Enhanced production of aggregation pheromones in four stored-product coleopterans feeding on methoprene-treated oats

Summary Production of aggregation pheromones by maleOryzaephilus surinamensis, O. mercator, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, andTribolium castaneum was enhanced by feeding on methoprene-treated oats, implicating juvenile hormone in control of pheromone production. Methoprene application to control insects in stored food products may cause enhanced pheromone production by these insects, thus drawing additional beetles into the treated product.Acknowledgments. We thank Dr. G. B. Staal of Zoëcon Corp. for a generous gift of methoprene. Particular thanks are due to J. Dodic for technical assistance. Research funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Science Council of British Columbia.     

The principal toxin ofDelphinium brownii Rydb., and its mode of action

Summary Examination ofD. brownii, a stock-poison of Western Canada, revealed that the principal toxin was methyllycaconitine: a potent neuromuscular blocking agent which appears to act competitively at nicotinic receptors.We thank the University of Calgary, The National Research Council of Canada, and the Alberta Agriculture Department, for financial assistance.     

Acetaldehyde oxidation inDrosophila null-mutants for alcohol dehydrogenase

Summary Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity is demonstrated in four strains ofD. melanogaster lacking active alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-null mutants). In the four strains, ALDH activities are similar to those found in a wild strain. It is concluded that ADH-null flies are able to detoxify acetaldehyde. This finding is discussed in relation with the dual function of ADH proposed recently.This work was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council of Canada (MRC 6920) to Dr F. Garcin.     

Gamete formation reflects the sexual pheromone hierarchy ofDictyostelium giganteum

Summary Sexual development inDictyostelium giganteum begins with the appearance of small, amoeboid gametes that fuse to produce mainly binucleate cells which differentiate into zygote giant cells. The data presented here show that the number of gametes produced by each strain (WS589>WS606>WS607>WS588) is directly related to its position in this hierarchy.This work was supported by a grant (A6807) from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

4,11-Epoxy-cis-eudesmane,soldier cephalic secretion of the Nearctic desert termite,Amitermes minimus Light (Termitidae: Termitinae)

Summary The soldier cephalic secretion of the Nearctic desert termite,Amitermes minimus, consists almost entirely of 4,11-epoxy-cis-eudesmane which was previously identified from soldiers of 2 AfricanAmitermes species. Soldiers ofA. minimus each store circa 61 g of the secretion. Bioassays with the ant,Crematogaster californica, indicate a repellent role for the eudesmane compound in termite defense.Classification as proposed by Sands, W.A., Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist., Ent., suppl.18 (1972).Supported by Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research and California Statewide Critical Applied Research grant.     

Increased susceptibility ofTrypanosoma lewisi infected,or decomplemented rats toSalmonella typhimurium

Summary Rats infected withTrypanosoma lewisi or decomplemented by injection of cobra venom factor or complement activating factor of trypanosomes were found to be more susceptible to infection withSalmonella typhimurium. Decomplemented rats subsequently infected withT. lewisi developed higher blood parasitemia than did normalT. lewisi infected rats.This project is supported by the National Research Council of Canada grant A 0068 and a grant from the International Development Research Center.     

Characterization of polyphenol-containing dense cells

Summary Dense cells ofRubus chamaemorus L. (cloudberry) root meristems have been characterized by histochemical staining reactions at light and electron microscope levels. Presence of polyphenolic compounds in the cellular matrix contribute to the density of the dense cells.This research was supported by an operating grant from Agriculture Canada.     

Influence ofBotryodiplodia infection on the ascorbic acid content of two varieties of guava

Zusammenfassung Der Ascorbinsäuregehalt nimmt in reifen Guavafrüchten nach Infektion durchBotryodiploida theobromae rasch ab, was wahrscheinlich auf enzymatischer Oxydation der Ascorbinsäure beruht.

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This research has been financed in part by grant No. P.L. 480, Fg In-133 made by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. The authors are thankful to Drs. S. N. Bhargava and A. K. Ghosh for their help.     

Polarographic kinetics of reactions which proceed via carbonium ion intermediates

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe der Polarographie wird die Kinetik der Solvolyse vonp-Methoxy-isopropalakohol bestimmt.

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We wish to thank the National Research Council of Canada for a grant in support of this study and the University of New Brunswick for a post doctoral fellowship for one of us (D.B.).     

Titers of ecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone III throughout the life cycle of a hemimetabolous insect,the ovoviviparous cockroachNauphoeta cinerea

Summary Titers of ecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone III were measured in whole body extracts or hemolymph of embryos, first, penultimate and last stadium nymphs, and adult females ofNaupoheta cinerea. We used a gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry method for quantifying juvenile hormone and a radio-immunoassay for ecdysteroid determination. Juvenile hormone III is particularly abundant in the embryonic stage (up to 960 ng/g), at a low level in first and penultimate stadium nymphs (2–10 ng/ml) and almost absent in the last nymphal stadium; in the adult female the juvenile hormone titer rises to 180 ng/ml in hemolymph during rapid oocyte growth. The titers of ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone undergo similar fluctuations in the embryonic and nymphal stages, being highest at the time of cuticle formation in the embryo and a few days before the nymphal and adult molts (around 100–200 ng/ml for exdysone and 2–4 g/ml for 20-hydroxyecdysone).Acknowledgments. We thank Mrs A. Tschan for rearing the cockroaches, Mr M. Kaltenrieder for drawing the graphs, Mr G.C. Jamieson and Mrs C. Reuter for GC/MS analyses. We are also grateful to the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant no. 3.291-0.82 to B. Lanzrein) and the United States National Science Foundation (grant no. PCM 82-08665 to D.A. Schooley) for their financial support.     

Effect of amputation and limb regeneration on the pars distalis of the newt,Notophthalmus viridescens

Summary A study of the pituitary of the newt,Notophthalmus viridescens, during limb regeneration indicated no observable changes in histology or ultrastructure of any of the cells of the pars distalis when compared with the pars distalis of unamputated control newts.This investigation supported by a grant from the National Research Council of Canada to S.R. Scadding.     

Genetic studies on gynandromorphism (sgm,gm) inCulex pipiens fatigans

Summary Individuals showing anterior-posterior gynandromorphism or somatic mosaicism of palpi respectively have been found in a laboratory strain ofCulex pipiens fatigans. The origin of the gynanders on the basis of binucleated eggs bearing anm factor and independently fertilized by male gemetes ofM andm genotype respectively has been suggested.This study was supported by the grant (No. 7/112/919/81 EMR-1), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Govt., of India.     

Vitellogenin synthesis induced in locust fat body by juvenile hormone analog in vitro

Summary Fat bodies from adult females ofLocusta migratoria continue to synthesize vitellogenin and other proteins when cultured in vitro. A strong secondary induction of vitellogenin synthesis was obtained in fat bodies cultured in the presence of methoprene, and a weaker but significant primary induction was also obtained using higher doses (>100 g) of methoprene.This work was carried out in Dr G.R. Wyatts Laboratory and I thank him for helpful discussions. I also thank Dr G. Staal (Zoecon Corp.) for supplying the methoprene and Pfizer Inc. for rimocidin sulfate. This research was supported by grants from the US NIH (HD 02176) and Canada NSERC.     

Detection of protease inhibitors in the hemolymph of resistantAnticarsia gemmatalis which are inhibitory to the entomopathogenic fungus,Nomuraea rileyi

Summary A complex of protease inhibitor activities has been detected in the hemolymph of the 6th instarAnticarsia gemmatalis larvae that are resistant to infection by the fungusNomuraea rileyi. A site-specific serine protease inhibitor extracted fromA. gemmatalis hemolymph inhibits both the germination ofN. rileyi conidia and subsequent germ tube development.     

Effect of vapor repellents on the electrical response of insect antenna

Zusammenfassung Die elektrische Reaktion der Antennenrezeptoren vonPeriplaneta americana auf Reizung mit Amylacetat wird durch Formaldehyd, Propanal, Butanal, Cyanid und Aethylacetat vollständig gehemmt. Die Repellentien DEET und R-11 ergeben teilweise, Glyzerin und MGK-264 keine Hemmung. Antennogrammhemmung und Verhaltensreaktion ganzer Tiere sind korreliert, ausgenommen bei Formaldehyd, das sich im Verhaltenstest als hypersensibilisierend erweist.

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This research has been financed in part by a grant made by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service under P.L. 480.     

The transfer of juvenile hormone from male to female during mating in the Cecropia silkmoth

Summary The juvenile hormone (JH) stored in the accessory sex glands (ASG) of adult maleHyalophora cecropia (L.) originates both from sequestration of circulating hormone and from JH synthesized de novo in the ASG from JH acid taken up from the hemolymph. The secretions present in the lumina of the ASG contain most of the accumulated JH. During mating, endogenous JH, labeled biosynthetically via injected [³H-methyl]-methionine, is transferred along with the other seminal material to the bursa copulatrix of the female. The physiological significance of the JH transfer remains unknown.Research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (PCM72-01892) and Organized Research Funds from Texas A&M University.This work was done as partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.     

Effects of precocene II and juvenile hormone III on the activity of neurosecretory A-cells inOncopeltus fasciatus

Summary Application of precocene II, topically or by contact method, appears to inhibit the synthetic activity of neurosecretory A-cells of the pars intercerebralis ofOncopeltus fasciatus. Treatment of precocene-treated insects with JH III apparently stimulates the secretory activity of these cells.Supported by National Research Council of Canada grant No. A4669.We thank Dr G. B. Staal, Zoecon Corporation, Palo Alto, California, for the gift of precocene II.     

Effect of cortisol and norethandrolone on inflammation and tumor growth

Résumé Le norethandrolone administré chez le rat intact ou surrénalectomisé se montre très efficace à prévenir la perte de poids causée par le cortisol. Cet antagonisme, toutefois, n'est pas démontrable en ce qui concerne l'effet anti-inflammatoire, la diminution de la croissance tumorale et l'atrophie du thymus et de la surrénale dus au cortisol. En outre, le norethandrolone présente à lui seul des propriétés anti-inflammatoires et thymolytiques, plus spécialement chez l'animal intact.

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This work was supported by grant from the National Cancer Institute of Canada. The authors wish to thank Pfizer Canada, Montreal, and G. D. Searle & Co., Chicago, U.S.A. who graciously supplied cortisol acetate and norethandrolene.

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Medical Research Associate of the National Research Council of Canada.

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Work done under tenure of a summer fellowship from the Fondation Rhéaume of Montreal (Canada).     

On the origin ofd-aminoacid residues in microbial peptides

Zusammenfassung Ein Gemisch von Angolid und seinen drei valinhaltigen Homologen ausl-valinhaltiger Kultur vonPithomyces sacchari enthielt gleiche Mengen zweier Isomere mit nur einem Valinrest, was wahrscheinlich macht, dass Angolid durch Umkehrung einesl-Rests aus einem zyklisch-symmetrischen Vorläufer entsteht.

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This investigation was supported by a grant No. MA 2480 from the Medical Research Council of Canada. We are most grateful to Dr.J. A. Verpoorte for the aminoacid analyses.     

On the contamination of the Murphy-Sturm lymphosarcoma with a pleuropneumonia-like organism

Résumé La terramycine et la néomycine ne parviennent pas à décontaminer le lymphosarcome de Murphy-Sturm infecté par un «pleuropneumonia-like organism». Il a été constaté que ce microorganisme est transmissible à d'autres tumeurs transplantables. Le rat porteur d'une tumeur infectée devient résistant à l'induction d'arthrite par l'exsudat d'une tumeur homologue. L'exsudat d'un lymphosarcome de Murphy-Sturm provenant d'un autre laboratoire est également doué de propriétés arthritogènes.

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This work was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute of Canada. The authors also gratefully acknowledge generous gifts of terramycin from Pfizer Canada, Montreal, and neomycin from The Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, U.S.A.

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Medical Research Associate of the National Research Council of Canada.