Effective dose present in cockroach larvae exposed continuously to a juvenile hormone active insect growth regulator

Summary Larvae of the German cockroach exposed to filter paper impregnated with juvenile hormone (JH) active substance contain, at the middle of the last instar, about one-hundredth of the dose applied to 1 cm². The amount of metabolized substance rises sharply before and disappears rapidly after the ecdysis into the supernumerary instar.Acknowledgments. We wish to express our thanks to Prof. Dr H.A. Schneiderman, Dr W. Vogel and Dr P.A. Vonder Mühll for stimulating discussion and to Mr M. Gruber for correction of the text.     

Reversal of metamorphosis in mealy bugs treated with juvenile hormone-active insect growth regulator

Summary Anal pore-plates are a typical adult characteristic of male mealy bugs. Nymphs treated with a juvenile hormone-active insect growth regulator moult several times into intermediary forms between nymph and adult. The number of the anal pores is reduced during each of these supernumerary moults.Presented at the XVth International Congress of Entomology, Washington DC 1976.Acknowledgments. We wish to express our thanks to Sir Vincent B. Wigglesworth and Mr M. Gruber for revision of the text and to Mr M. Dickenmann and Mrs B. Mühlemann for technical assistance.     

Changes in cholinesterase activity of muscle after crushing the sciatic nerve of rats

Summary The subcellular distribution of cholinesterase (ChE) was studied in the gastrocnemius muscle of rats after strong or weak nerve crushing. The ChE activities of muscle were decreased to a greater extent by strong crushing than by weak crushing. In particular, the ChE activity of the fraction containing sarcoplasmic reticulum was most greatly decreased. These results suggest that the change in the ChE activity of the microsomal fraction most finely reflects the strength of nerve crushing.Acknowledgments. This study was accomplished in Central Research Laboratories, Sankyo Co. Ltd. The authors wish to thank Prof. Tsuneyuki Nakazawa, Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fujita-Gakuen University, and Dr Yutaka Sakai for their valuable advice and support, Sr Jean M. Michalec for her critical comments, and Miss Hamako Katano, Mr Naoji Mikuni and Miss Yoshie Ishii for their skillful technical assistance.     

New highly irritant euphorbia factors from latex of Euphorbia tirucalli L.

Summary From the latex of Euphorbia tirucalli L. growing in Madagascar, 5 new euphorbia factors were isolated. They were characterized as 13-O-acetyl-12-O-acylphorbol-and 12-O-acetyl-13-O-acylphorbol derivatives carrying homologous conjugated unsaturated fatty acids as acyl groups. Furthermore, 2 mixtures of homologous 3-O-acylingenol derivatives are obtained carrying the same type of unsaturated fatty acids. Due to their highly unsaturated acyl groups all Euphorbia factors or factor groups isolated are highly sensitive to autoxidation.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Miss B. Pieruschka for excellent technical assistance. The supply of latex by Mr M. Schomerus, Ampanihy-ouest, Madagascar, and Prof. Dr W. Rauth, Botanical Institute of the University of Heidelberg, is gratefully acknowledged.     

Activity tests of alcohol dehydrogenases in wheat,rye and triticale

Summary The relative band staining intensities of ADH isoenzymes in wheat and triticale suggest alloploid genome interactions. Rye ADH is scarcely affected by anti-wheat-ADH. Despite the evolutionary divergence of their Adh genes, ADH monomers of wheat and rye form enzymatically active heterodimers in triticale.Dedicated to Prof. Dr V. Schwartz, Tübingen, on the occasion of his 70th birthday.I thank Miss Hiltrud Wambach and Miss Rita Lippert for technical assistance.     

Two new kaempferol 3,7-diglycosides and kaempferitrin in the fernAsplenium trichomanes

Summary The fronds of the fernAsplenium trichomanes contain kaempferol 3,7-dirhamnoside (1) and the new compounds kaempferol 3-O-a-rhamnoside-7-O-a-arabinoside (2) and kaempferol 3-O-a-arabinoside-7-O-a-rhamnoside (3). The presence of the above flavonoids has been shown by spectroscopic methods and chemical degradations.Acknowledgments. The author thanks Prof. H. Wagner (Institut für pharmazeutische Arzneimittellehre der Universität München, München) for a sample of kaempferol 3,7-dirhamnoside, Dr K. R. Markham (Chemistry Division, D.S.I.R., Petone, New Zealand) for a gift of pectinase and Mr A. D'Urso (Botanic Institute, University of Catania) for help in acquiring the plant material.     

Enhancement of p-aminohippurate accumulation in renal cortical slices after repeated administrations of various organic anionic drugs to rats of different ages

Summary After repeated administrations of various organic anionic drugs to rats of different ages, an enhancement of p-aminohippurate accumulation was observed in renal cortical slices from adult but not from newborn and infant rats. The effect can be interpreted as specific substrate-induced stimulation of the organic anion transport.Acknowledgment: The authors thank Miss Karin Müller for technical assistance.     

Lack of correlation between structural features and function of synthetic agents tested for leukocyte chemotaxis

Summary A number of proteins, poly-L-amino acids, oligopeptides and lipids were tested for neutrophil, cosinophil and macrophage chemotactic activity. One myoglobin preparation was active. Based on the negative findings for all other substances, primary structure, secondary structure, degree of hydrophobicity, size and charge of a molecule, could be ruled out as structural features recognized by chemotactically responding phagocytes.I thank Dr J. H. Wissler for suggesting the reported experiments and Dr M. Landy and Prof. E. Sorkin for advice and criticism during preparation of this article. The excellent assistance by Mrs J. Kerschbaumer-Bech and Miss Margrit Bühlmann is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research, grant 3.8750.72, and by Sandoz-Stiftung, Basel.     

Ca-antagonistic substance from soft coral of the genusSarcophyton

Summary A 14-membered ring diterpenoid named cembrane, possessing Ca-antagonistic action on the isolated rabbit aorta, has been isolated from a soft coral of the genusSarcophyton, and its structure established by X-ray and spectroscopic data.The authors thank Mr. Z. Nagahama (Okinawa) for collection of soft corals, Miss R. Abe (the present institute) for her skillful assistance, and Dr. T. Higashijima, Prof. T. Miyazawa (Tokyo University), Mr. T. Hayase and Dr. H. Ohtani (Mitsubishi Chemical Industries Ltd) for¹H and¹³C NMR-measurements.     

Metabolism of a biliary metabolite of phenacetin and other acetanilides by the intestinal microflora

Summary In vivo, rat intestinal micro-organisms mediate the metabolic hydrolysis of the biliary metabolite(N-acetyl-p-aminophenyl glucuronide) of phenacetin and related compounds.The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Medical Research Council and the technical assistance of Miss A. M. Pritchard, Miss J. A. Parr and Mr P. B. Wood.     

Potassium transfer from brain to blood during sustained hyponatraemia in the newborn calf

Summary The effect of dilutional hyponatraemia on cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption, and net transfer of K⁺ to the circulation from brain tissue drained by the sagittal sinus was investigated in anaesthetized calves. Cerebral blood flow decreased, and net transfer of K⁺ to the circulation increased during hyponatraemia.Acknowledgments. The expert assistance of Miss B.N. O'Connor, Miss D. McNaughton and Mr P.M.M. Bircham is gratefully acknowledged.     

Cortisol-induced migration of eosinophil leukocytes to lymphoid organs

Summary Cortisol induces a migration of eosinophil leukocytes from the blood to several lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, lymph nodes and thymus, but not to other tissues. This migration explains the cortisol-induced blood eosinopenia, which is much more pronounced in intact than in splenectomized animals.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by the Servicio de Desarrollo Cientifico y Creación Artística from the University of Chile. Hydrocortisone sodium succinate (Solu-Cortef^®, Upjohn) was kindly provided by Upjohn Co., Santiago, Chile. We appreciate the technical assistence from Dr E. del Solar, Mr D. Sáez, Miss J. Habach, Mr M. López and Miss M. Liendo.     

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.     

Contractile filaments in cells of regenerating tendon

Summary An extensive cytoplasmic fibrillar system has been observed in fibroblast-like cells of regenerating tendon. It consists of bundles of actin filaments, which often show a cross-striated appearance due to electron dense bodies occurring throughout their length. The functional role of this contractile apparatus seems to be related to the process of movement and orientation of the newly formed cells and to the retraction of the regenerating tendon.Work was supported by grant C. N. R. n. 75.01224.04–115.5479 from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy.The authors are grateful to Dr G. F. Bottazzo, Dept. Immunology, Middlesex Hospital, London, for carrying out the absorption experiments with purified actin and to Miss M. Rita Nicotra, Miss Laura M. Vassallo and Mr Mario Termine for their technical assistance.     

Two different aggregation principles in reaggregation process of dissociated sponge cells (Geodia cydonium)

Zusammenfassung Chemisch dissoziierte Zellen des KieselschwammesGeodia cydonium reaggregieren aufgrund zweier verschiedenr Reaggregationsprinzipien. Der Aggnegationsfaktor, auf den die Primäraggregation zurückgeht, ist membrangebunden und wird durch Proteasen nicht inaktiviert. Der sekundäre Aggregationsfaktor wurde 500fach angereichert. Das Molekulargewicht dieses Aggregationsfaktors beträgt etwa 20000 Daltons; er ist mit einem ringförmigen Makromolekül (2×10⁹ Daltons) assoziiert.

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Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mrs.V. Pondeljak, Mrs.U. Müller-Berger, Mr. R. Beyer andMr. M. Srecec for their excellent technical assistance. We gratefully acknowledge the advice of dipl. Chem.J. Obermeier for the carbodiimide coupling method. This work is supported by Fonds der Chemischen Industrie and by the Landesversicherungsantalt Rheinland-Pfalz, Speyer/Rh.     

Effects of various media on tissular and cellular structures of the superior cervical ganglion of the rat

Summary The superior cervical ganglia of the rat have been incubated in vitro for 1 h in basal medium Eagle (BME) with Hanks' salts, BME with Earle's salts, Krebs' solution and NCTC 109 medium. Comparison of the cell areas, established by a semi-automatic quantitative method, shows that the three former induce a 30–35% neuronal retraction, whereas NCTC 109 has no effect. Thus this latter medium seems the best one for studies using incubation of these cells.We are indebted to Miss M. Vio, Mrs J. Bottini, Mr C. Cataldo and Mr P. Cau for their helpful assistance.     

A new simple temperature-controlled membrane oxygenator for the perfusion of isolated rat livers

Summary A new temperature-controlled membrane oxygenator for perfusing isolated rat livers was assembled using a combination of heat-exchangeable rubber tubing and silicon rubber tubing. The apparatus supplied enough oxygen to satisfy the requirements of hemoglobin-free perfused livers.Acknowledgment. One of the authors (MO) would like to thank to Prof. Dr R. Scholz, Institut für Physiologische Chemie der Universität München, for his kind permission to observe his perfusion experiments and also for his valuable discussion.     

A simplified method for reading hemagglutinations on a flat-bottom microtitration plate in the mouse H-2 assay

Summary Kaliss' method for determining hemagglutination titer of mouse alloantiserum was modified to a simpler form. It became possible to read the hemagglutination directly on a flat-bottom microtitration plate using an inverted type microscope. Sensitivity of the modified method was almost the same as that of the original one. This method seems to be useful especially for the larger scale assay of H-2 specificities.Contribution from the National Institute of Genetics. Supported in part by grants-in-aid (No. 111510, 111504, 112105) from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Japan.Acknowledgments. The excellent technical assistance provided by Miss M. Kuranou, Mr K. Sakakibara and Miss M. Tsuyuki is gratefully acknowledged.     

Bestimmung des DNS-Gehaltes in Zellkernen des Nervengewebes vonHelix pomatia L. undPlanorbarius corneus L. (Stylommatophora und Basommatophora,Gastropoda)

Summary It has been demonstrated by cytophotometric measurements of the DNA-content in glial- and nerve cells of the snailsHelix pomatia (Stylommatophora) andPlanorbarius corneus (Basommatophora) that the giant nuclei of nerve cells in the central ganglia contain more than tens of thousands of DNA compared with sperm nuclei. According to the DNA-content of sperms (=n), the values for glial cells are between 2n and 4n for both species.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. W.Dittrich, Institut für Strahlenbiologie der Universität Münster, danke ich für die Möglichkeit, am UMSP I arbeiten zu dürfen; Frl. A.Stipproweit danke ich für sorgfältige technische Assistenz.