The surface of Mars: there view from the viking 1 lander.

The first photographs ever returned from the surface of Mars were obtained by two facsimile cameras aboard the Viking 1 lander, including black-and-white and color, 0.12 degrees and 0.04 degrees resolution, and monoscopic and stereoscopic images. The surface, on the western slopes of Chtyse Planitia, is a boulder-strewn deeply reddish desert, with distant eminences-some of which may be the rims of impact craters-surmounted by a pink sky. Both impact and aeolian processes are evident. After dissipation of a small dust cloud stirred by the landing maneuvers, no subsequent signs of movement were detected on the landscape, and nothing has been observed that is indicative of macroscopic biology at this time and place.

Centrosymmetric bilayers in the 0.75 A resolution structure of a designed alpha-helical peptide, D,L-Alpha-1.

We report the 0.75 A crystal structure of a racemic mixture of the 12-residue designed peptide "Alpha-1" (Acetyl-ELLKKLLEELKG), the L-enantiomer of which is described in the accompanying paper. Equivalent solutions of the centrosymmetric bilayers were determined by two direct phasing programs in space groups P1 and P1bar. The unit cell contains two L-alpha-helices and two D-alpha-helices. The columnar-sheet bilayer motif seen in L-Alpha-1 is maintained in the D,L-Alpha-1 structure except that each sheet of head-to-tail helices is composed of one enantiomer and is related to its neighboring sheets by inversion symmetry. Comparison to the L-Alpha-1 structure provides further insight into peptide design. The high resolution and small asymmetric unit allowed building an intricate model (R = 13.1%, Rfree = 14.5%) that incorporates much of the discrete disorder of peptide and solvent. Ethanolamine and 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol (MPD) molecules bind near helix termini. Rigid body analysis identifies sites of restricted displacements and torsions. Side-chain discrete disorder propagates into the backbone of one helix but not the other. Although no side chain in Alpha-1 is rigid, the environments in the crystal restrict some of them to no or only one active torsion.

Absent platelet aggregation with normal fibrinogen binding in basset hound hereditary thrombopathy.

Platelets from dogs with Basset Hound Hereditary Thrombopathy (BHT) initially displayed a thrombasthenia-like aggregation defect but have been shown to have normal amounts of platelet membrane glycoproteins IIb and IIIa (GPIIb-IIIa), and therefore are more accurately described as thrombopathic. The presence of normal quantities of GPIIb-IIIa, however, did not rule out the possibility of a functionally abnormal glycoprotein complex which would be unable to bind radio-labeled fibrinogen. Therefore, fibrinogen binding in BHT platelets was evaluated. Platelets from BHT and normal dogs were activated with 1 x 10(-5) M ADP in the presence of 125I-fibrinogen and the surface-bound radioactivity was quantitated. The amount of fibrinogen bound by BHT dog platelets was not significantly different than that bound by normal dog platelets. Platelets from dogs with BHT bound 30,282 +/- 3,133 and normal dog platelets bound 31,664 +/- 2,772 molecules of fibrinogen per platelet. The quantitatively normal GPIIb-IIIa complex binds fibrinogen in normal amounts and does not seem to represent the abnormality responsible for the aggregation defect in BHT platelets. Therefore, other factors central to normal platelet function and related to platelet aggregation must be considered.

Two-dimensional electrophoretic studies of platelets from dogs affected with basset hound hereditary thrombopathy: a thrombasthenia-like aggregation defect.

Because of a thrombasthenia-like platelet aggregation defect, platelets from dogs affected with Basset Hound Hereditary Thrombopathy were compared to normal control dog platelets by three different techniques in order to assess platelet membrane glycoprotein content. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), two-dimensional nonreduced-reduced electrophoresis (NR-R), and O'Farrell two-dimensional electrophoresis were used for the assays. CIE and NR-R gels detected no differences between affected Basset Hound and control dog platelets. Gels run by the O'Farrell technique detected no differences in glycoprotein/protein content, however, there appear to be several constituents missing from BHT affected dog platelet samples. The missing components appear to be either lipids or sialoglycoproteins as they were detectable by silver staining but not by Coomassie Blue staining.

Abnormal release of storage pool adenine nucleotides from platelets of dogs affected with basset hound hereditary thrombopathy.

Platelets from dogs affected with Basset Hound Hereditary Thrombopathy (BHT), have a thrombasthenia-like aggregation defect but release storage pool ATP in quantities not significantly different from normal controls or BHT heterozygotes when stimulated with 1 X 10(-5)M ADP and 0.22 U/ml thrombin. However, the release occurs so rapidly in the BHT platelets stimulated with ADP that it is complete in approximately one-sixth of the time required for release from normal control and heterozygote platelets. Sequential electron micrographs reveal early release of BHT dense body constituents 30 seconds after stimulation with 1 X 10(-5)M ADP while resting BHT morphology is indistinguishable from normal control animals.

Defective contact activation of platelets from dogs with basset hound hereditary thrombopathy.

Basset Hound Hereditary Thrombopathy (BHT) is an autosomally inherited disorder of platelet function characterized by a thrombasthenia-like defect in aggregation but normal clot retraction. Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa (GP IIb-IIIa) is detectable in BHT platelets but may be functionally defective. In order to further characterize this potential model for human Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, contact reactivity of BHT platelets was studied by whole mount electron microscopy. Gel filtered BHT platelets, after 30 minutes of contact activation, attached poorly to a formvar substrate. There was an 8 fold difference in the number of adherent BHT platelets and normal platelets. In addition, contact induced shape change was inhibited when compared to control dogs. Almost 95% of control platelets reached fully dendritic or spread forms after 30 minutes of contact; in contrast only 63.7% of BHT platelets reached this degree of activation. The addition of 8.2 uM ADP to BHT platelets induced nearly a 4 fold increase in the number of spread forms and a 5 fold increase in the number of adherent BHT platelets, but did not cause aggregate formation. Both the defect in adhesion and shape change and the ability of ADP to stimulate both adhesion and contact-induced shape change in BHT platelets are similar to recent observations in our laboratory in patient's with type II Glanzmann's thrombasthenia.

Aggregation of killer whale platelets.

The aggregation of blood platelets is a crucial step in normal hemostasis for all mammals. Circulating platelets are sensitive to a large variety of physiologic and non-physiologic stimulants, some of which are formed or exposed in conjunction with vascular damage or endothelial cell denudation. In addition, drastic pressure changes activate human platelets. Killer whale platelet function, on the other hand, is very intriguing since these animals do not seem to experience untoward platelet reactions during or after diving to great depths, nor do they experience abnormal bleeding associated with sub optimal platelet function. We examined this concept and determined that killer whale platelets, in response to ADP, PAF, and arachidonic acid, appeared to aggregate normally during the first 2-5 minutes after addition of the agonist, but had completely disaggregated at 10 minutes. Collagen- and A23187-induced aggregation appeared normal and complete within 10 minutes, while there was no response to epinephrine or ristocetin. Thromboxane production by killer whale platelets appears to be quantitatively similar to that produced by human platelets in response to ADP and PAF and exceeded that produced by human platelets when collagen was used as the agonist. In summary, this study reports a reduced platelet aggregation reaction in killer whales in response to several platelet agonists which does not appear to be related to the generation of thromboxane. This phenomenon may serve a protective role in these mammals by preventing thrombosis during diving and resurfacing.

Levels of leakage radiation from electron collimators of a linear accelerator.

The leakage radiation from electron applicators used with our linear accelerator has been measured. For the applicators 6 X 6 to 25 X 25 cm size, the leakage was measured in the plane of the patient and on the sides of the applicators with the available electron energies of 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 MeV. The levels were significant. The highest leakage on the side was for the combination of 6 X 6-cm applicator and 9-MeV electrons (32%) and in the plane of the patient for 25 X 25-cm applicator with 18 MeV (10%) relative to the peak dose. Adding lead 1-2 mm, at appropriate locations inside the applicators has reduced the leakages to acceptable levels without affecting the beam parameters.

A comparison of human and killer whale platelet fatty acid composition.

Activation of blood platelets and their subsequent aggregation results from the interactions of several complex metabolic pathways. Considered to be of critical importance are the platelet lipids. Subsequent to platelet activation, several membrane lipids undergo hydrolysis and the free fatty acids are metabolized to prostanoids which mediate platelet function in response to vascular injury. It is conceivable then, that differences in platelet membrane fatty acid content could result in significant differences in platelet responses to aggregatory stimuli, especially between species. The objective of this study was to identify specific differences in fatty acid content between human and killer whale platelets. Blood was collected, washed platelets were prepared, and platelet fatty acids were extracted. Methyl esters of the extracted fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography and reported as relative concentrations. Analysis of the data revealed significant differences between the two species for several relevant fatty acids, i.e. 16:0 (P < 0.05), and 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, and 20:4 (P < 0.001). The differences in platelet fatty acid composition and concentration may explain at least some of the differences in platelet function which have previously been identified between these species.

Prolonged bleeding time in Aleutian mink associated with a cyclo-oxygenase-independent aggregation defect and nucleotide deficit in blood platelets.

A prolonged mean template bleeding time of 13 minutes was present in nine Aleutian mink affected with Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) compared with 4 minutes in dark control mink. The concentrations of blood platelets in normal and affected animals did not differ significantly. However, in mink with CHS, a marked disturbance of platelet response to collagen was present. Administration of aspirin and indomethacin completely blocked CH platelet response to collagen. Blood platelet adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate values from mink with CHS were significantly less than those of normal mink, and the platelet adenosine triphosphate/adenosine diphosphate ratios were 10.31 in affected mink and 2.74 in normal mink. These findings are consistent with our previous investigations in affectd cattle and persons and indicate that a "storage pool disease" of platelets exist in the mink with CHS.

Genetic disorders affecting reproduction and periparturient care.

There are numerous genetic diseases influencing reproduction and periparturient care in dogs including such disorders as anasarca, cleft palate, swimmers, congenital heart disease, and the various conditions that cause excessive bleeding. It is probable that all breeds of dogs are at risk for these or other traits that influence whelping and neonatal care. Therefore, genetic counseling should be considered as an important aspect of prenatal and pediatric veterinary medicine.

Active microelectronic neurosensor arrays for implantable brain communication interfaces.

We have built a wireless implantable microelectronic device for transmitting cortical signals transcutaneously. The device is aimed at interfacing a cortical microelectrode array to an external computer for neural control applications. Our implantable microsystem enables 16-channel broadband neural recording in a nonhuman primate brain by converting these signals to a digital stream of infrared light pulses for transmission through the skin. The implantable unit employs a flexible polymer substrate onto which we have integrated ultra-low power amplification with analog multiplexing, an analog-to-digital converter, a low power digital controller chip, and infrared telemetry. The scalable 16-channel microsystem can employ any of several modalities of power supply, including radio frequency by induction, or infrared light via photovoltaic conversion. As of the time of this report, the implant has been tested as a subchronic unit in nonhuman primates ( approximately 1 month), yielding robust spike and broadband neural data on all available channels.

A comparison of human and porcine platelet fatty acid composition.

1. Human and pig platelets were analyzed for lipid composition by gas chromatography. 2. In comparing the two species' platelets, we noted significant differences in several lipid concentrations, some of which involved major lipid constituents. 3. The lipids for which there are significant differences in composition may contribute to those variations in platelet responses to stimulation demonstrated to exist between species.

A comparison of human and canine platelet fatty acid composition.

1. Human and canine platelets were analysed for lipid composition by gas chromatography. 2. In comparing the two species' platelets, there were several lipids for which there were significant differences in lipid concentration. 3. The results indicate that human and canine platelets are quite similar in platelet lipid composition; however, the lipids for which there are significant differences may contribute to variations between species in platelet responses to stimulation.

Characterization and crystallization of recombinant pea cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase.

An Escherichia coli expression system has been developed for pea cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (APX). The enzyme was expressed as a fusion product with the E. coli maltose-binding protein for rapid, affinity chromatography purification. Recombinant ascorbate peroxidase (rAPX) was purified by tryptic digestion to separate the maltose-binding protein from rAPX followed by three chromatographic steps. The purified rAPX protein demonstrated identical electrophoretic, enzymatic, and spectral properties when compared to native APX isolated from pea shoots. Upon addition of an equal molar amount of H2O2, rAPX exhibits an initial decrease in the Soret maximum, which slowly converts to a stable, red-shifted Soret peak similar to that observed for cytochrome c peroxidase Compound I, indicating that rAPX Compound I consists of an oxyferryl (Fe(4+)-O) center. rAPX has been crystallized in a form suitable for crystal structure determination, and a preliminary set of native data to 2.6 A have been collected.

Crystal structure of recombinant pea cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase.

The crystal structure of recombinant pea cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase has been refined to an R = 0.19 for data between 8.0 and 2.2 A resolution and magnitude of F > or = 2 sigma(magnitude of F). The refined model consists of four ascorbate peroxidase monomers consisting of 249 residues per monomer assembled into two homodimers, with one heme group per monomer. The ascorbate peroxidase model confirms that the pea cytosolic enzyme is a noncovalent homodimer held together by a series of ionic interactions arranged around the 2-fold noncrystallographic dimer axis. As expected from the high level of sequence identity (33%), the overall fold of the ascorbate peroxidase monomer closely resembles that of cytochrome c peroxidase. The average root mean square differences for 137 helical alpha-carbon atoms between the four ascorbate peroxidase monomers and cytochrome c peroxidase and for 249 topologically equivalent alpha-carbon atoms are 0.9 and 1.3 A, respectively. The active site structures are also the same, including the hydrogen-bonding interactions between the proximal His ligand, a buried Asp residue, and a Trp residue, whose indole ring is parallel to and in contact with the proximal His ligand just under the heme ring. This proximal Trp residue is thought to be the site of free radical formation in cytochrome c peroxidase compound I and is also essential for enzyme activity. The corresponding Trp in ascorbate peroxidase, Trp179, occupies exactly the same position. The most interesting, and possibly functionally important, difference between the two peroxidases is the presence of a cation binding site in ascorbate peroxidase located approximately 8 A from the alpha-carbon atom of Trp179.