Circadian rhythmicity in phosphorylase activity and glycogen content in the heart muscle of the scorpion,Heterometrus fulvipes,C.L. Koch

Summary Maximal activity levels of phosphorylase A and AB at 20.00 h alternate with minimal levels at 08.00 h of the day, while the glycogen content exhibited a reverse trend in the heart of the scorpion,Heterometrus fulvipes.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Prof. K.S. Swami, for providing facilities. The financial assistance rendered by UGC (to VJ) and ICMR (to DCR) is gratefully acknowledged.     

Hidden orbital order in the heavy fermion metal URu(2)Si(2)

When matter is cooled from high temperatures, collective instabilities develop among its constituent particles that lead to new kinds of order. An anomaly in the specific heat is a classic signature of this phenomenon. Usually the associated order is easily identified, but sometimes its nature remains elusive. The heavy fermion metal URu(2)Si(2) is one such example, where the order responsible for the sharp specific heat anomaly at T(0) = 17 K has remained unidentified despite more than seventeen years of effort. In URu(2)Si(2), the coexistence of large electron electron repulsion and antiferromagnetic fluctuations leads to an almost incompressible heavy electron fluid, where anisotropically paired quasiparticle states are energetically favoured. Here we develop a proposal for the nature of the hidden order in URu(2)Si(2). We show that incommensurate orbital antiferromagnetism, associated with circulating currents between the uranium ions, can account for the local fields and entropy loss observed at the 17 K transition. We make detailed predictions for the outcome of neutron scattering measurements based on this proposal, so that it can be tested experimentally.     

Sulphur radicals formed by cutting alpha-keratin

Finger nails are composed largely of alpha-keratin, a protein in which three right-handed alpha-helical peptide chains are twisted into a left-handed coil strengthened by disulphide cross links. We have found that the act of cutting nails generates trapped radicals, giving intense electron spin resonance (ESR) signals characteristic of sulphur centred radicals. The nature of the primary radical and the possible modes of generation are discussed. These radical reactions should be considered when using human nail parings to estimate accidental exposure to ionizing radiation.     

Aldose metabolism in developing human fetal brain and liver

Summary Aldose reductase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme activities were studied in human foetal brain and liver at different periods of gestation. Aldose reductase activity in liver disappears after 16 weeks of gestation whereas sorbitol dehydrogenase keeps on increasing in liver as well as in brain. In utero, some glucose metabolism may be mediated through an active sorbitol pathway in human fetuses.Acknowledgments. These studies were supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research.     

Aldose metabolism in developing human fetal brain and liver

Aldose reductase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme activities were studied in human foetal brain and liver at different periods of gestation. Aldose reductase activity in liver disappears after 16 weeks of gestation whereas sorbitol dehydrogenase keeps on increasing in liver as well as in brain. In utero, some glucose metabolism may be mediated through an active sorbitol pathway in human fetuses.     

Effects of CA on the epididymis of intact,castrated and TP-treated langurs (Presbytis entellus entellus Dufresne)

Summary Cyproterone acetate (CA) treatment of intact langurs resulted in the disappearance of spermatozoa and regression of epididymal lumen, which can be compared with castration. The antiandrogenic nature of CA was confirmed in castrates treated simultaneously with testosterone propionate.     

Effect of glucose administration on release of prothrombin from rat liver microsomes during incubation

Résumé Les microsomes isolés du foic continuent à relâcher le prothrombin pendant l'incubation de façon désavantageuse pour la synthèse totale des protéines. L'accumulation est plus rapide quand les rats, soumis à un jeûne bref, étaient nourris de glucose avant le sacrifice.     

Dial variations in the levels of blood glucose and hepatopancreatic glycogen in the slug,Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac 1821)

Summary InLaevicaulis alte maximal blood glucose level at 00.00 h alternates with minimal level at 12.00 h of the day, while hepatopancreatic glycogen showed an opposite trend. Variations in blood glucose levels are inversely proportional to the corresponding variations in hepatopancreatic glycogen content, while blood glucose level shoots up to a maximum, hepatopancreatic glycogen declines to a minimum and vice versa.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Prof. K.S. Swami for providing facilities. The financial assistance rendered by ICMR (DCR), UGC (VJ) and CSIR (KS), New Delhi, India is gratefully acknowledged.