Effects of precocene II and juvenile hormone III on the activity of neurosecretory A-cells inOncopeltus fasciatus

Summary Application of precocene II, topically or by contact method, appears to inhibit the synthetic activity of neurosecretory A-cells of the pars intercerebralis ofOncopeltus fasciatus. Treatment of precocene-treated insects with JH III apparently stimulates the secretory activity of these cells.Supported by National Research Council of Canada grant No. A4669.We thank Dr G. B. Staal, Zoecon Corporation, Palo Alto, California, for the gift of precocene II.     

Modification of clonazepam anticonvulsive activity by its association with other anti-epileptic drugs

Summary The modification of the anti-epileptic activity of clonazepam by other anticonvulsivants is studied. The results vary according to the drug and technique used. The usefulness of the 2 techniques employed is discussed.     

Histamine as an extremely potent releaser of vasopressin in the rat

Summary Intraperitoneal and intraventricular injection of histamine induces a very fast and high elevation of vasopressin in rat plasma as determined by radioimmunoassay. The effects are dose and time related. The intraventricular injection is more effective with regard to time and dose than the intraperitoneal injection.     

The extracellular protease fromPseudomonas fluorescens

Summary An extracellular protease has been purified from cultures ofPseudomonas fluorescens. It is a metalloenzyme with a molecular weight of 37,000±3,700, able to digest casein, hemoglobin and gelatine.This work was supported by grants from the Consejo Nacional de Investig ciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina, and the Consejo de Investigaciones de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario. JJC is a member of the Carrera del Investigador Científico, and SMJ the recipient, of a schollarship, of the former institution.     

Demonstration of different metabolic pathways starting with glucose or fructose in Rhizobium meliloti]

Rhizobium meliloti can produce many polysaccharides on D-fructose and D-mannitol. In glucose-grown cultures, few polysaccharides are observed and 2 keto-gluconate is accumulated.     

Kinetics of insulin secretion in response to glucose by isolated islands of Langerhans from the fetal rat]

Isolated islets of Langerhans from 21.5 day-old foetal Rats were studied in a perifusion system in vitro. The overall dynamics of insulin release by the foetal islets in response to glucose 13.9 mM is biphasic and qualitatively similar to that obtained with islets of adult Rats. The magnitude of the initial phase of insulin secretion is similar for the foetal and adult islets. The second phase is fourfold higher in the adult than in the foetus. The response of foetal islets occurs, 45 to 60 sec. after the increase of glucose concentration in the medium and a maximum insulin release for the first phase is obtained with a lag period of 2 min. The difference between foetal and adult islets is essentially quantitative.