Mast cells in the pinna of Balb/c ‘nude’ (nu/nu) and heterozygotes (nu/+) mice

Summary The relative number of mast cells in the ear lobes' skin (pinna) of nude (athymic) nu/nu and normal (thymic) nu/+ heterozygotes of Balb/c mice was similar. The results obtained contradict some suggestions about the general influence of the thymus on the number of mast cells in the skin and suggest the existence of some local factor(s) in regulation of skin mast cell numbers.This work was supported by grant No. CA16426.The author wishes to thank Dr Kenneth Morrison for supplying the mice and the discussion, Mr Duffy Michowski for taking care of the animals used, Mr Carl Polley for taking the pictures and Dr N. R. Rose for the discussion.     

The metabolism of biphenyl byPseudomonas putida

Riassunto La degradazione del bifenile da parte diPs. putida inizia con la formazione di un diolo cui si attribuisce la struttura di 2,3-diidro-2,3-diossibifenile, in quanto, per disidratazione a caldo con acido cloridrico, si trasforma in 2-ossibifenile e tracce di 3-ossibifenile. Il diolo viene ulteriormente degradato ad acido benzoico. Le cellule diPs. putida cresciute su bifenile sono simultaneamente indotte ad ossidare al Warburg il bifenile e l'acido benzoico, non il 3,4-diossibifenile e l'acido fenilpiruvico. Le stesse cellule contengono una metapirocatecasi costitutiva.

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This work was supported by a grant of C.N.R. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), for the International Biological Program.     

Spontaneous rhythmic contractions in isolated human coronary arteries

Summary Isolated post mortem human coronary arteries developed rhythmic contractions in physiological saline solution without being exposed to vasoactive agents.This study was supported by a Scientific Research Fund (No. 56480181) from the Ministry of Education, Japan.     

Defect of incorporation of S in old Swan autoimmune mice thymus (author's transl)]

A diminution of the incorporation of radioactive S in epithelial cells of the thymus of auto-immune Swan mice is shown. This defect of incorporation seems to be in relation to a thymus deficiency.