C-banding pattern on the chromosomes of the Japanese house shrew,Suncus murinus riukiuanus,and its implication

Summary The C-band on the chromosomes of the Japanese house shrew,Suncus murinus riukiuanus (Insectivora), was studied. Various types of C-banding pattern were found in the genome of this subspecies. Such banding patterns could be useful for an understanding of autosome and sex-chromosome polymorphisms withinS. murinus.Acknowledgment. The authors are very grateful to Prof. T. Wasano of Fukuoka University for his encouragement, Dr K. Ogawa of Fukuoka University, the Nohara family for help in collecting specimens, and Prof. E.W. Jameson, Jr, University of California, Dr J.W. Bickham and his students of Texas A & M University for comments.     

On the possible mode of action of neurohormones on cholinesterase activity in the ventral nerve cord of scorpion,Heterometrus fulvipes

Summary It is shown that K_m of ChE is not affected by the neurohormones but V_max is increased and decreased in presence of acceleratory and inhibitory neurohormones respectively. Hence it is suggested that the neurohormones might modulate the enzyme activity by altering the maximal velocities (V_max) rather than affecting the enzyme affinity (K_m) towards the substrate.Acknowledgment. The present study was carried out at S. V. University, Tirupati, A. P. India, and the authors are highly beholden to Prof. K. S. Swami, Head of the Department of Zoology, S. V. University, for his kind help and encouragement. Thanks are also due to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India, for placing one of them (N. V.) as a National Research Associate which made the present work possible.     

C-band positive W chromosome in the female Indian frog

Summary In the female Indian frog,Rana tigrina (2n=26; NF=52), the female is heterogametic. The heterochromosomes (ZW) are morphologically indistinguishable, but the W chromosome proves by C-banding analysis to be entierly heterochromatic.Acknowledgment. S.C. is grateful to Prof. G.K. Manna, Zoology Department, Kalyani University, Prof. Archana Sharma, Botany Department, Calcutta University and to Prof. T. Sharma, Zoology Department, Banarus Hindu University for encouragements. He is also thankful to Prof. D.K. Choudhuri, Burdwan University for support.     

A high number of chromosomes in the hillstream cyprinid,Tor putitora (Pisces)

Summary The karyotype of a cyprinid fish occurring in India,Tor putitora is described. The diploid complement comprises 100 chromosomes. The modal number in this family being 2n=50,T. putitora appears to be another case of tetraploidy.The author is highly indebted to Prof. G.K. Manna, and Prof. A.K. Bose, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, for encouragement and laboratory facilities. Sincere thanks are due to Dr Raj Tilak, ZSI, Government of India, for identification of the specimens. Financial aid from the University of Kalyani is gratefully acknowledged.     

Karyomorphology of two species ofTor (Pisces; Cyprinidae) with a high number of chromosomes

Summary The karyotypes ofTor khudree andTor tor, occurring in the Himalayan streams in India, are described. As reported earlier forT. putitora, the diploid complements in these 2 congeneric species also comprise 100 chromosomes. The modal number being 2n=50 in this family,Tor appears to be of tetraploid origin.The author is greatly indebted to Prof. G.K. Manna, and Prof. A.K. Bose, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, for encouragements and laboratory facilities. Financial aid from the University of Kalyani is gratefully acknowledged. Sincere thanks are also due to Dr M.K. Jyoti and Miss Anu Agarwal of the Department of Biosciences, Jammu University for their cordiality and help in various ways during my stay at Jammu.     

Potentiative effects of sulfhydryl compounds on carrageenin-induced oedema in rats and relationship to their potencies as inhibitors of angiostin-converting enzyme in vivo

Summary Carrageenin-induced oedema in rats was potentiated by oral administration of (4R)-3-[(2S)-3-mercapto-2-methylpropanoyl]-4-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid (SA291) and related sulfhydryl compounds, and the effect was closely correlated with their potencies as inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme in vivo.Acknowledgment. The authors wish to thank Prof. H. Fujimura, Department of Pharmacology, Gifu University School of Medicine, for his helpful advice.     

On the stability of bilirubin

Riassunto Gli autori hanno studiato l'azione della luce sulla stabilità della bilirubina in soluzione alcalina e in soluzione cloroformica. Viene proposto, in via generate, un meccanismo del primo ordine per la trasformazione della bilirubina in pigmenti verdinoidi, sia per le soluzioni irradiate, sia per quelle conservate al buio.

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Research carried out with CNR financial support. A report on this investigation, with more detailed experimental data, has been published in Acta medica romana (Annali della Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia dell'Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Roma)2, 192 (1964).

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We are indebted to Prof. P.Fasella, University of Rome, and to Prof. A.Vaciago, Sacred Heart Catholic University Medical School, for their helpful suggestions and constructive criticisms. One of us (I. W. de E.) is also grateful to Prof. Ing. W. S.Hill, University of Montevideo, for his suggestion to her to investigate bilirubin spectroscopically.     

Properties of trehalase from the muscles of fresh water prawn Macrobrachium lamarrei

Summary The trehalase from the extramitochondrial fraction of abdominal and thoracic muscles of Macrobrachium lamarrei was purified to give a 12.85fold increase in specific activity. Its optimum pH was 6.0, K_m value was 2.85 mM and had a mol.wt around 120,000. Tris HCl buffer inhibited the enzyme activity by 21.7%.I am thankful to Prof. R. Rakshpal and Dr Padma Saxena for guidance and to University Grants commission, India, for the award of a Junior Research Fellowship     

Current(I)-voltage(V) relationships of the neuromembrane of an identifiable giant neurone of an Afican giant snail (Achatina fulica Férussac) in the presence of an inhibitory tripeptide,L-Lys-L-Phe-L-Tyr

Summary An inhibitory tripeptide, L-Lys-L-Phe-L-Tyr, caused membrane hyperpolarization of the TAN (tonically autoactive neurone) resulting in an elevated firing level. The tripeptide, however, did not markedly affect either the TAN I–V curve or the firing pattern obtained by transmembrane triangular current injection.The authors wish to express their thanks to Prof. M. Kohsaka and Prof. A. Mori of Okayama University for the helpful advice, and to Dr A. Inoue of Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co. for the donation of L-Lys-L-Phe-L-Tyr.     

Development of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measurement of vitellogenin concentrations in cockroaches

Summary A competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the quantification of a large lipoprotein, namely the yolk protein vitellogenin, in the haemolymph of cockroaches (Nauphoeta cinerea). This assay was found to be specific, reproducible and it has a high sensitivity (approximately 10 ng).Acknowledgments. We would like to express our thanks to Prof. H. Fey and Ms H. Pfister, Veterinary Bacteriological Institute, University of Berne, for introducing us into the ELISA methodology, to P. Beyeler for technical assistance and to M. Kaltenrieder for drawing the graphs. We also thank the Sandoz Foundation for a fellowship to M. Dumas and the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant No. 3. 188-0.77) for financial support.     

Inhibition of tryptophan uptake in Aspergillus fumigatus by tryptamine

Summary The tryptophan uptake was inhibited considerably in tryptamine grown cells. This inhibition was due to feed-back inhibition and not to repression.The authors are greatful to Prof. V. V. Modi for his interest in this work. The award of research fellowship by M. S. University of Baroda to A. R. G. is greatfully acknowledged.     

Bromocriptine-induced removal of endoplasmic membranes from prolactinoma cells

Summary Adenomatous prolactin cells lose 39% of their cytoplasm volume within 7 days after the beginning of bromocriptine treatment. A simultaneous reduction of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus occurs. Their membranes are removed by rapid transport along the secretory pathway to the cell surface and to lysosomal destruction.We thank Prof. E. del Pozo, Sandoz Ltd, Basle, for the generous gift of injectable bromocriptine, Prof. E.R. Weibel, Dept. of Anatomy, University of Bern, for his technical advice, Dr U. Helfenstein, Institute of Biostatistics, University of Zürich, for his help in the statistical evaluation of the results and the EMDO-Foundation, Zürich, for financial support.     

A comparative study of the innervation of the choroid plexus in amphibia

Summary The aminergic and cholinergic innervation of choroid plexuses in three species of amphibia was investigated. Plexuses of the Japanese toad and the bullfrog had poor innervation by adrenergic nerves of sympathetic origin, but in the clawed toad, these plexuses were heavily innervated by adrenergic axons from ganglion cells located in the plexus stroma. Nerve fibers positive for acetylcholinesterase were not found in the plexuses, except for a few fibers with very weak enzyme activity in the clawed toad.Acknowledgment. The authors are very grateful to Prof. T. Wasano (Professor emeritus of Kyushu University) for his encouragement and advice during the course of the present work.     

Immunological studies on the key enzyme of arginine biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Summary A method to manufacture specific antisera with a minute amount of pure enzyme is presented. The influence of antibodies on activity and inhibition of an allosterically regulated enzyme was studied.Acknowledgments. I wish to thank Prof. Th. Leisinger for helpful discussions. The skilful technical assistance of Miss Ursula Bodmer is acknowledged.     

Subcellular distribution of catecholamines and enzymes in human neuroblastoma

Résumé Dans 18 cas de neuroblastome humain la noradrénaline (NA) et la dopamine--hydroxylase présentent des profils de distribution intracellulaire identiques, suggérant un stockage dans la même particule. Le contenu en NA de ces particules n'est pas inférieur à celui des particules du nerf splénique; on peut en conclure qu'un stockage défectueux de NA dans les cas de neuroblastome est peu probable.

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The authors are grateful to Prof.F. Derom (Surgical Clinic, University of Ghent Medical School), Prof.R. Eeckels and Prof.E. Eggermont (Paediatric Clinic, University of Leuven Medical School), Prof.A. Lacquet and Prof.J. Gruwez (Surgical Clinic, University of Leuven Medical School), Dr.G. Delalieux, Dr.F. Delange, Dr.P. De Mol, Dr.R. Denis, Dr.R. Maurus and Dr.J. Otten (Paediatric Clinic, University of Brussels Medical School) and Dr.W. Mattheiem (Surgical Clinic, Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels) for making the tumors available to them.     

Effect of continuous light on the blood and urinary sugar levels in alloxan diabetic rats

Summary Continuous light decreases the rise in blood glucose and the excretion of urinary glucose, along with increased urine volume, in alloxan diabetic rats.Acknowledgment. The authors' thanks are due to Prof. A. K. Maiti, Department of Physiology, Calcutta University for his constant encouragement.     

Retinol: Predominant form of vitamin A in corpus luteum

Summary We could not confirm the results of a previous research group^2,3 which stated that retinal (vitamin A aldehyde) is present in corpus luteum of bovine origin. On the contrary we establish the occurrence of retinol (vitamin A alcohol) in both human and bovine corpora lutea. Identity of the compound is confirmed by its chromatographic behavior on high performance liquid chromatographic systems (adsorption and reversed phase) and by spectrometric analysis (UV, fluorimetry).Acknowledgments. The authors are indebted to Prof. D. Vandekerckhove and Prof. F. Derom, University of Gent, Faculty of Medecine, for supplying human corpora lutea.     

Identification of European orchids by determination of the anthocyanin concentration during development of the blossoms

Summary The blossoms of many species of European orchids contain a conspicuous blue cyanidinglycoside (Orchicyanin), which has bathochromic characteristics. This makes it possible to observe the formation of this anthocyanin during the development of the blossoms spectrophotometrically. The concentrations of Orchicyanin vary in a way that is typical of the species and genera.Some of the measurements were made at the Istituto di Chimica Analitica at the University of Florence in co-operation with Prof. Piccardi and Prof. Pantani, to whom we would like to express our thanks. We also thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for their support of this study.     

Marine indoles of novel substitution pattern from the acorn wormGlossobalanus sp.

Summary 4,6-Dibromoindole and 4,6-dibromo-2-methylindole have been isolated from the acorn wormGlossobalanus sp. The biosynthetic implications of this finding are discussed.We wish to thank Prof. Paul J. Scheuer, University of Hawaii for his encouragement and for use of his facilities during spectroscopic work. T.H. gratefully acknowledges the giving of a travel grant by the University of the Ryukyus Foundation for International Exchange.     

Wound healing properties of naphthaquinone pigments fromAlkanna tinctoria

Summary From the roots ofAlkanna tinctoria Tausch, the alkannin esters of the following acids were isolated and identified: ,-dimethylacrylic acid, -acetoxy-isovaleric acid, isovaleric acid, and angelic acid. These esteric pigments showed excellent wound healing properties in a clinical study on 72 patients with ulcus cruris.I thank Dr A. Winkler, Heidberg Hospital and Prof. K. Kanitakis, Aristotle University, for the clinical studies. Prof. A. Sagredos, Aristotle University, for his help and Dr C. Gairola, Tobacco and Health Research Institute, for the mutagenicity tests. I also thank Dr G. A. Digenis and Dr L. Hurley, University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy, for their critical reviews and comments.