Sterilization of solanaceous hadda,Epilachna vigintioctopunctata F. by irradiating pupae using gamma radiation

Summary Sterility in males and females was observed in the resulting adults when 3–4-day-old pupae of solanaceous hadda,Epilachna vigintioctopunctata F. were exposed to gamma radiation doses of 2000 rad and 2500 rad. However, at 2500 rad longevity of treated insects was adversely affected.Acknowledgment. Financial help to one of us (J.K.G.) by C.S.I.R. in the form of J.R.F. is gratefully acknowledged. Authors are thankful to Prof. P.N. Srivastava and Dr A.R. Rao, School of Life Sciences, J.N.U. Delhi for providing radiation facility.     

3,5-Dibromo-2′-chloro-4′-isothiocyanatosalicylanilide,a potent anthelminitic

Summary The compound, 3,5-dibromo-2-chloro-4-isothiocyanatosalicylanilide, has been tested against various nematode and cestode parasites in experimental and domestric animals. It shoved 100% activity againstAncylostoma ceylanicum, A. tubaeformis, Syphacia obvelata, Ascaridia galli, Toxocara spp.,Toxascaris sp.,Gnathostoma spinigerum, Hymenolepis nana, Raillietina spp. andTaenia spp. in doses 25–70 mg/kg given in single or multiple administrations.Acknowledgments. We express sincere thanks to Dr Nitya Nand, F.N.A., CDRI, Lucknow, for his keen interest in the work, to Dr B. N. Dhawan, F.N.A. for providing informations about general pharmacology of the compound, and to Dr R. K. Chatterjee and Dr P. K. Murthy for carrying out antifilarial sreening. Technical assistance of Mr S. C. Bhar and Mr S. Ram is acknowledged.     

A novel tetracyclic sesquiterpene from the oil of orejuela ofCymbopetalum penduliforum (Dunal)

Résumé De l'éther de pétrole extrait de l'huile de l'Orejula (Cymbopetalum penduliforum Dunal, Baill) fut examiné pour son contenu en terpènes. On a isolé les sesquiterpènes tétracycliques (ishwarone). L'évidence chimique et spectral appuie la constitution chimique et sa conversion à isoishwarone.

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The authors are grateful to Dr.F. Will, Mr.W. F. Kuhn and Mr.G. Vilcins for their valuable analytical data and to Dr.R. F. Dawson for the oil of orejuela and Dr.P. C. Parthasarathy for the authentic sample of isoishwarane. We wish to thank ProfessorsA. Burger andN. H. Cromwell for helpful discussions.     

Chromsome aberrations in cattle raised on bracken fern pasture

Summary Thirteen cows maintained on natural bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) were analyzed cytogenetically. The frequency of structural chromosome aberrations detected in peripheral blood cells was significantly higher when compared to that detected in animals raised on pasture containing no bracken fern. We discuss the clastogenic action of fern and its synergistic action with infection by type 2 and 4 papilloma virus in the same animals.Acknowledgments. We are grateful to Dr F. J. Benesi, Dr J. L. Guerra and Dr I. L. Sinhorini for performing some of the clinical and pathological analyses; O. P. Ferraz, L. A. Tadeu Dias, L. F. Feitosa and A. M. N. Paiva for technical assistance; and to Dr N. H. C. Castro and Dr C. de Araujo Peres for critical and statistics review, respectively. Research was supported by CNPq FAPESP and CAPES.     

Eco-physiological studies onZornia diphylla pers. with reference to adaptive seed dormancy

Summary Seeds ofZornia diphylla possess a complex type of dormancy which is of great survival value for the species. Seeds show polymorphism. The optimum temperature for germination explains the cause of its distribution in the tropics. The grazing and scraping promotes the vegetative growth.The author is grateful to Dr.R. Sahai and Dr.R. S. Tripathi, Gorakhpur University, for guidance and to Dr.Y. B. Singh, Principal, and Dr.G. C. Srivastava, Head Dept. Botany, for encouragement and facilities. Thanks are due to my colleagues late SriP. N. Gupta, SriJ. Abraham, SriF. Abbasi, and Dr.A. B. Sinha for their cooperation.     

Starfish encounters: An experimental study of its advantages

Summary The predatory starfishCrossaster papposus exploits a chemically mediated escape response in another predatory starfishAsteria rubens when a common food resource is available to both species. Intraspecific avoidance amongC. papposus is strong and functions in dispersal. Responses to inter- and intraspecific encounters among starfish may be important to the predatory ecology of species in high positions in their food webs.I thank the MAFF. Fisheries Lab., Burnham-on-Crouch for hospitality and facilities, Prof. N.B. Marshall, F.R.S. and Dr A.C. Campbell for laboratory facilities at Q.M.C.     

A chromosome study ofScarites occidentalis (Coleoptera,Caraboidea)

Summary Scarites occidentalis has 2n=41 (females 2n=42), n=19+X₁X₂Y. This multiple sex-chromosome system and other karyotypic characteristics suggest that this species andS. buparius share a recent common ancestor in which the sex trivalent was probably originated.Thanks are due to Dr N. Virkki for his valuable comments and his help with the English, to Dr Ramos and Dr Aparicio for discussion and advice, to Dr F. Hiraldo and M. Mañez for collecting the specimens. This work has been supported by a postdoctoral fellowship of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.     

Rate of tryptophan hydroxylation in vivo in brain nuclei of genetically hypertensive rats of the Lyon strain

Summary The rate of tryptophan hydroxylation in vivo is unaltered in brain areas of 5, 9 and 21 week-old Lyon genetically Hypertensive (LH) rats as compared to both Lyon Normotensive (LN) and Low Blood Pressure (LL) rats, except for a decrease in the C1 area of the medulla oblongata in 9 week-old animals.Acknowledgment. The authors wish to thank Dr M.F. Belin, Dr J.F. Pujol and Mrs J. Sacquet for their help during this study. This work was supported by the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale Française and the C.N.R.S.     

Reduction in bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) infectivity vis-a-vis crude leaf extract of some higher plants

Summary Crude leaf extracts of 17 plants were tested for their antiviral activity against BCMV. An extract ofAzadirachta indica A. Juss. was found to be most potent in reducing the infectivity of the virus.Authors are thankful to Dr R. D. Joshi for his valuable guidance and Prof. S. N. Mathur for providing lab facilities. Financial assistance by U. G. C. and C. S. I. R. is gratefully acknowledged.     

Freeze tolerance in the frog,Rana sylvatica

Summary Wood frogs survive extracellular freezing at moderate subzero temperatures (–4°C) for at least 11 days. Freezing survival is aided by the accumulation of high concentrations of glucose as a cryoprotectant in blood and tissues. Glucose production was accompanied by a rapid decline in liver, but not muscle, glycogen levels suggesting that liver is the organ controlling cryoprotectant synthesis.Acknowledgments. This study was supported by grants to L.M.G. from the Kroc Foundation (Santa Ynez, California) and from the National Institute of Dental Research (Grant No. DE-03987). The authors wish to thank K. Yorko, M. Shakin, J. Finan and Mrs N. Manivannan for their technical and secretarial assistance.Acknowledgments. I thank Dr J. Ballantyne, Dr F. Schueler and I. McMurray for help with frog collections and Dr. W. Schmid, Dr J. Bogart and Dr F. Cook for helpful discussions. Supported by an N.S.E.R.C. operating grant and by a grant from the Atkinson Charitable Foundation.     

Hybridization between Robertsonian karyotypic races of the common shrewSorex araneus

Summary British common shrews of the Aberdeen, Oxford and Hermitage Robertsonian karyotypic races were hybridized successfully in captivity. Hybrids, both simple Robertsonian heterozygotes and double Robertsonian heterozygotes with monobrachial homology, have been identified in an area of contact between the Oxford and Hermitage races. The relative fertility of these two types of hybrid is considered.I thank Dr. C. E. Ford F. R. S., Prof. F. W. Robertson and Dr A. E. Douglas for reading earlier drafts of this paper, Prof. F. W. Robertson, Dr J. R. K. Savage and Dr J. R. Clarke for laboratory facilities, Mrs J. E. Evans for technical assistance and S.E.R.C. for financial support.     

Does prolactin control the blood progesterone level on early dioestrus in rats?

Summary Bromocriptine treatment on either prooestrus or oestrus in female rats did not affect luteal function on the day of dioestrus 1.This investigation was partially financed by the C.N.R.S. (E.R.A. No. 566).Acknowledgments. We are thankful to Mrs C. Lazarus for her excellent technical assistance, to Mr R. Dujol for the figures. We wish to express our gratitude to Dr A.F. Parlow for providing reagents for prolactin RIA and to Sandoz Laboratories for bromocriptine. Reprint request should be addressed to Cl.A.     

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.     

Effect of seasonal variations and cold acclimation on serum transaminase activity of common Indian frogRana tigrina

Summary A definite seasonal change is observed in 2 transaminases, SGOT and SGPT ofR. tigrina. Cold acclimation significantly depresses transaminase activity of serum.Acknowledgments. Thanks are due to Dr M.M. Goil and Dr R. K. Sharma for their invaluable help in various ways. Dr K. Singh would also like to thank S.C.S.T., U.P., for the financial assistance.     

One-sided sexual isolation betweenDrosophila takahashii andDrosophila pseudotakahashii

Summary In order to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships betweenD. takahashii andD. pseudotakahashii, 2 closely related allopatric species, sexual isolation was studied by the male-choice method. The present data indicate that there is a one-sided mating preference between these species. On a basis of the results, their evolutionary sequence is discussed.We are indebted to Dr I. R. Bock, Australia, and Dr O. Kitagawa, Japan, for kindly providing the live cultures. Thanks are due to the Head of the Zoology Department, B.H.U. for the provision of laboratory facilities and to the C.S.I.R., New Delhi, India, for awarding a Post-doctoral fellowship to Y.N.D.     

Variations de la différence de potentiel électrochimique des chlorures chezNitella en présence de benzène sulphonate

Summary The chloride electrochemical potential difference between the inside of cells ofNitella translucens and some external solutions, where Cl has been progressively replaced by benzenesulphonate, has been measured by means of Ag-AgCl electrodes. It appears that benzenesulphonate moves into the cell by an electrogenic pump and that the uptake of Cl byNitella is not in contradiction with a carrier hypothesis.

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This work was supported by grants from the F.N.R.S. and was carried out in the Biophysics Section of the Edinburgh University. We are indebted to Dr. E. J.Williams and Dr.Hogg for having sponsored this research and kindly provided the material.     

Evolutionary implications of ascorbic acid production in the Australian lungfish

Summary It is shown that the Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) synthesizes ascorbic acid in its kidney, suggesting that ascorbic acid synthesis started before the origin of the tetrapods.Acknowledgments. We would like to thank Dr G.C. Grigg, University of Sydney, Mr R. B. Humphries, Dr P.A. Janssens and Dr C.H. Tyndale-Biscoe, Australian National University, and Dr. M. Griffiths and J.C. MacIlroy C.S.I.R.O., Division of Wildlife Research for supplying the tissue.     

Antiviral substances in starfish

Zusammenfassung Eine Gruppe von teilweise chemisch charakterisierten Verbindungen, welche die Vermehrung des Influenza-Virus in Huhnembryo-Test verhindern, wurde aus den SeesternenAsterias forbesi, Asterias pectinifera undAcanthaster planci isoliert.

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This research was supported by the N.S.F. Sea-Grant Program. The author thanks Dr.H. W. Younken Jr. and Dr.L. R. Worthen for their encouragement and suggestions throughout this work. Thanks are also due to Dr.Hashimoto, Tokyo University, and Dr.Yasumoto, Tohoku University, for the specimen ofAsterina pectinifera, and Dr.B. M. Branham, University of Hawaii, forAcanthaster planci sample. The antiviral test was carried out by Dr.O. Liu, Northeast Shellfish Sanitation Research Center, D. H. E. W., Narragansett, Rhode Island, to whome the author expresses his sincere gratitude.     

Attraction ofScolytus scolytus (F.) to the components of Multilure,the aggregation pheromone ofS. multistriatus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Summary The attraction ofS. scolytus to the components of Multilure is described. 4-Methyl-3-heptanol is an attractant which is synergised bya-cubebene. Multistriatin appears to be an inhibitor. A combination of 4-methyl-3-heptanol and cubeb oil is more effective as a bait forS. scolytus than Multilure.We thank Mr A. K. Hughes and Mr J. Boswell for their cooperation in allowing us to conduct experiments on Parham Estate; Mr D. Mobbs and Mr C. Thorne for the statistical analyses; Dr J. W. Peacock for samples of mixed isomers of multistriatin and distilled cubeb oil; Mrs J. Allsop and Mr N. J. Fielding for technical assistance. We are grateful to Mr D. Bevan, Dr J. H. Borden, Dr J. F. Grove and Prof. A. W. Johnson for their interest and encouragement.     

Insect hemocytes: Cells adapted to anaerobiosis

Summary Hemocytes from a free-living insect could be grown under strictly anoxic conditions. Their anaerobic metabolism was studied in vitro in such a cellular system.We thank Dr C. Remesy for analysing the volatile fatty acids and Drs P. Dejours and J. Girard for helpful discussions.