Systematic revision of Aquilapollenites Rouse 1957

The original diagnosis of the genus Aquilapollenites is inadequate. It is suitably emended here and a revised generic diagnosis is given. The validity of the genera Aquilapollenites and Pentapollenites is examined. It is concluded that Aquilapollenites has seniority over Pentapollenites.The holotypes of the type species Aquilapollenites quadrilobus and A. trialatus have been lost. These two species are redescribed in detail and their neotypes selected. A. formosus is described as a new species from the Upper Cretaceous Oldman Formation of Alberta.

Glutathione metabolism of the erythrocyte. The enzymic cleavage of glutathione-haemoglobin preparations by glutathione reductase

A complex of haemoglobin and GSH was prepared by incubating haemoglobin with GSH and acetylphenylhydrazine. GSH could be released from the crude preparation by incubation with NADPH. However, when the haemoglobin preparation was separated from glutathione reductase by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, NADPH no longer released GSH. Rather, the addition of a combination of either partially purified human erythrocyte or crystalline glutathione reductase and NADPH was required to release GSH from the haemoglobin-GSH complex. This complex is commonly believed to represent a mixed disulphide of GSH and the cysteine-beta-93 thiol group. This interpretation was supported by the finding that prior alkylation of available haemoglobin thiol groups prevented the formation of the complex. By using haemoglobin-[(35)S]GSH complex as a substrate, it was shown that GSH itself released the radioactivity from the complex only very slowly. In contrast, the release of [(35)S]GSH was very rapid in the presence of NADPH and glutathione reductase. This suggests that the cleavage of the haemoglobin-GSH complex is not mediated by GSH with cyclic reduction of GSSG formed, but rather proceeds enzymically through glutathione reductase.

Detailed morphology, taxonomy, and distribution of Pistillipollenites macgregorii

Pistillipollenites macgregorii Rouse is redescribed incorporating the detailed morphological characteristics of apertures and exine as seen through the scanning electron microscope. It is proposed that P. macgregorii be restricted to only those triaperturate pollen that have apertures resembling irregular pores in general configuration. Apertures in P. macgregorii appear as circular to elliptically depressed weak areas distributed equatorially. The exine consists of three layers: a foot-layer, baculate-layer, and a tectate-layer that forms large and small primary gemmae. Some primary gemmae bear large and small secondary gemmae. Graphs of size distribution of both Alaskan and Burrard Formation populations show essentially no difference in size. Pistillipollenites appears to be most characteristic of Paleocene and Eocene assemblages that reflect humid, warm temperate to subtropical conditions, and were probably deposited relatively in situ.

The transport of oxidized glutathione from the erythrocytes of various species in the presence of chromate

1. Erythrocytes from normal and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient humans were subjected to hydrogen peroxide diffusion to oxidize the GSH. Studies were carried out in the presence and absence of chromate to inhibit glutathione reductase and with or without the addition of glucose. 2. The GSH content of erythrocytes from other species was oxidized by subjecting them to hydrogen peroxide diffusion in the presence of chromate and glucose. 3. Chromate (1.3mm) inhibited glutathione reductase by about 80%, whereas glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase were not inhibited. 4. The GSSG formed was transported from the erythrocytes to the medium. 5. The transport rate of GSSG from glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient erythrocytes subjected to hydrogen peroxide diffusion in the presence of chromate was comparable with that from normal and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient erythrocytes. 6. The rate of transport of GSSG from erythrocytes of various species studied could be ranked: pigeon>rabbit>rat>donkey>man>dog>horse>sheep>chicken>fish.

Upper Cretaceous proteaceous pollen from the Edmonton Formation, Alberta (Canada) and their paleoecologic significance

The morphological distinctions between the form genera Beaupreaidites and Proteacidites are discussed. Also the genus Beaupreaidites is suitably emended to accommodate proteaceous colpoid pollen with coarse reticulate, retipilate, or verrucose sexine. Three species belonging to Beaupreaidites and three species belonging to Proteacidites are reported from the Edmonton Formation. Two new species are described: Beaupreaidites libitus and Proteacidites auratus. The distribution of proteaceous pollen in Upper Cretaceous strata and their paleoecological significance in the Edmonton Formation are discussed.

Assorted angiosperm pollen from the Edmonton Formation (Maestrichtian), Alberta, Canada

Thirty-three species of angiosperm pollen belonging to 20 form genera are described from the Edmonton Formation (Maestrichtian) of Alberta. Three genera, viz. Nothopollenites, Gunnaripollis, and Marcellopollenites, are formally designated here. Twenty-four species are newly described. The stratigraphic occurrence of individual taxa within the Edmonton Formation is indicated.

Cataract produced by tyrosinase and tyrosine systems in rabbitens in vitro

1. Cataracts were developed by incubating rabbit lenses for 22hr. at 37 degrees in a culture medium containing tyrosine and tyrosinase (EC 1.10.3.1). 2. A 45% diminution in the content of GSH and significant inhibition of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) activity were observed in the cataractous lenses compared with controls. 3. GSSG accumulated in both cataractous and control lenses. Significant amounts of GSSG were transported outward from the cataractous lenses and small amounts from control lenses. 4. Transport of GSSG from rabbit lens incubated in a diffusate of plasma from a naphthalene-fed rabbit was also observed. 5. GSSG was found in the aqueous humour obtained between 2 and 24hr. after feeding of naphthalene to rabbits; subsequently the GSSG in the aqueous humour decreased to almost undetectable amounts in 48hr.; in controls, GSSG was not detectable. 6. A possible mechanism of formation of experimental and senile cataract is briefly discussed.

Eight species of Mancicorpus from the Edmonton Formation (Maestrichtian), Alberta, Canada

Eight species belonging to the genus Mancicorpus are reported from the Edmonton Formation (Maestrichtian) of Alberta, Canada. Five new species are formally described and their holotypes designated.