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.     

Paroxysmal discharges in the electroencephalogram of the El mouse

Summary The spike discharges in the EEG of the El mouse, a seizure-susceptible strain, were recorded during convulsive seizures. This fact provides evidence that those seizures are really epileptic convulsions.I thank Dr.K. Imaizumi and Dr.K. Nakano of National Institute of Health for their sharing the strain of El mouse to us and MissY. Nakamoto and Mr.N. Ozawa for their technical assistance and Mr.K. Moriyama for his care for the mice, and also thank Dr. H.Narabayashi for his criticism on this paper.     

The delta sleep inducing peptide (DSIP). Comparative properties of the original and synthetic nonapeptide

Summary Both the original and the synthetic nonapeptide Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu enhance, in recipient rabbits, spindle and delta EEG activity as in orthodox slow wave sleep.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by grants from the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research (No. 3.871.72, 3.527.75,3.443.074, 3.780.076), Fonds für Lehre und Forschung der Universität Basel, Merck Sharp and Dohme (USA), Ciba-Stiftung Basel, Hoffmann La Roche Ltd Basel, Sandoz Ltd Basel. We received valuable help from Dr S. Roncari, Dr B. Wilson and Dr C. D. Bennett for chemical research, and from Prof. A. Cerletti, Dr H. J. Tobler and Mr J. J. Regez (Division of Application and Research Development, Sandoz Ltd) for data processing.     

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.     

In vitro inactivation of corpora allata of the bugOncopeltus fasciatus by precocene II

Summary Corpora allata fromOncopeltus fasciatus incubated in vitro in medium containing 10^–5.35 M (1 g/ml) of precocene II lose their ability to secrete juvenile hormone when reimplanted into last instar larvae.Acknowledgments. We thank Mr K. Dorn, Mrs L. Dolezal, Mrs V. Nötzli-Graf, Mr K.H. Trautmann and Mr A. Schuler for technical help, Dr W. Vogel and Dr A. Dübendorfer for valuable discussions.     

Preservation ofBordetella pertussis

Summary Bordetella pertussis has been shown to remain viable for a period of 13 years on freeze-drying. The revived cultures had unaltered antigenic composition and biological activity.Thanks are due to Dr M. Balasubrahmanyan for his guidance and Dr M.S. Zakharova, Gamaleya Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Moscow, USSR for supplyingB. pertussis factor sera. We thank Mr Ram Jas for his technical 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.     

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.     

Ca-antagonistic substance from soft coral of the genusSarcophyton

Summary A 14-membered ring diterpenoid named cembrane, possessing Ca-antagonistic action on the isolated rabbit aorta, has been isolated from a soft coral of the genusSarcophyton, and its structure established by X-ray and spectroscopic data.The authors thank Mr. Z. Nagahama (Okinawa) for collection of soft corals, Miss R. Abe (the present institute) for her skillful assistance, and Dr. T. Higashijima, Prof. T. Miyazawa (Tokyo University), Mr. T. Hayase and Dr. H. Ohtani (Mitsubishi Chemical Industries Ltd) for¹H and¹³C NMR-measurements.     

Nervous and behavioral responses to light in colonies of the free-living bryozoan,Selenaria maculata (Busk)

Summary Bursts of electrical impulses which spread throughout the entire colony were recorded from individual zooids ofSelenaria. Strong illumination caused a rapid increase in the frequency of bursts and also caused the colonies to start moving, usually towards the light the recorded electrical activity may act to trigger locomotor behavior.We are grateful to Dr P. Arnold (James Cook University, Townsville) for his assistance in collecting the live material ofS. maculata, to Miss P. L. Cook and Mr P. J. Chimonides (British Museum (Natural History) for their helpful discussions, and to Dr J.P. Thorpe (University of Liverpool) for suggesting the topic. We thank also the Science and Engineering Research Council for financial support (grant No. GR/A71578).     

Isolation of the insect paralyzing agent coniine fromSarracenia flava

Summary As part of a study to clarify the relationship between insects and the insectivorous plantSarracenia flava, we have observed the presence of the paralyzing agent coniine in the volatile constituents. Fire ants have been used as the test organism in bioassay studies for paralyzing activity.Acknowledgment. This work was financed in part by the National Institutes of Health (Grant No. CA 13268). Thanks go to Dr.Sidney McDaniel for collection of the plant material and to Mr.Peuman Neel for assisting in the project.     

Sperm activation inBalanus balanoides (Crustacea: Cirripedia)

Summary Ammonium ions alone will activate both vesicula and inseminated spermatozoa ofBalanus balanoides. Maximum activity, however, occurs when inseminated spermatozoa are treated with the blood and oviducal gland fluid ofB. balanoides.Acknowledgments. I should like to thank Mr K. White for the ammonia determinations and Prof. D. J. Crisp and Dr P. A. Gabbott for useful discussions.     

Mitochondrial calcium efflux and porcine stress-susceptibility

Summary Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ efflux rates ofM. longissimus dorsi correlate very closely with parameters associated with porcine stress-susceptibility. Experimental data support the measurement of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ efflux to be a very sensitive and reliable method for differentiating porcine stress-susceptibility.Acknowledgments. The autors are grateful to Dr Webb (Edinburgh) and to Dr Monin (Theix) for supplying halothanescreened pigs, to Mr C.C. Ketteridge for technical assistance and to Mr N. F. Doun for drip measurements.     

Changes in dopamineβ-hydroxylase activity of monkey plasma with age

Summary Plasma dopamine -hydroxylase activity of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata fuscata) increased with age, and the developmental changes were similar to those of human beings. However, the adult level plasma DBH activity of various monkey species was much lower than that of human beings.We thank Dr.K. Nozawa, Dr.O. Takenaka and Mr.T. Shotake (Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University) for their help in collecting monkey blood samples.     

Methyllycaconitine,a naturally occurring insecticide with a high affinity for the insect cholinergic receptor

Summary Studies of extracts ofDelphinium seeds, long known to be insecticidal, revealed that a principal insecticidal toxin was methyllycaconitine, which is shown to be a potent inhibitor of -bungarotoxin binding to housefly heads (K_inh=2.5×10^–10±0.5×10^–10M).Calgary for gifts of MLA, citrate and lycoctonine, and Dr W. Bowers of the University of Arizona for the original extract ofDelphinium seeds. We would also like to acknowledge the able technical support of Ms C. Dushin, Mr E.L. Bowman, Dr C. C. Gagne, Mr R. F. Borysewicz and Dr P. Mowery for his assistance in obtaining and interpreting the carbon-13 NMR spectra.     

Effect of a sesquiterpene fromAristolochia indica Linn. on fertility in female mice

Summary A sesquiterpene isolated from the roots ofAristolochia indica (Linn.) was found to exert 100% interceptive activity and 91.7% anti-implantation activity in mice at a single oral dose of 100mg/kg b. wt. No toxic effect was found at the dose levels used.The authors wish to thank Dr S. C. Pakrashi and his associate Mr P. P. Ghosh Dastidar of Medicinal Chemistry Department for isolating the compound for this study. Thanks are also due to Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research for granting a Junior Research Fellowship to C.S.     

An analysis of the distribution of the myelinated nerve fibers in the optic fascicle of a Beagle dog

Summary The composition of both optic fascicles of a Beagle dog was studied in topographically oriented, semithin transections of whole nerve stained with toluidine blue. About 165,000 myelinated fibers were present in each nerve, their maximum caliber reaching 11 m; large, less densely arranged fibers occurred especially in the dorso-temporal region.We are grateful to Dr D.C. Naylor, Mrs K. Schnider, Mr F. da Silva and Mr K. Traber for their aid.     

Mutagenicity testing of 3 hallucinogens: LSD,psilocybin and‡ 9-THC using the micronucleus test

Summary Using the micronucleus test as a screening method for mutagenic activity, no significant increase in the number of micronuclei was found when LSD, psilocybin or ⁹-THC were administered in 3 logarithmically increasing doses to mice. Azathioprine (Imuran^®), given as a positive control, caused a statistically significant increase in micronucleated cells.Acknowledgment. The expert technical assistance of Mr Joop Branger is greatfully acknowledged. We thank Prof. Dr C. A. Salemink, University of Utrecht, for the supply of the THC, and Dr J. Fokkens, National Institute of Public Health, for preparing the solutions.     

On fragmentation and elimination of ovarian oocytes

Summary Examination of numerous fragmented oocytes in the ovary revealed an asynchronous relationship between nuclear and cell divisions. The asynchrony was observed in non-fragmented oocytes as well and was considered to be one of the common processes leading towards oocyte elimination in the ovary. The present study additionally demonstrates the morphology of follicle cell degeneration observed on the surface of fragmented oocytes.The authors are very grateful to Mr T. Horii, Dr K. Takeda, Dr S. Morisawa, Mr K. Takahashi, Mr Y. Matsumoto and Mrs M. Shinohara for their laboratory help.     

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.