Reflexine,a new indole alkaloid ofRauwolfia reflexa

Summary Reflexine, a new indole alkaloid, has been isolated from the leaves ofRauwolfia reflexa Teijsm. and Binn. From spectral studies, chemical reactions and correlation with seredamine, reflexine is shown to be its C-17 epimer (IV).Grateful thanks are accorded to ProfessorR. H. Thomson, Dr.R. T. Brown, Dr.Nitya Nand and Dr.S. C. Pakrashi for spectral measurements. Financial assistance from CCRIMH, New Delhi, and UGC, New Delhi, are also thankfully acknowledged.     

Isolation of (−)-cryptosporiopsin,a chlorinated cyclopentenone fungitoxic metabolite fromPhialophora asteris f. sp.helianthi

Summary The (–)-enantiomer of cryptosporiopsin, a chlorinated cyclopentenone fungitoxic metabolite, was isolated fromPhialophora asteris f. sp.helianthi. Next to a comparable fungitoxic activity as shown by crypstosporiopsin, the product particularly inhibits growth ofSclerotinia sclerotiorum, an important pathogen on sunflower. Two further metabolites were tentatively identified as a stereoisomer of cryptosporiopsin and its dehydrated derivative.The authors are much indebted to Dr.G. M. Strunz (Canadian Forestry Service) for valuable suggestions and the generous gift of cryptosporiopsin and to the University of Utrecht for the part-time fellowship to one of us (Y.T.) given.     

Autoradiographic study of the penetration of non-histone chromatin proteins into differentiating cells

Summary Attention has previously been drawn to a specific effect of NHCP on embryonicPleurodeles cell differentiation. With a modified NHCP labelling technique, autoradiography has revealed a cytoplasmic concentration of labelled NHCP and has not revealed any difference between homospecific and heterospecific NHCP penetration.This work has been supported financially by research grants from the C.N.R.S. (ERA No. 327 and ATP No. 4310 on the cellular differentiation), and INSERM (No. 711019).The authors wish to extend their thands to Dr.Mazarguil who kindly initiated us in the techniques of enzyme binding. Many thanks are also due to Mr.Hawks for most valuable help in correcting the English.     

Paroxysmal discharges in the electroencephalogram of the El mouse

Summary The spike discharges in the EEG of the El mouse, a seizure-susceptible strain, were recorded during convulsive seizures. This fact provides evidence that those seizures are really epileptic convulsions.I thank Dr.K. Imaizumi and Dr.K. Nakano of National Institute of Health for their sharing the strain of El mouse to us and MissY. Nakamoto and Mr.N. Ozawa for their technical assistance and Mr.K. Moriyama for his care for the mice, and also thank Dr. H.Narabayashi for his criticism on this paper.     

Antiviral substances in starfish

Zusammenfassung Eine Gruppe von teilweise chemisch charakterisierten Verbindungen, welche die Vermehrung des Influenza-Virus in Huhnembryo-Test verhindern, wurde aus den SeesternenAsterias forbesi, Asterias pectinifera undAcanthaster planci isoliert.

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This research was supported by the N.S.F. Sea-Grant Program. The author thanks Dr.H. W. Younken Jr. and Dr.L. R. Worthen for their encouragement and suggestions throughout this work. Thanks are also due to Dr.Hashimoto, Tokyo University, and Dr.Yasumoto, Tohoku University, for the specimen ofAsterina pectinifera, and Dr.B. M. Branham, University of Hawaii, forAcanthaster planci sample. The antiviral test was carried out by Dr.O. Liu, Northeast Shellfish Sanitation Research Center, D. H. E. W., Narragansett, Rhode Island, to whome the author expresses his sincere gratitude.     

Localization of bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP)-like immunoreactivity in rat pancreatic monolayer culture

Summary Antiserum to bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP) has been used for immunofluorescent staining in the light microscope. With this technique it is possible to detect the presence of specific cells in monolayer culture from neonatal rat pancreas which contain BPP or a closely related peptide.This work was supported by a grant (No. 3.553.75) from the Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique. We are very grateful to Dr.R. E. Chance, Eli Lilly, for his generous gift of BPP and anti-BPP serum. We are also very obliged to Dr.R. H. Unger for providing glucagon, to Dr.J. Rivier and Dr.R. Guillemin for somatostatin, to Dr.N. Yanaihara for secretin, to Dr.W. Gepts for gastrin and to Dr.A. J. Moody for GLI.     

Pre- and post-partum plasma amine oxidase differences in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)

Summary Plasma amine oxidase activity increased from 23.4 nmol/ml/h during pregnancy to 49.5 nmol/ml/h during an extended post partum period in 10 rhesus monkeys. Comparison with non-pregnant control monkeys sampled at similar times indicated that the significant differences were in the extended post partum period.We thank Dr.C. H. Conaway and Dr.J. D. Loy of the Caribbean Primate Research Center andJ. G. Vandenbergh andW. Post of the North Carolina Department of Mental Health for the use of their facilities and animals. We also acknowledge the technical assistance ofC. H. Donnelly andMs. Suzanne Baulu. This work was supported by a grant from Dr.H. C. Robinson, Jr., through Yale University Medical School and by NIH Contract No. 71-2003.     

The role of glycine in the biosynthesis of a terpene

Zusammenfassung Mit doppelt markiertem Glycin konnte gezeigt werden, dass das Kohlenstoffatom der Methylgruppe viel besser als das Kohlenstoffatom der Karboxylgruppe in die Isoprengruppe des Ophiobolins B ausCochiobolus miyabeanus eingebaut wird. Die Radioaktivität wird in Ophiobolin B eingebaut, wenn die folgenden Verbindungen verwendet werden: [3-¹⁴C]-Serin, [¹⁴C-Methyl]-Sarcosin, [¹⁴C-Methyl]-Methionin, und [¹⁴C] Formate.

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a)Studies on Biosynthesis. Part V. for Part IV, seeM. Anchel, A. K. Bose, K. S. Khanchandani andP. T. Funke, Phytochem.9, 2135 (1970). b) Presented in part at the 3rd Natural Products Symposium, University of West Indies, Jamaica, January 1970.

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The support of this research by Stevens Institute of Technology is gratefully acknowledged. We wish to thank Dr.J. H. Davis and Prof.L. Z. Pollara for their interest and encouragement and Drs.H. Levy, P. T. Funke, M. S. Manhas, P. K. Bhattacharyya andM. Anchel for valuable discussions and help with some of the experiments. We are particularly thankful to Dr.L. Canonica for providing us with cultures ofCochiobolus miyabeanus that made our work on ophiobolin B possible.     

Increased fusion frequency ofAspergillus nidulans protoplasts

Zusammenfassung Die Häufigkeit der Protoplastfusion auxotropher Mutanten vonAspergillus nidulans wurde durch Zugabe von 0.6M KCl oder NaCl gesteigert.

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The authors thank Dr.R. F. Rosenberger for the strainAspergillus nidulans pabal,y, ts6; ProfessorJ. G. H. Wessels and Dr.O. M. H. de Vries for discussions, and Dr.I. Rojik for help in electron microscopy.     

Nuclear numbers in encysted dormant embryos of differentArtemia salina populations

Summary The number of nuclei in dormant cysts from world-wide populations of the brine shrimp,Artemia salina (L.) was determined. These nuclear numbers proved to be quite constant considering the diversity of geographical localities, ploidies, and modes of reproduction represented by these populations. We believe this constancy indicates a tight coupling between the development and dormancy of these embryos. Chromosome counts onArtemia from Jamnagar, India indicated this population to be triploid.We wish to thank Dr.T. Iwasaki for supplying cysts of the Aio Machi population, Dr.C. Barigozzi for cysts from Sete and Comacchio, and Dr.G. Stephens for cysts from Jamnagar. This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation No. GB-40199.     

Inhibition of arylpyruvate oxidase by chelating agents

Zusammenfassung Die Hemmung der Phenylpyruvat- undp-Hydroxyphenylpyruvat-Oxydasen durch Chelat-Wirkstoffe wurde offenbar durch die Bildung eines Enzym-Wirkstoff-Komplexes verursacht, der bei Behandlung mit Kationen oder mit Sephadex trennbar ist. Die Reinigung des Enzyms führt zur Kupferanreicherung des Präparates, welches eine scheinbar funktionelle Einheit mit dem Enzym bildet.

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This work was supported in part by Research Grant No. MH-02278 from the National Institute of Mental Health, U.S.P.H.S.

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We wish to thank Dr.W. A. Bulen for helpful discussions about the mechanism of inhibition, and Dr.M. D. Armstrong for his encouragement during this project.     

Antigenic similarity of humanα 1-antitrypsin to a corresponding protein in the serum of non-human primates

Zusammenfassung Mit der Methode der Präzipitationshemmung nachHerzenberg et al.⁶ wurde die Kreuzreaktion von Seren subhumaner Primaten mit einem Antiserum gegen menschliches ₁-Antitrypsin gemessen. Die Ergebnisse stimmen mit der geltenden Taxonomie gut überein. ₁-Antitrypsin hat sich während der Evolution offenbar weniger konservativ verhalten als Serumalbumin.

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Supported in part by grant No. HE-06285 from the U.S. Public Health Service.

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I wish to thank Dr.A. C. Wang for helpful discussions and Dr.H. H. Fudenberg for the use of his laboratory.     

Allantoinase in the marine polychaeteEudistylia vancouveri

Summary Allantoinase, an enzyme in the purine-urea cycle, was found inEudistylia vancouveri (Polychaeta). The enzyme had a pH optimum at 7.6 TheK _m was 0.012M allantoin, and the Arrhenius energy of activation was 12.6 to 14.6 kcal/mol.Supported by the U. S. National Science Foundation (Institutional Grant) and by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Grant No. T-900204 (WP-175). Publication No. 10 of the Laboratory of Biochemical Ecology; College of Fisheries Contribution No. 458. We thank Dr.Robert L. Fernald for generously making available to us the facilities of the Friday Harbor Laboratories, Friday Harbor, Washington.     

Properties of granules that contain kallikrein and renin

Zusammenfassung Subzelluläre Partikel, die Renin und Kallikrein enthalten, wurden durch Differentialzentrifugation aus homogenisierter Submaxillardrüse der männlichen weissen Maus angereichert. Durch Zonenzentrifugation wurde die relative Renin-Konzentration in der oberen Schicht des Rohrzucker-Dichtegradienten erhöht, während sich Kallikrein in der unteren Schicht anhäufte. Vorbehandlung der Partikel (granules) mit Glutaraldehyd und Lauryl-Alkohol stabilisierte sie gegen Lyse bei niedrigen Temperaturen.

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These studies were supported in part by a grant No. HE 08764 from the National Institutes of Health, U.S.P.H.S. and by the O.N.R. (Project No. N00014-68-A0496).

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Acknowledgments. Purified kininogen was kindly provided by Dr.J. Pierce of N.I.H. MissDeborah Downs assisted us in some of the experiments.     

9,10-Dihydroergotamine: Production of antibodies and radioimmunoassay

Summary Antibodies against 9,10-dihydroergotamine (DHE) were produced by immunizing rabbits with a conjugate of 6-nor-6-carboxymethyl-9,10-dihydroergotamine and bovine serum albumin. A highly specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay for DHE has been developed.We are greatly indebted to Dr.T. Fehr for the synthesis of 6-nor-6-carboxymethyl-9,10-dihydroergotamine, and to Dr.E. Schreier for providing us with 9,10-dihydroergotamine-[13-³H]-base of high specific activity.     

Genetisch bedingte Tumoren und der Gehalt an freien Aminosäuren bei lebendgebärenden Zahnkarpfen (Poeciliidae)

Summary The F₁- and F_nR-hybrids ofPlatypoecilus maculatus andXiphophorus helleri (Poeciliidae), producing melanomase spontaneously, contain essentially more free amino acids than the initial species. Further experiments show that the abnormally high content of free amino acids is connected with the spontaneous formation of tumors.

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Den Herren Prof. Dr.G. de Lattin (Zoologisches Institut Saarbrücken) und Prof. Dr.B. Eistert (Institut für organische Chemie Saarbrücken) sind wir für die stete Förderung dieser Arbeit zu grösstem Dank verpflichtet. Den Herren Prof. Dr.C. Kosswig (Hamburg), Prof. Dr.M. Gordon (New York) und Dr.H. Breider (Würzburg) sind wir für viele Anregungen und die freundliche Überlassung von Zuchtstämmen sehr dankbar. — Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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F. Anders, F. Vester, K. Klinke undH. Schumacher, Biol. Zbl., im Druck.     

Effect of amygdaloid lesions on plasma corticosterone response of the albino rat to emotional stress

Zusammenfassung Im Vergleich zu Kontrolltieren mit zweiseitigen Rindenläsionen führt beidseitige Zerstörung des Nucleus centralis im Mandelkernkomplex der Ratte zu erhöhter Plasma-Corticosteron-Produktion nach kurzfristigem Stress durch entsprechende Immobilisierung.

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This study was made possible by a special research fellowship to one of us,E. W. Bovard, from the United States Public Health Service, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health. The writers would like to acknowledge with thanks the interest and friendly cooperation of Dr.H. Jasper, Dr.Hanna Pappius, Dr.Marion K. Birmingham, and the medical and technical staff of Montreal Neurological Institute in this work. This paper was originally presented at a meeting of the Montreal Physiological Society, March 8, 1961.     

The relation between capillaries and neurons in the caudal neurosecretory system ofPomatomus saltatrix

Summary The caudal neurosecretory system ofPomatomus saltatrix was examined. Particular interest was devoted to the perikarya of the neurosecretory cells. The majority of these cells were characterized by a close association with the capillary network. The cells appeared to ensheath the capillaries thus bringing the nucleus and perinuclear cytoplasm into close association with the capillaries.Supported byA. D. Williams No. 3558 (505), Medical College of Virginia. The authors are grateful to Dr.H. R. Seibel for reading this report.     

Aflatoxin production in some varieties of soybeans (Glycine max L.)

Zusammenfassung Es wurden 5 Varietäten vonGlycine max. mit 2 toxinerzeugenden Aspergillusstämmen beimpft und auf ihre Aflatoxinbildung untersucht. Alle Varietäten lieferten Substrate, die zur Biosynthese messbarer Aflatoxinmengen durch beide Aspergillusstämme führten.

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Acknowledgements. The authors are extremely grateful to Dr.C. Gopalan, Director National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, for his keen interest and valuable suggestions. The authors are also indebted to Dr.L. A. Goldblatt of New Orleans for the generou supply of pure aflatoxin standards; to Dr.S. Raghavendra Rao, Regional Research Laboratory, Hyderabad, for the culture ofA. parasiticus (NRRL 2999) and to Dr.H. Murakami of Tokyo for the culture ofA. toxicarius (RIB 4002).     

Autoradiographic localization of testosterone-3H in the female rat brain and estradiol-3H in the male rat brain

Zusammenfassung Eine halbe Stunde nach der i.v. Injektion wurde Testosterone-³H von den Nerven- und Glialzellen innerhalb des Gehirns der weiblichen Ratte und Estradiol-³H innerhalb des Gehirns der männlichen Ratte aufgenommen. Zwei Stunden nach der Injektion war die Aufnahme in hohem Masse nur noch in gewissen Teilen des hypothalamisch-limbischen Systems vorhanden.

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This investigation was supported by grants from NASA (No. NsG 496) and the John A. Hartford Foundation to Dr.H.-L. Teuber, and from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to Dr.J. Altman, both of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the work was performed while the author was at M.I.T.