Considerazioni ed osservazioni sulla struttura microscopica del tessuto nervoso autonomo alla periferia nei vertebrati superiori

Riassunto L'A. ha voluto controllare col metodo al cloruro d'oro del Ruffini i risultati ottenuti col metodo Bielschowsky-Gross dal Boeke e dallo Stöhr nello studio della distribuzione del sistema nervoso autonomo nei tessuti. Ha esaminati alcuni settori del tubo digerente, della cavità orale e della cute nei Rettili, Uccelli e Mammiferi riuscendo a confermare la reale esistenza di terminalreticoli emananti da una rete espansionale diffusa, rispondente in parte al plesso fondamentale del Boeke ed al preterminalreticolo del Reiser. Non ammette una sicura penetrazione di essi nei protoplasmi cellulari, né la loro fusione con questi e con il plasmodio di Schwann; considera come pseudostruttura la rete periterminale di Boeke e come risultato d'imperfetta impregnazione le sue terminazioni intracellulari perché il terminalreticolo si continua oltre le cellule senza interrompersi. È perciò di accordo con la concezione dello Stöhr jr., pur dissentendo da quest'osservatore su alcuni particolari, che vanno ancora più discussi e studiati.

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Zusammenfassung Der Verfasser hat mit der Goldmethode von Ruffini die Resultate prüfen wollen, die Boeke und Stöhr mit der Bielschowsky-Gross-Methode im Studium der Verteilung des autonomen Nervensystems in den Geweben erhalten haben.Er hat einige Zonen des Verdauungskanals, der Mundhöhle und der Haut von Reptilien, Vögeln und Säugetieren geprüft, und es ist ihm gelungen, die wirkliche Existenz des Terminalreticulums zu bestätigen, das von einem ausgedehnten Verbreitungsnetz herrührt und das zum Teil dem Grundplexus von Boeke und dem Präterminalreticulum von Reiser entspricht.Der Verfasser hält es nicht für sicher, daß dieses Terminalreticulum in die Zellenprotoplasmen eindringt, ebenfalls nicht, daß es mit den Protoplasmen und dem Schwannschen Plasmodium verschmolzen ist; er betrachtet hingegen das Netz von Boeke als Pseudostrukturen und seine binnenzellulären Enden als ein Resultat einer unvollständigen Imprägnierung, denn das Terminalreticulum setzt sich außerhalb der Zellen ohne Unterbrechung fort.Der Verfasser ist deshalb mit der Vorstellung von Stöhr jr. einverstanden, obgleich er bezüglich einiger Einzelheiten, die noch näher behandelt und erörtert werden, mit dem genannten Beobachter nicht übereinstimmt.

     

Considerazioni su Gelsi Ingialliti per Fame

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.), an important crop, containing over 50% inulin in its tubers on a dry weight basis is an agricultural and industrial crop with a great potential for production of ethanol and industrial products. Inulin is a good substrate for bioethanol production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae 6525 can produce high concentrations of ethanol, but it cannot synthesize inulinase. In this study, a new integration vector carrying inuA1 gene encoding exoinulinase was constructed and transformed into 18SrDNA site of industrial strain S. cerevisiae 6525. The obtained transformant, BR8, produced 1.1 U mL^? 1 inulinase activity within 72 h and the dry cell weight reached 12.3 g L^? 1 within 48 h. In a small-scale fermentation, BR8 produced 9.5% (v/v) ethanol, with a productivity rate of 0.385 g ethanol per gram inulin, while wild-type S. cerevisiae 6525 produced only 3.3% (v/v) ethanol in the same conditions. In a 5-L fermentation, BR8 produced 14.0% (v/v) ethanol in fermentation medium containing inulin and 1% (w/v) (NH4)₂SO₄. The engineered S. cerevisiae 6525 carrying inuA1 converted pure nonhydrolyzed inulin directly into high concentrations of ethanol.     

Sulla origine,sulla funzione e sulla costituzione degli osteoclasti

Zusammenfassung An Schnitten vom Unterkiefer und von langen wachsenden Knochen von Menschen und von anderen Wirbeltieren (Maus, Kaninchen, Seps usw.) hat der Verfasser die Verteilung, die Beschaffenheit und die Wirksamkeit der Osteoklasten und Chondroklasten untersucht, und er ist zu der Schlußfolgerung gekommen, daß diese histologischen Elemente die spezifischen Agenten der Zerstörung des Knochen- und des Knorpelgewebes darstellen; daß sie ihre Wirksamkeit dadurch entfalten, indem sie sich nach und nach vom Mittelpunkt der Knochenhöhlen entfernen, die sie vergrößern; daß sie die Knochenbalken auf jener Seite angreifen, die der Osteoblasten ermangelt und die auf die Höhle selbst schaut; daß sie endlich in konzentrischen Schlagwellen vorgehen und sich auf den Balken anordnen, die zur Zerstörung bestimmt sind.Der Verfasser hat außerdem hervorgehoben, daß die Osteoklasten ihre zerstörende Wirkung höchstwahrscheinlich durch ein Enzym entfalten, das sich auf der Oberfläche der Knochenblättchen ausbreitet und das deshalb ganz entfernt von ihnen wirkt. Die Osteoklasten sollen manchmal Körner und Bruchstücke des untergehenden Gewebes enthalten.Hinsichtlich ihres Ursprunges und ihrer Beschaffenheit, so glaubt der Verfasser, die Osteoklasten seien aus Bestandteilen des Knochenmarkstromas zusammengesetzt, d. h. aus differenzierten im selben Knochenmark enthaltenen Elementen und aus anderen Elementen, die dem zerstörten Gewebe entstammen.Der Verfasser hat schließlich darauf hingewiesen, daß sie in enger Beziehung mit Capillaren stehen; solche Beziehungen sind aber nur vorübergehend, und im Falle daß sie bestehen, so sind die endothelialen Zellen daran unbeteiligt.     

Considerazioni ecologiche su alcuni geofunghi e idrofunghi

Abstract

Ecological considerations on some geofungi and hydrofungi. Some ecological aspects of the terrestrial and aquatic mycoflora are preliminarily examined, emphasizing in particular the ecological relations between fungi and environmental factors. The author adds a personal contribution based on his researches on the composition of Ticino river's fungal flora, controlled monthly in and around Pavia in the years 1973 and 1974, and on the quantitative production of aflatoxin B₁ by a toxinogenic strain of Aspergillus flavus in the presence of herbicides.

Yeasts represent the main component of the fungal flora of river waters, with a prevalence of Rhodotorula (R. rubra) in winter, Candida and Geotrichum in summer. In the zones of the river where industrial or urban discharges arrive, the population of yeasts is greater than in the North and South zone of the town. The data about the population of yeasts, chiefly of the genera Rhodotorula, Sporobolomyces and Candida, prove that these fungi are good biological indicators of contamination of a waterway.

As far as aflatoxins are concerned the author points out the stimulating influence of the herbicides Pyrazon (PCA) and Diuron (DMU) on the production of aflatoxin B₁.     

Flavanoids from Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Two new flavanoids, 5,7-dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxyflavanone and isobonducellin along with 2'-hydroxy-2,3,4',6'-tetramethoxychalcone, 5,7-dimethoxyflavone and bonducellin were isolated from the aerial parts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima. The structures of the compounds were settled mainly by interpretation of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Isobonducellin was found to be a homoisoflavanoid containing a cis (Z)-double bond. Antimicrobial activity of the new compounds was evaluated.     

Ricerche sulla fisiologia dell'acido ascorbico

Summary

The aim of this first contribution to the ecological meaning of the ascorbic acid, is specifically to search the relations between thermoperiodical conditions and the ascorbic acid content in green plants.

The effect of variations of the night-temperature (by unvaried daily conditions) on the ascorbic acid content, has been assayed throghout a series of esperiences.

On the whole, it has been observed, as a first result, an inverse relation between the degree of night-temperature and the ascorbic acid content of the leaves (night-t° betweeen 12° and 28° C; test-plants: Nicotiana Tabacum L., v. Java; Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. v. S. Marzano; Solanum tuberosum L., v. Majestic; Impatiens balsamina L.).

The possible practic finality of these investigations and some theoretic considerations, especially concerning the ecological point of view, are discussed.     

Ricerche sulla Vegetazione della Valsesia

Summary

The present work, forming a part of the research on the Valsesian vegetation, is an investigation of the botanical aspects of one of the tributary valleys of the Mastallone torrent, the Sabbiola valley.

The valley has steep flanks cut into compacted crystalline rock; this morphology is very different from other valleys cut through esasily erodible rock, and with gentle slopes, and has marked influence on the vegetation.

At the base of the valley a forest of Alnus incana and Fraxinus Ornus and, ascending, a stand of chestnut trees not very extensive was noted.

Betula pendula was noted as high as 1200 meters (above sea level). Beech trees, more or less heliophilus or acidophilus are extended lo higher elevations, up to 1500 m., and started at about 850–900 m. The hypsophylous conifers were missing and the “cacuminale” vegetation was neither very extensive or typical, because even the highest elevations of this valley are relatively low for this type of vegetation.

The study of the vegetation of this valley upon completion will be incorparated and inte preted together with the results of other research on the Valsesian region.     

Studi sulla biologia dei dermatomiceti

Autoriassunto L'A. ha studiato le attività glicoassimilative e glicolitiche di 94 ceppi di dermotomiceti di recentissimo isolamento (4Microsporum, 2 Achorion Schönleini, 10Epidermophyton inguinale e 78Tricophyton delle specieviolaceum, cerebriforme, gipseum, plicatile, fumatum, interdigitale, ecc.).Sono stati seguiti in tali ricerche il metodo auxanografico di Beijerink opportunamente modificato per le particolari esigenze dello studio dei dermatomiceti ed il classico metodo per la fermentazione degli idrati di carbonio.Il metodo auxanografico ha permesso di mettere in evidenza sostanziali differenze di comportamento tra i quattro generi di dermatomiceti presi in esame (Microsporum, Achorion, Epidermophyton edTricophyton), differenze che si ripetono in alcuni casi con assoluta costanza o con notevole frequenza nei diversi ceppi della stessa specie esaminati, ma che seconde l'A. sarebbe ancora prematuro ed azzardato voler considerare definitivamente come caratteri assoluti peculiari di un determinato genere o specie.Risultati assai irregolari e di significato molto scarso ha dato invece l'esame dell'attività fermentativa sugli idrati di carbonio.

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Summary The Author studied the glycoassimilative and glycolythic activities of 94 strains of very recent isolated dermatomycetes (4Microsporum, 2Achorion, 10Epidermophyton inguinale and 78Tricophyton violaceum,cerebriforme, gipseum, plicatile, fumatum, ecc.).Beijeirink's auxanographic method was followed in such researches suitably modified for the particular requirements in the study of dermatomycetes as well as the classical method for the fermentation of carbonium hydrates.The auxanographic method enabled to point out the striking difference in the behaviour between the four genus of dermatomycetes tested (Microsporum, Achorion, Epidermophyton andTricophyton) differences which occur in many cases with an absolute constancy or remarkable frequency for different strains tested of sam genus or species. According to the A. itz would be still before time and rather hazardous to state definitively these differences as absolute characters peculiar for a genus or species.The examination of fermentative activity on the carbonium hydrates gave on the contrary irregular or small important results.

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Résumé L'A. a étudié les activitées glycoassimilatives et glycolithiques de 94 souches de dermatomycetes tout recemment isolées (4Microsporum, 2Achorium Schöleini, 10Epidermophyton et 78Tricophyton des espècesviolaceum, cerebriforme, gipseum, plicatile, fumatum, interdigitale, etc.).On a employé dans ces recherches la méthode auxanographique de Beijerink modifiée en vue des particulières exigéances de l'étude des dermatomycetes et la methode classique de la fermentation des hydrates de carbon.A l'aide de la méthode auxanographyque l'A. a réussi à mettre en évidance parmi les quatre genres de dermatomycetes examinés (Microsporum, Achorium, Epidermophyton, etTricophyton) des differences substantielles de comportement que dans certains cas se répètent avec une absolue constance ou une considérable fréquence dans les diverses souches de la même espèce examinées. L'A. croit cependant qu'il serait encore prémature et hazardeux de considérer ces differences comme des caractères absolus particuliers à chaque genre ou espèce.L'examen de l'activité fermentative sur les hydrates de carbon a donné des résultats tout à fait irréguliers et de signification assez restreinte.

     

Ricerche sulla fisiologia dell'acido ascorbico

Summary

Structural viscosity of plasm in plants varies over a wide range under the influence of a number of different stimuli, as both internal and surrounding factors are bound to affect it. If viscosity is regarded as an index of the dispersion degree of plasmatic colloids, it will be easily gathered that, parallel with it, also the reactive surface of these is subject to both quantitative and qualitative variations. The result is that such stimuli as determine the aforesaid variations in the living plasm structure, ultimately should have a bearing on the intensity of all such functions as are controlled by plasm. Of all the stimuli bound to exert the effects referred to above, the Authors have devoted their special attention to auxins. Under their influence the plasm structure undergoes such modifications — which can be appraised with the plasmolysis method — that an increase in viscosity is noted, the latter phenomenon being followed — in the Authors' opinion — by an increase in the dispersion degree of the plasmatic colloids. Consequently, several functions are enhanced, the most evident of these being the cells' growth. On the other hand, in such cells where the membrane have reached such a degree of evolution as to be no longer extensible, the auxins cause the same phenomena as in the plasm, without this being, however, accompanied by a resumption of the growing process.

The Authors have expressed the opinion that plants may have a way to regulate the rate of such functions as are controlled by plasm not only by producing some substances wich, by causing a higher dispersion of the plasmatic colloids, act as stimulants, but also by producing some other substances having an opposite action; these substances, by exerting the contrary effect on the plasmatic colloids, would act as inhibiting agents. According to this assumption the auxin-type substances would be offest by some anti-auxinic substances, the actual extent of all functions, as well as the reaction to surrounding stimuli, would thus be controlled by a system of two classes of regulators having opposite effects, and by their relative amount. In the last few years several researchers have investigated the anti-auxin field; the Authors, however, specifically refer to the ascorbic acid (AA) as the mos widely diffused an the one having the most general significance.

In this paper the Authors propose to study antagonist relation between auxins and AA under the limited standpoint of the effect that the two substances exert on the plasm's structural viscosity. Their experimental results have shown that

a) the administration of AA, no matter which technique has been used, cuts the plasmolisys time (if concave in the controls, the latter become convex in the tissues treated), consequently decreasing the plasm viscosity. Such a reduction, which is noted in both the stem and roots, is, at least to a certain extent, proportional to the amount of AA actually to be found in the organs;

b) the very same result is obtained when a variation is introduced in the surrounding conditions which, by affecting the photosynthetic process, influence the amount of AA which is present in the organ. More particularly, it has been found that, after being kept for a certain number of hours in the dark, the vegetal organs — notably the leaves and green stems — contain far lower amounts of AA than those which could be found when the same organs were exposed to the light. Likewise, the plasm viscosity is far higher in the dark than in the light.

Etiolated plants, too, contain a far lesser amount of AA than the controls which have grown in the light, and their plasm is far more viscous than in the green controls. The experimental introduction of AA, anyway, lowers the plasmatic viscosity both in the etiolated specimens and in the controls.

The roots, wich are extremely poor in AA contents as compared with the green organs, also have a far more viscous plasm;

c) the antagonist relation between the action of the AA and the substances having an auxinic action is also indirectly evidenced by the AA being capable of cutting or even offsetting the action of the auxinic type substance. As a matter of fact, in such plants as have been experimentally enriched in their AA contents the plasm viscosity undergoes only a very slight variation subsequent to the administration of substances exerting an auxinic action.

It is, anyway, a well-know fact that roots, being extremely poor in AA as compared with the stem, are influenced to a far larger extent than the latter by the action of all growth-promoting substances; d) AA is not a specific antagonist of the auxins. As a matter of fact, it has been found that it opposes the action developed by indoleacetic and indolebutyric acids, as well as the action exerted by some other substances, such as xanthine, uric acid and colchicine whose auxin-like action on both plasm viscosity and cellular enlargement has already been detected.     

Studi sulla cariologia delle asclepiadaceae

Summary

The author examines the sole station so far found in Sardinia of Satureja Thymbra Willd., a species common only in the Eastern Mediterranean, with a range including at the western extreme the islands of the Ionian sea and the vicinity of Derna in Cyrenaica, except for the isolated station described on Mount San Michele near Cagliari.

In this station, few woody and numerous herbaceous species make up the association with S. Tymbra, which in the Eastern Mediterranean forms part of the phrygana, according to some Authors, or of the batha according to others, this latter being a gradation lower ecologico-climatically than the garigue and the phrygana. Phrygana and batha populations do not exist in the Western Mediterranean.

The San Michele station might be conveniently classified as a tomillares owing to the presence of certain Labiatae species, but because the more characteristic species of this association are lacking as compared with the Iberian Peninsula, the Author considers this population to be of the steppe type with Labiatae in which many of the steppe Graminaceae are present, though again not the most characteristic.

The Author then examines the genetic and phylogenetic aspects of the species, which he considers to be linked with the geological events of the period corresponding to the existence of the Tyrrhenian continent, between the upper Miocene and the lower Pliocene (Pontian).     

Considerazioni di ordine sistematico sul genere Humicola Traaen

Abstract

Taxonomical notes on the genus Humicola Traaen.—The Author after having discussed on conidial characters of the genus Humicola Traaen, segregates from this a new genus Humicolopsis with the type species H. dimorphospora (Roxon et Jong) comb. nov.     

Production of crystalline surface-active glycolipids by a strain of torulopsis apicola

The conditions for the production of extracellular glycolipid with Torulopsis apicola IMET 43747 have been investigated. Different culture conditions resulted in the production of either water-soluble or crude crystalline glycolipids. Growth was always accompanied by a strong decrease of the pH-value in the reaction medium. Cultivation at pH-value below 2 yielded the water-soluble product. The addition of either sodium citrate or sodium hydroxide to correct the pH-value to 3, resulted in the formation of large amounts of crystalline glycolipids. Depending on the kind of carbon source and its relative concentration, the product concentration was 5–90 g 1⁻¹ with maximal yields of 0.46 g g⁻¹ (product per substrate) after growth on a mixture of plant oils and glucose. The crude crystalline glycolipid mixture can be separated from the culture medium by filtration. It is composed of 80% of one major crystalline glycolipid and different minor compounds. Purification by liquid chromatography on silica gel yields the pure compound. This main product is a nonionic glycolipid with remarkable interfacial activities.