A new chalcone glucoside and cernuoside from the flowers ofAcacia dealbata

Summary A new chalcone glucoside has been isolated from the flowers ofAcacia dealbata and shown to be 4,2,4,6-tetrahydroxy-3-methoxychalcone 2-O--D-glucoside (1) by chemical degradations and spectroscopic methods. Cernuoside (4,6,3,4-tetrahydroxyaurone 4-O--D-glucoside), (2) has also been found in this plant material.Acknowledgments. The author thanks Prof. H. Wagner, Institut für pharmazeutische Arzneimittellehre der Universität München, for a sample of homoeriodictyol, and Prof. J.B. Harborne, University of Reading, for a sample of aureusidin.     

Genetic polymorphisms and intrauterine development. Evidence of decreased heterozygosity in light-for-dates human newborn babies

Summary In 2 independent samples of low-birth-weight infants the proportion of females and homozygotes for a series of polymorphic systems was higher in light-for-dates than in preterm babies. The observation seems to give support to the hypothesis that homozygosity for normal polymorphisms may decrease in general intrauterine growth rate. Since it is known that survival rate is strongly related to birth weight, a correlation between growth retardation and homozygosity may have a major role in the maintenance of such polimorphisms.We thank Prof. L. Ginzburg for helpful comments.     

Chemotherapeutic effects of 4-isothiocyanato-4′-nitrodiphenylamine (C9333-Go/CGP 4540) on infections withNematospiroides dubius,Hymenolepis diminuta,Hymenolepis nana andSpirometra mansonoides

Summary 4-Isothiocyanato-4-nitrodiphenylamine possessed anthelmintic activity againstNippostrongylus dubius andHymenolepis nana in mice andH. diminuta in rats as determined by both egg counts and recovery of parasites at autopsy. No activity was detected against the cestode,Spirometra mansonoides, in cats.This investigation was supported in part by grants AI-10512 and AI-09483 from the National Institutes of Health. The authors are indebted to Dr P.P. Weinstein for providing animals infected withSpirometra mansonoides.     

λ-Prophage induction by furocoumarin photosensitization

Summary Furocoumarin photosensitization induces -prophage from lysogenicEscherichia coli cells; this effect is clearly due to the photoreaction that furocoumarins give with DNA, and it appears connected with the formation of monoadducts rather than of diadducts (cross-links).Acknowledgments. The authors wish to express their thanks to Dr L. Conventi, Microbiology Institute of Padua University, for generously donating theE. coli strains used in this work.     

Female sex hormones and lysosomal stability in gingival polymorphonuclear leucocytes

Summary In a group of 5 women taking oral contraceptives, the concentration of polymorphonuclear leucocytes along the gingival margin and the activities of cathepsin D, -glucuronidase and elastase were found to increase significantly during the intermenstrual phases.Supported by grant 3.604.075 of the Swiss National Fund for scientific Research. The authors thank Dr M. Baggiolini and Prof. A. Linder for the helpful advices.     

Genetic control by the HLA region of the immune response to factor VIII in hemophilic patients]

In 10 sibships of haemophilic A patients, every one including 1 haemophilic brother with an antibody to factor VIII and 1 haemophilic brother without antibody, pattern of HLA segregation was analysed. All sibships were HLA haploidentical or different and not HLA identical. This fact suggested a linkage between the major histocompatibility complex and an "Ir" gene to factor VIII.     

Effect of insulin on immunological phagocytosis by macrophages.

It was shown that, in physiological concentrations, insulin enhances, in vitro, the immunological phagocytosis of sensitized sheep erythrocytes by cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages. Insulin seems to stimulate macrophage phagocytosis as a cholinomimetic agonist by increasing the intracellular levels of cyclic GMP.     

Cerebral neurosecretions and regulation of moulting in a haematophagous insectPanstrongylus megistus, (Heteroptera,Reduviidae)

Summary 2 factors elaborated by distinct neurosecretory cells in the pars intercerebralis control moulting inPanstrongylus megistus. The 1st, originating probably in the A cells, activates the thoracic gland. The 2nd, produced by the A cells, acts at an earlier stage in a different way.Supported by CNPq., Brésil and DGRST (aide No. 76.7.0716).     

Effect of dihydroergocristine infusion on tolbutamide-induced insulin secretion in man

Summary The insulinemic response to 1 g of tolbutamide i.v. is greatly enhanced (+145%) after a 60-min infusion of the -lytic dihydrogenated ergot alkaloid, dihydroergocristine (83.3 m/min, corresponding to a total dose of 5 mg) in 7 healthy subjects. No differences are observed in the glycemic responses.Acknowledgment. The authors are grateful to Mr Franco Della Sala, M.D., for his skillful technical assistance.     

Microwave measurements of the absolute values of absorption by water vapour in the atmosphere

MEASUREMENT of the absolute value of absorption by water vapour at microwave frequencies is difficult because the effect is so small. Far in the wings of the absorption lines, in the so-called 'windows' of the spectrum, it is especially difficult to achieve high accuracy in the free atmosphere. But it is in these windows that the behaviour of the absorption is important from both applied and scientific points of view. Satellite communications, remote sensing of the atmosphere, and radioastronomy, are all influenced by this behaviour. Measurements on an Earth-space path are reported here; the results indicate a nonlinear relationship between absorption and water-vapour content.