significant alteration of other properties of the gels. The method may be generally applicable in situations where rapid separations on Sephadex are required.     

The molecular control of blood cell development

The establishment of a cell culture system for the clonal development of blood cells has made it possible to identify the proteins that regulate the growth and differentiation of different blood cell lineages and to discover the molecular basis of normal and abnormal cell development in blood forming tissues. A model system with myeloid blood cells has shown that (i) normal blood cells require different proteins to induce cell multiplication (growth inducers) and cell differentiation (differentiation inducers), (ii) there is a hierarchy of growth inducers as cells become more restricted in their developmental program, and (iii) a cascade of interactions between proteins determines the correct balance between immature and mature cells in normal blood cell development. Gene cloning has shown that there is a family of different genes for these proteins. Normal protein regulators of blood cell development can control the abnormal growth of certain types of leukemic cells and suppress malignancy by inducing differentiation to mature nondividing cells. Chromosome abnormalities that give rise to malignancy in these leukemic cells can be bypassed and their effects nullified by inducing differentiation, which stops cells from multiplying. These blood cell regulatory proteins are active in culture and in the body, and they can be used clinically to correct defects in blood cell development.