Augenrückbildung und Lichtstinn beiAnoptichthys jordani Hubbs und Innes

Summary After hatching, young individuals of the Mexican blind characinAnoptichthys jordani Hubbs and Innes possess small, movable eyes. In the course of growth, the eyes are overlapped by skinfolds and tend to sink into the depth of the orbital cavity. Lens and pupilar opening may disappear and degeneration is to be found in the retina.Even very young blind characins seem to have no vision of movements, while they are able to perceive light. The lower limit is about 0.12 Lux of light intensity. Experiments concerning the localisation of this perception of light are in progress.     

Mutation und Phänokopie bei Säugetier und Mensch

Summary The concept of phenocopy established byGoldschmidt in 1935 is critically studied and special emphasis is placed upon the problem of how to distinguish true and false phenocopies. A comparison is made with true and false genocopies, that means mimic mutations. Regarding a given character it is often hard to distinguish as far as man and mammals are concerned, whether it is caused by mutation or phenocopy. Although most of the abnormalities occur as hereditary as well as non-hereditary types, there are, however, hereditary defects that occur seldom and others that occur frequently as phenocopies; still other abnormalities are known as yet only as non-hereditary modifications. It is still impossible to give exact figures for the numerical relationship of single hereditary and non-hereditary abnormalities in man.In certain cases in man and animals there may be also an interaction of the gene and the phenocopying agent, the latter replacing the missing second allele of the gene in question in a heterozygotic individual. The question has to be examined whether in the case of horizontal inheritance, that means occurrence of the same character only in one sibship, a hereditary effect is only simulated with the same phenocopying factor continually in effect. Finally a method is given to determine the relationship of mutations and phenocopies of the retinoblastoma, a hereditary or exogenous caused highly malignant ocular neoplasm in man, a question very important to eugenics.

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Dem PathologenRobert Rössle* zum 80. Geburtstag am 19. August 1956 gewidmet

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Redaktionelle Anmerkung. Am 21. November 1956 ist Herr Prof.Rössle in Berlin verstorben. Die Experientia-Leser erinnern sich dankbar an seinen Aufsatz: «Warum sterben so wenig Menschen eines natürlichen Todes?» Exper.4, 295 (1948).

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Nach einem Vortrag an der Universität Nagoya (Japan) am 17. September 1956.     

Ähnlichkeit und Unterschied Leukozytenemigrationsfördernder Wirkung gram-positiver und gram-negativer Bakterien

Summary Live gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria cause circular and chemotactic eccentric promotion of leucocyte emigration in a similar manner. In the case of gramnegative bacteria this effect corresponds to that of their polysaccharides, whereas in the case of gram-positive bacteria the polysaccharides are inactive.Thus, although gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria both have a similar effect on leucocyte emigration, the underlying mechanism of action is different.     

Acetyl-diginatin-α und Desacetyl-lanatosid D

Summary The selective enzymatic degradation of lanatoside-D yields acetyl-diginatin-α, the mild alkaline hydrolysis desacetyl-lanatoside-D. The properties of these glycosides are described; both can be transformed by further degradation into diginatin.

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Vorl?ufige Mitteilung. Eine ausführliche Arbeit erscheint demn?chst in den Helv. chim. Acta.     

Chemotaxine und Kapillarpermeabilität

Summary Bacterial polysaccharides, which exhibit an intense specific stimulating effect on the migration of leucocytes, provoke no trypan blue reaction on the intracutaneous vesicle. Certain mucoproteins show both effects, others only provoke the formation of vesicles. Both reactions are thus separable components of the phenomenon of inflammation.     

Über die Reaktion des 5,5-Diphenylglykocyamidins und seiner N-Alkylderivate mit Ammoniak und Aminen

Summary 5,5-Diphenylglycocyamidines bearing an alkyl group in position 3 are partly rearranged to the corresponding N²-alkyl derivatives on heating with alcoholic ammonia in the presence of ammonium acetate. Prolonged heating with ammonium acetate leads to N-dealkylation both of N³- and N²-alkyl derivatives. 5,5-Diphenylglycocyamidine in turn is mono- or dialkylated at N² on heating with the acetates of primary and secondary amines respectively. A mechanism for these reactions is proposed.

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Mitteilung über Hydantoine, Thiohydantoine und Glykocyamidine.

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Mitteilung:K. Lempert, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Kémiai Tudományok Osztályának Közleményei [Ber. Ung. Akad. Wiss., Kl. Chem. Wiss.]12, 59 (1959). — Chem. Reviews59, 667 (1959).     

Über Inhaltsstoffe ausPetasites officinalis Moench I. Petasin und die Petasolester B und C

Summary Three spasmolytically active substances which contain no nitrogen, namely petasin and the petasolesters B and C, were isolated fromPetasites officinalis Moench. They are all esters of the same C₁₅-alcohol. Petasin is an ester of angelic acid, whereas the petasolesters B and C are derivates of a new acid containing sulphur, the-methylmercapto-acrylic acid.     

Neue Beiträge zur Vegetations- und Klimageschichte der nord- und mitteleuropäischen Interglaziale

Summary Report on recent research on the Quaternary development of flora, vegetation and climate in Northern and Central Europe with schematized diagrams from various papers byFlorschütz, Lona, Szafer and others showing characteristic differences between the older and the newer Interglacials, designed by the present author.     

Das Strukturbild der Arterienwand unter lebensnahen Präparationsbedingungen und seine physiologische und pathologische Bedeutung

Summary At first sight it seems impossible to obtain a picture of arterial structure fixed in the true conditions of life. The arterial wall particularly is exposed to severe forces of alteration at the moment of death. Even before autolysis and rigor mortis, it is submitted to a triple trauma: the sudden cessation of rhythmical pulsation, the emptying of the lumina and the blood coagulation. Nevertheless precisely, these factors give us a simple and relatively safetest for deciding whether a histological preparation corresponds to the true life conditions; we may assume this to be so when the lumen of small blood vessels is full ofuncoagulated blood. Studies on such preparations show that during life there are no particular annular and longitudinal muscle fibres in the arterial wall, it is rather theplasticity and activity of a unitary musculature which determines the appearance of variously oriented fibers in histological preparations. As for the elastic tissue, it appears as a continuous line, when in activity; curvatures or ruptures mean a limitation or suppression of the elastic function. Observations on the so-called regulating apparatus in arteries of man, completed by others on dogs under influence of adrenalin, lead one to consider the particular relationship of clear muscle cells and elastic elements as themorphological equivalent of vasoconstrictive action. These results call for a revision of some histological, histopathological and even physiological concepts, such as the accepted histological views on the existence of arterial closure apparatus. The aspects described as sphincters, Polster, bourrelets, valves are not permanent structures butsnapshots of moving parts of the arterial wall. The clear muscular cells named epitheloid cells, Quellzellen, Leiomyoblasts are muscle fibers quasi surprised by the fixation in theactive state.     

Synthesen über Stickstoff-ylide und Phosphor-ylene

Summary The action of proton acceptors on quaternary ammonium-or phosphonium-salts produces unusually reactive compounds, which are called N-ylids or P-ylens respectively. The N-ylids, which undergo the Stevens rearrangement, have found preparative application in newly developed syntheses of phenanthrene derivatives and cyclopolyenes. Appropriate representatives of the ylids are transformed into the formerly unknown isoindoles. The P-ylens also possess the noteworthy ability to convert aldehydes and ketones to the corresponding homogeneous olefines. With their help, new approaches to cyclopolyenes have been opened up, and naturally occurring substances containing polyene and polyenine chains, such as-carotene, oenanthetol and vitamin A, have been synthesized.

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Nach einem Vortrag, der in Zürich, in Basel und in Budapest Ende November 1955 gehalten wurde.     

Voacanga-Alkaloide III. Voacristin: Identität mit Voacangarin und Abbau zu Iboxygain und Ibogain

Summary Voacristine is identical with voacangarine. Its degradation products include iboxygaine and ibogaine. Structures for iboxygaine and its internal quaternary tosylate salt are briefly discussed.     

Chemie und Stoffwechsel der Polyenfettsäuren

Summary The chemical structure of the polyenoic fatty acids occuring in organ phosphatides and in fish oils is reviewed. The double bonds of all these polyenoic acids are arranged in divinylmethane pattern. Except some of the C₁₆-polyenoic acids of fish oils, these polyenoic acids belong either to the oleic, linoleic or linolenic acid type and have chain lengths C₁₈, C₂₀, and C₂₂. Polyenoic acids of the oleic acid type are present only in small amounts in phosphatides of mammalian origin. Fish oils are lacking in these but predominantly contain polyenoic acids of the linolenic acid type.Metabolic studies have shown that polyenoic acids of linoleic acid type (e.g. arachidonic acid) originate from linoleic acid and those of the linolenic acid type (e.g. C₂₀-pentaenoic and C₂₂-hexaenoic acid) from linolenic acid-both supplemented exogenous-by extension of the carbon chain by acetate on the side of the carboxylic acid group and introduction of additional double bonds in the divinylmethane pattern directed toward the carboxylic acid group. There is some evidence, however, that a total synthesis of the polyenoic acids of the oleic acid type occurs in the animal body.The transformation of linolenic to C₂₂-hexaenoic acid and some intermediate reactans have been investigated more precisely by means of the tracer method. As far as the biosynthesis of the polyenoic fatty acids is concerned there are no fundamental differences in different vertebrates.

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Nach einem Vortrag auf der gemeinsamen Tagung der deutschen, französischen und schweizerischen Biochemiker in Zürich vom 10.–12. Oktober 1960.     

Gallen und Gallensäuren Papierchromatographische Untersuchungen

Summary In cases of bile-scretion disturbances substitution-therapy can be performed using suitable animal biles equivalent to human bile. Comparative investigations have been made to establish which animal bile is in practice the most suitable for bile substitutiontherapy based on its bile acid components.A new paper partition chromatographic method has been applied for separation and identification of free bile acids. Ascending development was used on Schleicher & Schüll 2043b Mgl paper impregnated with 20 v/v% propylene glycol in chloroform. The xylene-methylethylketone 1:1 solvent system gave good separation. The bile acids can be detected by immersing the chromatograms in 20 w/v% SbCl₃ in chloroform followed by drying and heating for 5–10 min at 100–110°C. The spots show intense reddish-violet or blue fluorescence in filtered UV-light (see Table 1).These investigations have shown that human and ox biles are, in contrast to pig bile, physiologically related biological substances regarding their bile acid components.     

Konstitutionsaufklärung und Synthese von Psilocybin

Summary The structure of Psilocybin, the psychotropic active principle of the Mexican mushroomPsilocybe mexicana Heim, has been elucidated. Psilocybin is the phosphoric acid ester of 4-hydroxy-dimethyltryptamine. This structure was confirmed by total synthesis.     

Vergleichende röntgenhistoradiographische und interferenzmikroskopische Trockengewichts-bestimmungen

Summary Quantitative roentgen-histo-radiographic dry-weight determinations were made without a reference system. The results were compared to readings which had been obtained by the interference microscope. The readings from both methods correspond. The results show the range of error for both methods. It is remarkable that roentgenhisto-radiographic dry-weight determinations were made without using a reference system, once the dry-weight equivalent had been established.

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Mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Über den Einfluss von Desoxycorticosteron auf Kontraktur und Kaliumfreisetzung durch Acetylcholin an der innervierten und denervierten Skelettmuskulatur

Summary The release of potassium ions from striated muscle, and the changes in mechanical tension developed by the gastrocnemius muscle on intraarterial injection of ACh, were investigated by isolated perfusion of the hind limbs in cats. The reaction of the normal innervated and chronically denervated muscle in the same animal were compared before and during perfusion with 2·10^–4 M/l desoxycorticosterone glucoside (DCG). The following results were obtained: after perfusion with DCG no change in the spontaneous release of potassium ions occurred neither on the innervated nor on the denervated muscle. The potassium release following intra-arterial injections of various doses of ACh was significantly reduced on innervated and denervated muscle. On the denervated muscle there was also a considerable reduction of the height of contractures caused by ACh administration. The results make it probable that DCG acts by an inhibition of depolarisation in the same way asd-tubocurarine.     

Struktur und Wirkung von muscarinähnlichen Verbindungen

Summary Replacing the tetrahydrofuran ring in muscarine by tetrahydrothiophene results in a markedly reduced biological activity. This may be explained by the inability of the sulfur atom to form hydrogen bonds with the cholinergic receptor group. The increase in ring size also affects the position and biological function of the neighbouring methyl group. Aromaticity of the furan ring has little effect on biological activity of muscarine, in contrast to the striking decrease which occurs when methyl or trimethylammonium groups are incis-position with respect to the hydroxy-group.     

Reserpin und γ-Aminobuttersäuregehalt des Gehirns

Summary 1. In mice,reserpine (5 mg/kg) causes a long-lasting depletion of the brain for -aminobutyric acid (GABA), which corresponds temporally to the lowered seizure threshold (electroshock).2.Iproniazid prohibits both the depletion of GABA and the lowering of seizure threshold.3. Relations between amine- and GABA-metabolism of the brain are pointed out.