Chemical and physiological changes in fungi during autolysis

A comparative study was done on some of the chemical changes occurring during autolysis of cultures ofAspergillus flavus in both physiologically acid and alkaline media. The mycelium ofA. flavus lost during autolysis 44 % of its maximum dry weight in the physiologically alkaline medium, whereas this loss was apparently nil in the physiologically acid medium. Nitrogen containing compounds seemed not to be affected by autolysis either in the physiologically acid or alkaline media. The disappearance of P-containing compounds in mycelium ofA. flavus autolysed in both conditions (NO ₃ ^– and NH ₄ ⁺ as N source) amounted to 64 % in the alkaline autolysis and to nearly 77 % in the acid autolysis. The results we have obtained for the acid autolysis strongly suggest that very little activity is shown by autolytic enzymes in the interval 10–133 days of incubation, when measuring autolysis by the loss in mycelial dry weight.

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Zusammenfassung Eine vergleichende Untersuchung war unternommen an einigen der chemischen Veränderungen, die während der Autolyse der Kulturen vonAspergillus flavus in physiologischen sauren und alkalischen Medien vorkommen. Die Myzelien vonA. flavus haben während der Autolyse 44 % ihres größten Trockengewichtes in physiologisch alkalischem Medium verloren, während dieser Verlust in physiologisch saurem Medium anscheinend Null gewesen ist. Stickstoff enthaltende Substanzen erschienen während der Autolyse weder in physiologisch saueren noch in alkalischen Medien beeinflußt zu sein. Das Verschwinden von P-enthaltenden Substanzen in Myzelien vonA. flavus in Autolyse unter beiden Bedingungen (NO ₃ ^– und NH ₄ ⁺ als Stickstoffquelle) erreichte 64 % in alkalischer Autolyse und beinahe 77 % in der saueren Autolyse. Die Ergebnisse, die wir in der saueren Autolyse erhalten haben legen es sehr nahe, daß autolytische Enzyme eine sehr geringe Aktivität in der Zeitspanne von 10–133 Tagen der Inkubazion zeigen, wenn die Autolyse an dem Verlust des mycelialen Trockengewichtes gemessen wird.

     

Tubular structures associated with the endothelial endoplasmic reticulum in glomerular capillaries of Rhesus monkey and nephritic man

Summary Round bodies, tubular profiles and crystalline images have been studied by electron microscopy in the endothelium of seven normal young Rhesus monkeys and in the renal glomerular endothelium of two nephritic human patients. The crystalline images are most frequently formed by aggregation of round bodies, 200–240 Å in diameter. In Rhesus monkeys a variety of crystalline images are seen. On the contrary, in nephritic patients round bodies and tubular profiles are rare and less organized. In the glomerular endothelium of two normal men they were not found.The results obtained suggest that the round bodies, the tubular profiles and the crystalline images result from sectioning of a system of undulating tubules associated with the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. In nephritic patients the formation of such a tubular system could represent a change taking place within the affected cells as a pathologic response to the disease.This work was supported by U.S. Public Health Service (N.H.I.), Grant AI-04527-03-04, and by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (C.N.R.), Contributo 115/0815/0-1365. The Authors are greatly indebted to Miss Hermina Spiele for skilful technical assistance.     

Clinical Evaluation of Adriamycin,a New Antitumour Antibiotic

Adriamycin, a new antitumour antibiotic of the anthracycline group with a structural formula very similar to daunorubicin, has proved to have potent tumour-growth-inhibiting properties, and to be particularly effective in childhood malignancies. Though adriamycin produces a higher percentage of side-effects than daunorubicin—namely, stomatitis and alopecia—a lower dosage may be used for therapy.     

A propos de quelques groupements végétaux observés entre monaco et gênes

Résumé Le climat chaud et humide de la Ligurie méditerranéenne détermine la réapparition de quelques groupements végétaux connus de la Catalogne et rares ou nuls en Languedoc: Inulo-Oryzopsietum miliaceae, Cichorio-Sporoboletum poiretii, Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis, Rubo-Coriarietum.Le caractère particulier de la végétation ligure a été exprimé par des groupements spéciaux: Pistacio-Rhamnetum alaterni, qui remplace le Quercetum cocciferae, groupements à Ostrya carpinifolia et à Brachypodium pinnatum des endroits frais, groupements buissonnants à Erica arborea et Genista germanica, à Rosmarinus et Genista cinerea, Asplenio-Campanuletum macrorhizae des rochers, etc.

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Summary The warm and humid climate of the Mediterranean Liguria determines the reappearance of some communities, known in Catalonia, and seldom or not existing in Languedoc: Inulo-Oryzopsietum miliaceae, Cichorio-Sporoboletum poiretii, Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis, Rubo-Coriarietum.The particular character of the Liguric vegetation is expressed in special communities: Pistacio-Rhamnetum alaterni, which replaces the Quercetum cocciferae, communities with Ostrya carpinifolia and with Brachypodium pinnatum in the fresh places, bushy communities with Erica arborea and Genista germanica, with Rosmarinus and Genista cinerea, Asplenio-Campanuletum macrorhizae of the rocks, and so on.

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Zusammenfassung Das warme und feuchte Klima der mediterranen Ligurie bestimmt das Wiedererscheinen einiger Pflanzengesellschaften, die in Katalonien bekannt sind, aber selten oder nicht in Languedoc vorkommen: Inulo-Oryzopsietum miliaceae, Cichorio-Sporoboletum poiretii, Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis, Rubo-Coriarietum.Der eigenartige Charakter der ligurischen Vegetation ist in besonderen Pflanzengesellschaften ausgedrückt: Pistacio-Rhamnetum alaterni, das das Quercetum cocciferae ersetzt, Gesellschaften mit Ostrya carpinifolia und mit Brachypodium pinnatum der frischen Standorte, Erica arborea-Genista germanica-Silikatbodengebüsche, Rosmarinus-Genista cinerea-Kalkbodengebüsche, Asplenio-Campanuletum macrorhizae der Felsen usw.