Characterization of a thermosensitive protein from human milk whey

Summary A human milk whey protein, which aggregates at room temperature and resolubilizes when cooled, was purified by chromatography on hydroxyapatite. The present study demonstrated that the thermosensitive protein is a nonphosphorylated form of -casein.We thank Dr J.J. Pahud for preparation of anti Na-caseinate antiserum and Miss D. Fumeaux for technical assistance.     

A component of polyphloretin phosphate (PPP) may be an alternative substrate for ATP-glycerol transferase

Summary A low molecular weight fraction of a polyphloretin phosphate (PPP) preparation simulated glycerol in a milieu designed for enzymatic assay of glycerol. It is suggested that a component of this PPP mixture is able to act as an alternative substrate for the ATP-glycerol transfer enzyme; it becomes phosphorylated and thus initiates the series of reactions resulting in a increased conversion of NADH to NAD and the observed changes in absorbance.The authors are pleased to acknowledge the support of Dr D.C. Williams, the useful discussion with Dr M. Higgins and Dr J.J.M. Rowe and the generous supply of polyphloretin compounds from A.B. LEO Laboratories, Helsingborg, Sweden.     

A new rapid method for collection and preparation of cell suspensions for electrom microscopy

Summary We describe a new rapid and simple method for collection and preparation of cell suspensions for electron microscopy; the cells are prefixed with glutaraldehyde in their culture medium, and are then compacted on a filter disc. Post-fixation in osmium, staining and dehydration are performed by transferring the filter disc and the cell pellet from one solution to the next. The pellet is easily separated from the filter disc just before treatment in propylene oxide. This method preserves the fine structure as well as the classical technique. Advantages are that numerous cells have the same orientation in the sections and that many samples can be taken in a very short time.Acknowledgments. The authors are indebted to Prof. H. Leclerc, Director of I.N.S.E.R.M. laboratory U 146 in which part of this work has been performed, and to Dr J.F. Dubremetz, Dr G. Prensier and Dr P.A. Trinel for their advices.     

Plasma thyrotrophin concentration in the foetal calf

Résumé On a mesuré le taux de thyrotrophine (TSH), thyroxine et cortisol dans le plasma du foetus du veau pendant les 18 jours précédant la naissance. La diminution du TSH a précédé de 6 jours et s'est poursuivie en même temps que celle du taux de thyroxine.

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We are grateful to the Medical Research Council and the Milk Marketing Board for financial support.

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The TSH preparation used for iodination in these studies was kindly provided by Dr.J. Pierce, and the antiserum to Pierce bovine TSH was provided by Dr.G. D. Thorburn. Synacthen was kindly provided by Dr.D. M. Burley, CIBA Laboratories, Horsham, Sussex and Efcortelan by Dr.E. S. Snell, Glaxo Laboratories, Middx.     

A method for the isolation of ommochrome-containing granules from insect eyes

Summary A routine method for the preparation of pigment granules from insect eyes is reported. When viewed using an electron microscope, the isolated granules appear to be free from different structural elements, and there is very little contamination by membranous material. Ultrastructure and extinction spectra correspond to those found in situ.Acknowledgments. We thank Prof. Dr A. Fischer and Dr J. Rosenberg for their help in electron microscopic techniques. This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

The infectivity of polyhedra of nuclear polyhedrosis virus (N.P.V.) after passage through gut of an insectpredator

Summary Polyhedral inclusion bodies (P.I.B.) of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus ofHeliothis punctigera (Lep.) were found in excreta ofNabis tasmanicus (Het.), a predator ofH. punctigera. An immunofluorescent counting method was used to estimate numbers of P.I.B. Bioassays demonstrated that no loss of infectivity occurred during passage through the gut.Acknowledgment. I am grateful for the comments and criticism offered by Dr D.E. Pinnock, I thank D.J. Cooper for preparation of materials for the immunofluorescent counting method and J. Hardy for supplying me with eggs ofH. punctigera; all of Department of Entomology, Waite Agricultural Research Institute, Glen Osmond, South Australia.     

Furospongolide,a new C21 furanoterpene from a marine organism

Summary The structure of a new linear C₂₁ furanoterpene, furospongolide (1), obtained from the marine spongeDysidea herbacea, was determined by spectral means.We thank Professor J. Vacelet for the identification and Dr Loya and Mr Benayahu for the collection of the sponge.     

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.     

Freeze tolerance in the frog,Rana sylvatica

Summary Wood frogs survive extracellular freezing at moderate subzero temperatures (–4°C) for at least 11 days. Freezing survival is aided by the accumulation of high concentrations of glucose as a cryoprotectant in blood and tissues. Glucose production was accompanied by a rapid decline in liver, but not muscle, glycogen levels suggesting that liver is the organ controlling cryoprotectant synthesis.Acknowledgments. This study was supported by grants to L.M.G. from the Kroc Foundation (Santa Ynez, California) and from the National Institute of Dental Research (Grant No. DE-03987). The authors wish to thank K. Yorko, M. Shakin, J. Finan and Mrs N. Manivannan for their technical and secretarial assistance.Acknowledgments. I thank Dr J. Ballantyne, Dr F. Schueler and I. McMurray for help with frog collections and Dr. W. Schmid, Dr J. Bogart and Dr F. Cook for helpful discussions. Supported by an N.S.E.R.C. operating grant and by a grant from the Atkinson Charitable Foundation.     

Anti-myosin stains chromaffin cells

Summary The presence in fixed chromaffin cells of antigenic sites for a myosin antibody was demonstrated using immunofluorescence techniques. Tests on viable cells showed that at least some of the antigenic sites seem to be localized on or close to the cell surface and explained the cell agglutination that occurred with the addition of the myosin antibody to cells isolated by a method described in this paper.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada. We thank Dr B. G. Livett for advice in the preparation of isolated cells, Drs J. Lowenthal and B. Collier for comments and Mrs J. Ritchie for technical assistance.     

An improved electrophoretic method for a screening program for haemoglobinopathies

Summary A method for a screening program for haemoglobinopathies in a starch agar gel mixed with saponin is presented. Normal and abnormal blood containing haemoglobins S, C, I, M Boston, D Punjab, beta thalassaemia major and beta thalassaemia minor, were applied, in a tray with the capacity for 100 samples. The electrophoresis was performed in 45 min using 300 V. This method offers special advantages for the examination of a large number of samples, using a small amount of whole blood and without the previous preparation of haemoglobin solution.Acknowledgments. We would like to express our gratitude to Dr C. Daghlian and Dr Lewis J. Greene for their valuable suggestions. We also thank the Conselho Nacional do Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq, for financial support.     

Localization of bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP)-like immunoreactivity in rat pancreatic monolayer culture

Summary Antiserum to bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP) has been used for immunofluorescent staining in the light microscope. With this technique it is possible to detect the presence of specific cells in monolayer culture from neonatal rat pancreas which contain BPP or a closely related peptide.This work was supported by a grant (No. 3.553.75) from the Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique. We are very grateful to Dr.R. E. Chance, Eli Lilly, for his generous gift of BPP and anti-BPP serum. We are also very obliged to Dr.R. H. Unger for providing glucagon, to Dr.J. Rivier and Dr.R. Guillemin for somatostatin, to Dr.N. Yanaihara for secretin, to Dr.W. Gepts for gastrin and to Dr.A. J. Moody for GLI.     

Improved method for preparation of microcrystalline chlorophyll a withAnacystis nidulans as a source

Summary Because of the lack of chlorophyll b, blue-gree algae are a better source of microcrystalline, high-purity chlorophyll a than the spinach leaves so far used. The preparation is easy and rapid, and the danger of chemical alteration of the chlorophyll is reduced.Acknowledgments. I thank Prof. E. Broda for his interest and Prof. H. Falk for valuable advice. I am also indebted to Mr E. Maday (IR spectography), Dr J. Seifert (X-ray) and Dr H. Zak (elemental analysis.). The work was supported by the Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung of the Republic of Austria.     

Chromsome aberrations in cattle raised on bracken fern pasture

Summary Thirteen cows maintained on natural bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) were analyzed cytogenetically. The frequency of structural chromosome aberrations detected in peripheral blood cells was significantly higher when compared to that detected in animals raised on pasture containing no bracken fern. We discuss the clastogenic action of fern and its synergistic action with infection by type 2 and 4 papilloma virus in the same animals.Acknowledgments. We are grateful to Dr F. J. Benesi, Dr J. L. Guerra and Dr I. L. Sinhorini for performing some of the clinical and pathological analyses; O. P. Ferraz, L. A. Tadeu Dias, L. F. Feitosa and A. M. N. Paiva for technical assistance; and to Dr N. H. C. Castro and Dr C. de Araujo Peres for critical and statistics review, respectively. Research was supported by CNPq FAPESP and CAPES.     

Rate of tryptophan hydroxylation in vivo in brain nuclei of genetically hypertensive rats of the Lyon strain

Summary The rate of tryptophan hydroxylation in vivo is unaltered in brain areas of 5, 9 and 21 week-old Lyon genetically Hypertensive (LH) rats as compared to both Lyon Normotensive (LN) and Low Blood Pressure (LL) rats, except for a decrease in the C1 area of the medulla oblongata in 9 week-old animals.Acknowledgment. The authors wish to thank Dr M.F. Belin, Dr J.F. Pujol and Mrs J. Sacquet for their help during this study. This work was supported by the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale Française and the C.N.R.S.     

Haloperidol produces hypothermic effects in rats

Summary Intraperitoneal administration of either haloperidol or chlorpromazine produced hypothermia both in the cold (8° C) and at room temperature (22°C). The hypothermia was brought about both by a decrease in metabolic heat production and an increase in the cutaneous temperature of tail and foot skin. However, at a higher temperature (29°C), there were no changes in rectal temperature and other thermoregulatory responses.The work reported here was supported by grants from the National Science Council of Republic of China and J. Aron Charitable Foundation (New York, N.Y.). The authors are grateful to Dr C.Y. Chai for his advice during the experimentation. The generous support of Dr C.J. Shih was much appreciated by the authors. Also, we thank Dr C.D. Bloomer (Smith, Kline and French Co.) for the supply of chlorpromazine.     

Alteichin: an unusual phytotoxin fromAlternaria eichorniae,a fungal pathogen of water hyacinth

Summary The phytopathogenic fungusAlternaria eichorniae attacks water hyacinth, an economically significant aquatic weed. The novel phytotoxin alteichin was isolated from liquid cultures of this fungus and its structure was deduced by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Altheichin is a doubly hydrated form of 4,9-dihydroxy perylene-3,10-quinone. A single step dehydration of alteichin to anhydroalteichin is catalyzed both by acid and by a crude enzyme preparation from water hyacinth.We thank Dr R. N. Strange for the protoplast assay. Funding was provided by BARD 1-31-79, NIH-CA 24487, Bristol Laboratories, the Montana Agricultural Expt. Station, and NSF.     

The use of a Quantimet image analysis system to analyse trypsin banding patterns of V79/4 (AH1) Chinese hamster chromosomes

Summary A Quantimet image-analysis system was programmed to identify and print out banding patterns from G-banded chromosome spreads of a clone derived from the established cell line V79/4 (Chinese hamster fibroblasts), designated V79/4(AH1).Acknowledgments. We thank Dr. J.R.K. Savage and Dr J. Thacker, MRC Harwell for their advice, also Dr. P.D. Holt for useful discussions. We also thank D. Coates for his assistance with the Quantimet. This work was partly supported by Euratom grant No. 134-74-1 BIOUK.     

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.     

A new selective insecticidal uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation

Summary A new aryl hydrazone structure with high insecticidal activity against the Australian sheep blowfly,Lucilia cuprina, was shown to have a higher activity as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in insect compared to mammalian mitochondrial preparations. This compound possesses the requirements of other uncouplers in its measured pKa and lipid solubility. However, when compared to a closely related structure with similar physicochemical properties, its insecticidal and insect mitochondrial uncoupling activities are greater and it exhibits decreased mammalian toxicity corresponding to this differential biochemical selectivity.Acknowledgment. We thank Mr K. Rihs for preparation of the hydrazones and Prof. Dr K.H. Büchel for supply of hydrazone III.