Einfluss einiger lipophiler Lösungsmittel in gasförmigem Zustand auf die CO2-fixierung durch Luzerne

Summary Vapourized organic solvents such as: diethyl ether, methylene chloride, carbon disulfide, benzene, and n-octane have an inhibiting effect on CO₂ fixation in alfalfa leaves (Medicago sativa). One exception is CS₂ which stimulates overall fixation up to 10 vol%. Beyond 10 vol% it inhibits overall CO₂ fixation like the other solvents, but stimulates the formation ofl-alanine as the major remaining fixation product. Proportionality exists between water insolubility of the organic solvents and their inhibiting effect on CO₂ fixation.     

Induction of proteolytic activity in serum by treatment with anionic detergents and organic solvents

Using casein plates as a sensitive assay for proteolytic activity, it was observed that sodium-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and other anionic detergents induce caseinolysis when mixed with sera and plasma. Caseinolysis was dependent on the presence of plasminogen in the fluids and could be blocked by inhibitors of serine proteases and antibody to plasminogen. Similarly, organic solvents such as isopropanol induced caseinolysis after mixing with plasma, but not normal serum. Isopropanol dissociated complexes of alpha 1-antitrypsin or alpha 2-macroglobulin with trypsin preformed in vitro. As both SDS and organic solvents are widely used in biochemical investigations of biological fluids, attention should be paid to the possible induction of proteolysis.     

Zur Wahl der organischen Lösungsmittel bei der Gewinnung von Chloroplasten in nichtwässerigem Milieu

Summary For the isolation of chloroplasts in non-aqueous media the following organic solvents are suitable: pentane, hexane, heptane, petroleum ether and carbon tetrachloride. These solvents cause a minimum loss of lipids.The loss of lipids and some lipid components of frozendried and ground shoots fromElodea canadensis during the isolation of chloroplasts in non-aqueous media (petroleum ether b. r. 60–80°C and petroleum ether-carbon tetrachloride mixtures) is reported.     

Degradation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in organic solvents by gamma ray irradiation

Summary The effect of gamma ray irradiation on 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) dissolved in organic solvents is described; TCDD is degradated with the loss of 1 or more chlorine atoms.Gammatom, Via 24 Maggio, 14, I-22070 Guanzate, Como, Italy.     

Addition of sulphydryl groups to biliverdin

Summary Sulphydryl groups add to the central methine bridge of biliverdin in organic solvents as well as in aqueous solution (pH 7.4). The addition reaction is favoured by albumin but reversed in acid media.     

Über die Adsorptionskraft der Pektine in organischen Lösungsmitteln

Summary Pectin does not present any surface activities in organic solvents. An eventual fixation of some substances is based on mutual chemical affinity.     

Phaeomelanic pigments from a human melanoma

Summary The pigments in melanomas from 2 patients were studied with regard to solubility and chemical composition. Melanoma pigment from a patient with red-blonde hair was alkali-soluble and contained 9 or 10% sulfur and was thus of phaeomelanic type. Melanoma pigment from a patient with red-brown hair was insoluble in 0.2N NaOH. Its sulfur content was 6%. This pigment was eumelanic with regard to solubility characteristics but the sulfur content was higher than previously observed for eumelanin.Supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society (No. 626-B75-04XA), the Swedish Medical Research Council (No. B76-04X-00056-12), and the Walter, Ellen, and Lennart Hesselman Foundation for Scientific Research. ProfessorProta was a visiting scientist of the Swedish Cancer Society (No. 626-B75-04U).     

Transesterification of juvenile hormone occurs in vivo in locust when injected in alcoholic solvents

Catabolism of juvenile hormone was studied in vivo in the African locust by injection of the labelled natural enantiomer (10R) (12-³H) JH-III. Due to the poor solubility of JH in aqueous solution, it was injected in a water-miscible solvent. Ethanol was chosen for its apparently low toxicity towards the locust. In these experimental conditions, reverse phase liquid chromatography procedure (RP-HPLC) coupled with on line radiodetection, revealed an apolar metabolite of JH-III. This compound was found both in adult females and in fifth stadium larvae. We demonstrate that this metabolite resulted from substitution of the carboxyl methyl group of JH-III by some hydrophobic moiety. This compound co-migrates in our RP-HPLC system with the JH analog epoxy-ethyl farnesoate (JH-III ethyl ester) obtained by KCN-catalysed transesterification of JH-III in ethanol. Both JH-III ethyl ester of chemical origin and biological compounds extracted from locusts give the same spectra when analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Transesterification of JH-III was not observed with locust tissues incubated in vitro but occurred in vivo even if JH was injected in other alcoholic solvents such as propanol. Our data suggest that transesterification of JH-III occurred in vivo and underline the role of injecting solvent in in vivo studies.     

Un développement nouveau de la lyophilisation: La cryodessiccation des systèmes non aqueux

Summary A new development is made to enlarge the field of lyophilization using non-aqueous media. Unstable compounds are preserved by freezing and drying their solutions in organic solvents. The same technique applied to chemicals dissolved in liquid ammonia enables the preparation of stable concentrated free radicals, due to the very low temperature of sublimation of frozen NH₃. Finally, experiments are made demonstrating the possibilities of high velocity, low temperature sublimation of solutions in solid CO₂ at normal atmospheric pressure.      

The viability of pollen grains of a lily (Lilium auratum) and the eggs of the brine-shrimp (Artemia salina) soaked in organic solvents for 10 years

Summary Pollen grains ofLilium auratum which had been stored in n-pentanol, n-butanol and n-propanol for 10 years at –10°C germinated, and the generative nucleus in the pollen tube divided into 2 sperm nuclei. The resting eggs ofArtemia salina soaked in these solvents for 10 years hatched at a high rate.     

Dünnschichtchromatographischer Nachweis der Aminosäuren im Urin

Summary Urinary amino acids are converted into DNP-derivatives. Extraction by organic solvents yields both ether- and acid-soluble DNP-derivatives in a form suitable for separation and identification by thin-layer chromatography. Solvent systems and techniques for the detection of 35 urinary constituents are described. The method is applicable to the qualitative analysis of other biological fluids.     

Volatile sex pheromone in the female German cockroach

Virgin German cockroach adult females release an attractant that can be extracted with organic solvents and trapped from air blown over sexually receptive females. Behavioral assays with an olfactometer showed that the attractant was produced exclusively by adult females and it elicited behavioral responses in adult males, confirming its function as a female sex pheromone. Using behavioral and electrophysiological assays, we localized the site of pheromone production on the tenth abdominal tergite where an adult female-specific gland is found. Females whose glands were ablated were significantly less attractive to males than sham-operated control females.     

Lack of effect of antioxidant therapy during renal ischemia and reperfusion in dogs

Acute ischemic renal failure is of great clinical importance because of its frequent occurrence and the high mortality it causes. Recent observations indicate that reperfusion has its own dangers because of oxygenderived free radicals. To study this problem, ischemia was evoked in dogs in one kidney, by clamping the left renal artery for 45 min. This was followed by a 90-min period of reperfusion when diuresis, GFR, PAH clearance and sodium and potassium excretion were studied. Besides a control group (n=6), the following treatment groups were investigated. Allopurinol (n=7): 50 mg/kg for two days p.o. and 50 mg/kg in physiological saline infusion during the experiment; a small dose of SOD (n=6): 0.5 mg/kg in infusion, started 1 min before reperfusion and given continuously for 10 min; and a high dose of SOD (n=7): 5 mg/kg as above. In the first 15 min following reperfusion, the renal functions significantly worsened in all groups. Later on, the renal functions gradually improved and in the last period after reperfusion, GFR in the ischemic kidney was 64%, cPAH 59%, diuresis 60% and sodium and potassium excretion were 65% and 76%, respectively, of the basal values in the control group.Treatment with free radical scavengers did not cause any considerable changes in the renal functions. In some respects, the worst results were observed with low-level SOD treatment (cPAH, diuresis, as well as sodium and potassium excretion).At the end of reperfusion, there was a significant drop in sodium excretion by the right (intact circulation) kidney of the treated animals.     

Early effect of poliomyelitis virus on 5'-nucleotidase activity in HeLa cells]

One of the earlier effects of poliovirus was the maintaining of a high level of Hela cells 5'-nucleotidase activity (maximal efficiency for a virus/cell ratio = 500 ID 50/cell) (ID50:50% Infections Dose). The activity decreased when cells were suspended in the presence of EDTA(EDTA:Ethylene Diamine Tetracetic Acid) and was partially restored by adding 10 mM Mg++ interactions are discussed.     

Phytosterols from pressmud residue obtained after methanogenic fermentation

Summary Pressmud, a sugar factory waste, was fermented with methanogenic bacteria in an anaerobic fermenter for 40 days at 31±2°C. The pressmud residue obtained after fermentation was used as a source for the extraction of phytosterols. The anaerobic digestion degraded the organic matter and resulted in enrichment of phytosterols from 0.33% in the pressmud to 3.05% in the residue. Refluxing of 100 g of residue with benzene, petroleum ether, and ethanolic KOH (1051) yielded 8 g of soft cake, which on further fractionation with methylcyanide and isopropanol gave three fractions: 1) a crude mixture of phytosterols, 2) resin, and 3) undigested organic matter. The crude mixture of phytosterols after purification on neutral alumina followed by GLC analysis resulted in the separation of 68.7% of -sitosterol, 18.4% of stigmasterol and 12.9% of campesterol and brassicasterol together. Phytosterols were extracted more easily from fermented than from unfermented samples, because of biodegration of lipophilic compounds by the methanogenic bacteria.Acknowledgments. S.K.S. and J.C.S. are thankful to the authorities of the U.G.C., New Delhi, for the award of Teacher-fellowships. R.C.S., R.A.K.S. and D.K.M. are thankful to the authorities of the C.S.I.R., New Delhi, for providing R.A., S.R.F., and J.R.F., respectively. Reprint request to S.N.M.     

Disposal of low- and intermediate-level waste in Switzerland: Basic aspects of potential relevance to microbial effects

Summary Current projects for the disposal of low-and intermediate-level radioactive waste in Switzerland are based on the concept of a horizontally accessed repository under a hillside. Most of the waste to be disposed of in such a repository is operational and decommissioning waste from nuclear power plants and wastes from medicine, industry and research. This waste is generally solidified in cement and placed in steel drums or concrete containers. Once the by the anaerobic corrosion of steel and by microbial degradation of organic material, to escape from the near field. Valanginian marl, which is one of three envisaged options for the host rock, is characterized by a high carbonate content, up to 75% in some locations. The organic content of the marl is between 1% and 2%, while pyrite is present in concentrations up to 5%. The groundwater is reducing, and its pH tends to lie in the neutral to slightly alkaline range. Potentially important microbial effects on the long-term performance of the system are microbial degradation of barrier materials and organics, the effect of microorganisms on sorption, and their role as catalysts.     

Über die Beziehungen zwischen der Lipidlöslichkeit von Pharmaka und ihrem pharmakokinetischen Verhalten

Summary Some correlations between the physicochemical properties of drugs and their pharmacokinetic behaviour are outlined. Based on the permeability characteristics of simple model membranes (porous membrane, lipid membrane) permeation and distribution of drugs in the animal body can be described and understood on simple physico-chemical terms. Some clinically important aspects — the absorption of drugs from the intestinal tract, the passage through the blood-brain-barrier and the renal excretion as governed by passive tubular reabsorption — are discussed in more detail. Thereby it appears that the solubility of a drug in lipid material, which may be suitably expressed as partition coefficient between an organic solvent and a buffer solution of pH 7.4, is a major factor in determining its pharmacokinetic behaviour.     

Physicochemical properties of an extracellular polysaccharide isolated from culture media of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens]

A new extracellular polysaccharide has been isolated by chromatography on anion exchanger of a fraction obtained from highly viscous culture media of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. This polysaccharide is characterised by high molecular weight (1,000,000 dalton) and intrinsic viscosity (323 ml/g). It contains 24% neutral sugar (galactose and mannose 5:1), 35% glucuronic acid and 51.5% N-acetylhexosamines (N-actylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylbacillosamine 6:9:1).     

A.T.P. et extractibilité des myosines

Summary A.T.P. has no influence upon the solubility of the myosins, but it hastens the dissociation of the myosin complexes inside of the myofibrils.The decrease in solubility of the myosins in stimulated muscles cannot be explained by a lack of A.T.P., for the addition of A.T.P. (0.3%) to the extract does not change the amount of myosin which goes into solution.     

The compositional analysis of recent cephalopod shell carbohydrates by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and high performance anion exchange-pulsed amperometric detection

The organic matrix of four living cephalopod skeletons was extracted, purified, separated in a soluble and an insoluble fraction. These fractions were submitted to infrared analysis. After a light hydrolysis, their monosaccharide content was determined by HPAE-PAD. The results were treated by principal component analysis.Infrared analysis has been used to estimate the protein/sugar ratios and showed a high amount of chitin within the insoluble fractions. This was corroborated by their high content of glucosamine. The composition of soluble matrices appeared more heterogeneous: the general tendency is an increase of glucosamine from the most mineralized shell (Nautilus) to the non-mineralized one (Loligo), and a decrease in glucose and galactose. These data would be in agreement with the evolutionary tendency towards shell reduction and disappearance among cephalopods.