Osservazioni preliminari,chimiche e farmacologiche,sulla murexina

Summary (1) Murexine, a new choline derivative found in the hypobranchial body ofMurex trunculus, Murex brandaris, andTritonalia erinacea, was isolated as picrate, picrolonate, styphnate, flavianate, and reineckate. Some preliminary characteristics of these salts are given.(2) The murexine content of the median zone of the hypobranchial body ofMurex trunculus is extremely high: murexine picrate equivalents of 45–70 mg per g fresh tissue are commonly observed.(3) Murexine manifests intense nicotinic and curariform actions, but is practically wanting in any muscarinic activity.The central nervous system is strongly affected by the substance: at first stimulation seems to prevail, but later on, with larger doses, a deep depression regularly develops.In decapitated cats and dogs murexine causes a significant rise in blood pressure, which is due, at least partially, to a liberation of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla and from the adrenergic nerve terminals.On the enucleated eye of frogs andOctopoda the substance acts to cause mydriasis and expansion of the iris chromatophora.

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V. Erspamer eF. Dordoni, Arch. int. Pharmacodyn.74, 263 (1947).     

Sull'ossidazione dell'acido lattico ed acido piruvico e di alcuni componenti del ciclo citrico in omogenati di epitelio corneale

Summary Dehydrogenase Activity of some components of citric cycle in corneal Epithelium homogenates is determined by means of 2-3-5 Triphenyltetrazoliumchloride.     

Il ricambio respiratorio ed il metabolismo dell'acido acetacetico nel fegato di ratti diabetici per allossana

Résumé Dans le foie du rat diabétique par alloxane mais sans cétose, il y a une diminution de Q.R. sans aucune variation de la consommation d'O₂ et de la production d'acide acétacétique, tandis que dans le foie du rat diabétique par alloxane avec cétose, la diminution de Q.R. est accompagnée aussi d'une diminution de la consommation d'O₂ et d'une augmentation de la production d'acide acétacétique.      

Trasmissione del tumore di Yoshida con estratti acellulari del medesimo

Summary The authors demonstrate the transmissibility of the tumour of Yoshida by means of definitely acellular, tumoural extracts. Neoplasia occurred in 11 out of 12 new-born mice i.p. inoculated as above. It is noteworthy that the neoplasia developed not only ascitic but also solid (nodes and tumoural nodules) prevalently at pulmonar level. Derived tumoural ascites are transmissible to the adult rat.     

Primi rilievi sulla presenza di corpi di Heinz durante la crisi emolitica da favismo

Zusammenfassung Die Verfasser haben Spontaninnenkörper bei 14 von 17 daraufhin untersuchten, an Fabismus leidenden Kindern während des Anfalles gefunden, und zwar innerhalb der ersten 36 hpost ingestionem der Bohnen in 70–20% der roten Blutkörperchen, am folgenden Tag nur in 25–0%. In einem Fall konnten sie den (durch Bluttransfusion) nicht beeinflussten Verlauf der Krankheit verfolgen und feststellen, dass die Anämie mit dem Schwinden der Innenkörper enthaltenden Blutkörperchen parallel geht. Sie sind daher der Auffassung, dass die blutschädigende Wirkung der Bohnen unmittelbar auftritt und von Anfang an quantitativ festliegt.     

Azione dell'«Epidermal Growth Factor» sulla sintesi di acidi nucleici e proteine dell'epitelio cutaneo

Summary The biological effect has been investigated of a specific protein with a growth-stimulating activity on epidermal cells.Injection of minute amounts of this factor (EGF) into newborn rats produces hyperplasia of the epidermis with a marked increase in the protein and nucleic acid content per unit of skin area. The activity of a number of epidermal enzymes per unit area is also increased by the epidermal growth factor.

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Il presente lavoro è stato realizzato con fondi del NIH e della Merck Sharp-Dohme Co.     

Pasquale del Pezzo, Duke of Caianello, Neapolitan mathematician

This article is dedicated to a reconstruction of some events and achievements, both personal and scientific, in the life of the Neapolitan mathematician Pasquale del Pezzo, Duke of Caianello.     

Atrofia del testicolo prodotta dal monofluoroacetato sodico nel ratto albino

Summary The lesions caused by sodium monofluoroacetate on the testis of the albino rat are described. They consist of regressive modifications of the seminiferous tubules which initially cause damage to the intermediate stages and only later to the spermatogonia. The action of sodium monofluoroacetate is similar to that of fluoroacetamide.     

Mitocondri,zone del Golgi e globuli vitellini negli ovociti in accrescimento diPlanorbis corneus L. (Moll. Gast. Polm.)

Summary The authors observed, in the oocytes ofPlanorbis corneus, that the yolk globules are formed from the mitochondria, which first swell up and then are filled with proteic particles (of a probably ribosomal nature). Such a process is in relation to the formation of the Golgi zones.