Threo-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylserine,a poor source of noradrenaline in the rat

Résumé Chez le rat, les injections dedl-thréo-3,4-dihydroxyphénylsérine, un précurseur pharmacologique synthétique de la noradrénaline, provoquent une conversion de moins de 1% au 4-hydroxy-3-méthoxyphényl-glycol, le métabolite urinaire majeur de la noradrénaline dans cette espèce. Un nouveau cheminement qui entraîne une coupure latérale de la chaîne prit environ 10% de la dose et un autre 10% fût excrété comme un amino-acideO-méthylé; le sort de quelque 80% est inconnu.     

Human sweat components — Attractancy and repellency to mosquitoes

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, dass menschliche Schweissabsonderungen verschiedener Versuchspersonen auf weibliche Moskitos (Aedes aegypti) verschieden attraktiv sind. Mit Diethyläther (pH 1) lassen sich im Schweiss sowohl «anlockende» wie auch «abschreckende» Bestandteile extrahieren. Für den «repellent effect» sind teilweise gleiche Mischungen von Milchsäure und Milchsäureanhydrid verantwortlich. Zwei weitere, noch nicht identifizierte Substanzen zeigten im Zwei-Kammer-Olfaktometer identische «repellent» Wirkungen.

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This study was supported by U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Dept. of the Army, Contracts No. DA 49-193-MD-2465 (W. Skinner) and No. DA 49-193-MD-2466 (H. Maibach). We thank Dr.L. Pope, Superintendent, and the inmates of the California Medical Faculty, Vacaville, California, USA, for their cooperation in this study.     

The properties of neuraminidase-treated crystalline ceruloplasmin

Résumé On sait que la plasmine céruléenne crystalline rétroplacentaire humaine ainsi qua la plasmine apocérulécnne empêchent l'hémaglutination virale. Cet effet pourrait être attribué aux résidus d'acide sialique, car l'action préventive disparaît après traitement de la plasmine céruléenne par la neuraminidase.     

lambda Repressor and cro--components of an efficient molecular switch

In a lysogen, most genes of phage lambda are repressed; in response to a transient induction signal, they are efficiently switched on. The switch, which consists in part of a tripartite operator to which two regulatory proteins bind, depends not only on DNA--protein interactions, but also on effects transmitted from one DNA-bound protein to another. lambda Exemplifies a strategy that facilitates efficient switching between two physiological states in response to a transient signal.     

Public health vaccination policies for containing an anthrax outbreak

Concern about biological weapons has raised questions about the most effective public health policies to contain an anthrax outbreak. We developed a probability model to predict the impact of different anthrax antibiotic and vaccination policies. An anthrax outbreak can be significantly contained by minimizing the delay until initiation of antibiotic prophylaxis. However, even if mass distribution of antibiotics is completed within six days of the initial exposure, then at most about 70% of cases can be prevented. Post-exposure vaccination will not significantly increase that prevention rate if adherence to antibiotic regimens is similar or higher than that attained in the 2001 US outbreak. However, post-exposure vaccination can be useful either in shortening the duration of a prolonged antibiotic regimen, in the event of an antibiotic-resistant strain, or if antibiotic adherence rates are very low. Here we show that a mass pre-exposure vaccination programme for the general population would require very high population coverage rates to significantly increase prevention rates from that achieved with targeted and rapid post-exposure prophylaxis programmes.