Premiers résultats d'analyse fonctionnelle électro-biochimique sur l'oreillette isolée étalée deScyllium canicula

Summary A new method is described for studying the auricular automatism using quickly reversible inhibitors and dissociators of electrical and mechanical process. By means of carbon dioxide, acetylcholine, adenosine-triphosphoric acid and clupeine-sulfate, it has been found that the valve muscle is more resistant than the auricular muscle.     

De l'action radio-protectrice exercée sur la muqueuse rectale par la cystéamine administrée par voie générale et par la cystamine administrée par voie intra-rectale

Summary The authors studied the lesions observed in the rectal and vaginal smears of the rat after a local irradiation of the rectum. They observed that an injection of cysteamine before the irradiation strongly diminishes the ratio of damaged rectal and vaginal cells. A local treatment with cysteamine in the rectum before and during the irradiation diminishes only the ratio of damaged rectal cells.     

Technique d'inclusion et d'ultramicrotomie,destinée à l'étude du développement des organelles dans une cellule isolée

Summary (1) Control of cell orientation and knowledge of the plane of sectioning are indispensable (but generally ignored) requirements for studies of the development of cellular constituents. (2) A simple technique that meets these requirements for the electron microscope is given. (3) As applied toParamecium, it is shown that the ciliary complexes of the new gullet develop outside of the old one, and that invagination begins at the anterior end of the gullet anlage.

---

---

Travail effectué dans le cadre d'une recherche faite en collaboration avec les Instituts d'Histologie et de Biophysique, grâce à une subvention de «Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche-Stiftung zur Förderung wissenschaftlicher Arbeitsgemeinschaften in der Schweiz».     

Dégénérescence rétinienne expérimentale provoquée par le fluorure de sodium

Zusammenfassung Die Einspritzung von NaFl beim Kaninchen verursacht Netzhautveränderungen, welche derRetinitis pigmentosa ähnlich (Fundus, ERG, Histologie), aber auf einen Bezirk beschränkt sind.     

Propos sur une nouvelle moutarde azotée

Zusammenfassung Es wird vorgeschlagen, N--di-(-chloräthyl)-carbamyl-l-arginin (III) als neues Stickstofflost auf cytostatische Wirkung zu untersuchen; dies in der Erwartung, dass III in Krebszellen in höherem Masse zum cytostatisch wirkenden Di-(-chloräthyl)-amin (V) hydrolysiert wird als in normalen Zellen. Das gleichzeitig freiwerdendel-Arginin sollte die Krebszelle noch empfindlicher gegen V machen.     

Activitéin vivo de dérivés de la thiourée contre le virus de l'influenza

Summary A large number of sulphur-containing compounds bearing the thiourea group -NH-CS-NH-, including substituted thiocarbanilides, 1-acyl-4-arylthiosemicar-bazides, 1-(arylaminothioformyl)-thiosemicarbazides, 4-aryl-1-(arylaminothioformyl)- thiosemicarbazides, and other related substances have been tested for potential antiviral activity. Several of these compounds have been found chemotherapeutically active against influenza virus.

---

---

Communication présentée au Congrès international de Chimie pure et appliquée de Zürich (Juillet 1955).     

Structure moléculaire et activité tuberculostatique dans le groupe des dérivés de la thiourée

Summary A large number of N,N-diarylthioureas and N-aryl-N-pyridylthioureas have been tested forin vitro tuberculostatic activity, and several of them have been found highly active. A series of 1-acyl-4-arylthiosemicarbazides have likewise been investigated, and most of them found to be active at a concentration of 10^–4; this is considered the basic activity corresponding to the molecular grouping -CO-NH-NH-CS-NH-.     

Cytologie comparée des Muridae. L'origine des Ellobii

Summary (1) The present paper deals with the chromosomial cytology of 11 species and underspecies ofMuridae. (2) The diploïd number being the same (2N=42), there are striking differences between two species ofBandicota, B. indica showing about 20 big metacentric chromosomes which are lackingB. bengalensis. (3)Meriones blackleri is characterized by 72 chromosomes, the species previously described possessing either 44 or 60 elements. (4) The study ofPhenacomys ungava confirms the view that 56 (54) is the primitive number in theMicroti. There is an interesting parallelism between the morphological and the cytological data. (5) A missing link betweenMicroti andEllobii has been found inMicrotus oregoni which possesses 17 chromosomes, its digamety belonging to the typeX-O, X-X. (6) Owing to the fact thatM. oregoni is more fossorial than the otherMicrotus, it is a morphological intermediate betweenMicroti andEllobii. (7) The genusChilotus (Baird) is also fully valid.     

Effet de l'hypothermie modérée sur le comportement maternel de la rate

Summary The maternal behaviour in the female white rat was ascertained by the method of spontaneous reactions to several stimuli.The observed rats were divided into two groups, and each of them was refrigerated once a day, by the method of detension, from the fourth to the seventh day after parturition, the body temperature attained being, on an average, 30°C. Females of the first group were refrigerated in recipients of the capacity of 2 1, and females of the second group in recipients of the capacity of 5 1.Disturbances of maternal behaviour were much more pronounced in the females refrigerated in recipients of the greater capacity than of those refrigerated in smaller recipients.     

Réaction immunoallergique provoquée chez le rat par l'injection d'extraits chauffés de la tumeur de Walker

Summary When repeatly injected to Fisher Inbred rats, boiled Walker tumour extracts induced non specific and specific reactions; non specific reactions being catabolism, thymus involution, adrenal hypertrophy and perturbation of serum proteins relative distribution. The specific reactions attributable to the presence of the specific tumoral antigen in the tumour extracts are immunoallergic arthritis, liver and spleen hypertrophy, acceleration of serum albumin electrophoretic migratory rate and the apparition of the specific antigen in the liver.

---

---

Travail subventionné par l'Institut du Cancer du Canada.     

La morphine et le phénobarbital modifient-ils le taux de l'alcoolémie provoquée chez le cobaye?

Summary Neither morphine nor phenobarbital affect the degree of induced alcoholemia in the guinea-pig. The hypnotic effect of these two substances is increased by ethanol, this increase may be due to potentiation or to an increase of sensitivity in the central nervous system⁸.     

Activité de la glycéraldéhyde-3-phosphate déshydrogénase dans la rétine du lapin et dans la rétinite pigmentaire expérimentale provoquée par le monoiodacétate. Etude histo-chimique

Summary The author established that, at the moment of the extinction of the electroretinographic response after i.v. injection of iodacetate, the glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase activity is suppressed in the retina of the rabbit.     

Méthode d'identification dans la flore intestinale d'une souche d'Escherichia coli implantée par voie buccale

Zusammenfassung Die beschriebene Methode gestattet, das Überleben zu therapeutischen Zwecken oral eingeführter Stämme vonEscherichia coli in der Darmflora weiter zu verfolgen.     

Les bases cytologiques de l'hérédité «relativement» liée au sexe chez les mammifères

Summary The author shows that the conception of an incomplete sex-linkage in mammals must be discarded on cytological grounds. There is either (general case) pre-reduction of theX andY chromosomes at the first metaphase, or post-reduction (Apodemus) but never facultative post-or pre-reduction.During the growth period, from the Zygoteny to the Diacinesis, the occurrence ofc -o is made highly improbable, owing to the heteropycnotic state of the sexchromosomes, and has never been observed with accuracy. The revision of the literature shows that such an hypothesis is not tenable.The obligatory post-reduction byApodemus can be interpreted in the concept of anticipation centromérique.In a very few cases, formations like chiasmas occur as linking theX andY chromosomes at the first metaphase. It is possible that these exceptional configurations might be explained by a translocation of the sex-chromosomes on a pair of autosomes.From a more general standpoint, it would be desirable that geneticians should have more confidence in the results of pure cytologists rather than in the work of cytogeneticians who wish to find an explanation for every genetical hypothesis.

---

---

Institut de Zoologie et d'Anatomie comparée.     

Inhibition de la cancérogenèse spontanée chez les souris R III et AkR par des implants de tissus cancéreux modifiés

Summary (1) After a 24-h passage in a rabbit, fragments of spontaneous isologous mammary carcinoma were implanted under the skin of young R III females. This procedure was found to prevent the appearance of spontaneous mammary tumours in a high percentage of these animals. The subsequent appearance of carcinoma was to be observed in only 23% of treated animals as compared with 51% in controls.(2) After a 24-h passage in a rabbit, fragments of leukotic isologous tissue, implanted subcutaneously in young AkR females, reduced subsequent spontaneous leukomogenesis from 85 to 38%.     

Essais d'inhibition de l'action inflammatoire cutanée du chloroforme chez le rat

Summary (1)—In the rat, total extracts of cortex, cortisone and A.C.T.H. do not retard the fixation of a vital colorant at the level of a cutaneous zone irritated by chloroform.(2)—Phenergan prolongs the delay in the appearance of the blue.(3)—Sodium salicylate selectively inhibits the inflammatory cutaneous action of chloroform, even after adrenalectomy.     

Influence de laβ-mercaptoéthylamine sur la réponse de l'intestin grêle du rat à une irradiation rœntgénienne localisée

Summary Intra-peritoneal injections of 15 mg of B-mercaptoethylamine in rats, with an average weight of 200 g, protect the small intestine against a local irradiation of 500 r on the antero-upper portion of the abdomen.This protection is proved mainly, as compared with the control, by a smaller decrease of cells still in mitosis after 12 and 24 hours and of the migrant cells in resting stage, by a greater precocity and higher quantitative value of the post-radiation normal and subnormal mitotic processes, and by variations in the mitotic formula (namely, in protected animals, a relatively high increase in the amount of metaphases).These experiments seem to prove a certain local and immediate action of the radio-protector, whose effects are not solely limited to the preparation of the generating system of the intestine for the later complete repair of the digestive epithelium.

---

---

(Travail du Centre anticancéreux de l'Université de Liège et du Centre national belge pour l'étude de la croissance normale et pathologique).