Plasma growth hormone in the rabbit fetus. Relation to maturation of the liver and lung]

Day 25 after insemination is a date of peculiar importance in the maturation of several organs in the Rabbit fetus. From day 25 onward the fetal liver stores increasing amounts of glycogen and the lung stores increasing amounts of lecithins, concomitant with sudden rise in the activity of lung phosphatidic-acid phosphohydrolase. Earlier studies on decapitated fetuses established that glycogen storage in the liver is dependent on a dual hormonal control, comprising a pituitary hormone like growth hormone or prolactin (some placental hormones share the same activity) and corticosteroids (Jost, 1961). Since the variations in endogenous corticosteroids do not seem to herald these liver or lung changes (Mulay et al., 1973), a study was made of growth hormone. Plasma immunoreactive growth hormone--determined with a heterologous Rat system (Kervran et al., 1976)--increases eightfold between days 23 and 25. During the same time plasma prolactin does not change according to McNeily and Friesen, 1978, and to unpublished data obtained with Dr McNeilly. In preliminary assays, Rat growth hormone was seen to increase phosphorylase "a" activity in the lung of 18.5 day-old Rat fetuses, thus anticipating normal development. We suggest that growth hormone plays a role in initiating liver and lung maturation.     

Stereotype and plasticity of utterances in gibbons (Hylobates concolor leucogenys)]

The "great call" of adult male and female Hylobates concolor leucogenys was studied in different conditions of social stimulation, using quantitative (i. e. sonographic) analysis. Vocal sequences are generally made up of mixed sounds, appearing in a fixed order and constituting a species-specific character. Qualitative diversification appears in the repetition of sequences. Different social situations alter parameters of the calling pattern: especially the length and intensity of homologous modulated sounds, and the qualitative complexity of sequences. The capacity of controlling length and intensity of modulated sounds has been shown in earlier papers for H. c. gabriellae, and by several authors, in Cebus and Rhesus monkeys. The "great call" of H. c. leucogenys shows the two fundamental characteristics of instinctive (i. e. genetically determined) activity-patterns.     

Field bioassay of male Douglas-fir beetle compound 3-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-one

Summary Synthetic 3-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-one, or 3,3-MCH, decreased by 77% the flight aggregation ofDendroctonus pseudotsugae (Scolytidae) to sticky traps containing attractant (frontalin, -pinene, and resin). However, windthrown trees were protected by 3,3-MCH much less than is known to occur with the isomer 3,2-MCH.This research was supported in part by NSF grants BMS 72-02522 and DEB 77-11361 and the O.S.U. School of Forestry. We thank the administration of the Siuslaw National Forest for study sites, and Dr L.M. Libbey for GC/MS of 3,3-MCH. Oregon State University Ag. Exp. Sta. Tech. Paper No. 4313.     

Effects of several preoperative medications on fat cell lipolysis, and activity of adipose tissue cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase.

Effects were examined of atropine, diazepam, pethidene, promethazine, scopolamine, omnopon and papaverine on basal and noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis in rat isolated fat cells and on rat adipose tissue cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity. Papaverine at high concentration (1 mM) inhibited both basal and hormone-stimulated lipolysis, whereas diazepam enhanced basal lipolysis. At a 'clinical dose', omnopon increased both basal and noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis. Adipose tissue cAMP phosphodiesterase activity was strongly inhibited by 1 mM diazepam, papaverine, promethazine and omnopon (280 microgram ml-1). Lack of enhancement of lipolysis by the established cAMP phosphodiesterase antagonist papaverine, is compatible with simultaneous inhibition also of adipose adenyl cyclase. Diazepam-stimulated lipolysis is compatible with its phosphodiesterase inhibitory activity. It is proposed that papaverine-containing omnopon may offer some survival advantages during surgical stress by facilitating a caloric supply.     

Alkaline phosphatase in human lymphocyte subpopulations.

The levels of membrane alkaline phosphatase have been measured on different lymphocyte fractions from human peripheral blood separated on bovine serum albumin discontinuous gradients. The peak in enzyme activity was observed in a non-T-, non-B-cell fraction, rich in "null" lymphocytes; the lowest values were found in the fraction with the highest proportion of T-cells.     

The effects of physostigmine on the oxygen uptake in rat brain tissue

Summary Physostigmine in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg i.v. expressly stimulated the oxygen uptake in the rat cerebral cortex. This effect was blocked by propranolol and seems be mediated by catecholamines. Since atropine also antagonized the stimulant effect of physostigmine, it appears that the action of physostigmine is primarily cholinergic and that the adrenergic effect is a secondary phenomenon. The higher dose of physostigmine (0.4 mg/kg i.v.) caused a depression of rat brain oxygen uptake.This work was supported by a grant from Serbian Republic Scientific Fund (ZMNU SR Srbija), Belgrade (Yugoslavia).The authors wish to acknowledge the skilful technical assistance of Lj. Krsti.     

(−)-Maalian-5-ol,a new enantiomeric sesquiterpenoid from the liverwortPlagiochila ovalifolia

Summary A new enantiomeric sesquiterpene alcohol named (–)-maalian-5-ol was isolated from the liverwort, and the structure and absolute configuration was determined to be the stereostructureI by chemical and spectral evidence.The authors express their gratitude to Dr H. Inoue, National Science Museum, for identification of the liverwort, and Prof. T. Tokoroyama, Osaka City University, for sending of the data of (–)--maaliene and (+)-selina-5,11-diene. Thanks are also due to the Ministry of Education for financial support of this work.     

The effect of acidic polysaccharides and prostaglandin-like substances isolated from Propionibacterium acnes on granulocyte chemotaxis.

Three acidic polysaccharide (AP) fractions and the prostaglandin-like substances (PLS) isolated from P. acnes were investigated regarding their chemotactic activities on polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Both AP's and PLS induced a significant chemotatic response, which suggests their involvement in inflammatory acne vulgaris.     

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.     

Mechanical responses of the isolated cervix of the day-22 pregnant rat to field stimulation.

Field stimulation of isolated, spirally-cut cervix from day-22 pregnant rats produced contractions which could be inhibited by tetrodotoxin or hyoscine and potentiated by propranolol. The rat cervix would appear to receive both cholinergic and noradrenergic innervations whose transmitters activate muscarinic cholinoceptors and beta-adrenoceptors respectively.