Temperature sensitivity of the low-moisture-content limit to negative seed longevity--moisture content relationships in hermetic storage.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND AND AIMS The negative logarithmic relationship between orthodox seed longevity and moisture content in hermetic storage is subject to a low-moisture-content limit (m(c)), but is m(c) affected by temperature? METHODS: Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) seeds were stored hermetically at 12 moisture contents (2-15 %) and five temperatures (-20, 30, 40, 50 and 65 degrees C) for up to 14.5 years, and loss in viability was estimated. KEY RESULTS: Viability did not change during 14.5 years hermetic storage at -20 degrees C with moisture contents from 2.2 to 14.9 % for red clover, or 2.0 to 12.0 % for alfalfa. Negative logarithmic relationships between longevity and moisture contents >m(c) were detected at 30-65 degrees C, with discontinuities at low moisture contents; m(c) varied between 4.0 and 5.4 % (red clover) or 4.2 and 5.5 % (alfalfa), depending upon storage temperature. Within the ranges investigated, a reduction in moisture content below m(c) at any one temperature had no effect on longevity. Estimates of m(c) were greater the cooler the temperature, the relationship (P < 0.01) being curvilinear. Above m(c), the estimates of C(H) and C(Q) (i.e. the temperature term of the seed viability equation) did not differ (P > 0.10) between species, whereas those of K(E) and C(W) did (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The low-moisture-content limit to negative logarithmic relationships between seed longevity and moisture content in hermetic storage increased the cooler the storage temperature, by approx. 1.5 % over 35 degrees C (4.0-4.2 % at 65 degrees C to 5.4-5.5 % at 30-40 degrees C) in these species. Further reduction in moisture content was not damaging. The variation in m(c) implies greater sensitivity of longevity to temperature above, compared with below, m(c). This was confirmed (P < 0.005).

Identification of urinary calculi by Raman laser fiber optics spectroscopy.

Human calculi of various compositions were automatically identified by using near-infrared excitation Fourier-transform Raman spectrometry. After having built a 150-compound Raman library as a first step, we used a commercial software for infrared spectra (program BIRSY, from Brüker) to determine the composition of different calculi. Good results were obtained for both classical Raman laser and Raman laser fiber optics spectroscopies. With the use of a natural biological medium, e.g., urine, to mimic as closely as possible clinical in vivo conditions, the automatic search correctly identified the calculus composition with relatively good test quality; in some mixtures, however, the results can only be considered semi-quantitative at present, even after smoothing of the spectra.

Characterization of glutathione S-transferases of human cornea.

Two cationic (pIs 9.1 and 7.6) and one anionic (pI 4.4) forms of glutathione S-transferase have been purified to an apparent homogeneity from human cornea using glutathione-linked affinity chromatography and isoelectric focusing. The substrate specificities of the three enzyme forms are significantly different from each other. None of the three forms of human cornea glutathione S-transferase express glutathione peroxidase II activity. Immunological and structural studies reveal that human cornea enzymes have structural similarities with glutathione S-transferases of other human tissues.

Glutathione S-transferases of human brain. Evidence for two immunologically distinct types of 26500-Mr subunits.

Human brain contains one cationic (pI8.3) and two anionic (pI5.5 and 4.6) forms of glutathione S-transferase. The cationic form (pI8.3) and the less-anionic form (pI5.5) do not correspond to any of the glutathione S-transferases previously characterized in human tissues. Both of these forms are dimers of 26500-Mr subunits; however, immunological and catalytic properties indicate that these two enzyme forms are different from each other. The cationic form (pI8.3) cross-reacts with antibodies raised against cationic glutathione S-transferases of human liver, whereas the anionic form (pI5.5) does not. Additionally, only the cationic form expresses glutathione peroxidase activity. The other anionic form (pI4.6) is a dimer of 24500-Mr and 22500-Mr subunits. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis demonstrates that there are three types of 26500-Mr subunits, two types of 24500-Mr subunits and two types of 22500-Mr subunits present in the glutathione S-transferases of human brain.

Rat lung glutathione S-transferases: subunit structure and the interrelationship with the liver enzymes.

Six forms of glutathione S-transferases designated as GSH S-transferase I (pI 8.8), II (pI 7.2), III (pI 6.8), IV (pI 6.0), V (pI 5.3) and VI (pI 4.8) have been purified from rat lung. GSH S-transferase I (pI 8.8) is a homodimer of Mr 25,000 subunits; GSH S-transferases II (pI 7.2) and VI (pI 4.8) are homodimers of Mr 22,000 subunits; and GSH S-transferases III (pI 6.8), IV (pI 6.0) and V (pI 5.3) are dimers composed of Mr 23,500 and 22,000 subunits. Immunological properties, peptide fragmentation analysis, and substrate specificity data indicate that Mr 22,000, 23,500 and 25,000, are distinct from each other and correspond to Ya, Yb, and Yc subunits, respectively, of rat liver.

The effect of t-butylated hydroxytoluene on glutathione linked detoxification mechanisms in rat.

When rats were fed a diet containing 0.4% (w/w) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a three-fold increase in total glutathione (GSH) S-transferase activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was observed in liver but not in lung or kidney. Hepatic GSH S-transferase activities towards styrene oxide (SO) and 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) were also increased, but to a lesser extent. Isoelectric focusing studies indicated that the activities of most of the rat liver GSH S-transferase isoenzymes were induced. Immunoprecipitation studies of the native and induced enzymes suggested that de novo synthesis of these proteins caused the increase in GSH S-transferase activity in liver. A two-fold increase in glutathione reductase activity in liver upon dietary administration of BHT was observed. Kinetic and physical properties of the native and induced enzymes were similar which may indicate that the induction is due to the synthesis of this enzyme. A significant increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) content in liver and lung was also seen in rats treated with BHT.