Circadian variation of serum testosterone in the adult male rat with a late morning acrophase

Summary Serum testosterone concentrations were measured in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. A significant circadian testosterone rhythm (p<0.01) was found with peak values at 10.00 and 13.00 h.Supported in part by NIH, NCI Grant No. CA 15062 and NIH, NIAMDD Grant No. 5 RO1 AM11376.The authors would like to acknowledge the excellent technical assistance of Ms.Kris Strom.     

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids inDanaus plexippus L. andDanaus chrysippus L.

Summary Danaus plexippus L. andDanaus chrysippus L. have been found to store pyrrolizidine alkaloids obtained from adult food plants and it is suggested that the alkaloids contribute to the unpalatability of the butterflies to potential predators.Acknowledgment. We thank Dr.C. C. J. Culvenor for rearing some of the butterflies andJ. M. Smith for plant collection. The plants were identified by the national Herbarium, Melbourne.     

“Will someone say exactly what the H-theorem proves?” A study of Burbury's Condition A and Maxwell's Proposition II

Summary Many historians of science recognize that the outcome of the celebrated debate on Boltzmann's H-Theorem, which took place in the weekly scientific journal Nature, beginning at the end of 1894 and continuing throughout most of 1895, was the recognition of the statistical hypothesis in the proof of the theorem. This hypothesis is the Stosszahlansatz or hypothesis about the number of collisions. During the debate, the Stosszahlansatz was identified with another statistical hypothesis, which appeared in Proposition II of Maxwell's 1860 paper; Burbury called it Condition A. Later in the debate, Bryan gave a clear formulation of the Stosszahlansatz. However, the two hypotheses are prima facie different. Burbury interchanged them without justification or even warning his readers. This point deserves clarification, since it touches upon subtle questions related to the foundation of the theory of heat. A careful reading of the arguments presented by Burbury and Bryan in their various invocations of both hypotheses can clarify this technical point. The Stosszahlansatz can be understood in terms of geometrical invariances of the problem of a collision between two spheres. A byproduct of my analysis is a clarification of the debate itself, which is apparently obscure.     

Changes in dopamineβ-hydroxylase activity of monkey plasma with age

Summary Plasma dopamine -hydroxylase activity of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata fuscata) increased with age, and the developmental changes were similar to those of human beings. However, the adult level plasma DBH activity of various monkey species was much lower than that of human beings.We thank Dr.K. Nozawa, Dr.O. Takenaka and Mr.T. Shotake (Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University) for their help in collecting monkey blood samples.     

Interspecific protoplast fusion and complementation inaspergilli

Summary Protoplast fusion and nutritional complementation between auxotrophic mutants ofAspergillus nidulans andAspergillus fumigatus has been achieved. It is concluded that the nutritional complementation may be due to interspecific aneuploidy.The authors thank Mr.L. Manczinger and Mr.Gy. Oravecz for producing and characterizing the required mutants; Dr.D. Goldstein for providing the strainA. nidulans R. 21; Dr.D. Kerridge for the wild-type strainA. fumigatus 5085; and Mr.L. Nagy, MissÉva Sziráki and MissMária Pölös for skilful technical assistance.     

High-frequency fusion of fungal protoplasts

Zusammenfassung Es gelang, die intraspezifische Protoplastfusion vonAspergillus flavus, A. nidulans, A. niger, Penicillium frequentans undP. ramigena mit grosser H?ufigkeit zu verwirklichen. Die Fusionsh?ufigkeit wurde durch Komplementation von Mangelmutanten festgestellt.

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The authors thank Dr.M. Czakó, Dr.M. Pesti and Mr.L. Manczinger for producing and characterizing some of the required mutants, andéva Sziráki andMagdolna Romvári for skilful technical assistance.     

Newton and the classical theory of probability

Summary Probabilistic ideas and methods from Newton's writings are discussed in § 1: Newton's ideas pertaining to the definition of probability, his probabilistic method in chronology, his probabilistic ideas and method in the theory of errors and his probabilistic reasonings on the system of the world. Newton's predecessors and his influence upon subsequent scholars are dealt with in §2: beginning with his predecessors the discussion continues with his contemporaries Arbuthnot and De Moiver, then Bentley. The section ends with Laplace, whose determinism is seen as a development of the Newtonian determinism.An addendum is devoted to Lambert's reasoning on randomness and to the influence of Darwin on statistics. A synopsis is attached at the end of the article.Abbreviations PT abridged Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 1665–1800 abridged. London, 1809 - Todhunter I. Todhunter, History of the mathematical theory of probability, Cambridge, 1865 To the memory of my mother, Sophia Sheynin (1900–1970)     

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.     

Preparation of specific antiserum againstRana esculenta pre-α lens crystallin

Summary Specific antiserum againstRana esculenta lens pre- crystallin was prepared in a rabbit by injecting antigen-antibody precipitate of this crystallin obtained from immunoelectrophoresis ofesculenta total soluble lens proteins against homologous antiserum.Acknowledgments. We thank Mr.A. Wachter for the excellent technical help, Mr.Th. Hulskes and Mr.A. M. v. Egeraat for the illustrations and finally Dr.W. E. Hawkins for valuable discussion.     

Anastácio da Cunha and the concept of convergent series

Summary Anastácio da Cunha's definition of convergent series (Principios Mathematicos, Lisboa 1790, p. 106) was analysed by the Portuguese mathematician J. Vicente Gonçalves (Análise do Livro VIII dos Principios Mathematicos de José Anastácio da Cunha, Congresso do Mundo Português Vol. XII, Tomo I, Lisboa 1940, 123–140) and more recently by the historian A. P. Youschkevitch (J. A. da Cunha et les fondements de l'analyse infinitésimale Revue d'Histoire des Sciences Tomme XXVI, N. 1, 1973, 9–22). This latter author contests Gonçalves' claim to the effect that Cunha anticipated in his definition the well known criteria of convergence commonly attributed to A. Cauchy. However, Youschkevitch's otherwise deeper analysis is based primarily on a French translation of Principios published in Bordeaux in 1811. In this paper, that translation is shown to be misleading at crucial places. Cunha's definition is further analysed, and an interpretation in terms of the potential infinity is proposed which results in a redress of Cunha's originality in this matter.     

Synthesis of Seselin and its hydroderivatives

Zusammenfassung Die Synthese des Naturstoffes Tetrahydroseselin aus der FruchtSeseli indicum wird beschrieben.

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Part X of a seriesCoumarins and Related Compounds. Part IX, A. K.Das Gupta, R. M.Chatterje and K. R.Das, J. chem. Soc. (C), (1969), 2618.     

Newton's early computational method for dynamics

On December 13, 1679Newton sent a letter toHooke on orbital motion for central forces, which contains a drawing showing an orbit for a constant value of the force. This letter is of great importance, because it reveals the state ofNewton's development of dynamics at that time. Since the first publication of this letter in 1929,Newton's method of constructing this orbit has remained a puzzle particularly because he apparently made a considerable error in the angle between successive apogees of this orbit. In fact, it is shown here thatNewton's implicitcomputation of this orbit is quite good, and that the error in the angle is due mainly toan error of drawing in joining two segments of the oribit, whichNewton related by areflection symmetry. In addition, in the letterNewton describes quite correctly the geometrical nature of orbits under the action of central forces (accelerations) which increase with decreasing distance from the center. An iterative computational method to evaluate orbits for central forces is described, which is based onNewton's mathematical development of the concept of curvature started in 1664. This method accounts very well for the orbit obtained byNewton for a constant central force, and it gives convergent results even for forces which diverge at the center, which are discussed correctly inNewton's letterwithout usingKepler's law of areas.Newton found the relation of this law to general central forces only after his correspondence withHooke. The curvature method leads to an equation of motion whichNewton could have solvedanalytically to find that motion on a conic section with a radial force directed towards a focus implies an inverse square force, and that motion on a logarithmic spiral implies an inverse cube force.     

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).     

Jungermanool,a new labdane diol from the liverwort,Jungermannia torticalyx steph

Summary A new diterpenoid named jungermanool was isolated fromJungermannia torticalyx and the structure was found to be labda-8 (17), 14-dien-9, 13-diol by chemical and spectroscopical methods.Chemical constituents fromHepaticae, Part XXIV: Part XXIII,A. Matsuo, H. Nozaki, M. Nakayama, Y. Kushi, S. Hayashi andN. Kamijo, Tetrahedron Lett.1975, 241.The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr.T. Seki, Department of Botany, Hiroshima University, for the collection and identification of the liverwort.     

Changes in the free amino acid pattern of haemolymph of the common indian scorpionPalamnaeus bengalensis during moulting

Summary Haemolymph ofPalamnaeus bengalensis contains normally 12 and during moulting up to 15 free amino acids, being in maximal number at the end of ecdysis. Aminoacidaemia is most pronounced during the pharate stage. Tyrosine appeared for tanning of the cuticle. Taurine and methionine were not present.Acknowledgment. The author is thankful to Dr.S. C. Shrivastava for valuable guidance and State C.S.I.R. (U.P.) for funds.     

Stéréochimie d'acides grasα-hydroxylés isolés d'une souche deStreptomyces

Summary A strain ofStreptomyces contains a mixture (ca. 3:1) of 2d-hydroxy-12l-methyltetradecanoic and 2d-hydroxy-13-methyltetradecanoic acids; it has the same properties as a similar mixture prepared by synthesis.

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11e Communication sur la chimie des micro-organismes; 10e communication:C. Lacave, J. Asselineau etR. Toubiana, Europ. J. Biochem.2, 37 (1967).     

Attraction of the male house fly to cuticular hydrocarbons and feces of several other dipteran species

Zusammenfassung Männchen vonMusca domestica werden von Kohlenwasserstoffextrakten aus der Cuticula weiblicherMusca domestica, M. autumnalis undHaematobia irritan angelockt (gleiche oder ähnliche Pheromone), nicht aber von entsprechenden Extrakten ausStomoxys calitrans, Glossina morsitans, G. austeni, Fannia canicularis undCochliomyia hominivorax.

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The authors thankDr. P. A. Langley, University of Bristol, for his geneous aid in providing cuticular washes and feces of tsetse flies;Dr. C. M. Jones, USDA, for face fly samples;Dr. R. L. Harris, USDA, for horn fly samples;Dr. B. G. Hightower and R. R. Grabbe, USDA, for screwworm samples andDr. W. M. Rogoff, USDA, for little house fly samples.     

Ursachen der geschlechtsunterschiedlichen MilchdrÜsengewebsentwickiung bei Ratten

Summary Under the same hormonal conditions, mammary gland growth in adult female rats is more pronounced than in males. Since there are no differences in the glandular development of both sexes, either at birth or at 30 days of life, it is assumed that male rats react less sensitively than female rats in response to a hormonal stimulus with regard to mammary gland growth. It is presumed that androgen influence during the differentiation stage is responsible for the fixation of a decreased sensitivity of the positive feedback-mechanism between estrogens and prolactin secretion in males. Thus changes in sensitivity would be the reason for mammary gland growth in males being smaller than in females under the same hormonal conditions.

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Dieser Arbeit liegen zum Teil die Untersuchungsergebnisse einer SchÜler-Facharbeit von U.Rieser zugrunde.     

Muelleromyces,a new member of the sphaeriales (ascomycetes)

Zusammenfassung Ein auf Blättern vonEugenia jambolana Lam. in Indien Blattflecken verursachender Ascomycet gehört zu einer neuen Gattung,Muelleromyces Kamat undAnahosur; Typus istMuelleromyces indicus Kamat undAnahosur. Der Pilz hat dem Blattgewebe eingesenkte, einzelstehende und von einem mächtig entwickelten Klypeus überdeckte Perithecien, verschleimende Asci und ungleich zweizellige, hyaline Ascosporen; Paraphysen fehlen.

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The fungus is named after Dr.E. Müller of The Institute of Special Botany, Zürich (Switzerland), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Fungi in general and Ascomycetes in particular. The material of this new fungus is deposited at M.A.C.S. Herb. Poona (India), C.M.I., Kew, Surrey (England) and Herb. Orientalis, New Delhi (India).     

A unique mode of multiplication of basidiospores inRavenelia hobsoni (Uredinales)

Zusammenfassung Erster Bericht über die Vervielfältigung von Sporidien durch binare Spaltung beiRavenelia hobsoni.

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Author is grateful to Prof.M. N. Kamat, Head of Mycology Division, M.A.C.S. Laboratory, Poona 4, for his deep interest and guidance, Dr.S. R. Sarvotham, Quality Control Laboratory, Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd., Pimpri, for the laboratory facilities and encouragement given. Thanks are also due to Dr.A. V. Sathe for several suggestions and to Mr.D. N. Nagpure for drawings.