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The total alkaloid content and individual alkaloid composition were determined by colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively, for Canadian rye ergot sclerotia. The total alkaloid content was highly variable between sclerotia from the same head, field, or region and ranged from 0.011 to 0.452% (av. 0.249%). Levels were lowest in ergot from Prince Edward Island. The individual alkaloid composition was uniform throughout a single sclerotium or in different sclerotia from the same head, somewhat uniform for averages in different fields throughout a region, but highly variable from head to head in a given field. On a regional basis, ergotamine followed by ergocristine were the major alkaloids observed in the east whereas the order was reversed in the west. Ergometrine, ergosine, ergocornine, and ergocryptine were also observed to a lesser degree; ergostine was not observed. Isomerization of ergometrine increased from near 0% in the east to about 40% in the west, but was relatively constant (about 30%) for the peptide alkaloids in all regions.

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The first measurements of the transverse momenta {pr) of heavy projectile fragments produced by fragmentation of 1.2-GeV/nucleon La are presented. The momentum distributions of the fragments (Z = 26-56) are Gaussians and broader than predicted by models based on internal momenta of the projectile nucleons. The larger pr observed do not appear to be due solely to Coulomb effects, but are consistent with a simple model whereby nucleons from the (hot) overlap region recoil collectively into the (colder) projectile fragments. Thus pr and the fragment mass may provide a good indication of the vector impact parameter b. PACS numbers: 25.70.NpThere is considerable interest in the hydrodynamic behavior of nuclear matter in violent collisions of relativistic nuclei (RNC). At these energies the colliding nuclei interpenetrate with a velocity larger than the soundpropagation velocity in the nuclear medium. The result is shock compression and heating in the overlap region of the colliding nuclei. x " % In the language of the abrasion-ablation model 9 the overlap region of the abrasion stage is called the participant region, while the remainder of the projectile and target are called spectators. It is believed that the latter receive relatively little momentum in the collision, and that fragment momentum distributions are due largely to internal nucleon momenta. 10 This appeared to be the case in the fragmentation of 12 C and 16 0 at similar energies. n In the experiment reported here we find larger transverse momenta of the fragments than is expected on the basis of internal momenta.Signatures of high compression and collective stopping in RNC are very important. In this regard the transfer of energy from longitudinal to transverse motion and the subsequent (sideways) emission of nuclear matter following compression was one of the first predictions of hydrodynamic calculations. 1 " 7 Early emulsion data 8 and later scintillator array data 12 showed sideways emission of light particles, which was interpreted as evidence for outflow.More complete evidence for shock effects and apparent matter flow in RNC has come from recent global event analyses of light particles emitted into the nearly 4n Plastic Ball/Wall 13 and streamer chamber 14 detectors at the LBL Bevalac. It is found 13 that the mean flow angle increases with event multiplicity and that light particles of near beam rapidity have p' x (pr projected into the reaction plane) per nucleon in the range 0-200 MeV/c. The latter is taken as an indication of projectile fragment "bounceoff." Recent emulsion experiments 15 also detected collective flow. Calculations based on a nuclearfluid (hydrodynamical) model predict the flow-angle data quite well. 16 Microscopic calculations 17 also produce net side splash, and a more recent calculation 18 gives a good fit to flow-angle data. 13 We present here the first measurements of transverse momenta of heavy fragments in RNC. These were produced by the fragmentation of 1.2-GeV/nucleon 139 La nuclei from the Bevalac incident on carbon t...

Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of the Charlevoix Saguenay (ARSACS), is caused by loss of function mutations in the SACS gene, which encodes sacsin, a giant protein of 520 kDa. A key feature of the absence of sacsin in cells is the formation of abnormal bundles of intermediate filaments (IF) including neurofilaments (NF) in neurons and vimentin IF in fibroblasts, suggesting a role of sacsin in IF homeostasis. Sacsin contains a J domain (SacsJ) homologous to Hsp40, that can interact with Hsp70 chaperones. The SacsJ domain resolved NF bundles in cultured Sacs-/- neurons, however, its mechanism is still unclear. Here, we focused on the role of SacsJ in NF assembly. We report that the SacsJ domain directly interacts with NF proteins in vitro to disassemble NFL filaments, and to inhibit their initial assembly, in the absence of Hsp70. We generated a cell-penetrating peptide derived from this domain, SacsJ-myc-TAT, which was efficient in disassembling both vimentin IF and NF in cultured fibroblasts and Sacs+/+ motor neurons as well as NF bundles in cultured Sacs-/- motor neurons. Whereas a normal NF network was restored in Sacs-/- neurons treated with the SacsJ peptide, there was some loss of IF networks in Sacs+/+ fibroblasts or neurons. These results suggest that SacsJ is a key regulator of NF and IF networks in cells, with implications for its therapeutic use.