Control of obesity inA vy /a mice by 5α-androstan-17-one

Summary Treating VY/WfL-A ^vy /a mice with 5-androstan-17-one, a mammalian glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor, prevented the mice from becoming obese. The weight difference between treated and controlA ^vy /a mice was mainly due to a decreased accumulation of triacylglycerol. The compound did not suppress appetite, had no detectable toxicity and did not affect the lipogenesis rates in the liver and carcass. The weight-controlling effect of 5-androstan-17-one inA ^vy /a mice was reversible upon withdrawal of treatment.The authors wish to thank Mr W.R. Gibson and Drs C.G. Culbertson and P.N. Harris for performing the pathological examinations.     

The count of blood platelets and sex in humans

Summary It has been shown that there is a higher count of blood platelets and thrombopoietic activity of plasma in women than men.     

The scent scale substances of malePieris butterflies (Pieris melete andPieris napi)

Summary 7 monoterpenes, -pinene, -pinene, myrcene, p-cymene, limonene, neral and geranial, were identified together with n-undecane in the scent scales ofP. melete, and also, together with considerable amounts of linalool, in the scent scales ofP. napi. Content ratio of neral to geranial inP. melete ranged from 0.77 to 1.04, and that inP. napi from 1.84 to 2.43. The present chemotaxonomic approach shows the 2 species ofPieris to be distinct.The authors thank Dr T. Yushima (National Institute of Agricultural Science, Japan) for supplying the references 3 and 4.     

Cytotoxicity of mouse peritoneal cells after alloimmunization]

CBA Mice were immunized by two intraperitoneal injections of 30 X 10(6) DBA/2 or C57BL/6 spleen cells at days--12 and--2. Peritoneal cell population was obtained at day zero by washing the peritoneal cavity of Mice. Adherent cells were then separated using a 2 hrs. incubation in "Falcon" plates followed by washing. This macrophage-rich peritoneal cell population was found nonspecifically cytotoxic against 51Cr labeled tumoral target cells: P815 X DBA/2 mastocytoma cells, EL4 X C57BL/L lymphoma cells and spontaneous lymphoma AKR cells (same H--2k as CBA). This adherent peritoneal cell cytoxicity was demonstrated after 24 hrs. incubation with the target cells. It was found in nonspecific combination as well as when using target cells syngeneic to the donor. These findings suggest that adherent peritoneal cell cytotoxicity could be at least partly due to macrophages and result from factor (s) released by sensitized lymphocytes in vivo in the same way as has been previously demonstrated in vitro.     

Effect of cortisone or triiodothyronine administration to pregnant rats on lysosomal hydrolases in fetal forebrain and cerebellum

Triiodothyronine injected daily to pregnant rats for the last week of gestation (50 microgram/100 g b.wt) increased the specific activities of 5 acid glycosidases in the fetal forebrain and cerebellum. Cortisone (50 mg/100 g b.wt) administered in the same period had no effect on cerebellum acid hydrolases, but decreased their activity in the forebrain.     

New lectin receptors in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

The glycoprotein CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) carries carbohydrate groups, which react with the plant lectins from Agaricus bisporus, Arachis hypogaea (peanut), with Tridacnin from invertebrate clams and with the anti-A lectins from snails. Accordingly, it has cryptantigenic structures, which correspond to the T or T-like antigen, the Tridacnin receptor and to the so called A-like antigen.     

Effects of thyrotrophic-releasing hormone (TRH) on thermoregulation in the rat

At ambient temperatures (Ta) of both 8 and 22 degrees C, intraventricular administration of TRH (10-80 microgram) produced a dose-dependent hypothermia in rats. The hypothermia was due to both decreased metabolic heat production and cutaneous vasodilatation. In contrast, at 30 degrees C Ta, TRH increased metabolic heat production (due to behavioral excitation) and led to hyperthermia.     

Epithelial-mesenchymal interaction in differentiation of duodenal epithelium of fetal rats in organ culture

Summary Epithelial-mesenchymal interaction in the differentiation of duodenal epithelium of fetal rats was investigated by recombination experiments in vitro. The proportion of goblet cells in duodenal epithelium was significantly greater on recombination of developing duodenal epithelium with mesenchyme of the glandular stomach than on recombination with that of the duodenum. Mesenchyme of the glandular stomach or forestomach was better than duodenal mesenchyme in supporting morphogenesis of duodenal epithelium. Treatment of tissues with N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) did not affect these tissue interactions.This work was supported by grants-in-aid for cancer research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan.Acknowledgment. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Prof. T. Mizuno of the University of Tokyo for valuable suggestions.     

Hemolymph volume determination in the tomato fruitworm,Heliothis zea

Summary The hemolymph volume ofHeliothis zea larvae was determined by the amaranth dye method and found to vary from 28 to 288 l. It averaged 30.6% of b.wt, a value comparable to that obtained with C¹⁴ inulin. Amaranth became evenly distributed in the hemocoele in 3–5 min.     

Down's syndrome: changes in protein fractions of blood plasma

Summary A statistically significant decrease of prealbumin and statistically significant increases of alpha₂-macroglobulin and IgA were found in blood plasma of patients with Down's syndrome using quantitative crossed immunoelectrophoresis.We are indebted to Prof. T.C. Bøg-Hansen, University of Copenhagen, for the helpful discussion of our results.