Rôle of the nucleus in the maintenance of the protein level in the algaAcetabularia mediterranea

Riassunto Sono state studiate le variazioni del rapporto tra l'N proteico e non proteico in segmenti rigeneranti, nucleati ed anucleati, diAcetabul. medit. I risultati ottenuti hanno dimostrato che il predetto rapporto aumenta in entrambi i segmenti il primo giorno dopo l'operazione. Nei giorni seguenti esso diminuisce in entrambi i segmenti, ma più sensibilmente in quelli anucleati, nei quali va al di sotto del valore medio delle alghe normali già dopo il 3°–4° giorno.     

Some relationships between the pancreatic β-cells and the metabolism of the epiphyseal cartilage

Riassunto È stato studiato il contenuto di ATP nella cartilagine epifisaria di giovani ratti diabetici per allossana. Il deficit insulinico da diabete allossanico provoca, oltre ad arresto dell'accrescimento scheletrico, una diminuzione della concentrazione di ATP nella cartilagine di coniugazione. Il significato biologico di questo risultato è messo in relazione col meccanismo d'azione dell'insulina e con l'importanza dell'ATP nel processo di ossificazione encondrale.     

Some relationships between the pancreatic β-cells and the metabolism of the epiphyseal cartilage

Riassunto Studiando il meccanismo biochimico con cui la insulina controlla il processo di osteogenesi, si è stabilito che in condizioni di deficit insulinico (diabete allossanico) esiste nel ratto accanto ad un arresto dell'accrescimento scheletrico, una notevole riduzione dell'attività cocarbossilasica nella cartilagine epifisaria. Si conclude che nella cartilagine di coniugazione ATP e cocarbossilasi sono strettamente interdipendenti per quanto riguarda la loro biosintesi; inoltre che il loro normale metabolismo è indispensabile al normale svolgersi del processo di osteogenesi.     

Does the moon influence the predatory activity of mites?

Periodicity in predatory activity was observed in overwintered females ofTyphlodromus pyri Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Chronobiometrical analysis revealed that an approximately circabiseptan (about-14-day) rhythm is statistically significant, with a striking depression around the full moon.     

Does the ectodermal proctodaeum participate in the development of the pronephric duct in urodele amphibia?

Zusammenfassung Vom ektodermalen Proctodaeum wächst ein kleiner Divertikel dem Vornierengang entgegen und vereinigt sich mit dessen kaudalem Ende. Einen weiteren Anteil hat das Proctodaeum an der Bildung des Vornierenganges nicht. Zugleich mit dem Proctodaeum invaginiert Material für den Mesonephros, das sich in Zellgruppen entlang dem hinteren Ende des Vornierenganges lagert.     

Crossing the Olentangy River: The Figure of the Earth and the Military-Industrial-Academic-Complex, 1947–1972

This paper explores the history of a unique assemblage of researchers in the geodetic and allied sciences organised at Ohio State University (OSU) in 1947 at the beginning of the Cold War. From about 1950 to 1970, the OSU geodetic sciences group was the most significant group of geodetic researchers in the world. Funded almost entirely by military and intelligence agencies, they pioneered the technologies, organised the research initiatives, ordered the data sets, and trained the generation of geodesists who eventually created the Cold War Figure of the Earth to both prosecute and prevent global nuclear war. They devised elaborate mechanisms to pursue in secrecy and isolation research that had hitherto been performed collaboratively and globally. They invented methods to maintain professional associations and protocols, both to distribute—and disguise—the fruits of their geodetic research. In accomplishing this, their work also undermined the basic hypothesis of isostasy that had been foundational to geodesy for the previous century.Fundamental progress in the geosciences and military and intelligence directives were inextricably linked during the Cold War, although the extent of their convergence has been masked by the security protocols organised to disguise it. With the declassification of key programmes underway, it is now both possible and necessary to substantially revise the history of Cold War-era geosciences and their associated technologies.     

The motion of the moon in the Romaka Siddhānta

Summary Formulae are fitted to the different sets of values, given by the translators, for the equation of centre for the motion of the moon according to the Romaka Siddhnta, as found in the Pañcasiddhntik of Varha Mihira.     

Observations on the nucleic acids during the development of the lethal hybridTriton palmatus ♀ ×Salamandra atra ♂

Zusammenfassung Der Gehalt an Ribonukleinsäure und Desoxyribonukleinsäure der normalen Tritoneier (T.palmatus) und der letalen Bastardeier (T.palmatus ×S.atra ) wurde im Morula-, Blastula- und Gastrulastadium mikrophotometriert. Bei normalen Eiern wurde keine wesentliche Änderung des Ribonukleinsäuregehaltes festgestellt. Hingegen nahm die Konzentration der Desoxyribonukleinsäure von der späten Morula bis zur mittleren Blastula deutlich zu und zeigte dann bis zum Gastrulastadium nur geringe Zunahme.Während der Furchung ist der Nukleinsäurengehalt der Bastardeier normal. Die mittlere Blastula (kritische Phase: etwa 24 h bei 18°C) ist aber gegenüber den Kontrollkeimen bedeutend ärmer an beiden Nukleinsäuren. Eine leichte Zunahme der Desoxyribonukleinsäure vor der kritischen Phase, ohne jedoch die Konzentration eines normalen Eies zu erreichen, wurde beobachtet. Die entwicklungsphysiologische Deutung der vorliegenden Befunde wird diskutiert.

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This work was supported by a grant from the Karl-Hescheler-Stiftung.     

Metabolism in porifera VI. Role of the 5,6 double bond and the fate of the C-4 of cholesterol during the conversion into 3β-hydroxymethyl-A-nor-5α-steranes in the spongeAxinella verrucosa

Summary During the conversion of cholesterol into 3 -hydroxymethyl-A-nor-5-cholestane by the spongeAxinella verrucosa, the carbon-3 of this latter originate from carbon-4 of cholesterol. Cholestanol moreover does not seem an intermediate in this conversion.     

Histochemistry of the so-called ‘golgi complex’ in the mammalian spermatid

Résumé L'examen histochimique des spermatides du bouc et du buffle montre que le «complexe de Golgi» des auteurs comprend l'idiosome constitué par des protéides et des lipidoprotéides, les bâtonnets et granules constitués par des phospholipides et peut-être des protéides et enfin les vacuoles.     

Influence of cyproterone acetate on the activity ofβ-glucuronidase in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex of the male mouse

Summary Daily s.c. injections of cyproterone acetate greatly decrease the protein content and-glucuronidase activity in the mouse hypothalamus. These effects are reversible and the recovery capacity of the animal seems to be inversely related to the duration of antiandrogenic treatment.Financial aid was given by CNR (finalized project Biologia della Riproduzione) and Ministry of Education. Thanks are also due to Prof. G. Chieffi for suggestions and to Mr R. Auriemma for maintenance of experimental animals.     

Isotope effect studies on the dehydrogenation of Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol in the rat

Summary Isotope effect studies on the metabolic dehydrogenation of ¹-tetrahydrocannabinol in rats are described and its is shown that this process is confined to a very short period following i.v. administration. The implications of this finding are discussed.The authors are grateful for generous fifts of³H-¹-THC from Dr S. Burstein (Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Massachusetts), and of¹⁴C-¹-THC from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The authors thank the staff of the Small Animal Unit, Wallaceville Research Centre for their cooperation, and the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse for their support.     

The effect of γ-irradiation on the amount of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the gut and spleen in the early phase after irradiation

Résumé 24 et 48 h après irradiation- (900 r) la quantité de 5-hydroxytryptamine dans l'intestin du rat n'a pas changé de manière significative. La quantité de 5-hydroxytryptamine dans la rate du rat, exprimée par g de tissu frais a augmenté. Le prétraitement avec de la cystéamine abaisse nettement la quantité de 5-hydroxytryptamine dans la rate, après l'irradiation.     

Quantitative investigation of the P and N loss in the rat liver when using various media in the ‘freeze-substitution’ technique

Résumé Les auteurs ont examiné les possibilités de diminution du contenu en azote et phosphore et de la masse sèche au cours de la congelation-dissolution des tissus. La diminution la plus marquée a été observée après l'usage de méthanol. Tandis qu'avec l'acétone elle est insignifiante.     

Unraveling the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease – the contribution of monogenic forms

The field of Parkinsons disease pathogenesis is rapidly evolving from the one of a monolithic and obscure entity into the one of a complex scenario with several known molecular players. The ongoing systematic exploration of the genome holds great promise for the identification of the genetic factors conferring susceptibility to the common non-Mendelian forms of this disease. However, most of the progress of the last 5 years has come from the successful mapping and cloning of genes responsible for rare Mendelian variants of Parkinsons disease. These discoveries are providing tremendous help in understanding the molecular mechanisms of this devastating disease. Here we review the genetics of the monogenic forms of Parkinsons disease. Moreover, we focus on the mechanisms of disease caused by -synuclein and parkin mutations, and the implications of this growing body of knowledge for understanding the pathogenesis of the common forms of the disease. Received 10 March 2004; received after revision 26 April 2004; accepted 29 April 2004     

New C26 δ-lactones from the Dufour's gland of the urticating antTetramorium aculeatum

(6R^*)-{(2S^*)-2-hydroxyheneicos-12-enyl}-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one (1)^o is the major constituent of the secretion of freshly dissected Dufour's gland of the urticating antTetramorium aculeatum. In solution, compound 1 is slowly transformed into (1S^*, 5R^*, 7S^*)-7-(nonadec-10-enyl)-2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one (2)^o on standing. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 have been established on the basis of their spectral and chemical properties. Compound 1 could be responsible for the urticating properties of the ant.^o IUPAC numbering.