Effect of starvation on the blood ofOphiocephalus punctatus (Bloch)

Summary During starvation the values of RBC, WBC counts, Hb content and packed cell volume declined. After 15, 21 and 27 days of starvation little fluctuation was noted but major fluctuation was recorded after 33 days of starvation in all the above parameters.Thanks are due to CSIR, New Delhi, for financial assistance.     

Vitellogenesis in the air breathing fish,Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Summary Two types of yolk develop in the oocyte ofChanna punctatus. The carbohydrate yolk, which develops from the material present in the ooplasm, breaks up for the use of the growing oocyte before ovulation takes place. The proteid yolk, developing from the extraoocytic material, finally crams the fully mature oocyte, perhaps to participate in the process of embryogenesis.Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Professor C.C. Das, for his encouragement and the laboratory facilities. The award of a U.G.C. junior fellowship to one of us (U.R.A.) by the Berhampur University is thankfully acknowledged.     

X-Irradiation and thyroid activity in a teleost,Mystus vittatus (Bloch)

Zusammenfassung Eine niedrige Dosis Röntgenstrahlen führt zu einer mässigen Steigerung der Radiojodaufnahme in der Schilddrüse vonMystus vittatus, während mit steigender Röntgendosis die Radiojodaufnahme gehemmt werden konnte.     

Maintenance of thyroid activity with some steroids in hypophysectomized and gonadectomized catfish,Mystus vittatus (Bloch)

Zusammenfassung Beim amerikanischen WelsMystus vittatus (Bloch) wurde festgestellt, dass die Radiojodaufnahme der Schilddrüse nach Hypophysektomie durch Cortison und Sexualhormone wieder normalisiert werden kann.     

The effect of electrical stimulation of olfactory tract on the nucleus preopticus in the catfishHeteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

Résumé Chez leHeteropneustes fossilis normal le périkaryon des neurons du noyau préoptique montrent une grande accumulation de substance neurosécrétaire AF-positive. Stimulation électrique du nerf olfacteur pendant une minute menait à une dégranulation incomplète, tandis qu'un traitement de dux minutes produisait un épuisement presque complet de la substance neurosécrétoire. Les neurons de la portion magnocellulaire du noyau préoptique paraissent répondre plus rapidement que ceux de la portion parvocellulaire.     

Toxic effect of cadmium nitrate on the liver ofChanna punctatus

Summary Exposure of a fresh water fish,Channa punctatus, in a medium containing as low as 0.01 ppm of cadmium nitrate, resulted in the necrosis of hepatic cells. A temporary recovery of these cells was however observed when the animals were exposed to lower concentrations.The investigations were carried out in the Department of Zoology, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. One of us (Punita Shah) wishes to thank UGC for the award of JRF during present investigations.     

Toxic effect of cadmium nitrate on the liver of Channa punctatus.

Exposure of a fresh water fish, Channa punctatus, in a medium containing as low as 0.01 ppm of cadmium nitrate, resulted in the necrosis of hepatic cells. A temporary recovery of these cells was however observed when the animals were exposed to lower concentrations.     

Acute effect of thyrotrophic hormone on the concentration of succinic acid dehydrogenase and sulfhydryl groups in the thyroid gland of the rat

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Wirkung einer TSH-Injektion auf den Gehalt der Bernsteinsäuredehydrogenase und der SH-Gruppen in der Schilddrüse der Ratte untersucht. 4 h nach der Injektion von TSH erfolgte ein signifikanter Anstieg der Bernsteinsäuredehydrogenase und SH-Gruppen. Die Methode ist deshalb zur Untersuchung der Schilddrüsenaktivität im kurzfristigen Versuch geeignet.

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Aided by a grant from the Sigrid Jusélius Stiftelse.     

Action of insulin on the glycogen content of liver and muscle of the murrel,Ophicephalus striatus (Bloch)

Résumé Des doses variées d'insuline administrées à l'Ophicephalus striatus ont augmenté la quantité de glycogène du foie et des muscles. Dans le foie, les doses étant fortes (40 IU et 60 IU), la quantité normale de glycogène a presque quadruplé et elle a plus que septuplé dans les muscles. Le mécanisme possible présidant à l'action de l'insuline est aussi discuté.     

The effect of thyroid gland on 5-Hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT) level of brain stem and blood in rabbits

Zusammenfassung An Kaninchen wurde die Wirkung von Schilddrüsenfütterung und Thyreoidektomie auf das 5-HT-Niveau im Hirnstamm und Blut untersucht. In hyperthyreotischem Zustand ist der 5-HT-Spiegel im Blut und im Hirnstamm erhöht, bei Athyreose ist er verringert. Der Schilddrüseneffekt wird in der Veränderung des Tryptophan- Stoffwechsels über das zentrale Nerven-system gesehen.     

Acute toxicity and elimination of phenol injected into fish (Carassius auratus L.)

Riassunto Nel ciprino la DLM del fenolo è di 230 mg/kg i.m. Il fenolo, iniettato i.m. a dose di 200 mg/kg, viene eliminato in media per quasi il 90% nelle prime 4 ore come fenoli liberi. Sotto il profilo della tossicità, la mancata capacità a detossicare mediante coniugazione sembra nel pesce compensata dalla elevata capacità escretiva degli organi emuntori.     

The egg-lipid composition of the ‘living fossil’ reptile tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)

Summary The lipid composition of two tuatara eggs was examined. The eggs contained triacylglycerol (80%) and phospholipid (12%) as their major lipid fractions. Fatty acid analyses of the individual lipid classes indicated the presence of essential fatty acids, linoleic and arachidonic acids. The quantity of such acids in the egg yolk lipids would suggest they are factors for survival as illustrated in other species.     

Studies on some enzymes of the toad (Bufo melanostictus) testis and their probable role at the time of fertilization

Summary Glycosidases like sialidase,-galactosidase, -L-fucosidase, N-acetyl hexosaminidase and proteases were detected in toad testis. Neuraminic acid aldolase activity was also detected. The enzyme activities were found to vary as production of spermatozoa varied. All enzymes, except N-acetyl glucosaminidase, were shown to decrease after injection of toad pituitary extract and they were also found to be absent from testis containing no spermatozoa. The glycosidases were found to act on toad oviduct jelly and they may therefore be involved in the degradation of the jelly after fertilization, into smaller bits, which may be utilized as nutrients by the fertilized zygote.Acknowledgment. We thank Prof. T.R. Ramaiah, Head of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Mysore, for his help. We also acknowledge the financial assistance of University Grants Commission to one of us (MS) and CSIR through a grant No. 9 (165)83/EMR-II to HSS. Please address all correspondence to H.S. Seshadri.     

The effect of cold and diazepam on the toxicity of fenfluramine in mice

Zusammenfassung Kaltbehandlung und i.v. Injektion von Diazepam reduzierten die Toxizität des Fenfluramins bei der Maus beträchtlich.     

The effect of monensin and chloroquine on the endocytosis and toxicity of chimeric toxins

The toxicity of two conjugates containing ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs, i.e. saporin and ricin-A chain x-linked to transferrin) has been measured on a prostatic cancer line (PC3) naturally overexpressing the transferrin receptor, in the presence of monensin and chloroquine. This paper investigates whether the increased toxicity of Tf-RIPs induced by monensin and chloroquine may be due to alterations of the normal endocytotic pathway of the complexes mediated by the transferrin receptor. Monensin, besides inducing alkalinization of normally acid intracellular compartments, causes an accumulation of the receptor-bound Tf-RIP in a perinuclear region contiguous to the cisternae of the trans-Golgi network. Chloroquine, though increasing the intracellular pH, seems not to modify the endocytotic pathway of these chimeric molecules. We believe that the enhanced toxicity of the Tf-RIPs may be related to intracellular alkalinization (i.e. endosomal or lysosomal pH) rather than to the effects on the recycling of transferrin receptor-bound toxins. We conclude that the efficacy of chimeric toxins may be modulated not only by the carrier used for their engineering but also by addition of drugs able to influence the stability and activation of the toxins inside the cell. Received 22 December 1997; received after revision 30 March 1998; accepted 15 May 1998     

Studies on the growth ofPrymnesium parvum carter (chrysomonadina) and on the formation of its toxin (prymnesin)

Résumé Prymnesium parvum Carter atteint sa taille maximale en 9–10 jours et produit une grande quantité de toxine, quand il est cultivé à la lumiére dans un milieu comprenant des sels, du glycérol et certains acides aminés (sérine ou -alanine).

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Part of a Ph.D. thesis, submitted to the Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem.     

A histochemical demonstration of the Na++K+-ATPase activity in the thyroid and the effect of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (c-AMP)

Summary With a suitable modification of the Farquhar and Palade technique the Na⁺+K⁺-ATPase activity in guineapig thyroid is demonstrated. The addition of c-AMP (5×10^–6 M or 1.5×10^–5 M) to the incubation media produced an apparent intensification of the Na⁺+K⁺-ATPase activity in the thyroid.This work was supported by a grant from ZMNU of Serbia.