9-α-hydroxyparthenolide,a novel antitumor sesquiterpene lactone fromAnvillea garcini (Burm.) DC1

Summary A novel sesquiterpene lactone, 9--hydroxyparthenolide (1) was isolated from a chloroform extract ofAnvillea garcini that was collected in Iran. The structure of1 was assigned on the basis of high field NMR decoupling experiments and other spectroscopic evidence. This -methylene lactone has shown significant activity in both the 9KB cell culture and P388 mouse leukemia test systems.The authors acknowledge the support of contract No. N01-CM-97296 from the National Cancer Institute and the use of the Purdue University Biochemical Magnetic Resonance Laboratory (NIH grant No. RR01077). This is paper 16 in the series Potential Antitumor Agents.     

A microanalysis of colloid osmotic pressure

Summary A needle type of colloid osmometer has been devised with special attachments which made it useable with 3-l samples. It has been used in oncometry of fresh water teleosts to give the following results: 5.1±1.0 mm Hg for goldfish, 5.2±0.71 mm Hg for carp, and 14.3±0.75 mm Hg for eel.This study was supported in part by Research Grant 387036 from the Ministry of Education of Japan.invited to National Institute of Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.     

Concurrent occurrence of elevated ketone body and depressed carnitine level in underfed guinea-pigs

Summary Food ingestion of male guinea-pigs was restricted to 10 g/day. Total carnitine content of liver of the underfed animals fell to 3.75 moles per liver (46.1% of control). Serum level of total carnitine was 35.0 nmoles/ml (64.4%) in the underfed animals while they developed high ketonemia, 384.2 nmoles/ml (555.2%). In restricted animals the carnitine levels also decreased in the muscles.     

Studies on muscle fibre splitting in skeletal muscle

Summary Autoradiographic, stereological and histological studies have been carried out to determine the origin of muscle fibre splitting which supposedly occurs during muscle hypertrophy. The results obtained clearly indicate that the supposedly split fibres are a transient response probably derived from satellite cells and are not derived from pre-existing fibres by true splitting. Similarly, increases in muscle fibre size are not achieved by recruitment of satellite structures as indicated by lack of myonuclear recruitment.Acknowledgment. This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the Medical Research Council of Great Britain. The authors are grateful for the excellent technical assistance of Miss H. Caulton, M.J. Wild and M. Fenner.     

Complete replacement of serum in primary cultures of chick embryo brain cells by growth-promoting alpha-globulin

Summary Growth-promoting alpha-globulin (GPAG), a specific serum protein complex which induces mitotic activity in continually replicating metazoan cells in vitro, was shown in this study to support growth of astrocytes and mesenchymal cells as well as process formation of nerve cells isolated from cerebral hemispheres of chick embryos.     

Conduction velocity of peristaltic waves in the in vivo ureter: application of a new diameter gauge

Summary The conduction velocity of peristaltic movements of the canine ureter was measured under anaesthesia with a new type of diameter gauge using an image sensor. The peristaltic velocity was 34.1±6.2 mm/sec in 10 experiments. Noradrenaline at a low dosage of 1 g/kg i.v. reduced the resting diameter, increased the conduction velocity to 47–56 mm/sec, and approximately doubled the frequency of contraction. The application of acetylcholine also caused an increase in both frequency and conduction velocity (42–46 mm/sec). A plot of the conduction velocity against the mean period of peristaltic contraction was hyperbolic in shape.     

Spontaneously (genetic) hypertensive rats: Naloxone-reversible and propranolol-reversible decrease in pain sensitivity

Summary Adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are less sensitive to painful stimuli than their normotensive controls, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. This difference can be eliminated by the specific opiate antagonist, naloxone, and by the -adrenergic blocking agent, propranol.Acknowledgment. The author wishes to thank Miss R. L. Holcomb for her editorial assistance.     

Polyacetylenes from the spongePetrosia ficiformis found in dark caves

Summary Several high molecular weight polyacetylenes have been isolated from the spongePetrosia ficiformis found in dark caves. These compounds are related to, but different from, the polyacetylenes isolated from the same sponge living in its usual habitat.This work is a part of the Progetto finalizzato per l'Oceanografia e i Fondi Marini, CNR, Roma.The authors thank Mr G. Scognamiglio for the HPLC work, Mr C. Di Pinto for the NMR spectra and Mr G. Villani for the collection of the sponge.