A possible metabolic role foro-diphenoloxidase inMycobacterium leprae

Summary Among mycobacteria,Mycobacterium leprae is unique in its ability to oxidize a variety of diphenols to quinones in vitro. What physiologic roleo-diphenoloxidase has in the organism remained unknown. Reducing substrates like NADPH, NADH and ascorbic acid reacted with the quinone formed from dopa (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine); the substrates were oxidized and the quinone was reduced back to diphenol in the process. Since the quinone undergoes reversible oxidation-reduction, diphenoloxidase might serve as an alternative respiratory mechanism inM. leprae for the utilization of other substrates, as has been reported in plants.     

Teratologische Prüfung der Hydrolysenprodukte des Thalidomids

Summary N-(o-Carboxybenzoyl)-dl-glutamic acid imide anddl-glutamic acid imide · HCl did not lead to fetal malformations after i.p. administration to pregnant mice; the injected solutions contained 25% Tween 20. Thus, of the 12 hydrolysis products of thalidomide only those 3 which contain the phthalimide moiety show teratogenic activity, i.e. 2-phthalimido-dl-glutaramic acid, 4-phthalimido-dl-glutaramic acid and 2-phthalimido-dl-glutaric acid.     

Preparation of 5,6-o-isopropylidene-l-ascorbic acid

Zusammenfassung Die Synthese der 5,6-o-Isopropyliden-l-ascorbinsäure mit Hilfe von Chlorwasserstoffgas wird beschrieben.

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Supported by PHS Research Grant CA-03994-06.     

An anti-Bcl-2 antibody prevents 2-deoxy-D-ribose-induced apoptosis in the IPLB-LdFB insect cell line

Confocal microscopy reveals that the anti-Bcl-2 antibody (pAb) is able to diffuse across the plasma membrane of the fat body cell line IPLB-LdFB from the insect Lymantria dispar, demonstrating the presence of Bcl-2-like molecules in the cytoplasm. Immunoperoxidase procedure confirms the cellular localization. Furthermore, an immunoprecipitation corresponding to a molecular weight of 29 KDa is observed with western blot analysis using the anti-Bcl-2 pAb. Cytofluorimetric experiments show that anti-Bcl-2 pAb counteracts 2-deoxy-d-ribose-induced apoptosis and provokes morphological changes in the insect cell line, i.e. a reduction in cell size, the disappearance of the vacuola and changes in shape. At the same time, the antibody provokes mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and N-acetyl-l-cysteine is unable to reconstitute the physiological conditions. The present findings suggest that Bcl-2-like proteins play a main role in maintaining of the integrity of cellular components, e.g. mitochondria, rather than in controlling programmed cell death. Received 23 January 2001; received after revision 1 March 2001; accepted 1 March 2001     

Diterpene acids as larval growth inhibitors

Summary Kaurenoic and trachylobanoic acids from sunflower inhibited larval development in several Lepidoptera species. The tricyclic resin acids were also effective in curtailing growth ofPectinophora gossypiella and either reduction to carbinol or esterification of the carboxyl group lowered activity. Partial reversal of growth inhibition in the presence of relatively large amounts of cholesterol suggests an interaction with the insects' hormonal system.Acknowledgment. We wish to thankM. Rose andJ. Baker for insect bioassays.     

Teratologische Prüfung einiger Thalidomid-Metabolite

Summary The teratogenicity of 3 hydrolysis products of thalidomide, 2-(o-carboxybenzamido)-glutaric acid, phthalic acid and glutamic acid, was determined by administering 25% Tween 20 i.p. to pregnant SWS-mice. Under these experimental conditions, the tested products were devoid of any teratogenic properties, whereas thel-isomer of phthaloyl-glutamic acid showed the well-known embryotoxic and teratogenic activity.     

Juvenile hormone active principle inAttacus atlas L

Summary The ether extract ofAttacus atlas L., subjected to an isotope dilution method for the determination of known insect juvenile hormones, revealed the presence of an active substance which has a similar chromatographic behaviour with the known JH-3, methyl (2E, 6E)-10, 11-epoxy-3, 7, 11-trimethyl-2, 6-dodecadienoate.The work was supported as a research training by Dr.R. Maag Ltd., CH-8157 Dielsdorf, Switzerland.     

Ultrastructural aspects of nucleolar fibrillar centres in meristematic cells ofAllium cepa

Summary This paper deals with the fine structure of the fibrillar centres of the nucleolus inAllium cepa cells in ultrathin, sections of in vivo fixed roots. The ultrastructural observations have allowed us to consider each nucleolar fibrillar centre as an active zone in the nucleolar chromatin loop, and to propose a possible model for the organization of the different components of the nucleolus within it.Acknowledgments. The author wishes to thank Dr.M. C. Risueño for her valuable comments and discussion. This work has been partially supported by the III Plan de Desarrollo of Spain and by a grant of the Foundation Rodriguez Pascual.     

Sex pheromones of the armyworm moth,Spodoptera exempta (Wlk.

Zusammenfassung Es wurden mit gas-chromatographischer Elektroantennogramm-Methode (Z)-9-tetradecenyl-1-acetat und (Z)-9, (E)-12-tetradecadienyl-1-acetat als die Sexuallockstoffe weiblicherSpodoptera exempta (Wlk.) identifiziert.

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Acknowledgment: We are grateful to Mr.C. Rivers, Unit of Insect Virology, University of Oxford Field Station, for supplying insect pupae.     

The growth of cell membranes during synchronized cell division ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Riassunto Cellule diSaccharomyces cerevisiae venivano coltivate in brodo centenentel-Leucina-³H o³²PO ₄ ^– raccolte in fase log e quindi coltivate in modo sincrono in nuovo terreno privo di radioisotopi. Le cellule e le gemme venivano separate per centrifugazione su gradiente di saccarosio, quindi si isolavano le membrane. La radioattività specifica nelle membrane purificate risultava circa il 50% di quella presente inizialmente nelle cellule usate per la coltura sincronizzata.     

Effect of choline salicylates and some other analogues of salicylic acid on the replication of EMC virus in vitro

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine 90–99,9%ige Hemmung in vitro der Replikation des EMC-Virus durch 0,5–2 m molare Lösungen folgender Salicylsäurederivate festgestellt: Cholinsalicylat, Cholinacetoxysalicylat und der Natriumsalze von 2-Merkaptobenzoesäure, Salicylsäure sowie Acetylsalicylsäure. Ferner wurde eine etwa 70%ige Hemmung des Natriumsalzes der Sulphosalicylsäure, des Cholin-p-chlorobenzoates, sowie des Cholin-o-chlorobenzoates beobachtet. Cholin-p-oxybenzoat und Cholin-p-acetoxybenzoat zeigten hingegen keine Hemmungsaktivität.

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Acknowledgements: We are indebted to Drs. Z.Macho and T.Zawisza from the Department of Synthesis of Drugs, School of Medicine, Wroclaw, for donating of choline salicylates and other derivatives of benzoyl-choline⁶.     

Sodium [o-[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-amino]-phenyl]-acetate (gp 45 840), a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent

Zusammenfassung gp 45 840, das Natriumsalz der [o-[(2,6-Dichlorphenyl)-amino]-phenyl]-essigsäure, besitzt pharmakodynamisch in verschiedenen Testsystemen am Tier eine ausgeprägte anti-inflammatorische, antinociceptive und antipyretische Aktivität. Das Präparat zeigt eine höhere Wirksamkeit als Phenylbutazon und ist ebenso aktiv wie Indomethacin; es übertrifft in seiner akuten therapeutischen Breite die beiden Vergleichspräparate.

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Preliminary results have been reported at the 5th International Congress on Pharmacology 1972.     

Die Farbstoffe der Blattläuse(Aphididae)

Summary Many dark-coloured species ofAphididae contain a colouring matter (protoaphin) of unusual structure in the haemolymph. After death of the insect this undergoes a remarkable series of changes by enzymic action yielding successively the pigments xanthoaphin, chrysoaphin and erythroaphin. Recent investigations leading to the complete structural elucidation of all these pigments is described.

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ViertePaul-Karrer-Vorlesung von Lord A. R. Todd F. R. S., gehalten an der Universität Zürich am 4, Juli 1962.     

Interaction oft alleles at theT locus in the house mouse

Zusammenfassung Mehrfach wurde gezeigt, dass zwei rezessive letale Allele in der Hausmaus (t ^o undt ¹) lebensfähige normale Tiere in heterozygoter Kombinationt ⁰/t ¹ produzieren. Neuere Daten machen wahrscheinlich, dass dast ¹-Allel mutativ abänderte, so dass sowohl seine homozygote Wirkung als auch die Zusammenwirkung mitt ⁰ beeinflusst worden ist. Hingegen sind Kombinationen vont ⁰ und dem neuen Allel nicht mehr lebensfähig, und Homozygote sterben erst nach der Implantation.

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This work was supported in part by Research Grant B-931 from the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service, and in part by a grant-in-aid from the American Cancer Society.

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Part of the data reported in this paper were submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pa., byAnna C. Pai who would like to express her deepest appreciation to ProfessorJane M. Oppenheimer for her guidance during the course of the work.     

Threo-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylserine,a poor source of noradrenaline in the rat

Résumé Chez le rat, les injections dedl-thréo-3,4-dihydroxyphénylsérine, un précurseur pharmacologique synthétique de la noradrénaline, provoquent une conversion de moins de 1% au 4-hydroxy-3-méthoxyphényl-glycol, le métabolite urinaire majeur de la noradrénaline dans cette espèce. Un nouveau cheminement qui entraîne une coupure latérale de la chaîne prit environ 10% de la dose et un autre 10% fût excrété comme un amino-acideO-méthylé; le sort de quelque 80% est inconnu.     

Newton and the classical theory of probability

Summary Probabilistic ideas and methods from Newton's writings are discussed in § 1: Newton's ideas pertaining to the definition of probability, his probabilistic method in chronology, his probabilistic ideas and method in the theory of errors and his probabilistic reasonings on the system of the world. Newton's predecessors and his influence upon subsequent scholars are dealt with in §2: beginning with his predecessors the discussion continues with his contemporaries Arbuthnot and De Moiver, then Bentley. The section ends with Laplace, whose determinism is seen as a development of the Newtonian determinism.An addendum is devoted to Lambert's reasoning on randomness and to the influence of Darwin on statistics. A synopsis is attached at the end of the article.Abbreviations PT abridged Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 1665–1800 abridged. London, 1809 - Todhunter I. Todhunter, History of the mathematical theory of probability, Cambridge, 1865 To the memory of my mother, Sophia Sheynin (1900–1970)     

Influence ofin vitro added thyroxin upon the glucose uptake of the rat diaphragm

Résumé 1^o La consommation de glucose du diaphragme isolé de rat incubé dans la solution deKrebs-Henseleit glucosée est constamment accrue par la thyroxine ajoutée au milieu.2^o La concentration optima pour ces déterminations était de 10^–7 à 10^–6 de thyroxine.     

Metabolism of the neuromodulator d-serine

Over the past years, accumulating evidence has indicated that d-serine is the endogenous ligand for the glycine-modulatory binding site on the NR1 subunit of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors in various brain areas. d-Serine is synthesized in glial cells and neurons by the pyridoxal-5′ phosphate-dependent enzyme serine racemase, and it is released upon activation of glutamate receptors. The cellular concentration of this novel messenger is regulated by both serine racemase isomerization and elimination reactions, as well as by its selective degradation catalyzed by the flavin adenine dinucleotide-containing flavoenzyme d-amino acid oxidase. Here, we present an overview of the current knowledge of the metabolism of d-serine in human brain at the molecular and cellular levels, with a specific emphasis on the brain localization and regulatory pathways of d-serine, serine racemase, and d-amino acid oxidase. Furthermore, we discuss how d-serine is involved with specific pathological conditions related to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors over- or down-regulation.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa cause epidemic disease in the milkweed bug,Oncopeltus fasciatus dallas (Insecta,Heteroptera)

Summary Pseudomonas aeruginosa was recognized as the causative organism of an epidemic disease occurring in a laboratory breed ofOncopeltus fasciatus. The infection probably occurs peroral and is favoured by high temperature and humidity.Pseudomonas aeruginosa destroys the fat body of the bug.For her interest and discussion I thank Dr.G. Hausner, Miss I. vonGraevenitz and Miss.H. Schilling gave techincal support.