Genetic variation in sodium and potassium concentration in herbage of Digitaria milanjiana, and its relation to provenance

1985 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
JB Hacker ◽  
RW Strickland ◽  
KE Basford

Sixty-five accessions, including diploids, tetraploids and hexaploids, of the African grass Digitaria milanjiana, were grown in a grass garden in south-eastern Queensland, and sodium (Na) and potassium (K) concentrations of herbage were determined after regrowth periods of either 6 weeks or 6 months. The accessions were originally obtained from sites in Africa from l�S. to 25�S., and over 400-1700 mm mean annual rainfall. The Na concentration of herbage ranged from 0.01 to 2.30% (w/w) and was inversely correlated with K concentration. There was a clearly defined geographic distribution of accessions which had high or low Na concentrations. Accessions from coastal sites had high concentrations of Na in the dry matter (>0.25% DM), those from inland sites south of 20�S. had low concentrations of Na (usually <0.24% DM), and all those from inland sites north of latitude 20' S. were invariably very low in Na concentration (<0.09% DM). Accessions with high and low levels of Na occurred at all three ploidy levels. Genetic studies at the diploid level, using generation means analysis, showed differing patterns of inheritance of Na and K concentration for two crosses, even though they had one parent in common. Both additive and dominance effects were evident for Na and K; in addition, significant inter-allelic interactions occurred, especially involving dominance. The results are discussed in relation to the adaptive significance of Na accumulation, to its significance in animal production, and to the possibilities of breeding cultivars that have adequate Na concentration and are adapted to low rainfall regions.

1970 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Hagenfeldt ◽  
L.-O. Plantin ◽  
E. Diczfalusy

ABSTRACT By means of neutron activation analysis, the concentrations of zinc, copper, manganese, sodium and potassium were studied in endometrial biopsy specimens taken from six apparently healthy, normally menstruating volunteers. Quadruplicate endometrial biopsy specimens were obtained from each of the subjects during four consecutive cycles in the following phases: a) early proliferative (days 6–10), b) late proliferative (days 11–14), c) early secretory (days 15–18) and d) late secretory (days 22–27). An analysis of variance of the data revealed that the human endometrium in the early proliferative phase is characterized by significantly elevated concentrations of manganese (P < 0.001), sodium (P < 0.01) and potassium (P < 0.001). On the other hand, the late secretory endometrium is characterized by a highly significant rise in its zinc concentration (P < 0.001), accompanied by a highly significantly decreased concentration of sodium (P < 0.001) and potassium (P < 0.001). The copper concentration of the secretory endometria was significantly higher than that of the proliferative endometria (P < 0.001). The significance of the findings was the same, whether values were expressed per g protein, or per g wet tissue. It is suggested that the high concentrations of zinc and copper associated with low levels of manganese, sodium and potassium at the expected time of implantation may be a reflection of changes in endometrial enzyme activities.


1976 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
D B Rhoads ◽  
F B Waters ◽  
W Epstein

Analysis of K transport mutants indicates the existence of four separate K uptake systems in Escherichia coli K-12. A high affinity system called Kdp has a Km of 2 muM, and Vmax at 37 degrees C of 150 mumol/g min. This system is repressed by growth in high concentrations of K. Two constitutive systems, TrkA and TrkD, have Km's of 1.5 and 0.5 mM and Vmax's of 550 and 40 at 37 and 30 degrees C, respectively. Mutants lacking all three of these saturable systems take up K slowly by a process, called TrkF, whose rate of transport is linearly dependent on K concentration up to 105 mM. On the whole, each of these systems appears to function as an independent path for K uptake since the kinetics of uptake when two are present is the sum of each operating alone. This is not true for strains having both the TrkD and Kdp systems, where presence of the latter results in K uptake which saturates at a K concentration well below 0.1 mM. This result indicates some interaction between these systems so that uptake now has the affinity characteristic of the Kdp system. All transport systems are able to extrude Na during K uptake. The measurements of cell Na suggest that growing cells of E. coli have very low concentrations of Na, considerably lower than indicated by earlier studies.


1959 ◽  
Vol 197 (5) ◽  
pp. 997-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Ulrich

Isolated mitochondria from rat heart and skeletal muscle were able to maintain concentration gradients of sodium and potassium which were greater at low concentrations of either ion in the incubating medium than at high concentrations. Although the gradient of sodium was not significantly altered by addition of ATP and oxidizable substrate to the incubating medium, the mitochondria were able to accumulate increased amounts of potassium by these additions. When the mitochondria were aged by keeping them in suspension at 0–2° for 4 or 12 days, the potassium gradient was markedly decreased. 70–80% of the mitochondrial sodium exchanged with Na22 in the suspending medium in less than 1 minute and more than 90% of K42 had exchanged with mitochondrial potassium at the end of 5 minutes of incubation. Although addition of ATP and substrate to the suspending medium had no effect on the turnover of sodium, it appeared to render some of the potassium nonexchangeable. However by the end of 1 hour approximately 90% of the potassium had exchanged.


Author(s):  
Cesar D. Fermin ◽  
Hans-Peter Zenner

Contraction of outer and inner hair cells (OHC&IHC) in the Organ of Corti (OC) of the inner ear is necessary for sound transduction. Getting at HC in vivo preparations is difficult. Thus, isolated HCs have been used to study OHC properties. Even though viability has been shown in isolated (iOHC) preparations by good responses to current and cationic stimulation, the contribution of adjoining cells can not be explained with iOHC preparations. This study was undertaken to examine changes in the OHC after expossure of the OHC to high concentrations of potassium (K) and sodium (Na), by carefully immersing the OC in either artifical endolymph or perilymph. After K and Na exposure, OCs were fixed with 3% glutaraldehyde, post-fixed in osmium, separated into base, middle and apex and embedded in Araldite™. One μm thick sections were prepared for analysis with the light and E.M. Cross sectional areas were measured with Bioquant™ software.Potassium and sodium both cause isolated guinea pig OHC to contract. In vivo high K concentration may cause uncontrolled and sustained contractions that could contribute to Meniere's disease. The behavior of OHC in the vivo setting might be very different from that of iOHC. We show here changes of the cell cytosol and cisterns caused by K and Na to OHC in situs. The table below shows results from cross sectional area measurements of OHC from OC that were exposed to either K or Na. As one would expect, from the anatomical arrangement of the OC, OHC#l that are supported by rigid tissue would probably be displaced (move) less than those OHC located away from the pillar. Surprisingly, cells in the middle turn of the cochlea changed their surface areas more than those at either end of the cochlea. Moreover, changes in surface area do not seem to differ between K and Na treated OCs.


1992 ◽  
Vol 68 (05) ◽  
pp. 570-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary A Selak

SummaryWe have previously demonstrated that human neutrophil cathepsin G is a strong platelet agonist that binds to a specific receptor. This work describes the effect of neutrophil elastase on cathepsin G-induced platelet responses. While platelets were not activated by high concentrations of neutrophil elastase by itself, elastase enhanced aggregation, secretion and calcium mobilization induced by low concentrations of cathepsin G. Platelet aggregation and secretion were potentiated in a concentration-dependent manner by neutrophil elastase with maximal responses observable at 200 nM. Enhancement was observed when elastase was preincubated with platelets for time intervals of 10–60 s prior to addition of a low concentration of cathepsin G and required catalytically-active elastase since phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride-inhibited enzyme failed to potentiate cell activation. Neutrophil elastase potentiation of platelet responses induced by low concentrations of cathepsin G was markedly inhibited by creatine phosphate/creatine phosphokinase and/or indomethacin, indicating that the synergism between elastase and cathepsin G required the participation of ADP and thromboxane A2. On the other hand, platelet responses were not attenuated by the PAF antagonist BN 52021, signifying that PAF-acether did not play a role in elastase potentiation. At higher concentrations porcine pancreatic elastase exhibits similar effects to neutrophil elastase, demonstrating that the effect of elastase was not unique to the neutrophil protease. While neutrophil elastase failed to alter the ability of cathepsin G to hydrolyze a synthetic chromogenic substrate, preincubation of platelets with elastase increased the apparent affinity of cathepsin G binding to platelets. In contrast to their effect on cathepsin G-induced platelet responses, neither neutrophil nor pancreatic elasatse potentiated aggregation or dense granule release initiated by ADP, PAF-acether, arachidonic acid or U46619, a thromboxane A2 mimetic. Moreover, unlike its effect on cathepsin G, neutrophil elastase inhibited thrombin-induced responses. The current observations demonstrate that elastase can potentiate platelet responses mediated by low concentrations of cathepsin G, suggesting that both enzymes may function synergistically to activate platelets under conditions where neutrophil degranulation occurs.


1989 ◽  
Vol 61 (02) ◽  
pp. 254-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret L Rand ◽  
Peter L Gross ◽  
Donna M Jakowec ◽  
Marian A Packham ◽  
J Fraser Mustard

SummaryEthanol, at physiologically tolerable concentrations, inhibits platelet responses to low concentrations of collagen or thrombin, but does not inhibit responses of washed rabbit platelets stimulated with high concentrations of ADP, collagen, or thrombin. However, when platelet responses to high concentrations of collagen or thrombin had been partially inhibited by prostacyclin (PGI2), ethanol had additional inhibitory effects on aggregation and secretion. These effects were also observed with aspirin- treated platelets stimulated with thrombin. Ethanol had no further inhibitory effect on aggregation of platelets stimulated with ADP, or the combination of ADP and epinephrine. Thus, the inhibitory effects of ethanol on platelet responses in the presence of PGI2 were very similar to its inhibitory effects in the absence of PGI2, when platelets were stimulated with lower concentrations of collagen or thrombin. Ethanol did not appear to exert its inhibitory effects by increasing cyclic AMP above basal levels and the additional inhibitory effects of ethanol in the presence of PGI2 did not appear to be brought about by further increases in platelet cyclic AMP levels.


1970 ◽  
Vol 23 (03) ◽  
pp. 601-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Th. B Tschopp

SummaryAggregation of cat platelets in the citrated plasma is examined by means of Born’s absorptiometer. A marked tendency of the platelets of this species to spontaneous aggregation necessitated first of all the development of an improved technique of blood collection.A hypothesis according to which 5-HT is released from the platelets, explains the absence of oscillations on the base line of the absorptiometer, the absence of platelet swelling, when ADP is added, and the effect of stirring on the aggregation curves in cat PRP. The average volume of cat platelets amounts to 10.46 μ3 when directly fixed in the blood, when fixed from PRP to 12.17 μ3, when fixed from stirred PRP to 13.51 μ3.In low concentrations (0.3-2 μM) ADP produce reversible aggregation; in narrowly restricted, individually dissimilar mean concentrations irreversible aggregation in two phases and in high concentrations, irreversible aggregation in one phase. Like ADP serotonin produces 2 phase irreversible aggregation in concentrations of 3-10 μM, but unlike ADP, the aggregation velocity decreases again with high 5-HT concentrations (>100 μM). Adrenaline does not produce aggregation and it is likely that adenosine and adenosine monophosphate inhibit the aggregation by serotonin but not by ADP. Species differences in the aggregation of human, rabbit and cat platelets are discussed.


1971 ◽  
Vol 26 (01) ◽  
pp. 145-166
Author(s):  
E Deutsch ◽  
K Lechner ◽  
K Moser ◽  
L Stockinger

Summary1. The aniline derivative AN 162, Donau Pharmazie, Linz, Austria, has a dual action on the blood coagulation: an anticoagulant and an coagulation enhancing effect.2. The anticoagulant action may only be demonstrated with high concentrations (over 1 X 10”3 M related to plasma) preferentially in PPP. It is partially caused by an inhibition of the endogenous way of generation of the prothrombin converting principle. In addition it is suggested that it interferes with the fibrinogen-fibrin reaction in a manner not yet understood.3. The coagulant action is caused by a greater availability of platelet constituents at low concentrations of AN 162 (over 1 × 10-4 M) and by the induction of a release reaction at higher concentrations. The platelet factors 3 and 4, serotonin, adenine, and acid phosphatase are released.4. AN 162 inhibits platelet aggregation. This inhibition can be demonstrated by the PAT of Breddin and in the stirred aggregation test of Born. It is more effective to inhibit the collagen-induced and the second phase of the adrenaline-induced aggregation than the ADP induced one. The platelet retention (test of Hellem) is also reduced.5. The action of AN 162 on the platelets is caused by a damage of the platelet membrane which becomes permeabel for both, soluble platelet constitutents and granula.6. AN 162 interferes with the energy metabolism of the platelets. It causes a loss of ATP, and inhibits the key-enzymes of glycolysis, citric acid cycle, fatty acid oxydation and glutathione reduction.7. AN 162 inhibits the growth of fibroblasts without influence on mitosis.


1986 ◽  
Vol 55 (01) ◽  
pp. 136-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
K J Kao ◽  
David M Shaut ◽  
Paul A Klein

SummaryThrombospondin (TSP) is a major platelet secretory glycoprotein. Earlier studies of various investigators demonstrated that TSP is the endogenous platelet lectin and is responsible for the hemagglutinating activity expressed on formaldehyde-fixed thrombin-treated platelets. The direct effect of highly purified TSP on thrombin-induced platelet aggregation was studied. It was observed that aggregation of gel-filtered platelets induced by low concentrations of thrombin (≤0.05 U/ml) was progressively inhibited by increasing concentrations of exogenous TSP (≥60 μg/ml). However, inhibition of platelet aggregation by TSP was not observed when higher than 0.1 U/ml thrombin was used to activate platelets. To exclude the possibility that TSP inhibits platelet aggregation by affecting thrombin activation of platelets, three different approaches were utilized. First, by using a chromogenic substrate assay it was shown that TSP does not inhibit the proteolytic activity of thrombin. Second, thromboxane B2 synthesis by thrombin-stimulated platelets was not affected by exogenous TSP. Finally, electron microscopy of thrombin-induced platelet aggregates showed that platelets were activated by thrombin regardless of the presence or absence of exogenous TSP. The results indicate that high concentrations of exogenous TSP (≥60 μg/ml) directly interfere with interplatelet recognition among thrombin-activated platelets. This inhibitory effect of TSP can be neutralized by anti-TSP Fab. In addition, anti-TSP Fab directly inhibits platelet aggregation induced by a low (0.02 U/ml) but not by a high (0.1 U/ml) concentration of thrombin. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that TSP is functionally important for platelet aggregation induced by low (≤0.05 U/ml) but not high (≥0.1 U/ml) concentrations of thrombin. High concentrations of exogenous TSP may univalently saturate all its platelet binding sites consequently interfering with TSP-crosslinking of thrombin-activated platelets.


2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 303-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.-H. Yi ◽  
S. Ahmed ◽  
Y. Watanabe ◽  
K. Watari

Conventional arsenic removal processes have difficulty removing low concentrations of arsenic ion from water. Therefore, it is very hard to comply with stringent low levels of arsenic, such as below 10 μg/L. So, we have developed two arsenic removal processes which are able to comply with more stringent arsenic regulations. They are the MF membrane process combined with chemical sludge adsorption and NF membrane process equipped with the vibratory shear enhanced process (VSEP). In this paper, we examine the performance of these new processes for the removal of arsenic ion of a low concentration from water. We found that chemical sludge produced in the conventional rapid sand filtration plants can effectively remove As (V) ions of H2AsO4- and HAsO42- through anion exchange reaction. The removal efficiency of MF membrane process combined with chemical sludge adsorption increased to about 36%, compared to MF membrane alone. The strong shear force on the NF membrane surface produced by vibration on the VSEP causes the concentration polarization layer to thin through increased back transport velocity of particles. So, it can remove even dissolved constituents effectively. Therefore, As (V) ions such as H2AsO4- and HAsO42- can be removed. The concentration of As (V) ions decreased from 50 μg/L to below 10 μg/L and condensation factor in recirculating water increased up to 7 times by using NF membrane equipped with VSEP.


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