Inhibition of an early stage of erythropoiesis in cultures of young chick blastodisc cells byRicinus communis agglutinin 120

Summary An early pre-erythroid phase of erythropoiesis in cultures of dispersed cell suspensions prepared from primitive streak and head-fold chick blastodiscs was very sensitive to inhibition byRicinus communis agglutinin 120.This work was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council and National Research Council of Canada. We thank Mrs S. Dorey and N.N. McGrath for technical assistance. S.D.W. is an Associate of the Medical Research Council.     

Effect of Tween 80 on lipids ofMycobacterium phlei ATCC 354

Summary Addition of Tween 80 to the growth medium brings about qualitative and quantitative changes in the lipids ofMycobacterium phlei ATCC 354. The results suggest that Tween 80 itself may be a variant in the system.Acknowledgments. K. R. D. is grateful to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, for the award of Senior Research Fellowship. This study was supported in part by funds from Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, and University Grants Commision, New Delhi.     

Ultrastructure of muscle spindles in C57BL/6Jdy 2J/dy 2J dystrophic mice

Summary The sensory organs of skeletal muscles, the muscle spindles, were examined using electron microscopy indy ^2J/dy ^2J dystrophic mice. Despite widespread damage to the extrafusal (skeletomotor) fibres the intrafusal (spindle) fibres appeared normal and seemed resistant to the aetiological factors for murine dystrophy.This work was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council and the Science Research Council of Great Britain.     

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.     

Atypic chronology of the mitotic cycle of neoplastic mouse mast cells

Zusammenfassung Im mitotischen Zyklus vollständig asynchroner, exponentiell proliferierender neoplastischer Manusmastzellen des Stamms P815Y ist dieG1-Phase vollständig abwesend. DNA-Synthese (S-Phase) beansprucht 84%,G2-Phase 14% und Mitose 4% der vollen Dauer des Zell-Zyklus.

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This investigation was supported by the Office of Naval Research under contract No. Nonr-266(76) and by the Health Research Council of the City of New York under contract No. I-428, and carried out at Columbia University (Department of Biochemistry).

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Recipient of Career Scientist Award of the Health Research Council of the City of New York under Contract No. I-428.     

Effects of a mammalian cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor on adipocyte ultrastructure and metamorphosis inRhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera)

Summary A potent inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis in rodents [BMVA; 5-(4-biphenylyl)-3-methylvaleric acid] inhibits metamorphosis of 4th stage larvae of the blood-sucking bugRhodnius prolixus.This work was supported in part by grants from the National Research Council of Canada awarded to Warner-Lambert Research Institute, Mississauga, Ontario.     

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.     

Effect of the scorpion,Heterometrus fulvipes (C. Koch), venom on some enzyme systems in rat (albino) tissues

Summary Sublethal doses ofHeterometrus fulvipes venom decreased NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activity levels and increased NADP-specific glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activity levels during a 48-h-period.Acknowledgments. D. V. thanks the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, for awarding a Senior Research fellowship.     

Comparative effect of silver ion and gibberellic acid on the induction of male flowers on femaleCannabis plants

Summary Silver ion applied as AgNO₃ to the shoot tip of female plants ofCannabis induces male flowers. It is more effective than gibberellic acid (GA₃) in maintaining the induced state.Acknowledgment. G.S. thanks the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India, for the award of a Junior Research Fellowship.     

Pineal function in the sheep: evidence for a possible mechanism mediating seasonal reproductive activity

Summary The 24-h profiles of plasma melatonin in the intact ewe in natural light indicate that a bimodal pattern of secretion is frequently present in oestrus, whereas a single dark-phase peak is characteristic of anoestrus. Based on these findings, a mechanism for the possible pineal-mediated control of seasonal breeding is proposed.This work was supported by the Medical Research Council and the Agricultural Research Council of Great Britain. Preliminary results from this study were reported in the proceedings of the 1st meeting of the European Pineal Study Group; J. Arendt, Prog. Brain Res.52, 249 (1979).We are grateful for the excellent technical assistance of A. Marston and J. Bradtke.     

Synthesis of trypsin inhibitor CMTI III from squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima)

Summary Using the solid-phase procedure, a 29-peptide cross-linked by three disulphide bridges was synthesized. The synthetic product was shown to be identical with the trypsin inhibitor CMTI III from squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima).Acknowledgments. This work was supported by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (K-GF 3020-107) and the Polish Academy of Sciences (Research grant No. MR I 12.1.6.1).     

Chlamydospore development in soil byProtomycopsis thirumalacharii

Zusammenfassung Chlamydosporen (Dauersporen) des parasitischen PilzesProtomycopsis thirumalacharii (Protomycetaceae, Exoascales) können sich sowohl in vitro als auch im Boden entwickeln. Dauersporenentwicklung findet in der Regel in dieser Familie nur auf der Wirtspflanze statt.

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The junior author (MPH) expresses his gratitude to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi for the award of a junior Research Fellowship.     

Localization of concanavalin-A binding sites inTetrahymena by scanning electron microscopy

Summary Binding sites of concanavalin-A were detected inTetrahymena on the body ciliature, while the cell membrane itself and the oral ciliature failed to bind the lectine.Supported by the Scientific Research Council, Ministry of Health, Hungary 1-01-0302-02-1/Cs.     

Stretch receptors in the eye muscles of a teleost fish

Summary Extraocular muscles of a teleost fish,Girella tricuspidata, contain a predominantly phasic stretch receptor, which consists of fine beaded nerve terminals within the red portion of the muscle.The authors are grateful to Mr V. Straznik for supplying the fish, and to Mrs M. Fisher for histological assistance. Financial support for this work was received from the New Zealand Medical Research Council and the Auckland University Research Committee and University Grants Committee.     

Effect of the extracts fromAristolochia indica Linn. on interception in female mice

Summary The crude petroleum ether, chloroform and alcoholic extracts of the roots ofAristolochia indica (Linn.) showed 100% interceptive activity in mature female mice at the single dose of 100 mg/kg body wt. The follow-up studies with the chloroform extract showed the most significant effect in the basic part and two acidic fractions at the single dose levels of 50 mg/kg body wt. No toxic effect was observed at the dose levels used.The authors are thankful to Mr.P. P. Ghosh Dastidar, Medicinal Chemistry Division for the plant extracts. Thanks are also due to Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for granting scholarships to two of them (B.C. and A.D.) and to Prof.R. N. Chakravarti, Director of the Institute for encouragement.     

Extractive components from the nutmeg ofMyristica simarum A. DC.: The structure of lignan-ketone: Otobanone

Summary Otobanon obtained fromn-hexane extract ofMyristica simarum A. DC. was elucidated as 1-oxo-otobain by the physical spectra and chemical degradation.Acknowledgment. The authors are indebted to Chemical Research Center for financial support under the project No. CRC-6203, which supported by the National Council on Science Development of China.     

Isolation of a neurosecretory substance which stimulates RNA synthesis in regenerating planarians

Summary An approach to the isolation of neurosecretory material from planarians is described. This material stimulated RNA synthesis, in a dose-dependent response, in regeneratingDugesia tigrina. The data support the concept that neurosecretion plays a key role in the process of regeneration in planarians.Supported by funds from the National Research Council of Canada.     

Stimulation of cell division in ectopic liver tissue following partial removal of the lung

Summary Autografts of liver were implanted into the left lung (Xenopus laevis). Subsequent removal of the right lung stimulated increased mitotic activity in the lung and in the liver graft.We thank the Cancer Research Campaign (North of England Council) for financial assistance.     

The effect of spermine on the thermal denaturation profiles of ribosomal RNA and of ribosomes fromBacillus stearothermophilus in the presence of physiological concentrations of cations

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass Spermin die rRNS vonB. stearothermophilus bei Thermaldenaturierung in Gegenwart physiologischer Konzentrationen von Kaliumund Magnesiumionen stabilisiert.

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This work was supported by a grant from the Science Research Council.     

Robustaflavone—the first member of a new series of biflavones

Zusammenfassung Isolierung und Strukturaufklärung eines neuen Typs der Biflavone ausAgathis robusta.

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Acknowledgment: The author is thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India, for financial assistance.