Experientia

A new alkaloid C20H22O2N2 (cannagunine) obtained from canadian Vaccinium Oxycoccus is shown to have structure 1. The structure of this compound was supported by NMR-, SM-, IR- and UV-spectra.

Pectin does not present any surface activities in organic solvents. An eventual fixation of some substances is based on mutual chemical affinity.

L'enervazione produce una notevole diminuzione dell'ATP nei muscoli gastrocnemi di cavia. In cavie trattate con tossina tetanica ed enervate immediatamente prima in uno dei due arti posteriori, l'ATP diminuisce più nell'arto enervato che in quello opposto, in preda a contrazione tetanica. I rapporti P/O del muscolo enervato diminuiscono rapidamente ed un notevole grado di disaccoppiamento delle ossidazioni dalle fosforilazioni è già in atto 12 h dopo l'enervazione. L'ATPasi dei sarcosomi dell'arto enervato aumenta notevolmente già dopo le prime ore, poi diminuisce. L'ATPasi delle miofibrille tende invece a diminuire progressivamente. Si conclude che un basso contenuto di ATP nel muscolo non basta da solo a spiegare lo stato di contrattura dei muscoli tetanizzati.

The utility of magnetic resonance imaging vis-a-vis insect morphology and development was investigated. MRI is a noninvasive technique that distinguishes between tissues based on proton content and proton ‘environment’. At present a resolution of 100 μm is achievable. The technique avoids fixation artifacts and allows the detection of motion within the organism.

Cilia are present in Schwann cells during myelinogenesis which suggest that these cells could migrate by ciliary movement.

Bombesin has been shown to stimulate release of anterior pituitary hormones both in vivo and in vitro. The aim of this study was to determine whether bombesin-like immunoreactivity could be detected in the human pituitary. Significant concentrations were found in the human anterior gland (4.6±1.5 pmoles/g), posterior gland (1.5±0.4 pmoles/g) and stalk (8.1±0.8 pmoles/g). Significant amounts were also observed in the guinea-pig pituitary. Gel permeation chromatography revealed the presence of 2 major molecular forms of bombesin-like immunoreactivity, one co-eluting with porcine gastrin-releasing peptide and the other with amphibian bombesin.

In the present note, the author is reviewing recent researches dealing with the action carried by the group on the individual taken isolated. He distinguishes two kinds of effects: 1.Mass effect, owing above all to a modification of the medium by the population itself; 2.group effect, induced chiefly by sensorial stimuli which occurs without requiring the gathering of a large number of individuals. Some examples of group effects are given. Individuals living in society are physiologically different from isolated. Correlation, coordination and social facilitation are to be included among group effects. To-day, we are allowed to speak of social physiology.

A description is given of an attempt to estimate the redundancy of visual figures by means of the successive prediction method whichShannon applied to language (1951). Our first problem was to find a coding method capable of being used in visual perception. Some tentative results are given.