Perennial N2 supersaturation in an Antarctic lake

The dry valleys of southern Victoria Land in Antarctica contain several closed basins in which perennially ice-covered lakes are found. One of the most unusual features of these lakes is the occurrence of high O2 concentrations in the water column; values ranging from slightly more than saturation to more than four times saturation have been reported. Recently, we considered a bulk O2 budget for Lake Hoare, Antarctica, which led us to suggest that biological processes alone were not sufficient to explain the observed elevated oxygen levels. Consequently, there must be a non-biological source of O2. We suggested that this source results from the exclusion of O2 during the freezing of aerated meltstream water at the bottom of the ice cover, and predicted that this physical mechanism should also enhance the other atmospheric gases. Here we report the results of a study which, for the first time, documents the supersaturation of N2 in a lake. Dissolved N2 levels of 145% and 163% were determined from samples taken just below the ice cover and at a depth of 12 m, respectively. The relatively importance of biological and abiological sources is reflected in the ratio of N2 concentration to O2 concentration. In Lake Hoare this ratio was 1.20 at ice/water interface and 1.05 at 12 m; considerably different from the ratio in equilibrium with air (approximately 1.8). Based on these results, we have determined that about half of the net O2 production in the lake is the result of biological processes.     

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is an endothelial cell adhesion receptor for Plasmodium falciparum

The primary event in the pathogenesis of severe malaria in Plasmodium falciparum infection is thought to be adherence of trophozoite- and schizont-infected erythrocytes to capillary endothelium, a process called sequestration. Identifying the endothelial molecules used as receptors is an essential step in understanding this disease process. Recent work implicates the membrane glycoprotein CD36 (platelet glycoprotein IV; refs 2-5) and the multi-functional glycoprotein thrombospondin as receptors. Although CD36 has a widespread distribution on microvascular endothelium, it may not be expressed on all capillary beds where sequestration occurs, especially in the brain. The role of thrombospondin in cell adhesion, in vitro or in vivo, is less certain. We have noticed that some parasites bind to human umbilical-vein endothelial cells independently of CD36 or thrombospondin. To screen for alternative receptors, we have developed a novel cell-adhesion assay using transfected COS cells, which confirms that CD36 is a cell-adhesion receptor. In addition, we find that an endothelial-binding line of P. falciparum binds to COS cells transfected with a complementary DNA encoding intercellular adhesion molecule-1. As this molecule is widely distributed on capillaries and is inducible, this finding may be relevant to the pathogenesis of severe malaria.     

Daily rhythm of S32 incorporation into epiphyseal cartilage in mice

Résumé Nous avons administré du soufre radioactif par voie i.p. à des souris, chaque groupe recevant l'injection à un moment différent de la journée (intervalle de 3 h entre les injections à 2 groupes successifs). L'analyse microdensitométrique d'autoradiographies du traceur dans les cartilages de conjugaison (fémurs, tibias) 24 h après l'injection a démontré que la rétention était la plus grande chez les souris qui avaient reçu l'injection entre 15 et 18 h.

---

---

This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.     

Control of tension development in scallop muscle fibres with foreign regulatory light chains

We have shown previously that chemically skinned fibre bundles from scallop muscle can be desensitized to the action of calcium by the removal of the regulatory light chains of myosin and that sensitivity can be restored by the re-addition of scallop light chains. We have now confirmed these results and extended our observations to fibre bundles from which one or both of the regulatory light chains per myosin have been removed (by treatment with EDTA at 7 and 25 degrees C, respectively) and replaced by the corresponding light chains from other species. In the case of a double substitution--where both light chains were replaced--sensitivity was restored completely by light chains from other molluscs and from gizzard muscle; for a single substitution there was restoration of sensitivity by all the light chains tested.     

Temporary retardation of cartilage growth in mice after externalβ-irradiation

Résumé Sur les cartilages de conjugaison de souris adulte, on a mesuré par une méthode histologique l'effet de grandes doses de rayonnements béta de⁹⁰Sr-⁹⁰Y appliquées à 68 rads/h pendants 11–16 h. Après l'irradiation, les changements d'épaisseur du cartilage ont suggeré un modèle de dommages et de récupération qui ressembla à une réponse adaptive aux expositions unique de l'X-irradiation.

---

---

This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.