IV. Effect of the horm one of the gland when norm al and special diets are given. V. Effect of m eat diet on experim ental hyperthyroidism .
I . Ab e l i n (Biochem . Z., 1931, 242, 385— 410, 411—423 ; A ., 1931,253).— IV . E x p erim en tal h y p e rth y ro id ism in r a ts can be k e p t in check (even w hen adm ini
s tra tio n of th y ro x in e is continued) to a v ery g reat e x te n t b y giving su itab le food. Such food also m ain tain s th e pow er of th e liver a n d m uscle to produce glycogen despite th e co ntinued a d m in istratio n of th y ro x in e (or th y ro id preps.), w hereas, w ith o rd in ary food, th is pow er is g re a tly reduced or q u ite d estroyed.
I t is possible th a t th e special food, w hich is poor in m eat, stren g th en s th e a n ti-th y ro id powers of th e organism p a rtic u la rly in th e liver an d in th e endocrine organs.
V. T he d e trim en tal effect of th e consum ption of m eat in ex p erim en tal hy p erth y ro id ism can be co u n te r
a cted to a large e x te n t by choosing th e o th e r con
stitu e n ts of th e food su ita b ly [e.g., 30% of boiled m eat w ith eod-liver oil, vegetable pow der, egg yolk, etc.).
R a ts w hich receive d aily injections of th y ro x in e can bo m ain tain ed in relativ ely good h ealth for 11 m o n th s o r longer on such diets, w hereas o th e r h y p erth y ro id ised r a ts w hich receive m e a t diets ra p id ly develop sy m p to m s of serious poisoning and die. As regards disorders of th e b asal a n d glycogen m etabolism d ie t rich in m e a t is n o t so d e trim en tal in h y p erth y ro id ism as is th e u su al m ilk a n d vegetable diet, b u t, on th e o th e r h an d , n o t so favourable as food containing p ro tein , e.g., caseinogen. I t is concluded th a t, in h y p e r
th y ro id ism , disorders d u e to d ie t can be reduced or elim inated b y food of ap p ro p ria te com position.
W . McCa r t n e y.
Extraction of insulin and stability of various preparations.
C. M. Je p h c o t t (Trans. R oy. Soc.C anada, 1931, [iii], 25, V, 183— 186).— The conditions for th e o p tim u m e x tra c tio n of insulin from ox p a n creas b y m eans of a c id -E tO H m ix tu res were d e te r
m ined. Y ields of 3000— 3500 u n its p er kg. were o btain ed . Purified insulin add ed to th e m inced pancreas w as alm ost com pletely lost d u rin g ex tractio n , w hilst sim ilar ad d itio n of crude m a terial re su lted in q u a n t, recovery. F . 0 . Ho w it t.
Acetylation of crystalline insulin.
A. F.Ch a r l e s an d D. A. Scott (T rans. R oy. Soc. C anada,
m
B K IT IifH C H EM ICA L A BSTRA C TS. A.1931, [in], 2 5 , V, 187— 191),— C ryst. insulin yield s a n A c d e riv a tiv e co ntaining 13-6% Ac groupa, 98%
o f th e original p o te n c y being lo st. Isoelectric p p tn . o f th is p ro d u c t yields one of 7 0 % Ac groups, in d ic at
in g a n ad so rp tio n o r com plex form ation w ith A cO H t o th e e x te n t o f ap p ro x . 6-6% (cf. A,, 19 2 8 ,6 7 5 ,1 1 6 0 ; 1930, 1320). E xposure of th e purified a c ety lated insulin to d i l X a O H a t p H 9-56 a t 4s fo r 1 w eek resu lts in a recovery o f 25% of th e original p o te n c y .
F . 0 . H O WITT, I n s u l in . V I . O p t ic a l b e h a v io u r o f in s u l in and. i t s d e r i v a t i v e s . W. K g ji.v , H . E y e e , an d K.
F b e c d e i s b e e o , V I I . H o m o g e n e i t y o f in s u lin p r e p a r a t io n s . W . B x b s c h e e l. VTH . C h e m is t r y o f i n s u l i n . K . F e e c d e h b e r o , W . D œ s c h e b l , and H . E v e r . I X . A c t io n o f p r o t e o ly t ic e n z y m e s o n i n s u l in . C o m p a r is o n o f h y d r o l y s i s a n d d e s t r u c t io n o f a c t iv i t y . K . F r e u ij k n b e b o , W . D ib s c fie r i., H . E i c k e l , an d E . W e is s . X . I n s u l i n . K , F r e i t - DEXBEP.G a n d W . D i r s c h e e l (Z. physiol. Chem., 1931,
202,
97— 115, 116— 127, 128— 158, 159— 191, 192—20 6 ; cf. A., 1930, 646).— V I. In sn lin show s an ab so rp tio n b and a t 281) m a v e ry sim ilar to t h a t given b y tyrosine a n d cy stin e. In a c tiv a tio n of insulin b y alk ali, acids, o r m éth y latio n followed b y dé
m éth y latio n produces no change in ab so rp tio n : in activ atio n b y CH .,0, H 20 2, o-C. H,C1-CH0, d eam in atio n , o r photochem ical actio n affects th e ab so rp tio n . T he change o n irrad iatio n is p ro b a b ly d ue t o aldehyde form ation. T h e rotation-dispersion of insulin is sim ilar to t h a t of tyrosine a n d c y stin e ; th e ac tiv e group p ro b a b ly contains a t le a st one asy m m etric C a to m .
V U T h e in itial hypoglycæ m ia observed a fte r in jectio n of m a n y in su lin p rep s, is n o t produced b y cry st. insulin. B y th e m eth o d of D ingem anse (Arch, exp. P a th , P h a rm ., 1928, 1 2 8 , 44), u n sta b le insulin preps, w ere o b ta in e d w ith 4 tim es th e a c tiv ity of th e e ry st. m ate rial, which, how ever, is p ro b a b ly th e p u re st sta b le p re p . In su lin is adsorbed b y A1 (0 H ) 3 p re p . C.r
V I I I I n th e in a c tiv a tio n o f insulin b y diL X aO H 0-16% of X H 3 is lib erated . T here is no increase in X H ,-X . O n tre a tm e n t w ith h o t diL H O , lib eratio n of X H 3 precedes in ac tiv a tio n ; th e X H , th e refo re arises from portions of th e mol. o th e r th a n th e a c tiv e group.
T h e reg en eratio n o f este rifled insulin proceeds b e tte r w ith am orphous th a n w ith c ry st. m a terial a n d is associated w ith a second an d irreversible re a c tio n of th e ac tiv e group. T h e la tte r is esterified b y diazo- m e th a n e. X a or Mg am algam a t acid reactio n in ac tiv a te s insulin a n d rem oves 0-06— 0-08% o f X H 3 from th e m ol. A fu rth e r sim ilar am o u n t is lib erated b y alkali. In a c tiv a tio n b y aro m atic aldehydes consists of a n O tra n sfe r. T h e X H 3 lib e rate d b y alk ali is reduced to 0-07— 0-08% . H th is am o u n t rep resen ts I equiv. th e m ol. w t. of c ry st. in su lin is 20,000. D eam ination b y H X 0 2 is associated w ith , b u t n o t d ire c tly re lated to , in activ atio n .
IX . E nzym es w hich hydrolyse th e p ro te in p ortion of th e insulin m ol., e.g., pepsin, try p sin -k in ase, p ap ain , produce in a c tiv a tio n ; try p s in (w ithout kinase), am ino-polypeptidase, a n d d ip ep tid ase h av e no effect.
W ith pepsin com plete in a c tiv a tio n occurs w ith an increase in X H 2-groups o f a b o u t 0-4% , w ith p a p a in 1-4% , w ith try p sin -k in ase m ore th a n 4% . I n a c tiv a tio n is a t first m ore ra p id th a n hydrolysis.
C ry st. Insulin show s o n ly 0-75% Increase in XH.r X fo r | in a c tiv a tio n a n d a n am orphous p re p . 2-8%
fo r com plete in ac tiv a tio n . P a p a in lib e ra te s t h e tw o alkali-sensitive X g ro u p s a s XH 2 fro m c ry s t. in sulin, b u t n o X H 3 fro m th e alk ali-in a ctiv ated p ro d u c t.
V aria tio n of p s o r o f th e a m o u n t o f p ap ain does n o t affect th e re la tio n betw een hydrolysis a n d in ac tiv a tio n .
X . R eview a n d discussion. J , H . Be e e e s s h a w.
In a c tiv a tio n , o f c r y s t a llin e i n s u l i n b y c y s t e in e a n d g lu t a t h io n e . V. B e Vi g s e a c d, A . F e t c h , E . P e k a b e k , a n d W . W . Lockwood (.J, BloL C hem ., 1931, 94 , 233— 242).— C ysteine is m ore p o te n t In d e a c tiv a tin g insulin th a n is g lu ta th io n e ; th e reactio n is con
sidered to be th e change from diso lp h id e to th io l, a n d is irreversible an d in d e p en d en t of F e . T he re-oxidised in activ e insulin gives no h e a t p p t. a n d is insol. in liquid X H 2Ae, unlike th e a c tiv e form .
H . 0AV3OK.
A c t io n o f i n s u l i n i n t h e e v i s c e r a t e d s p i n a l a n i m a l . 0 . H . B e s t , L . I k v ijto , a n d H . C . F o s t e r
(T ran s. R oy. Soc. C anada, 1931, [iii],
25,
V, 93—95).— A fu rth e r a tte m p t to p re p a re a b alance sheet of th e glucose disap p earin g a n d t h a t a c c o u n ted fo r b y o x id atio n , glycogen storage, a n d changes in tissue-sugar conen. in th e sp in al eviscerated anim al (cf. A., 1926, 870). T h e R .Q . w hen corrected for changes in th e C 0 2 c o n te n t of b lood a n d m uscle ap p ro x im ates to u n ity w hen a d e q u a te a m o u n ts of glucose a n d insulin are ad m in istered . U n d e r th ese conditions large am o u n ts of glycogen a re d eposited in th e m uscles a n d th e b alan ce leaves no room fo r th e fo rm atio n o f o th e r c a rb o h y d ra te com pounds.
F . O. Howttt. P h a r m a c o lo g y o f in s u l in - f r e e p a n c r e a t ic e x t r a c t s a n d F r e y ' s c i r c u la t o r y h o r m o n e . A. H . E l l i o t a n d F . R . N trz ra t (J . P h arm . E x p . T h er., 1931, 4 3 , 463— 475).— An average increase o f 3 0 % in th e co ro n ary flow in ra b b its w as observed b y perfusing w ith insulin-free p an creatic e x tra c ts, b n t n o increase in h e a rt r a te occurred. T his e x tra c t also ab o lish ed th e pressor response t o adren alin e.
T he F rey horm one, p rep ared from n o rm al nrine, has sim ilar pharm acological p ro p erties a n d is p ro b a b ly d istin c t from choline, h istam in e, a n d ad enylic acid.
B o th horm ones a re beneficial in th e tre a tm e n t of angina p ecto ris. P . G. A L a r s h a i x .
S e x u a l h o r m o n e s . A. B e t e s a s d t (Z. angew . Chem ., 1931, 4 4 , 905— 903).— A review of th e c h em istry of th e follicular a n d te stic u la r horm ones.
P arallel w ith th e follicular horm one, th e te sticu lar horm one is sol. in c e rtain solvents, sta b le to w ard s dil. acids a n d alkalis a t 100% a n d is d istillable in a v a c .; on th e o th e r h an d , w h ilst th e fo llicu lar h o r
m one is acid in c h a ra c ter, th e m ale horm one is n e u tra l y e t sol. in dil. alk ali. T esticu lar horm one is p rep are d from a crude oil fro m m ale u rine (cf. A., 1930, 254).
R e p e a te d hydrolysis of th e oil (20—30 m g. p e r u n it) followed b y tre a tm e n t w ith org. so lv en ts an d aq.
E tO H gives a n oil w ith 3 u n its p e r m g. F u rth e r purification b y ad so rp tio n an d p p tn . yields a n oily co n cen trate from w hich X H ,O H yields a sm all am o u n t of activ e cry st. m aterial, m . p. 215°. R e g en eratio n from th e oxim e gives a e ry st. p ro d u c t, m . p. 165°, w hich co n tain s only a b o u t 5 % of th e
B IO C H E M IS T R Y . 9 7
horm one. R ep eated cry stallisatio n from aq. E tO H and sublim ation a t 80— 85°/0-0001 m m . finally resu lts in a c ry st. su bstance, m. p. 178°, w ith a yield of 15 m g. from 25,000 litres of urine. This substance, active in doses of 0 0001 m g., possesses a CO an d a OH group and has th e com position C16H 2fi0 2.
E . O. Ho w it t. O c c u r r e n c e a n d a c t io n o f t h e f e m a le s e x u a l h o r m o n e . H . S c h w e r d t f e g e r (Arch. exp. P a th . P h arm ., 1931, 1 6 3 , 487— 492).— An cestrin-like su b stance lias been found in th e ccelentcrate, Actinia equiria, a n d in arth ro p o d s (h o rn et an d spider).
Progynon, a n cestrin prep., has a n in h ib itin g effect on th e m ovem ent of th e isolated u te ru s from various anim al species. W . O. K f .r m a c k .
E f f e c t o f t h e r e m o v a l o f f e m a le s e x g la n d s o n th e c a l c iu m a n d p o t a s s i u m c o n t e n t o f t h e b lo o d . H . Su z u k i (K eijo J . Med., 1931, 2, 332— 344).—
R em oval of one or b o th ovaries or subcutaneous injection of “ agom ensin,” “ sistom ensin,” or
“ oophorm in ” in to norm al or c a stra te d ra b b its causes in each case decreases in serum -C a a n d in creases in serum -K w ith a ten d e n cy to re tu rn to th e norm al vals. a fte r 5 weeks. A. La w s o n.
A n t e r io r p i t u i t a r y h o r m o n e f r o m u r in e of p r e g n a n c y . F . G. F i s c h e r and L . E r t e l (Z.
physiol. Chcm., 1931, 2 0 2 , 83— 96).— T he purifi
catio n of crude preps, from u rine of pregnancy of th e horm one stim u latin g th e im m a tu re o v a ry a n d th e chem ical reactions of th e purified p ro d u c t are described. T he behaviour corresponds b e st w ith th a t of th e “ m ucoids.” J . H . B i r k i n s h a w .
A n t a g o n i s m o f m e n o f o r m o n e a n d h o r m o n e s o f t h e a n t e r io r p i t u i t a r y l o b e . S. E . d e J o n g h an d E . La q u e u r (Pfliiger’s A rchiv, 1931, 2 2 7 , 57— 7 0 ; Chem. Z entr., 1931, i, 3252).— S tim u latio n of sexual developm ent of th e in fan tile m ouse b y th e horm one of th e an te rio r p itu ita ry lobe is re ta rd e d b u t n o t a rre sted b y a d m in istra tio n of m en o fo rm o n e; only th e stim u latio n of th e sem inal vesicles is affected. T he in h ib ito ry a ctio n of m enoform one c an be com pletely suppressed b y th e p itu ita ry horm one.
A. A. El d r i d g e. C a r o t e n a s e . T r a n s f o r m a t io n o f c a r o t e n e in to v i t a m i n - A in v itr o . H . S. O l c o t t a n d D . C.
M c C a n n (J . Biol. Chem., 1931, 9 4 , 185— 193;
Science, 1931, 7 4 , 4 1 4 ; cf. Moore, C apper, A ., 1930, 962, 1321).— T he m inced livers, or th e ir aq. e x tra c ts, of vitam in-A -free ra ts , w hen in cu b ated -with carotene in E t lau ra te , p ro d u c e v itam in -A . This p ro p e rty is d estro y ed b y h e a t, in d icatin g th e presence of an enzym e, carotenase. H . D a v s o n .
R e la t io n o f b i l e to t h e i n t e s t i n a l a b s o r p t io n of v i t a m i n - A in t h e r a t . W . S c h m i d t an d C. L . A . S c h m id t (Univ. Calif. P u b . P hysiol., 1930, 7 , 211—
212).— A bsorption of vitam in-A can ta k e place from th e g a stro -in te stin a l tr a c t of th e r a t in th e absence of m ost, if n o t all, of th e bile from th e intestines.
Ch e m ic a l Ab s t r a c t s. D e t e r m i n a t io n [of v it a m i n - A ] in c o d - liv e r o i l . B. B l e y e r , F . S c h le m m e r , a n d W . M u l l e r - P a r c h a m (Arch. P h a rm ., 1931, 2 6 9 , 566— 581).—
D etails are given for th e colorim etric d eterm in atio n
of vitam in-A w ith SbCl3 in CHC13 using a H ellig e- A u te n rie th co lo rim eter; th e vals. o b tain ed agree w ith those fo u n d biologically. H . Bu r t o n.
A n t in e u r it ic v it a m i n . I . A lb in o m i c e a s t e s t a n i m a l s f o r a n t in e u r i t ic c o n c e n t r a t e s . W . F r e u -
d e n b e r g an d L. R . C e r e c e d o (J. Biol. Chem., 1931, 9 4 , 207— 212).— T he J a n s e n -D o n a th prep , of concen
tra te s from rice polishings (A ., 1926, 644; 1929, 1344) w as m odified b y th e use of L lo y d ’s reag en t in place of acid clay as ad so rb en t. Mice re a c t to th e co n cen trates sim ilarly to pigeons a n d ra ts , a daily dose of 0-025 m g. being sufficient. H . D a v s o n .
P h y s i o l o g i c a l f u n c t io n s o f v i t a m i n s . R . R . Wil l ia m s an d W . H . Ed d y (Carnegie In s t. W ash.
Y earbook, 1929, 2 8 , 377— 385; 1930, 2 9 , 389—
395).— T he fo u r facto rs c o n stitu tin g v itam in-/? are discussed. B y electrodialysis of y e a st au to ly sate, p ro d u c ts w hich stim u la te th e grow th of y e a st were o b tain e d a t p n 3-7 (P-bios; Ac d eriv ativ e, m. p.
154°) a n d p u 8 (a-bios). H ydrolysis of (3-bios w ith HC1 affords inositol. Sunflower seed con tain s m uch vitamin-Z?3. T he m etabolism of y e a st p ro b a b ly in volves a group of factors. Ch e m ic a l Ab s t r a c t s.
O c c u r r e n c e o f v ita m in -C ' in t w o v a r i e t ie s o f p o t a t o e s g r o w n u n d e r s i m i l a r c o n d it io n s . J . E . Ric h a r d s o n, D. Do u g l a s s, an d H . (Ma y f i e l d
(P o ta to Assoc. A m er. P roc., 1929— 1 9 3 0 ,1 6 , 69— 73).
— Bliss T riu m p h p o tato es h a d a higher a n tisco rb u tic effect th a n N e tte d Gem, b u t a fte r cooking th e reverse held. T he presence of a volatile in h ib ito r in th e la tte r is p o stu lated . Ch e m ic a l Ab s t r a c t s.
U s e o f f r a c t io n a l e l e c t r o l y s i s in t h e f r a c t io n a t io n o f t h e “ b io s ” o f W ild ie r s . R . J . W i l l i a m s and J . II. T r u e s d a i l (J. A m er. Chem. Soc., 1931, 5 3 , 4171— 4181).— B y th e use of fractio n al electro lysis of e x tra c ts of rice bran , y e a st, m alt, sprouts, an d m ilk, th e “ bios ” of W ildiers h as been sep arated in to tw o su p p lem en tary fractions. T he acid facto r (accum ulates in th e anode cell) is rea d ily dialysed th ro u g h all th e m em branes te ste d , w h ilst th e basic fa c to r dialyses only slow ly th ro u g h collodion tre a te d w ith 40% E tO H , an d p ra c tic a lly n o t a t a ll th ro u g h th e o th e r m em branes. T he activ e m aterials are org.
in n a tu re , since ignition causes loss of a c tiv ity ; th e ash from th e facto r derived from y e a s t im p a rte d a slig h t im p ro v em en t to th e sy n th e tic m edium for W ildiers’ y e ast. P relim in ary w ork indicates th a t N a ra y a n a n ’s y e a st needs one fa c to r n o t req u ired b y W ildiers’. T he th e o ry of th e electrolytic m ethod, a n d possible ap p licatio n s to th e s tu d y a n d concn.
of v itam in s, horm ones, a n d enzym es, are discussed.
C. J . We s t (6).
D e t e r m i n a t io n o f v i t a m i n s - A a n d -I). P . S c h u l t z e r (D ansk T idsskr. F a rm ., 1931, 5 , 177— 19S).—V itam in-A is d eterm in ed b y th e c u rativ e m eth o d a n d v itam in -D b y th e p rev en tiv e m ethod, ra ts being em ployed. H . F . H a r w o o d .
S t a n d a r d is a t io n o f v it a m i n - D b y t h e l i n e t e s t . F . J . Dy e r (Q uart. J . P h a rm ., 1931, 4 , 503— 516).—
A “ scale of healing ” of ra ts ren d ered ra c h itic b y a s ta n d a rd d iet free from v itam in -D a n d th e n given various know n doses of th e v ita m in w as rep resen ted b y seven progressive grades as show n b y th e line
98 B R IT IS H CHEM ICA L A BSTRA C TS.— A .
te s t. U sing th is as a sta n d a rd , curves correlating dosage w ith degree of healing were constructed.
The use of th e se curves for th e assay of v itam in-D is in d icated . F . 0 . Ho w it t.
S e p a r a t io n o f t h e a n t ir a c h it ic f r o m t h e t o x ic f a c t o r in t h e ir r a d ia t io n p r o d u c t s o f e r g o s t e r o l.
A. W in d a u s , P. B u s s e , an d G. W e i d l i c h (Z. physiol.
Chem., 1931, 2 0 2 , 246—248; cf. A ., 1931, 881).—
T he vitam in, on h ea tin g or hydrogenation, is con
v erted into a new substance w hich is a n tirach itically inactive b u t still toxic. J . H . B i r k i n s h a w .
G a ll b la d d e r s o f c h ic k s in a v i t a m i n - » - d e f i c i e n t c o n d itio n . W . C. R u s s e l l a n d D . F . C h i c h e s t e r (Science, 1931, 7 4 , 437— >438).—■Vitamin-Z) deficiency is accom panied b y enlarged gall bladders a n d an increased vol. of bile. L. S. T h e o b a l d .
E f f e c t o f l a r g e d o s e s o f ir r a d ia t e d e r g o s t e r o l o n n it r o g e n , c a l c iu m , a n d p h o s p h o r u s m e t a b o l i s m in r a t s . R . K e r n , M . F . M o n t g o m e r y , an d E . U. S t i l l (J. Biol. Chem., 1931, 9 3 , 365—380).—
L arge d aily doses of irra d ia te d ergosterol cause considerable deposition of Ca in th e kidneys of growing ra ts on a norm al d iet, th e fem ales being affected to a g reater e x te n t th a n m ales. E rgosterol irrad iated in E tO H has a g re ate r influence on Ca m etabolism th a n th a t irra d ia te d d ry or in E t 20 . U rin ary Ca increases a n d ffecal Ca an d P decrease.
N excretion is affected m ainly b y food in ta k e re s u lt
ing from th e v itam in a d m in istratio n . The p ro p o rtio n s of Ca, P , a n d C 0 3" in th e leg bones rem ain
norm al. A. C o h e n .
S o u r c e o f e x c e s s c a l c iu m in h y p e r c a lc s e m ia in d u c e d b y ir r a d ia t e d e r g o s t e r o l. A . F . H e s s , H . R . B e n j a m in , an d J . G r o s s (J. Biol. Chem., 1931, 94, 1— 8).— I n view of th e conclusions of Jo n es, R a p o p o rt, an d H odes (A., 1931, 773) th a t th e source of excess Ca in hypercalcaem ia of dogs induced by irra d ia te d ergosterol w as th e food, a n d n o t th e tissue, as in d icated b y H ess, W einstock, a n d R iv k in (Proc.
Soc. E x p . Biol. Med., 1930, 2 7 , 298), th e effect of irra d ia te d ergosterol on th e serum -Ca of dogs was ag a in stu d ied u n d er conditions id en tical w ith th o se of Jo n es et al., resu lts being obtain ed in agreem ent w ith la te r w ork of th e la tte r a u th o r (A ., 1931, 1338), viz., th a t th e source of serum -Ca in hypercalcasm ia is th e tissue. H ypercalcsem ia in dogs w as g re a tly reduced b y in trav en o u s injection of N aH C O s, th is resu ltin g in an excess of Ca a n d P in th e lungs an d
kidneys. A. L a w s o n .
P e r m e a b i l i t y . V . I r r a d ia t e d e r g o s t e r o l a n d i n o r g a n ic s e r u m - p h o s p h a t e. A. S o l e (Biochom.
Z., 1931, 2 4 2 , 349— 365; A ., 1931, 117).— The reso rp tio n of P in th e in testin e of th e ra b b it is n o t affected b y in trav en o u s a d m in istra tio n of ergosterol, an d consequently such a d m in istratio n produces h y p e r
p h o sp h a te m ia in ra b b its w hich h av e faste d for long periods and have e m p ty intestines. T he h y p e r
p h o sp h a te m ia w hich follows p a re n te ra l injection of irrad iated ergosterol is due to v ario u s changes in th o am o u n t a n d s ta te of com bination of th e P in th e various sections of th e blood-stream an d is r e flected in th e inorg. P c o n te n t of th e serum in these
sections. T he e x te n t of these changes has been
determ ined. W . McCa r t n e y.
A n t ir a c h it ic e f f ic ie n c y o f w in t e r s u n li g h t in C h ic a g o . J . T. H a u c h an d M . E . H a n k e (Ind.
E ng. Chem., 1931, 2 3 , 1398— 1402).— F e b ru a ry Chicago su n lig h t tra n s m itte d th ro u g h com m ercial u ltra -v io le t glass is in ad eq u ate to p re v e n t rick ets in r a ts fed on a rickets-producing diet. T he u ltr a violet transm issions of various glasses are com pared.
H . Da v s o n. A n t ir a c h it ic v i t a m i n o f r a d ic le s [of b a r le y ] . I —i n . A. Sc h it t e n h e l man d B. Ei s l e r (Z. ges. exp.
M ed., 1931, 7 5 , 7 3 7 -7 4 4 , 745—757, 758— 766; Chem.
Z entr., 1931, i, 3255).—-Radicles of barley co n tain a substance w hich is a n tira c h itic in absence of exposure to lig h t of sh o rt w ave-length. I n rach itic ra ts th e N m etabolism is d e ra n g e d ; th e N balance is negative, a n d th e u tilisatio n of food, even of th e radicles, is d istu rb ed . The active sterol m ix tu re from barley radicles grow n in th e d a rk con tain s a c tiv a te d ergo
sterol. A. A. El d r i d g e.
A s s i m i l a t i o n o f c a r b o n d io x id e . H . K a u t s i c y and A. H i r s c h (N aturw iss., 1 9 3 1 ,1 9 , 964).— T his has been stu d ied b y th e ab so rp tio n of u ltra-v io let light b y leaves a n d m easurem ent of th e fluorescence.
T hree stages are distinguished : (1) ra p id in itial increase in fluorescence corresponding w ith chloro- p h y ll-C H 20 -p e ro x id e form ation, (2) g rad u al decrease in fluorescence during assim ilation, and (3) a ste a d y stage of m in. fluorescence. These stages are well m ark ed a t 30°, b u t a t 0° or a fte r H C N poisoning stages (2) an d (3) do n o t occur. P . G. Ma r s h a l l.
R a t e s o f a s s i m i l a t i o n a n d in c r e a s e o f s u b s t a n c e o f t h e s e a algae i n d ilu t e d s e a - w a t e r a n d b e h a v io u r o n r e s a l t i n g . I . P h a s e s o f th e p o i s o n o u s a c t io n a n d t h e q u e s t i o n o f r e v e r s ib ilit y . II.
T y p e s o f f u n c t io n a l s a l t a c t io n . C. M o n t f o r t (Ber. d e u t. b o t. Ges., 1931, 4 9 , 49— 58, 59— 66).—
T he p h o to sy n th e tic a c tiv ity of various species of sea algae w hen suspended in sea-H 20 dilu ted w ith fresh H 20 is in general first stim u la te d an d subsequently depressed. D ifferent species are distinguished by th e m ag n itu d es a n d tim e relationships of th e tw o effects.
W h en replaced in sea-H .,0, recovery ta k e s place, pro v id ed t h a t th e depression has n o t been too g reat, b u t species show m arked differences h i resp ect of th e lim iting depression com patible w ith recovery. T he algae are u su ally less susceptible in h y potonic solu
tio n s in cold (7— S°) th a n in w arm er H .,0 (17— 18°).
W . 0 . Ke r m a c k. R e s p i r a t i o n o f h e a lt h y a n d le a f r o l l p o t a t o e s . T. W h i t e h e a d (N ature, 1 9 3 1 ,1 2 8 , 967).— Differences in. th e resp iratio n of norm al and infected p la n ts are
recorded. L . S. T h e o b a l d .
U n e q u a l e f f e c t o f o x y g e n c o n c e n t r a t io n o n t h e v e l o c i t y o f [ p la n t c e ll] o x id a t i o n in l o c i o f d if f e r e n t e l e c t r ic p o t e n t ia l a n d g lu t a t h io n e c o n t e n t . E . J . Lu n d (P rotoplasm a, 1931, 1 3 , 236—258).—
T he concn. of su bstances reacting as g lu ta th io n e is a m ax. in th e young, actively-grow ing, electro positive ends of stem s a n d roots. T he d istrib u tio n of th e concn. of th e se su bstances corresponds w ith th e d istrib u tio n of ra te s of 0 2 consum ption, C 0 2
B IO C H E M IS T R Y . 99
production, m ethylene-blue red u ctio n , a n d electric p o ten tial. Oxidisablc substances are p rese n t in g rea ter am o u n ts in th e apical th a n in th e basal ends of O bdia stem s. A. G. Po l l a r d.
C o m p o s it io n o f f r u it - b u d a n d - s p u r t i s s u e s o f W e a lth y a p p le s u n d e r d if f e r e n t c o n d it io n s o f n u t r it io n . A. J . H e i n i c k e (Proc. A m er. Soc. H o rt.
Sbi., 1931, 27, 190— 198).— I n bud tissues w here th e N c o n te n t is high th e am o u n t of K an d P also ten d s to be high, w hilst th e to ta l c a rb o h y d ra te is low.
N ew sp u r grow th contains less N , K , a n d P , b u t m ore carb o h y d rate. C h e m ic a l A b s t r a c t s .
S e a s o n a l c h a n g e s in t h e c o m p o s it io n o f S t a y - m a n a p p le t r e e s . I I . N it r o g e n . J . T. S u l l i v a n an d H . R . I v r a y b i l l (Proc. Amer. Soc. H o rt. Sci.,
S e a s o n a l c h a n g e s in t h e c o m p o s it io n o f S t a y - m a n a p p le t r e e s . I I . N it r o g e n . J . T. S u l l i v a n an d H . R . I v r a y b i l l (Proc. Amer. Soc. H o rt. Sci.,