Role of the serotoninergic raphe-hippocampus system for the antinocifensive effect of morphine

As revealed in earlier studies, the antinocifensive effect of morphine is brought about, among other things, with involvement of serotoninergic transmission mechanisms. In this context the role of the serotoninergic raphe-hippocampus system has been studied in this paper. Topical microinjections of serotonin into the dorsal hippocampus increased morphine analgesia in a dose-dependent fashion, while application into the striatum had no effect. Morphine injections into the median raphe nucleus in relatively low doses exert an antinocifensive effect which is inhibitable by methysergide. Lysergic acid diethylamide administered into the median raphe nucleus also abolished the effect of morphine in a dose-dependent manner. The results in connection with literature data lend support to the presumed integrative function of the serotoninergic raphe-hippocampus system in the mechanism of antinocifensive action of morphine.     

Culture conflict and coping in a group of aboriginal adolescents

Critical incidents adapted to presentation in picture form were used to investigate responses of Aboriginal adolescents from Elcho Island mission in the Northern Territory of Australia in conflict situations arising from culture contact. These Aboriginal youths are part of a complex environment where choice behaviour is mediated by specific and broader situational characteristics of the social environment. Results showed a relationship between conflict responses and orientation to traditional values and skills, but no apparent relationship between conflict responses and modern value orientation or psychopathology variables. Adolescents who attended high school in Darwin were seen as more mission and academically oriented than locally educated youth. Contrary to expected patterns, males appeared to be less involved in both mission and traditional activities and more restricted by traditional social expectations than were females.     

Neoplastic cell transformation by heavy ions

We have studied the induction of morphological transformation by heavy ions. Golden hamster embryo cells were irradiated with 95 MeV 14N ions (530 keV/microns), 22 MeV 4He ions (36 keV/microns), and 22 MeV 4He ions with a 100-microns Al absorber (77 keV/microns) which were generated by a cyclotron at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Japan. Colonies were considered to contain neoplastically transformed cells when the cells were densely stacked and made a crisscross pattern. It was shown that the induction of transformation was much more effective with 14N and 4He ions than with gamma or X rays. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) relative to 60Co gamma rays was 3.3 for 14N ions, 2.4 for 4He ions, and 3.3 for 4He ions with a 100-microns Al absorber. The relationship between RBE and linear energy transfer was qualitatively similar for both cell death and transformation.     

Inhibition of IAA-induced elongation in Avena coleoptile segments by lead: a physiological and an electron microscopic study.

A high resolution growth measuring apparatus was used to demonstrate the inhibition of auxin-induced cell elongation in oat coleoptile segments (Avena sativa L. var Holden) by lead at concentrations ranging from 2 x 10-6 M to 2 x 10-3 M. The inhibition was immediate, having no measurable lag period. Electron micrographs of lead-treated and control segments revealed that in the treated material, lead became localized as electron-dense granules in the cell walls and in vesicles associated with dictyosomes. These granules were found to be lead hydroxide phosphate by electron diffraction techniques. The possible significance of this localization and identification with regard to phosphatase activity is discussed.     

SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDAL ACTION OF NICOTINE AND CERTAIN OTHER ORGANIC BASES

Nicotine and nicotine salts are taken up by the roots of plants from solutions, and when 0.01–0.001 % nicotine is used the plants become toxic to Aphis fabae and to Pieris brassicae larvae and can be shown to contain nicotine. The results with Phaedon cochleariae adults and larvae are less satisfactory. No systemic action is observed when the nicotine is watered on to soil in which plants are growing and no nicotine can be detected in the plants. Apparently the nicotine is decomposed in the soil.
When applied several times to the upper surface of a bean leaf nicotine kills aphids on the underside. There is some evidence that nicotine can be translocated further through the plant following leaf applications, but the toxic action at any distance is very weak in the plants used in the present experiments and can only be produced by frequent applications of rather concentrated nicotine solutions. Leaf absorption and subsequent translocation has not been observed with nicotine salts.
The various organic bases, including some piperidine phosphonites and allied compounds tested, are of very little interest as contact or systemic insecticides against aphids.     

Interaction of DNA with DNA binding proteins. III. Infectivity of protein-complexed phage fd DNA in Escherichia coli spheroplasts.

Complex formation of circular, single-stranded phage fd DNA with Escherichia coli DNA binding protein HD or phage fd gene 5 protein keeps infection of E. coli spheroplasts at the level of free phage DNA, whereas complexes of this DNA with E. coli DNA unwinding protein show a strongly reduced efficiency of transfection. Displacement of the unwinding protein by HD protein or gene 5 protein also maintains the poor adsorption of the complexes to spheroplasts. Free E. coli DNA unwinding protein and residual amounts of this protein bound to the DNA may interfere with the adsorption and the uptake of the phage genome.