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L Margulies

Publications and source records attributed to L Margulies.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Iron-montmorillonite: a spectral analog of Martian soil.

Light absorption and reflectance by smectite clays containing various adsorbed ions were measured in the UV, VIS, and NIR ranges and compared to Martian dust and surface soil spectra. Structural iron in the octahedral sheet of smectites is responsible for a characteristic absorption feature in the UV at 240-260 nm, resulting from an O2 --> Fe3+ charge transfer that is similar to one observed in the Martian spectrum. Adsorbed iron affects, via crystal field absorptions, the reflectance of montmorillonite in the VIS and NIR (to 1.3 micrometers), causing stronger absorption and higher opacity in the wavelength range 0.4-0.6 micrometer, without developing any specific pronounced absorption feature. In both general appearance and presence of, or lack of, spectral features, the iron-montmorillonite reflectance spectra in the VIS and NIR are similar to the Martian spectra. At present, however, spectral similarity cannot be used as the sole criterion for constraining Martian mineralogy since several other minerals, other than Fe-smectites, show sufficient similitude to the Martian spectra; other properties have to be explored and combined to obtain a definitive identification.

Bentonite↗

pH profile of the adsorption of nucleotides onto montmorillonite. II. Adsorption and desorption of 5'-AMP in iron-calcium montmorillonite systems.

The interaction of 5'-AMP with montmorillonite saturated with various ratios of two metals found ubiquitously on the surface of Earth, that is, iron and calcium, is investigated. Adsorption and desorption of the nucleotide were studied in the pH range of 2-12 at three levels of addition: 0.080, 0.268 and 0.803 mmole 5'-AMP per gram of clay. Two desorption stages were employed--H2O wash and NaOH extraction (pH = 12.0). 5'-AMP was preferentially adsorbed on the Fe-containing clays relative to the Ca clay. The nucleotide was fully recovered by the two desorption stages, mostly by the NaOH extraction. The evidence at hand indicates that 5'-AMP reaction with clay is affected by electrostatic interactions involving both attraction and repulsion forces. Some specific adsorption, possibly the result of covalent bonding and complex formation with the adsorbed ion, cannot be ruled out for iron but does not appear to operate for calcium. Changes in pH cause varying degrees of attraction and repulsion of 5'-AMP and may have been operating on the primitive Earth, leading to sequences of adsorption and release of this biomolecule.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Structure and expression of two beta genes in a beta thalassemia homozygote.

Two beta globin gene alleles have been cloned and characterized from a patient with beta + thalassemia. Both beta genes have single base mutations in the small intervening sequence (IVS 1); one 6 nucleotides and the other 110 nucleotides from the 5' end of IVS 1. Both genes lead to abnormal splicing of beta globin mRNA precursors when expressed in HeLa cells. Despite the fact that both alleles produce some normal beta globin mRNA transcripts, the patient has clinically severe beta + thalassemia (Cooley's anemia).

Base Sequence↗

Apurinic endonuclease activity remains constant during early Drosophila development.

An endonuclease activity that acts on alkali-labile lesions in x-irradiated PM2 DNA and recognizes apurinic lesions in heat/acid treated DNA has been partially purified from Drosophila melanogaster embryos and its specific activity monitored throughout early development. The enzyme activity also showed a low level of activity on UV-irradiated DNA. The saturation kinetics observed with both x-irradiated and apurinic PM2 DNA substrates were similar. The endonuclease activity exhibited a broad pH optimum between pH 6 and 8.5 and was almost completely inhibited by 100 mM NaCl, 0.1 mM EDTA, 2 mM CaCl2 and 10 mM NEM. The reaction was not completely dependent on the presence of Mg++cation, but optimum activity was obtained at a concentration of 0.1 mM; concentrations greater than 1 mM Mg++ were inhibitory. The specific activity of the apurinic endonuclease, partially purified from several stages of embryonic and early larval development, remained the same. Unfertilized eggs exhibited a reduced level of this presumptive repair activity.

Animals↗

Asymmetric transcription during post-germinative development of Bacillus subtilis spores.

The relative transcription from L and H strands of Bacillus subtilis DNA during consecutive stages of spore outgrowth was determined and compared to the transcription pattern during log-phase growth of vegetative cells. Pulses of [3H] uridine were administered during early, middle and late outgrowth phases of germination and the RNAs isolated. The asymmetry ratio of H/L as determined by hybridization at saturating RNA/DNA inputs showed a gradual decrease. During the period studied (10-90 and 90-160 min post-induction), about 50 and 35%, respectively, of the radioactive RNA consisted of ribosomal RNA transcripts. The decrease in the H/L asymmetry ratio was due predominantly to the appearance and accumulation of L strand transcripts and not to either changes in the quantity of H strand transcripts nor to fluctuation in the rate of rRNA synthesis.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Asymmetric transcription during post-germinative development of Bacillus subtilis spores. II. Hybrid competition analyses.

Hybrid-competition analyses were done to estimate the relatedness of 3H-labeled mRNA species synthesized during spore germination and log-phase growth. The competitions showed that early in the germination process 10--15 and 1--3% of the RNA transcribed from the H and from the L strand, respectively, were unique and absent during log-phase growth. At later stages, the amounts of the germination-specific H transcripts decreased more rapidly than the L transcripts. The competitions with pulse-labeled log-phase RNAs showed that vegetative genes were transcribed more rapidly from the H strand than from the L strand. Most of the results could be correlated with the observed decrease in the H/L asymmetry ration during spore germination.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Effect of protein A on the antistaphylococcal defence mechanisms of the murine lung.

The importance of IgG attached to protein A in the initial reaction of inspired Staphylococcus aureus and alveolar macrophages was studied by infecting unimmunized mice with aerosols of S. aureus strains 566 and Wood 46 with high and low protein A content. At 2, 4, and 8 hr after infection, the presence of IgG attached to S. aureus and rates of staphylococcal ingestion and killing by macrophages were determined. IgG was detected by staining of sections of the right lung with fluorescein-labeled goat antibody to mouse IgG. For S. aureus strain 566, 25%--40% of the total number of bacteria, as determined in equivalently sized subjacent sections stained by the Brown and Brenn tissue gram stain, contained attached IgG. A few S. aureus strain Wood 46 were surrounded by dimly fluorescing complexes. Since rates of bacterial ingestion and killing were similar for both strains in this in vivo model of infection, IgG binding to protein A does not affect the bactericidal capacity of alveolar macrophages.

Animals↗

A DNA polymerase from embryos of Drosophila melanogaster. Purification and properties.

The more than 2,300-fold purification of a DNA polymerase from the embryos of Drosophila melanogaster is described. The enzyme, which forms a single band on gel electrophoresis, has a molecular weight of about 87,000 and a pH optimum of 8.5. A divalent metal is required for activity, Mg2+ being preferred with activated DNA, Mn2+ with homopolymer template-primers. The enzyme is inactivated completely by mercurials; polyamines are also inhibitory with certain templates. The most efficient template-primer is activated DNA, but homopolymers such as poly(dA)-oligo(dT), poly(A)-oligo(dT), and poly(A)-oligo(U) are also utilized with high efficiency. The purified enzyme preparations appear to be devoid of nuclease activity when assayed directly with suitable substrates. In addition, neither primer nor product is degraded after prolonged incubation with the enzyme. In accordance with previous observations on other DNA polymerases, the Drosophila enzyme can replicate single-stranded DNA only under conditions of simultaneous transcription by RNA polymerase.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

Survey of DNA polymerase activity during the early development of Drosophila melanogaster.

The pattern of DNA polymerase activity in developing Drosophila melanogaster has been studied in seven stages of embryonic development as well as in unfertilized eggs. The crude polymerase-containing extracts, most likely of cytoplasmic origin, utilize, in the following order of decreasing template efficiency, "activated" calfthymus DNA, poly(A).oligo(dT), and poly(A).oligo(U). The highest enzymes levels occur in unfertilized eggs; the activity remains high during the first 9 hr of embryogenesis, but shows a progressive decline in the later stages. Deoxyribonuclease exhibits a similar trend. The unfertilized eggs of two genotypically different females had nearly identical levels of DNA polymerase.

Animals↗

Asymmetric template function of microbial deoxyribonucleic acids: transcription of messenger ribonucleic acid.

In Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, pulse-labeled ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesized during step-down growth hybridized preferentially with the heavy (H) strand of methylated albumin-Kieselguhr-fractionated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). At high RNA inputs, the ratio of RNA hybridized with the H strand to that hybridized with the light (L) strand was 8.7 for B. subtilis and 2.0 for E. coli. At high DNA inputs, the H/L hybridization ratio increased by a factor of two. This change in the hybridization ratio was attributable to the fraction of the pulse-labeled RNA which is in stable RNA components. The hybridization peak of pulse-labeled RNA was specifically located in the late-eluting region of the absorbance profile of the H strand. This region was considered to represent the most actively transcribing H strand templates.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Asymmetric template function of microbial deoxyribonucleic acids: transcription of ribosomal and soluble ribonucleic acids.

In Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, 16 and 23S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) hybridize exclusively with the heavy (H) strand of methylated albuminkieselguhr (MAK)-fractionated complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strands. All the soluble RNA (4S RNA) in B. subtilis and 66 to 75% of the 4S RNA in E. coli also hybridize with the H strand. Interspecific hybridization shows that E. coli 23S rRNA also binds selectively to the DNA H strand of Salmonella typhimurium. The hybridization peak for all three cellular RNA components is specifically located in the late-eluting region of the absorbance profile of the DNA H strand. The early-eluting region of the light (L) strand preferentially inhibits the hybridization between the peak region of the H strand and 23S rRNA. These regions are considered to represent the transcribing sequences and their complements for 23S rRNA in the separated H and L strands of DNA, respectively.

Albumins↗

Measurements of electromagnetic fields radiated from communication equipment and of environmental electromagnetic noise: impact on the use of communication equipment within the hospital.

The increasing use of all types of cellular telephones requires the formulation of new standards to ensure the immunity of electronic medical equipment to electromagnetic radiation. It will be many years before all hospital medical equipment conforms to new and higher standards. Until that time, the medical, security, maintenance, and other staff will need to be ever vigilant regarding restrictions on the use of wireless equipment within the hospital, to prevent potential danger to the lives of the patients. A comprehensive hospital policy must be formulated to reduce risks to patients from equipment susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Such an aim should address the following needs: To devise a uniform policy for the instruction of hospital staff, visitors, and patients, thereby reducing confusion regarding the use of cellular telephones, beepers, and portable transceivers. To implement a policy that avoids unwarranted restrictions but does not ignore statistical evidence regarding potential EMI problems. To allow comparison, with other clinical facilities, of the benefits derived from such a policy.

Electric Power Supplies↗