β-Adrenergic stimulation of androgen production by fetal mouse Leydig cells in primary culture

Summary The responsiveness of fetal mouse Leydig cells to catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine), a-agonist agent (L-isoproterenol) and hCG was investigated in vitro. Fetal Leydig cells when freshly isolated were unable to respond to L-isoproterenol (10^–5M). However, L-isoproterenol, epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly stimulated androgen production by fetal Leydig cells after 24 h of primary culture. Androgen production was increased in both conditions and to a greater extent by hCG. Propranolol blocked the stimulatory effect of L-isoproterenol and epinephrine. It is concluded that catecholamines can regulate fetal testosterone biosynthesis.     

Biochemical aspects of radiation biology

Summary In order to analyze the mechanisms of biological radiation effects, the events after radiation energy absorption in irradiated organisms have to be studied by physico-chemical and biochemical methods. The radiation effects in vitro on biomolecules, especially DNA, are described, as well as their alterations in irradiated cells. Whereas in vitro, in aqueous solution, predominantly OH radicals are effective and lead to damage in single moieties of the DNA, in vivo the direct absorption of radiation energy leads to locally multiply-damaged sites, which produce DNA double-strand breaks and locally denatured regions. DNA damage will be repaired in irradiated cells. Error free repair leads to the original nucleotide sequence in the genome by excision or by recombination. Error prone repair (mutagenic repair), leads to mutation. However, the biochemistry of these processes, regulated by a number of genes, is poorly understood. In addition, more complex reactions, such as gene amplification and transposition of mobile gene elements, are responsible for mutation or malignant transformation.     

Axillary 5α-androst-16-en-3-one in men and women: Relationships with olfactory acuity to odorous 16-androstenes

Summary Axillary 5-androst-16-en-3-one (5-androstenone) levels were found to be significantly higher in men than in women but do not vary between left and right axillae, are not related to age, handedness or degree of hirsutism (in women) nor to anosmia to this steroid. In men (but not in women), levels are related linearly to axillary cholesterol concentrations but not to squalene. Olfactory thresholds for 5-androstenone varied widely, the lowest recorded being 0.2 ppb, but there was no difference in thresholds between men and women. Women (70%) found the smell repellant but anosmia did not differ greatly between men and women (9–20%). Anosmia to the smell of 5-androst-16-en-3-ol was most marked in women (90%) rather than in men (45%). Axillary 5-androstenone values were generally consistent with the musky or strong smells of male axillary extracts, compared with the sweet smell of those from female subjects.Supported by the Herbert Dunhill Trust.     

Magnug reflexex of the chest musculature in man

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Spierule cells inDrosophila species

Summary Spherule cells are restricted to the larval stage and make up 5–16% of cells in the hemolymph. Their morphology varies between species, mainly due to the shape of their inclusions which may be oval (spheroidocytes), polyhedral (crystalloid cells), or clearly crystalline (crystal cells). These inclusions are very rich in tyrosine. They liquefy rapidly in vitro, whereby the cells become hyaline (coagulocytes).Acknowledgments. We thank Mr B. Barandun for excellent technical assistance. This investigation was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, grant No. 3.792.076.     

X-ray research of polycrystals. X-ray diffraction methods for precision determinations of polycrystal lattice parameters over unsolved double lines

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Mass spectrometric determination of the amino acid sequence in peptides: Desulfurization of sulfur-containing peptides

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Paul Ehrenfest on the Necessity of Quanta (1911): Discontinuity,Quantization, Corpuscularity,and Adiabatic Invariance

Our object in this paper is to study the antecedents, contents, implications, and impact of a not well-known or appreciated paper by EHRENFEST in 1911 on the essential nature of the different quantum hypotheses in radiation theory. After a careful analysis of EHRENFESTs notebooks, correspondence, and publications, we conclude that the essential points of EHRENFESTs paper were not perceived to a large extent, and hence that its implications were not considered thoroughly. Specifically, we show that EHRENFEST contributed significantly to the clarifications of the differences between PLANCKs and EINSTEINs respective quantum hypotheses, as well as to those of the concepts discontinuity, quantization, and corpuscularity.     

A study of the mechanism of lowering the sensitivity of smooth muscle to noradrenalin with sympathetic hyperinnervation

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The tonically acting pulmonary receptors innervated by C fibres

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Circadian periodicity in termination of photorefractoriness in the yellow-throated sparrow

Summary Photorefractory male yellow-throated sparrows (Gymnorhis xanthocollis) were subjected to six resonance light cycles, consisting of 6 h basic photophase coupled with scotophases of longer durations (in cycles of 12 (6L6D) h, 24 (6L18D) h, 36 (6L30D) h, 48 (6L42D) h, 60 (6L54D) h and 72 (6L66D) h). Termination of photorefractoriness was evident in cycles of 24, 48 and 72 h, but not in 12, 36 and 60 h. The results are consistent with the external-coincidence model (Bünning hypothesis) and suggest that endogenous circadian rhythmicity is involved in the termination of photorefractoriness.To whom reprint requests should be addressed.This investigation was supported by a UGC grant to PDT and BHU to PMT.     

IdentifyingY chromosome in interphase nuclei of the human brain

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Evaluation of monoaminergic receptors in the genetically epilepsy prone rat

Summary The intensity of sound-induced convulsions in the genetically epilepsy-prone rat (GEPR) was reduced in a dose related fashion by intracerebroventricular administration of dobutamine, (₁ agonist), terbutaline (₂ agonist) or phenylephrine (₁ agonist). BHT-920 (₂ agonist) did not cause a dose-related decrease in sound-induced convulsion intensity. Binding studies showed that whole brain and receptor densities (B_max) were normal while the K_d was increased for the ligand in GEPR brain.Acknowledgment. We are most grateful to Boehringer Ingelheim for generously supplying BHT 920. We are also indebted to Ciba-Geigy Corporation for the gift of terbutaline hydrochloride and phentolamine hydrochloride. The work was supported in part by NIH grant NS 16829.     

Isoforms of baker's yeast transketolase

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Nachweis der Selbst-Erregung der circadianen Periodizität bei Carabiden (Coleoptera Ins.)

Summary Most of the active individuals ofCarabus cancellatus (Coleoptera) investigated were synchronized by zeitgeber-lengths of 8/8 10/10 or 16/16 h. On the other hand, a smaller number of beetles lost the periodicities of these Zeitgebers and showed a circadian activity rhythm. According to these experiments, the existence of a self-sustained circadian oscillation in carabid beetles is demonstrated. As we believe, a special numerical method of computing the length of activity periodicities was used for the first time.     

Temperature sensitivity in the respiratory-deficient mutants of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

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Storage of irradiated human blood; a source of error in quantitative chromosome analysis

Summary Human whole blood was irradiated with 2.5 Gy of 220 kVp X-rays and stored before culture with 9.7 M BrdU and 19.4 or 38.7 M BrdU for 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. The frequency of dicentrics and ring chromosomes was determined in cells staining as first division (M1) metaphases with the fluorescence plus Giemsa technique. Storage had no influence on the observed aberration yields in 44 h cultures containing 9.7 M BrdU. In 66 h cultures at 19.4 M BrdU the observed yields after 2 and 3 days' storage were significantly lower as compared to cultures from fresh blood. No storage effect was revealed in 66 h cultures containing 38.7 M BrdU. In cases where cytogenetic radiation dosimetry has to be carried out using blood samples which have been in transit for 2–3 days, the findings are of relevance for a correct determination of the chromosome damage in M1 cells.     

Responses of the resistance and capacitance vessels reflexly induced from the cardiac chambers

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The stimulating action of gastrin pentapeptide,histamine and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate on carbonic anhydrase in rat stomach

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With the technical assistance ofYu. M. Konstantinov andT. V. Zymonina.     

Lack of tolerance development to tumor necrosis factor α inside the central nervous system

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was repeatedly microinfused into the lateral ventricle of guinea pig brains at a dose of 200 ng, 4 times within 150 min, at intervals of 3 days. In comparison to guinea pigs infused with solvent according to the same time schedule, the animals responded to TNF with pronounced fevers. The quantity of the fever response was the same after each of the 4 microinfusions of TNF. Three days after the last infusion of TNF or solvent all animals received an intramuscular injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The fever in response to LPS was the same in both groups. Thus, the reported development of tolerance to repeated systemic administration of TNF^1–3 does not develop inside the blood-brain barrier. Also, the febrile response to LPS is not influenced by repeated central pre-treatment with TNF, whereas repeated peripheral treatment does have an effect.