Nematicidal activity of secondary and tertiary alkyl amides and amines

Summary Several C₁₁ to C₁₅ amides and amines that disrupt growth in certain insects showed high nematicidal activity in direct contact tests. Two amides and 9 amines killedPanagrellus at 5–10 ppm. Of these, 1 amide and 3 amines killedMeloidogyne larvae at 20 ppm.Nematology Laboratory.Insect Physiology Laboratory.     

A new method for the reduction of amides with zinc-ethanol

Summary The reaction of Vilsmeier complexes of primary, secondary and tertiary amides with zinc-ethanol affords the corresponding amines in high yields.     

Identification of catecholamines and serotonin in the notochords of chick embryos]

The neurotransmitter amines, norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonine have been isolated from Chick notochords. Cholinergic agents produce important modifications in the amount of these amines and of one of their metabolites. The results demonstrate the presence, at a very early stage of development, between the second and the third day of incubation, of biogenic amines and cholinergic receptors.     

Synthesis and some characteristics of [13C]-specially enriched tetragastrin and the related compound

[13C]-enriched tetragastrin and the related compound were synthesized in solution. Conversion of S-[13C]methylated tetragastrin to the enriched tetragastrin gave 10.5 ppm upfield chemical shift of Cepsilon resonance. The potency of the synthetic tetragastrin to stimulate gastric acid secretion was virtually identical with that of pentagastrin (ICI).     

Inhibition of steroidogenic activity in the adrenal cortex of rats fed benzene hexachloride (hexachlorocyclohexane)

Summary Feeding various dosages of benzene hexachloride (100, 250, 750 and 1500 ppm) in the diet to weanling male albino rats for 90 days resulted in marked hypertrophy of the adrenals with large, vacuolated cells in the cortex at 750 and 1500 ppm. Accumulation of cholesterol-positive lipids and marked reduction in the activities of steroidogenic enzymes such as ⁵ 3 HSDH, 11 HSDH, G-6-PDH and SDH were seen using histochemical methods in the adrenal cortex of rats fed 750 and 1500 ppm. The results are suggestive of steroidogenic inhibition at 750 and 1500 ppm of dietary BHC while 100 and 250 ppm did not produce any discernible changes in the adrenal cortex.Acknowledgments. The authors thank Dr Muralidhara, H.P. Ramesh and K. Nanjundiah for their help and Prof. H.B. Devaraj Sarkar, Department of Zoology, University of Mysore, for providing us facilities for histochemical work. We are grateful to Sri C.P. Natarajan, for his keen interest in this investigation.     

Macrophage origin of platelet activating factor]

Platelet-activating factor (P.A.F.) is a mediator of anaphylaxis released from human and Rabbit basophils which causes aggregation of platelets and release of their vasoactive amines. We have induced the release of P.A.F. from Rat peritoneal cells (P.C.) with ionophore A 23187. After fractionation of P.C. on 5-15% Ficoll gradients, P.A.F. was obtained from macrophage-rich but not from mastocyte-rich fractions and from adherent cells but not from non adherent cells. These data suggest an important new function for the macrophage: aggregation of platelets and release of their vasoactive amines and others mediators of inflammation.     

Pharmacological actions of 4-hydroxytryptamine and 4-hydroxytryptophan

Riassunto 5-HT e 5-HTP da una parte e 4-HT e 4-HTP dall'altra posseggono su tutti i numerosi reattivi saggiati effetti farmacologici similari i che in generale sono meno intensi ma più duraturi per i derivati 4-idrossiindolici.

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The amines and amino acids used in the present investigation were synthetized at the Farmitalia S. p. A. Research Laboratories, Milan, by Dr.C. Pasini andV. Coló.     

Effect of Corynebacterium parvum on serum lysozyme (muramidase) levels (author's transl)]

An i.v. injection of 548 microgram of killed Corynebacterium parvum into C57B1 mice leads to significant changes in serum lysozyme (muramidase) levels. After an initial fall at 24 h, the activity of the enzyme increased progressively, reached a peak on the 9th day and returned to control range after the 15th day.     

Heat shock enhances thermotolerance of infective juvenile insect-parasitic nematodesHeterorhabditis bacteriophora (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae)

Insect-parasitic nematodes possess many of the attributes of ideal biological control agents, but intolerance to extreme temperatures can restrict their use. We examined whether heat-shock treatments could improve nematode survival and infectivity at temperatures that normally inhibit their activity (35 and 40°C). Nematodes exposed to a sub-lethal temperature (35°C) for 3 h with a latency period of 1–2 h at 25°C killed insects at 35 and 40°C. Correlative evidence was obtained between increased thermotolerance and the synthesis of 70-kDa heat-shock proteins (hsps). These results provide the first evidence of hsp synthesis in the development of thermotolerance and biological activity in the non-feeding, developmentally arrested, infective juvenile nematodes.     

Changes in brain dopamine levels and aggressive behavior with aging in 2 mouse strains

The genetic programming of brain monoamine changes with aging show remarkable differences in 2 mouse strains. A marked increase in dopamine occurred in 32-week-old grouped ICR mice and the males showed intense irritability and aggressive behavior. Brain amines changed only slightly in old C57BL6J mice and behavior remained benign. Old females showed similar amine changes but aggresive behavior did not occur in either strain.     

Changes in brain dopamine levels and aggressive behavior with aging in 2 mouse strains

Summary The genetic programming of brain monoamine changes with aging show remarkable differences in 2 mouse strains. A marked increase in dopamine occurred in 32-week-old grouped ICR mice and the males showed intense irritability and aggressive behavior. Brain amines changed only slightly in old C57BL6J mice and behavior remained benign. Old females showed similar amine changes but aggressive behavior did not occur in either strain.     

Untersuchungen zur Klärung der Funktion des Reissnerschen Fadens. In-vitro-Bindung von Noradrenalin,Adrenalin und Serotonin

Summary The glycoprotein of Reissner's fibre is able to bind norepinephrine, epinephrine and serotonin. Bound amines can be demonstrated at the RF, even after washing with artificial cerebrospinal fluid for some, hours. It is discussed whether it is a function of the RF to remove substances, for instance biogenic amines, from the cerebrospinal fluid.     

Changes of profiles of neutrophil granulocytes induced with the administration of L-DOPA and prednisolone

Summary Morphological changes of granulocytes following combined treatment with L-DOPA and prednisolone were elucidated at the electron microscopic level. Neutrophil granulcytes exhibited marked changes in their surface as evidenced by scanning electron microscope It is suggested that neutrophil granulocytes are sensitive to some biogenic amines.     

Changes of profiles of neutrophil granulocytes induced with the administration of L-DOPA and prednisolone

Morphological changes of granulocytes following combined treatment with L-DOPA and prednisolone were elucidated at the electron microscopic level. Neutrophil granulocytes exhibited marked changes in their surface as evidenced by scanning electron microscope. It is suggested that neutrophil granulocytes are sensitive to some biogenic amines.     

Inhibition of rat hepatic dimethylnitrosamine demethylase by cyclic and acyclic nitrosamines and secondary amines

Summary Inhibition of hepatic dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) metabolism by a variety of cyclic and acyclic nitrosamines was demonstrated. Nitrosoproline, a noncarcinogenic nitrosamine, behaved differently from the carcinogenic nitrosamines as an inhibitor for DMN-demethylase. Secondary amines corresponding to the nitrosamines inhibited DMN-demethylase in a manner similar to the nitrosamines.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by Public Health Service Grant 5-PO1-ES00597, Training Grant 1-732-ES07020, and Research Career Development Award 1-KO4-ES00033 (to M.C.A.) from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. We are also grateful for support from Hoffmann-LaRoche Inc., Nutley, NJ.     

Synthesis and some characteristics of [13C]-specially enriched tetragastrin and the related compound

Summary [¹³C]-enriched tetragastrin and the related compound were synthesized in solution. Conversion of S-[¹³C]-methylated tetragastrin to the enriched tetragastrin gave 10.5 ppm upfield chemical shift of C resonance. The potency of the synthetic tetragastrin to stimulate gastric acid secretion was virtually identical with that of pentagastrin (ICI).Acknowledgment. A part of this research was supported by scientific research funds (No. 944059, 048253) from the Japanese Ministry of Education.     

Neuromodulation by serotonin and octopamine in the honeybee: behaviour,neuroanatomy and electrophysiology

The biogenic amines serotonin (5HT) and octopamine (OA) exist in the bee and can modulate neuronal activity and behaviour. 5HT-like and OA-like immunoreactivities can be found in most neuropils of the brain. Binding sites for the two amines are also present in most brain neuropils. The highest density of binding sites for [³H]serotonin and [³H]octopamine was found in the mushroom bodies. In some brain areas, especially the mushroom bodies, mismatches exist between binding sites and immunoreactivities, suggesting that the two amines also bind to neuropils which are not directly innervated by 5HT-like or OA-like immunoreactive neurons. The action of the two amines on behaviour in the bee is antagonistic. In the antennal pathway, proboscis and antennal responses to olfactory and gustatory stimuli are enhanced by OA and reduced by 5HT. In olfactory conditioning experiments, storage and retrieval of the learned signal can be enhanced by OA and reduced by 5HT. The specificity of these effects depends on the site of amine application in the neuropil. In the visual system the direction specificity of the visual antennal response is enhanced by OA and reduced by 5HT after topical application or injection into the lobula, the third optic ganglion. Correlates for the behavioural modulation can be found in higher-order visual interneurons. While OA application can mimic the stimulation of the bee with sugar water, the behavioural conditions leading to the release of 5HT are not yet known.     

Biological activities of pure prostaglandins

Prostaglandins, the hydroxy unsaturated C20 fatty acids, are found throughout the body and have an equally wide range of biological activities. Prostaglandins are known to: 1) stimulate uterine contraction; 2) inhibit spontaneous contraction of the rabbit uterus; 3) inhibit the respiratory smooth muscle of different animals; 4) lower systemic arterial blood pressure when injected intravenously; 5) stimulate contractions in isolateral segments of intestinal smooth muscle of most species investigated; 6) produce transient sedation when intravenously injected in cats, and 7) inhibit lipolysis induced by catechal amines, corticotrophin, glucagon and thyroid stimulating hormone. The inhibitory and excitatory effects of prostaglandins may each have a physiological importance at different sites. Current state of knowledge of the distribution, metabolism and actions of the prostaglandins is still fragmentary. The functional significance of the prostaglandins is yet to be determined.     

Freisetzung von Brenzcatechinaminen aus der isoliert durchströmten Nebenniere durch Tyramin und β-Phenyläthylamin

Summary 1. When fresh cattle adrenals are perfusedin vitro with Tyrode's solution at 37°C, a spontaneous release of catechol amines takes place. This release is enhanced by the injection of tyramine or -phenylethylamine. 2. In agreement with earlier observations on isolated medullary granules, -phenylethylamine is more active than tyramine: 16 µM of -phenylethylamine, 66 µM of tyramine, and 0.03 µM of acetylcholine release almost equal amounts of catechol amines.

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Forschungs-Stipendiat der Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung.

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Ausgeführt mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Pentobarbital sodium and chromosome abnormalities in rabbit blastocysts.

Female rabbits were injected with pentobarbital sodium at 1/4 h or 6 h post coitum. A slight delay in oocyte maturation was evident in animals killed at 17 h pc, however, zygote development appeared normal by 24 h pc. At 6 days pc, a greater frequency of chromosomally abnormal blastocysts was found in animals injected with pentobarbital than in control rabbits.