Semen electrolytes in normal and infertile subjects. II. Zinc

Summary Zinc levels in seminal plasma of normal subjects are compared with those of oligospermic, asthenospermic and azoospermic. A linear direct relationship seems to exist between zinc in seminal plasma and motility of spermatozoans. The possible implications of this are discussed.Acknowledgment. Authors are thankful to Mr P. Gopinath, Assistant Professor in Physiology, for valuable criticism on the article and to Mr N.T. Pabani for technical assistance.     

Prostaglandin-like substances inPropionibacterium acnes. VI. Characterization of the lipid fraction by gas chromatography in conjunction with mass spectrometry

Summary The lipid fraction ofP. acnes was submitted to stepwise purification followed by bioassay in order to localize the prostaglandin-like material. GC-MS analysis revealed the occurrence of substances having a part but not a total molecule in common with the prostaglandin family, suggesting that prostaglandin-like substances represent a new group of prostaglandin compounds.The competent technical assistance of Mr N. Engström and Mr G.A. de Vogel is gratefully acknowledged.     

Demonstration of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in human term placenta.

A proteolysed form of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (Fru-P2ase) has been detected and characterized in human term placenta. The extract was found to contain very low levels of activity with an alkaline pH optimum. Western blotting demonstrated a polypeptide of Mr 26,000, instead of the subunit of Mr 36,000 observed in native mammalian Fru-P2ases.     

Denervated taste buds. I. General ultrastructural observations

it]Riassunto La denervazione dei calici gustativi provoca due tipi fondamentali di alterazioni cellulari: il primo è rappresentato da lisosomi e citosegregosomi che colpiscono le cellule scarsamento differenziate, il secondo è invece rappresentato da lesioni che sconvolgono l'intera organizzazione citoplasmatica delle cellule di II tipo.The author wishes to thank Mr. M. DrIorio and Mr. V.Panetta for their techeical assistance.     

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.     

Biotin-binding proteins in eggs of oviparous vertebrates

Summary Biotin-binding was found in the egg whites and yolks of all 23 avian species studied, and in a turtle, but the amount varied considerably even in related species. There was no clear correlation in biotin-binding between egg white and yolk in various species. Antigenic determinants of avidin in different species have changed in the course of evolution as compared with those of chicken egg white avidin.We thank Mr Jukka Peltonen and Mr Antti Karlin for the collection of the avian eggs with permission obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, and Mr Reino Saarinen for the turtle eggs. The authors are indebted to Mrs Outi Kurronen Miss Riitta Mero and Miss Tiina-Maija Mattila for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Ford Foundation Grants No. 760-0526 and No. 790-0665.     

SEM observation of cultured,mitogen-stimulated leukocytes. Cells obtained from patients with acute myeloblastic and chronic lymphocytic leukemias

Summary SEM observation of acute myeloblastic leukemia cells, incubated for 20 h with the mitogens pokeweed and phytohaemagglutinin, showed these to have elongated structures that were either smooth or partially covered by thumblike figures. By contrast, the chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells possessed more compact shapes and some were covered with blebs of varying sizes.Supported by grant No. A3624 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.We would like to acknowledge the help of Mr Jean-Luc Verville and Mrs Diane Keating from this Department. Our thanks also go to Dr J.F. Perdue, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada, for the very generous use of his equipment and also to Mr Pierre Daigneault from M. E. C. A. Laboratories.     

Estrogen action in the male

Summary Estrogen administration induces a migration of eosinophil leukocytes to ductus deferens.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by grant No. 4002 from the Servicio de Desarrollo Científico y Creación Artística of the University of Chile. We thank Mr D. Sáez and Mr E. Astudillo for technical help.     

Effect of acetylcholine acetyl-hydrolase (E.C. 3.1.1.7) inhibition on the accumulation of pp' DDT in various brain regions of rats

Summary The concentration of pp' DDT given intraperitoneally in rats was determined in different brain regions. Maximum accumulation of pp' DDT was found in the corpus striatum, followed by cerebellum and cerebral cortex in that order; following pretreatment with paraoxon the concentrations of pp' DDT were increased in all brain regions studied. pp' DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4′-chlorophenyl ethane), used in the above studies was generously supplied by Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, USA. The authors are grateful to Mr M.Z. Hasan for analysis of the samples and to Sandoz, Basel, Switzerland for the gift of paraoxon.     

Preparation of isolated cells from rat heart

Summary Suspensions of isolated cells from rat heart were prepared and the data for viability and yield are given. Glucose uptake by the cells was mediated by a carrier system.The technical assistance of Mr.E. T. Potter, Mr.K. D. Patel and Mr.M. Griffin is gratefully acknowledged.     

A method for the detection of chemotaxis in mammalian tissue cells

Summary A new method is described of culture of mammalian tissue cells beneath a solid medium, permitting the assessment of growth-promoting, growth-inhibiting and chemotactic substances.Our thanks are due to Mr.D. S. Leake, who provided the smooth muscle cell suspensions; and to Mr.J. F. Stevenson, for expertise in preparing the medium. This work is supported by the British Heart Foundation, Grant No. 528.     

Investigations on the turnover of adrenocortical mitochondria. VII. Effects of ACTH on the half-life of mitochondria from the zona reticularis of the rat adrenal cortex

Summary The half-life of mitochondria from the zona reticularis of the rat adrenal was calculated by determining the radioactivity decay curves of the mitochondrial compartment of 3H-thymidine-injected animals, using autoradiographic methods. ACTH was found to enhance significantly the half-life of the organelles.Acknowledgment. We wish to thank Miss A. Coi and Mr G. Gottardo for the skilled techical assistance. This work was partly supported by a contract with the CNR (No. 74.00226.04/115.3439).     

Gastric acid secretory responses of acute gastric fistula preparation in anesthetized young chickens

Summary A reliable technique which permits quantitative determination of the gastric acid secretory responses to drugs was developed in anesthetized young chickens.The present study was supported by a Grant from the Ministry of Education of Japan. We are indebted to Mr.M. Murakami, Mr.S. Kojima and MissU. Kariya, for their technical assistance.     

Accumulation of Phosvel in adipose tissue of hens

Summary Phosvel, an organophosphorus pesticide, was stored in the adipose tissue of hens after they were given daily a single oral dose. The concentration of Phosvel in fat was related to the size of the daily dose.Acknowledgment. The authors are grateful to Prof. Yoshito Tsuji for his valuable suggestions; to Mr Mitsuo Kaneda and Mr Kazuo Sasaki for their technical assistance.     

Pulmonary edema in mice infected withPlasmodium berghei. Involvement of catecholamines

Summary Mice inoculated withPlasmodium berghei developed a drastic and significant pulmonary edema. Treatment of animals with phenoxybenzamine rendered mice hyporeactive to this physiopathological alteration.This work was supported by a grant aided by «Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico» (CNPq, Brasil). Presented in preliminary form at the XIX Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine, Rio de Janeiro, R. J., February 20, 1983.Acknowledgments. We thank Mr Antonio Fernando de P. Oliveira and Solano S. Martins for their excellent technical help.     

Structure of two biologically active sesquiterpenoid amino-quinones from the marine spongeDysidea avara

Summary The structures of 2 minor constituents of the marine spongeDysidea avara, which induce developmental aberrations in sea-urchin eggs, are described. The structures were confirmed also by a simple synthesis from avarol (1).Acknowledgments. The authors wish to thank Mr A. Crispino for his skillfull laboratory technical assistance. Thanks are also due to Mr C. Di Pinto (NMR) and Mr A. Milone (MS).     

Effect of experimental chronic renal failure upon the production of urea,as measured by the liver arginase activity in rats

Summary A significant diminution in liver arginase activity of chronic renal failure uremic rats is described, thus implying that the experimental finding of an increased urea production is not due to a depressed arginase activity.This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico do Brasil's Grants. —Acknowledgments. We are indebted to Mr D'Arrochela Lobo for technical assistance, Mr Celso Chiarin for the statistical review and Dr C.E. Tosta and Dr Linda Caldas for helpful advice.     

The glucose dependence of pancreatic endocrine responses to 2-deoxyglucose in the calf

Summary The initial plasma glucose concentration of unanesthetized calves with cut splanchnic nerves, given 2-deoxyglucose (1.2 mmoles/kg, i.v.), was either lowered by prior starvation, or raised by a continuous infusion of exogenous glucose. Raising the initial plasma glucose concentration completely suppressed the release of pancreatic glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide but substantially enhanced the release of insulin in response to 2-deoxyglucose.This work has been supported by the Medical Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust. We are also indebted to Mr P.M.M. Bircham and Mr G.P. Macgregor for their skilled technical assistance.     

Estrogens in insects

Summary Insects representing 5 different orders contain androgen and estrogen-like substances as determined by radioimmunoassay. Estradiol and estriol have been identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The presence of these steroids in insects suggests that the vertebrate sex hormones have an ancient evolutionary history.We thank Ms Mary Ann Seifert of the Campus Chemical Instrumentation Center of The Ohio State University, Mr John Powell of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ms Florence Kraft and Mr Charles Palmer Jr for their technical assistance.From September 1982 to August 1983, Dr Mechoulam was Distinguished Visiting Professor of the Ohio State University, supported in part by the Graduate School.     

Computer-compatible system for continuous volumetric measurement of water consumption

Summary An inexpensive drinkometer system is described that is compatible with most data acquisition systems and can be used for continuously monitoring the drinking pattern of laboratory animals. The change in electrical inductance resulting from the descent of a free-floating ferrite unit through a drinking tube, surrounded by a double coil, is converted to a signal proportional to the volume of fluid consumed.The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr C. Friedinger, Mr V. Studer and Mr J. Wespi. This research was supported by a grant from the Swiss Association of Cigarette Manufacturers to K. Bättig and a predoctoral fellowship from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology to W. Classen.