Removal of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporated in liver DNA of newborn and young adult rats

Summary 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BUdR) removal from liver DNA in newborn and young adult rats has been demonstrated: it forms the basis of a reliable method to measure DNA repair in tissues provided with detectable DNA synthetic activity.This work was supported by a grant from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, and Donazione Teston, Bologna, Italy.     

Biosynthèse in vitro d'octopamine par le système nerveux et le cœur du mollusque gastéropodeHelix pomatia

Summary The tyrosine is decarboxylated in vitro by the central nervous tissue and by the intracardiac nervous tissue ofHelix pomatia by aromatic amino-acid decarboxylase. The tyramine obtained is the partially transformed into octopamine by tyramine--hydroxylase. The inhibition of monoamine oxidase favours apparition of the 2 amines. The monoamine oxidase seems able to regulate their synthese and to assure their inactivation.

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Biosynthèse in vitro d'octopamine par le système nerveux et le cur du mollusque gastéropodeHelix pomatia

     

Inhibition of noradrenaline release from sympathetic nerves by pentobarbital

Summary Pentobarbital concentrations of 10–100 M selectively inhibited the noradrenaline release evoked by activation of the nicotinic receptors on the terminals sympathetic nerves of the rabbit heart. Higher concentrations also decreased the noradrenaline release induced by KCl or by electrical stimulation of the nerve axons.This paper is dedicated to Professor Dr. G. Malorny on the occasion of his 65th birthday.Acknowledgment: We thank Mrs G. Thielecke for technical assistance.     

Effect of beta-adrenergic blockade on intramuscular triglyceride mobilization during exercise

Summary It was shown in the rat that mobilization of intramuscular triglyceride during exercise is controlled by the adrenergic system.Acknowledgments. The work was supported by the Polish Academy of Sciences, grant No. 10.4.2.01.3.2.     

An assessment of the effect of hormone and neurotransmitters on adenine and gluanine derivatives simultaneously in rat brain cortical slices

Summary A 2-dimensional thin-layer method has been developed for the separation on cellulose of adenine and guanine derivatives. Using incubated rat cerebral cortex slices it was shown that noradrenaline and acetylcholine stirnulated cAMP and cGMP production respectively but glutamate and -aminobutyric acid stimulated production of both cyclic nucleotides.     

The effect ofγ-irradiation on soil enzyme stability

Summary Arylsulphatase, -1,3 glucanase, phosphatase and urease responded differently to -irradiation (5–50 Mrad) in air-dried and moist soils. In all instances phosphatase was the most stable. The variability between enzymes may be due to inherent biochemical and stuctural characteristics or to their location within the soil microenvironment.Supported by a grant from the NERC.     

The behavioral development of the mutant "staggerer" mouse]

The behavioural study, in particular rearing environmental conditions, of the mutant mouse staggerer has shown that such animals may live more than 90 days. (he behavioural diagnosis of this mutation has been possible from the second week of life, using specific tests. A typical "bat posture" permits one to recognize the mutant from the normal Mouse. Locomotory and feeding behaviours also present late and various qualitatige particularities.     

New toxins from Aspergillus fumigatus Fresenius]

A strain of Aspergillus fumigatus Fres., isolated from sugar-beet draffs, synthesizes in vitro four toxic metabolites which have not yet been described in these fungal species. Toxic effects of the most abundant of these metabolites "fumitoxin A" have been studed on chick embryo. Artemia salina larvae, cell cultures, and on mice.     

Spatial conformation of human serotransferrin glycans]

The construction of molecular models for the human serotransferrin glycans shows that they present one compact section linked to the protein and constituted by the pentasaccharide alpha-Man-(1 leads to 3)-[alpha-Man-(1 leads to 6)]-beta-Man-(1 leads to 4)-beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 4)-beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to)-Asn to which are attached two "antennae" consisting of the trisaccharide alpha-NANA-(2 leads to 6)-beta-Gal-(1 leads to 4)-beta-GlcNAc. The trisaccharide sequence beta-Man-(1 leads to 4)-beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 4)-beta-GlcNAc adopts a flat and rigid conformation, stabilised by hydrogen bonds. In contrast, the sequence alpha-NANA-(1 leads to 6)-beta-Gal-(1 leads to 4)-beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 2)-alpha-Man takes up a helical configuration. The two "antennae" can be disposed on the pentasaccharide core to give two possible configurations, one Y-shaped and the other T-shaped. In both cases, the general conformation of the glycans is perfectly compatible with their postulated role as a recognition signal.