Attraction of the male house fly to cuticular hydrocarbons and feces of several other dipteran species

Zusammenfassung Männchen vonMusca domestica werden von Kohlenwasserstoffextrakten aus der Cuticula weiblicherMusca domestica, M. autumnalis undHaematobia irritan angelockt (gleiche oder ähnliche Pheromone), nicht aber von entsprechenden Extrakten ausStomoxys calitrans, Glossina morsitans, G. austeni, Fannia canicularis undCochliomyia hominivorax.

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The authors thankDr. P. A. Langley, University of Bristol, for his geneous aid in providing cuticular washes and feces of tsetse flies;Dr. C. M. Jones, USDA, for face fly samples;Dr. R. L. Harris, USDA, for horn fly samples;Dr. B. G. Hightower and R. R. Grabbe, USDA, for screwworm samples andDr. W. M. Rogoff, USDA, for little house fly samples.     

[3H]-Norcocaine and [3H]-pseudococaine: Effect of N-demethylation and C2-epimerization of cocaine on its pharmacokinetics in the rat

Summary After i.v. injections of cocaine, norcocaine, pseudococaine to the rat, the T_1/2 in brain were 0.4, 0.6, 0.2 h respectively and in plasma 0.4, 0.5, 0.2 h respectively. Benzoylnorecgonine and norecgonine were the metabolites of norcocaine in brain. Pseudonorcocaine, pseudobenzoylnorecgonine, pseudobenzoylecgonine and pseudoecgonine were the metabolites of pseudococaine in rat brain. Benzoylnorecgonine and pseudobenzoylecgonine had potent stimulant activity intracisternally in the rats.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command Contract No. DADA-17-73-C-3080.     

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.     

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.     

Serum iron level of the common Indian frogRana tigrina Daud.

Summary A study extending over a period of 2 years has been made on serum iron level of common Indian frogR. tigrina. Serum iron averages 99.4 g/100 ml in female and 92.60 g/100 ml in males. The serum iron concentration is relatively high from May to October. Starvation has been found to decrease the serum iron level from the 16th day onwards.Acknowledgment. Thanks are due to Professor Dr M. M. Goil, Head of the Zoology Department for guidance and help in various ways and to Professor Dr R. K. Sharma for valuable suggestions.     

Effect of cyproterone acetate on the testis and epididymis of the lizard,Psammophilus dorsalis (Gray)

Summary The effect of cyproterone acetate (CPA) on the testis and epididymis of the lizard,Psammophilus dorsalis has been studied. Treatment with CPA affects spermatogenesis and steroid metabolism in the testis. It also causes regression of the epididymis and a decrease in steroidogenic enzyme activity.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Prof. M.R. Rajasekarasetty for his encouragement, Dr K.V. Rao, Nagpur, for a generous gift of cyproterone acetate, Dr V.B. Nadkarni, Dharwar, for permitting the use of his cryostat, Sri B.M. Sekharappa for his technical assistance and UGC, New Delhi for their financial help to one of us (GRS).     

Increased fusion frequency ofAspergillus nidulans protoplasts

Zusammenfassung Die Häufigkeit der Protoplastfusion auxotropher Mutanten vonAspergillus nidulans wurde durch Zugabe von 0.6M KCl oder NaCl gesteigert.

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The authors thank Dr.R. F. Rosenberger for the strainAspergillus nidulans pabal,y, ts6; ProfessorJ. G. H. Wessels and Dr.O. M. H. de Vries for discussions, and Dr.I. Rojik for help in electron microscopy.     

Genetic control and modifications of peroxidase pattern in two species ofNicotiana and their interspecific hybrid

Summary The peroxidase patterns ofNicotiana suaveolens, N. glutinosa and their interspecific hybrid have been studied, and their possible genetic control analyzed. Modifications of the isozymatic pattern along the plant have been observed.Acknowledgments. The authors thank Prof. J.R. Lacadena and Dr M. Pérez de la Vega for their valuable advice.     

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.     

Epidermal sensitivity to hypoxia in the lugworm

Summary Physiological and anatomical data support the idea that in the caudal epidermis of the lugworm,Arenicola marina (L.), there are chemoreceptors detecting variations of oxygen partial pressure in the ambient water.This research was partly supported by a C.N.R.S. grant, AI No. 582 085. We thank Dr P. Dejours and Dr J. Taxi for helpful comments and discussion, Mrs S. Dejours for editing the English of this paper, M.F. Baucher, A. Dorme, F. Kleinbauer, the staff of the Station Biologique de Roscoff and the Service de Microscopie Electronique, C.N.R.S., boulevard Raspail, Paris, for technical assistance.     

The non-exponential decay pattern of the weak luminescence from seedling ofCicer arietinum L. stimulated by pulsating electric fields

Our experiments have shown that the response of etiolated seedlings ofCicer arietinum L. to an externally applied pulsating electric field involves a weak luminescence, the intensity of which follows a non-exponential decay pattern.Acknowledgment. It is our pleasure to acknowledge the useful discussions we had with Dr S. K. Srivastava of the Mathematics Department and Dr M. K. Parida of the Physics Department of NEHU, Shillong. We also appreciate the interest shown by Prof. R. K. Mishra, former director of I.S.O.S. & B., in this work.     

Costaclavine fromPenicillium chermesinum

Zusammenfassung Es wurden inPenicillium Mutterkornalkaloide nachgewiesen, die bisher nur unter den Pilzen ausAspergillus undClaviceps bekannt waren.

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For the identification of the species used in this investigation, I am indebted to Dr.J. R. Kinsley, Purdue University. The technical assistance of MissS. Roos and the financial support from the Swedish Natural Science Research Council was appreciated. The sample of authentic costaclavine was generously provided by Dr.M. Abe.     

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.     

Anti-feedant activity of the polyacetylene,phenylheptatriyne (PHT), from the Asteraceae toEuxoa messoria (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Summary Phenylheptatriyne (PHT), a polyacetylene from various species of Asteraceae reduced feeding and weight gain of larvae of the polyphagous insectEuxoa messoria when incorporated into an artificial diet at concentrations of 10–300 ppm. These results suggest a role as insect antifeedants for the widely distributed polyacetylenes of the Asteraceae.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by NSERC and Agriculture Canada (E.M.R.) We thank Dr R. J. Byers (Agriculture Canada) for eggs ofEuxoa. To whom reprint requests should be addressed.     

A novel biochemical systematic technique for herpetology based on epidermal keratin

Summary Using green geckos (Phelsuma) the molecular weights and isoelectric points of S-carboxymethylated keratin monomers from fresh and preserved reptile epidermis were investigated. Isoelectric focussing reveals that several of the circa 35 components differ between genera, species and races and that the relative similarity of the SCMK pattern is directly related to evolutionary similarity and is of considerable taxonomic value.We would like to thank the SRC (grant A/8799.9 to R.S. Th.) and the Department of Zoology, Aberdeen for funding this research and Dr Alan Knox for his advice and assistance at the inception of this project. R.S. Th. would like to thank the Bonhote fund, Carnegie Trust and the Joint Research Committee of Aberdeen University for travel expenses related to this research and the Reptile and Amphibian section of the BMNH for the loan of specimens. M. G. would like to thank J.M. Gillespie for communications on keratin biochemistry and Dr Charteris (BDH) for a sample of their molecular weight markers prior to it being marketed.     

Karyotypes of several frogs from Korea,Taiwan and the Philippines

Summary Rana amurensis coreana, R. plancyi chosenica, R. latouchii, R. narina andOoeidozyga laevis have 2n=26 chromosomes,R. kuhlii has 2n=22, andKaloula picta has 2n=28. Males ofR. narina have a conspicuous heteromorphic pair, No. 8, which might play a rôle in sex-determination.Supported in part by a grant from the Japan-American Scholarship Foundation.I wish to thank Dr H.K. Kim, Dr Y.-S. Liang, Dr V. Samson-Carino, Mr C.-S. Wang, Mr P.S. Lin and Mr B. Durusan for their aid in every aspect during the collecting trips.     

Relationship between chlorophyll a content and protein content of invertebrate symbioses with algae or chloroplasts

Summary The chlorophyll a and protein contents of invertebrates containing autotrophic symbionts are indices of symbiont and host biomass, respectively, and the chlorophyll a content per unit protein is a good measure of symbiont: host ratio. For three different associations, the chlorophyll a content per unit protein is 0.01–0.02 g g^–1.The hydra andE. viridis were provided by M. H. Christopher and J. R. Turner. I thank Professor D. C. Smith, Dr J. B. Searle and Dr T. A. V. Rees for the valuable comments on drafts of this paper. This work was supported by research grants from S.E.R.C.     

Oxygen consumption of genetically obese rats

Zusammenfassung Der Sauerstoffverbrauch genetisch fettleibiger Ratten ist auffallend niedriger als derjenige von Normalratten (littermates), die nach Hypothalamusverletzung fettleibig wurden.

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J.Mayer, R. E.Russell, M. W.Bates and M. M.Dickie, Endocrinology56, 318 (1952).

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The author thanks Dr. E. B.Astwood for his continuing support and encouragement.     

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.     

Use of arrow-root powder in starch gel electrophoresis

Summary The arrow-root powder is used in electrophoresis as an alternative to potato starch. Its use is quite economical and this starch can be easily hydrolysed in any laboratory.The author is indebted to Dr M. M. Goil, Prof. & Head of the Department and Dr R. K. Sharma, Professor of Zoology, for their invaluable suggestions and help in various ways.