Effects of lipids on cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterases

Several naturally-occurring lipids but not n-propanol, guanidine-HCl or a variety of synthetic detergents stimulate the 3′,5′-cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase activities of a supernatant fraction of brain at 1.25 × 10^?7 M cAMP. The time courses of the reaction are linear in the presence and absence of lipid. On the other hand, lipid has different effects on various phosphodiesterase activities in fractions obtained after gel filtration of the crude extract. It stimulates the phosphodiesterase activities measured at 1.25 × 10^?7 M and 10^?4 M 3′,5′-cyclic-AMP and 1.25 × 10^?7 M 3′,5′-cyclic GMP in two of the fractions partially retained in the gel. However, lipid has little effect on the enzymatic hydrolysis of low concentrations of cAMP or cGMP and markedly inhibits the hydrolysis of high concentrations of cAMP by the fraction excluded from the gel.     

Assaying Actual Hematein Content of Commercial Hematoxylins and Hemateins

Hematein-free hematoxylin (HFH) was prepared by a modification of the procedure of Palmer and Lillie (Histochemie, 5: 44-54, 1965). Fifty mg of HFH were dissolved in 5 mg of ethylene glycol and then 45 nil of an aqueous solution of 2.25 gm KAl(SO₄)₂. 12H₂O and 5.445 mg KIO₃ were added. Since this amount of KIO₃ would be sufficient to oxidize 25 mg of HFH to hematein we have termed this half-oxidized hematoxylin (HOH). The peak absorbance (560 nm) of this purple solution remained constant for at least a week. With omission of the KIO₃ the solution was colorless. A curve was constructed by plotting absorbance against concentration of hematein in HOH at various dilutions. For analyses of hematein content of commercial hematoxylins 50 mg of sample and 100 mg of hydroquinone were dissolved in 5 ml of ethylene glycol and then 45 ml of a 5% solution of KAl(SO₄)₂. 12H₂O were added. The addition of the hydroquinone stabilized the absorbance for about 5 min. The hematein content could then be calculated by comparing the observed absorbance with the standard curve. Eleven samples of hematoxylin certified by the Biological Stain Commission had hematein concentrations varying from 0.01 to 0.43%. For analyses of the available hematein content of commercial hemateins, 50 mg of sample were dissolved in 10 ml of ethylene glycol, then 45 ml of water and 45 ml of 5% KAI(SO₄)₂. 12H₂O added. The hematein content could then be calculated by comparing the observed absorbance with the standard curve. In 9 samples of hematein from 4 different sources the active hematein content varied from 19 to 97%.     

Results of Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis after Postoperative Relapse

Ninety patients who had a recurrence of thyrotoxicosis after thyroidectomy have been reviewed. All 10 patients who had a second operation and 18 out of 20 patients treated with a full course of antithyroid drugs relapsed. These results differ greatly from the results of treatment of the first episode of thyrotoxicosis, whether by thyroidectomy or antithyroid drugs. Radioiodine is the treatment of choice in this group of patients, despite the high incidence of hypothyroidism.     

Swimming mechanisms in nereidiform polychaetes

New observations of the swimming of several species of nereidiform polychaete are presented and the parameters of body motion analysed. It is shown that there are theoretical limits to the values of these parameters outside which propulsion by the wave motion of the body is impossible. Many of the observations do fall outside them. This is because of the effect of the beating parapodia. Kinematic considerations are introduced to show how the wave of parapodial activity is related to the wave motion of the body. Dynamic considerations lead to an estimate of the minimum Young's modulus of the parapodia for pure parapodial swimming, lower values being possible for a combination of body-wave and parapodial swimming. The speeds achieved by different methods of swimming are discussed for the species that have been examined.     

The bovine and ovine genomes contain multiple sequences homologous to the alpha-lactalbumin-encoding gene

Bovine and ovine (pseudo)genes homologous to the alpha-lactalbumin-encoding gene are described. In both cases, sequence analysis reveals homology extending downstream from exon 2. Southern analysis indicates the presence of a family of alpha-lactalbumin-related sequences in the bovine genome.