Cent Of Activity Research Articles

Evaluating the potential outcomes of pharmacist-led activities in the Australian general practice setting: a prospective observational study

BackgroundPharmacists have been co-located in general practice teams to support the quality use of medicines and optimise patient health outcomes. Evidence of the impact of pharmacist-led activities in Australian general practices is sparse.AimThis study aimed to evaluate the potential outcomes of pharmacist-led activities in Australian general practices.MethodA prospective observational study was conducted in eight general practices in the Australian Capital Territory, where each general practice employed a pharmacist on a part-time basis for 18 months. A recommended, but flexible, list of activities was provided for pharmacists. Descriptive information on general practice pharmacist-led activities, collected with an online diary, was analysed. The potential clinical, economic, and organisational impact of pharmacist-led clinical activities was evaluated using the CLinical Economic Organisational (CLEO) tool, with a modified economic dimension.ResultsNine pharmacists reported 4290 activities over 3918.5 work hours in general practice. Medication management services were the primary clinical activity of pharmacists. In medication reviews, 75% of the pharmacists’ recommendations were fully accepted by general practitioners. Conducting clinical audits, updating patients’ medical records, and providing information to patients and staff were other major activities of pharmacists. Of 2419 clinical activities, around 50% had the potential for a moderate or major positive clinical impact on patients. Sixty-three per cent of activities had the potential to decrease healthcare costs. Almost all the pharmacist-led clinical activities had a positive organisational impact.ConclusionMost pharmacist-led clinical activities in general practice had the potential for a positive impact on patients and reduction in healthcare costs, supporting the expansion of this model in Australia.

Measuring University Students’ Perceptions About the Role of Self-efficacy on Entrepreneurial Intentions in Cape Town

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy is best perceived as a multidimensional variable built from individuals’ beliefs about their abilities and capabilities for tackling the challenges and nurture entrepreneurial intentions towards the establishment of a new venture. Numerous studies are unanimous about the insufficient level of entrepreneurship in South Africa, as well as its below average total entrepreneurial activity of 7.8per cent compared to all efficiency-driven economies (developed countries) which have 11.4 per cent of activity. This study conducted in Cape Town—South Africa—aims at identifying the factors of self-efficacy and the role self-efficacy plays in rising entrepreneurial intentions among university students. Data were collected with the use of a questionnaire survey, where entrepreneurship students were the respondents. SPSS 22 was used to conduct bivariate and multivariate tests of statistical significance. The reliability of the data collection instrument was tested with the use of Cronbach’s Alpha and the variable of self-efficacy scored a reliability level of 0.877. The validity was ensured by the assessment of the instrument by two statisticians and two academics who are experts in their fields. The findings reveal the existence of a positive relationship between entrepreneurship university students’ self-efficacy and their entrepreneurial intentions. Recommendations to enhance self-efficacy among students and other aspiring business people have been formulated.

Evaluating the implementation of "managing the risk of suicide: a suicide prevention strategy for the ACT 2009-2014".

Over the past two decades, governments have invested significantly in policies and strategies to prevent the tragic loss of life to suicide. However, there has been little focus on evaluating the implementation of such policies. This paper reports on the evaluation of the implementation of "Managing the Risk of Suicide: A Suicide Prevention Strategy for the ACT 2009-2014," the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) suicide prevention strategy. We sought to answer two questions: (1) Could agencies provide data reporting on their progress in implementing the activities for which they were responsible?; and (2) Could a judgment about implementation progress be made and, if so, to what extent was the activity implemented? Individually tailored electronic surveys were sent to 18 ACT agencies annually over 4 years to measure their progress in implementing activities for which they had responsibility. By year four, full data were provided for 64% of activities, maximal partial data for 9%, and minimal partial data for 27%. Forty-two per cent of activities were fully implemented, 20% were partially implemented, and 38% were not implemented or could not be measured. It is possible to measure implementation of suicide prevention strategies, but appropriate processes and dedicated resources must be in place at the outset.

Peroxidase release from rat submandibular salivary acinar cells in vitro

Acinar cell aggregates were isolated and then incubated for 60 min with or without isoproterenol, phenylephrine, carbamylcholine, and insulin, and peroxidase activity in the cells and medium assayed. Isoproterenol stimulated the release of 70–80 per cent of total peroxidase activity. Carbamylcholine stimulation resulted in the release of only 15 per cent of this activity; phenylephrine had no effect. Insulin alone failed to stimulate peroxidase secretion, but it potentiated the response of the cells to carbamylcholine.

Radioglucose metabolism by Richardson's ground squirrels in the weight-gain and weight-loss phases of the circannual cycle.

Captive fed, starved, and refed Richardson's ground squirrels in the weight-gain and weight-loss phases of the circannual cycle were injected with radioglucose and the activity of the label in skeletal muscle proteins and white adipose tissue lipids four hours after injection was used to determine if lean body mass and white adipose tissue would be rapidly restored when starved animals were refed. Starvation for six days reduced carcass mass 27-31% and white adipose tissue mass 23-24% (Table 1). Activity of the label in both tissues of weight-gain and weight-loss animals was reduced by starvation. After four days of refeeding activities returned to levels similar to those in fed animals, with the exception of lower activity in skeletal muscle proteins of weight-gain animals. Furthermore, activity in each tissue fraction of starved and refed weight-gain animals was similar to that in weight-loss animals when expressed as per cent of activity in the respective fed state (Table 2). Radioglucose incorporation indicated that when skeletal muscle and adipose tissue are depleted by starvation, distribution of the label upon refeeding is similar to that in the fed state. Four days after refeeding weight-gain phase ground squirrels had restored 5.5 g of lean body mass and 7.5 g of adipose tissue, including 1.4 g (6 kcal) of protein and 7.0 g (66 kcal) of lipid, respectively. These results are also consistent with the fed state, in which weight-gain animals were depositing more lipid than lean body mass.

Fractional deposition from a jet nebulizer: How it differs from a metered dose inhaler

The fractional deposition from an Inspiron ‘Mini-Neb’ jet nebulizer was assessed in six normal and two asthmatic subjects using technetium-99m-labelled milli-microspheres of human serum albumin suspended in saline. Sixty-six per cent of activity was retained in the apparatus tubing, 20% exhaled, 2% deposited in the mouth and 12% was retained in the lungs. The nebulizer fractional deposition therefore differs from the findings reported for a metered dose inhaler (Newman et al. 1981; Spiro et al. 1984), where 80–85% of particles leaving the cannister deposits in the mouth, and only 5–10% in the apparatus. The lung fraction from a nebulizer is, however, similar to the 9–11% from an MDI.

Microbial Respiration in a Temperature Sown Grassland Grazed by Sheep

SUMMARY (1) Prediction models were developed for calculating microbial respiration of surface residues and soil (0-15 cm) for a sown temperate pasture grazed twenty sheep per ha. Relationships were developed to adjust profile samples for the respiration of roots and rhizomes at varying soil moistures and temperatures. Seasonal relationships between microbial respiration and soil moisture, expressed as the ratio of water to dry soil, were rectilinear over a range of 0. 10-0.35 (field capacity). Peak respiration values (ml 02 at STP g-1 soil DM) at optimum moisture were 0.031 (winter 5 IC), 0-047 (spring 15 IC), 0. 170 (summer 25 IC) and 0. 127 (autumn 15 0C). (2) The respirations of mixed roots from the twenty sheep per ha site were 5.03, 12-37, 16-52 and 8.91 (ml 02 at STP g-1 DM) for the four seasons, winter to autumn inclusive. Values for rhizomes of Phalaris aquatic L. ranged from 35 to 60% of the seasonal values for mixed roots. Root and rhizome respirations were reduced at low soil moisture levels. (3) The vertical distribution (0-15 cm) of respiration activity in autumn did not differ between stocking levels of ten, twenty and thirty sheep per ha. Seventy-one per cent of activity occurred in the litter-excreta-soil (0-5 cm) zone. Differences in respiration between the stocking treatments were small. (4) Respiration was increased substantially in the night camping area of the thirty sheep per ha site. Respiration was a more sensitive indicator of excretal distribution than the amount of sheep faeces per unit area. (5) Two prediction models were used to calculate microbial energy expenditure, for 48-h intervals, using 3 years of field data for soil moisture and temperature. Their outputs were influenced strongly by soil moisture status. Integrated annual values for respiration ranged from 232 to 316 GJ ha-1 (Model 1) and 264 to 359 GJ ha-1 (Model 2) for the 3 years. (6) An annual energy budget was completed for micro-organisms, sheep and invertebrates in the twenty sheep per ha site. Changes in the standing crop of plants, litter residues and soil organic matter were included. The budget compares favourably with measurements of net primary production made in the same experimental area.

Manganese and magnesium dependent properties and inner plasma membrane surface localization of guanylate cyclase from murine plasmocytoma cells

The particulate fraction from murine plasmocytoma cells contained 90 per cent of the total guanylate cyclase activity. Triton X-100 produced a 6 fold stimulation of guanylate cyclase activity in plasma membrane enriched fractions obtained by zonal centrifugation. Isolated inside out (10) vesicles contained 9 times more activity than rightside out (RSO) vesicles. This difference was abolished by Triton X-100 treatment of the vesicles indicating that the catalytic site of guanylate cyclase is located on the inner face of the plasma membrane. Kinetic studies of membranous guanylate cyclase showed that optimal activity was found with manganese. Only 20 per cent of this activity was obtained with magnesium. The Km for GTP with magnesium (1.4 mM) was about 7 fold greater than with manganese (0.2 mM). Positive cooperativity was obtained in both cases and the Hill coefficients were 1.8 for manganese and 1.6 for magnesium. Physiological concentrations of ATP were found to inhibit both manganese and magnesium supported activities indicating a possible regulatory mechanism for this nucleotide in vivo.

Motor activity of the sigmoid colon in chronic constipation: comparative study with normal subjects.

Manometric studies of the sigmoid colon were performed on 17 healthy volunteers and on 49 constipated patients, after a long period of fasting (18--20 hours). Motility was recorded using perfused catheters at basal level during 45 minutes, then 60 minutes after a 0.5 mg intravenous injection of neostigmine, and, finally, 30 minutes during and after a meal. Motor activity was assessed by a motility index (per cent of activity x mean amplitude of waves). In both normal and constipated patients, the basal motility index was very low (respectively 82 +/- 16 and 110 +/- 113). This low level of activity was due to the long fasting period imposed on all the subjects. After neostigmine the motility index increased in both controls (347 +/- 256) and constipated patients (311 +/- 325); this test, however was found to be unreliable. The meal increased the motility index to significantly higher values than after neostigmine in controls (538 +/- 215). In constipated patients the mean meal motility index was comparable with that of controls (577 +/- 549) with a large distribution of individual values. Using the mean meal motility index +/- 2 SD of the control group as a term of comparison, the patients were segregated into three groups: 'hypomotor' patients (eight cases), 'normomotor' patients (33 cases), and 'hypermotor' patients (eight cases). From the evidence of this series of clinically well-defined constipated patients, it was concluded that only the meal test is able to segregate three significant patterns of sigmoid activity and that a large number (68%) of constipated patients exhibit normal sigmoid motor activity.

Substanzverluste aus Gasteria-Fruchtknoten nach Angebot von 14C-Glukose im Verlauf gebräuchlicher Präparationsmethoden für die Elektronenmikroskopie

After metabolization of 14C-D-glucose fed to Gasteria flowers, ethanolic extracts of the ovaries show that 79 per cent of the retrieved radioactivity is found in glucose, 8.5 per cent in fructose and the remainder of about 13 per cent in amino acids and nitrogen-free acids. Only 3 per cent of the incorporated radioactivity are not ethanol-soluble. Ovary pieces of about 1 mm length, when fixed with aqueous glutaraldehyde and OsO4-solutions and subsequently dehydrated in acetone or ethanol series and finally in propylene oxide, still retain 30 per cent of their incipient radioactivity. After homogenization a further 20 per cent of activity can by extracted by ethanol, about 10 per cent cannot be eluted due to the double fixation. The loss of activity is about the same in ethanolic solutions as it is in acetone. It is remarkable that after an over-night stay in absolute acetone there is no more significant loss. Amino acids, having reacted with the fixatives, are less extracted in comparison with the non-reacting sugars and nitrogen-free acids. After exposure to vapours of glutaraldehyde and OsO4 followed by vapour exchange dehydration the loss of radioactivity is reduced to less than a third compared to the methods mentioned above. With respect to the radioactivity remaining in the tissue this procedure might prove to be favourable for the radioautography of watersoluble substances.

The release and molecular state of mammalian brain acetylcholinesterase.

Abstract— By incubating the particulate fraction of caudate nucleus from calf brain in ion‐free media, about 90 per cent of the AChE activity was brought into solution. The effects of different salts, EDTA and tetracaine on the release were studied. The mol. wt. of the enzyme was determined by gel filtration. About 90 per cent of the activity in a fresh preparation appeared in a form with mol. wt. 80,000. During storage this form was gradually transformed into forms with higher mol. wts. The effects of changes in the ionic environment on the aggregation were investigated. Purification attempts always resulted in the transformation of the enzyme into high mol. wt. forms. If the release was performed in the presence of DEAE‐Sephadex‐A25, the enzyme no longer aggregated. The cytosol fraction always contained some AChE activity; the significance of the presence of AChE in this fraction is discussed.

Incorporation of Acetate-1-C14 into Fatty Acids of Isolated Epidermal Cells

Epidermal cells were obtained from human skin epidermis by trypsinization and exposed to acetate-1-C 14 while maintained in a variety of culture media. Maximum amounts of radioactivity were incorporated into all lipids when a complete medium was used. Acetate-C 14 proved to be a more effective precursor than glucose-C 14 . Saponifiable lipids were converted to their methyl esters, which were resolved according to unsaturation, using silver TLC, and then by GLC. A portion of each ester was condensed and its radioactivity assayed by scintillation counting. Another portion was degraded to find the per cent of activity in the carboxyl carbon. Long-chain acids, with 20 carbons or more, were found to be heavily labelled, with high specific activities, with the exception of 20:4. The distribution of radioactivity did not alter greatly with time. The specific activities of long-chain acids increased several fold with time. Data on carboxyl carbon activity suggested the operation of a de novo synthesis of saturated acids to C 16 and a stepwise elongation of C 16 by C 2 units.

Renal function and its relation to the ecology of the vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus

1. 1. Blood consumption in 7-hr experimental periods (blood available first 2 hr) averaged 37·4 per cent/body wt. 2. 2. Urine averaged 40·5 per cent/blood consumed, with 62 per cent voided in the first hour. 3. 3. At peak flow (4·0 ml/kg per min) osmotic concentration was 475 mOsm; 6 1 2 hr later the mean high was 4656 mOsm. 4. 4. Ratio urea/mOsm urine reached 0·73, or 68 per cent of total activity. 5. 5. Na and Cl diminished with concentration (90 per cent of activity in dilute urine, 9·5 per cent in concentrated urine), but Na/Cl ratio increased (240 mM Na/60 mM Cl at mean concentration of 4656 mOsm). 6. 6. Potassium (max. 42 mM/l) was uncorrelated with Na, Cl or osmotic concentration. 7. 7. Insensible losses (during 2 hr after feeding at ambient temperature 23·5–25°C) were 13·7 per cent (r.h. 40 per cent) and 8·5 per cent (r.h. 77 per cent) respectively.

MANIFESTATION OF LINEAR ORGANIZATION IN MOLECULES OF PNEUMOCOCCAL TRANSFORMING DNA

The DNA plus cell interaction leading to bacterial transformation is an orderly two-particle reaction, dependent upon the first power of cell and DNA concentration,1-4 and of the duration of the extracellular contact.3-' When two physically unlinked markers are incorporated into the same cell, the double transformations become proportional to the second power of DNA concentration4' or duration of exposure.5 The competitive power of other DNA6 and the kinetics3' I suggest an early reversible step, but DNA is eventually physically incorporated.8-'0 The DNA which enters pneumococcal cells is rapidly separated into two equal fractions, high-molecular and degraded,1' and the regions associated with the introduced marker activity appear to be large tracts carrying only a single strand from the introduced donor DNA.12 In Hemophilus'3 and Bacillus subtilis14 cells also, it seems that only one transforming DNA strand survives intact. The reproducibility of the maximal pneumococcal transforming activity for several markers, as well as of various linkages, in DNA prepared without deliberate shear, has suggested that the recovered material may have relatively regular points of rupture when separated from the presumably much longer bacterial chromosome. This could happen if there were fixed discontinuities or regions of relative lability in the chromosome. This report will show that there is a tendency for reproducible sequences of marker entry in transformation by pneumococcal DNA, suggesting that the molecules as isolated from the cells have to some degree uniform terminations. The study makes use of separated single strands of DNA, reactivated by complexing with unmarked homologous DNA. Methods and Materials.-Deoxycholate lysates of pneumococci were used for all preparations of DNA. The preparation of chloroform gel DNA (C) and the methods of transformation have been frequently described.3' 15 The marker strains were multiple mutants and transformants of wild type (R6, derived from R36A), and the competent strain was a single colony derivative (R1-26) of the same strain. Zone centrifugation was done with 1 uAg DNA in 5-20 per cent sucrose gradients in saline at 34,000 rpm for 3 hr in the cold in celluloid tubes, and fractions of 2 drops collected from the bottom in sterile transformation medium and biologically tested. DNA preparations of type C were denatured with 0.1 M NaOH at 250C, then neutralized at 0?C in concentrations of about 25 ug/ml and put on 1-cm columns containing 5 ml of MAK having 0.7 the quantity of methylated albumin previously specified.6 About 0.2-0.6 mg of denatured DNA in 0.6 or 0.7 M NaCl was used; A fractions came at about 0.85 M and B at about 1.0 M salt. Renaturation was in 1.5 M NaCl at 65?C for 30 min, followed by 1-2 hr cooling; biological activity was measured at concentrations giving linear response. Rescue of denatured DNA was accomplished by renaturation with a double quantity of wild-type DNA and measured per unit of marked DNA present, expressed as per cent of activity given by native marked DNA.

Distribution of Radioactive Selenium between the Modifications of Selenium in Neutron-Irradiated Red Crystalline Selenium

Summary Red crystalline selenium was irradiated with neutrons and the distribution of radioactive selenium between the red and grey allotropic modifications was investigated. Approximately 2 per cent of activity was stabilized in the grey modification with an enrichment of about ten, which decreased during thermal annealing.

Two kinds of pectin depolymerases secreted by Erwinia carotovora (Jones) Holland

Four isolates of Erwinia carotovora, which are characterized by their high productivities of DPb, were used for the comparative studies of two depolymerases, DPa and DPb.1. The pH relationship to the activity of two DPs differed according to the isolates (see Table 1, 2 and Fig. 1). In general, DPa was active in a pH range from 5.0 to 9.0 or above while DPb was active in a pH range from 3.5 to 6.0; their optimum pH lie at 7.0∼9.0 and 4.0∼4.5 respectively. DPa of the isolate Chr. 10 was characteristic in respect that the activity, at pH 8, was very much increased through dialysis. Since two depolymerases were quite different in their optimum pH they were easily distinguishable by measuring viscosity decreases of the substrate at the optimum pH 7.0∼9.0 and 4.0∼4.5, respectively.With all the isolates tested, both DPs were rapidly inactivated when kept at pH 2.7. At a high pH, 10.5, the effect of pH on DPa activity differed according to the isolates, DPa of the isolate C1 being rapidly inactivated, whereas that of the isolate CVII very much stimulated. DPb was very stable against the alkaline treatment irrespective of the isolates.2. The optimum temperature ranges for the activity of DPa lie between 20° and 40°C, while those of DPb between 30° and 50°C. At lower temperatures there was a great difference in the activities of both DPs between isolates C1 and 551. Both enzymes of most isolates were inactivated by hot water treatment at 60°C for ten minutes, except for DPa of the isolate C1 which maintained about 65 per cent of activity after this treatment.3. DPb, after losing its activity by the dialysis in tap water, was reactivated by the addition of cations such as K+, Na+, Mg++ and NH4+, the extent of recovery varying according to the cations and also to the isolates, but was not by Ca++ except for DPb of isolate CVII which was very effectively reactivated by Ca++. DPa activity was very much stimulated by Ca++, but inactivated by Mg++ to varying degrees according to the isolates.4. The DPa activity at alkaline side was directly proportional to the methoxyl content of the substrates, suggesting that this enzyme decomposes more easily the high methoxyl pectin than pectic acid or low methoxyl pectinic acid. Reversely, DPb decomposed more easily pectic acid or pectinic acid than pectin. No trace of reducing group was detected in the course of reaction within an hour.From these results, it is concluded that DPa of E. carotovora is identical with endo-polymethylgalacturonase after Demain and Phaff (1957), to which Wood's depolymerase has been attributed, and DPb is identical with endo-polygalacturonase.The possible courses of pectin break down by E. carotovora were discussed.

The Stability of Solutions of the International Pyrogen Reference Preparation

Abstract The stability of dilute solutions of the International Pyrogen Reference Preparation has been studied. When the response is plotted against log dose a straight line is obtained. Steaming for 30 min. causes a loss of at least 52 per cent of activity and autoclaving at 115° for 30 min. practically complete destruction. Storage in a refrigerator (approximately 4°) for 16 weeks caused a loss of activity. The pyrogen is removed from solution by a strongly basic anion exchange resin and is unaffected by a strongly acidic cation exchange resin.

水産食品の腐敗中毒に関する研究-VIII

A strain of Proteus morganii, presumably the causative organism of an outbreak of allergy-like food poisoning from eating raw flesh of big-eyed tuna (Parathunnus mebachii) was isolated by the authors in 1955. The organism was characterized by the production of a large amount of histamine and other unknown vagus-stimulant named “saurine”. The present paper deals with the distribution of l-histidine decarboxylase among Proteus group as tested with washed cell suspension and the response of the decarboxylating activity upon varying pHs. In addition, the stability of the enzyme in washed cell suspension against temperature and the ability to form ammonia from l-histidine or mackerel infusion medium were studied. Results obtained may be summarized as follows: 1. The presence of l-histidine decarboxylase in washed cell suspensions of 13 strains of Proteus morganii was confirmed, however, the rate of production of histamine was markedly different depending upon strains. Whereas, a very slight activity of l-histidine decarboxylase was detected in strains of P. mirabilis, P. rettgeri or P. vulgaris tested. 2. The l-histidine decarboxylation by washed cell suspension of any of Protea tested, reacted at a range of pH value between 5 and 8 and the activity was the highest at pH 6.0 to 6.5. 3. It is noteworthy that a marked difference was observed in the specificity between l-histidine decarboxylase of P. morganii and that of Cl. perfringens, viz., the former decarboxylates l-histidine at such a wide reaction range as pH 4 to 8, in which the pH of optimum activity was at 5.8, while the activity of the latter limited in an acid side below pH 5.5 and the optimum pH was 3.2. 4. The l-histidine decarboxylase in washed cell suspension of P. morganii was found to be fairy stable at a temperature between 4° to 24°C for 96 hours. While, at 37°C, about 95 per cent of enzyme was inactivated in 24 hours and no detectable activity remained after 96 hours. On the other hand, keeping the suspension in a freezer at -20°C destructed about 70 per cent of activity in 24 hours, however no further inactivation was observed for 96 hours. 5. No appreciable amount of ammonia was formed when certain strains of P. morganii were grown in the mackerel infusion media at 25°C for 48 hours, or when a washed cell suspension was mixed with l-histidine in buffer solutions at pH 4.5 to 9.0 and incubated at 37°C for 3 hours. 6. The facts described above may suggest that the l-histidine decarboxylase of P. morganii is quite different in nature from that of Cl. perfringens.

A cytochemical study on the pancreas of the guinea pig. II. Functional variations in the enzymatic activity of microsomes.

Microsomes were isolated from the pancreas of starved and fed guinea pigs. In the first case, the gland was removed from animals starved for 48 hours; in the second, the pancreas was excised 1 hour after the beginning of a meal that ended a fast of 48 hours. These are referred to below as fed animals. In both cases the tissue was homogenized in 0.88 M sucrose and the microsomes obtained by centrifuging the mitochondrial supernatant at 105,000 g for 60 minutes. In starved animals the content of the endoplasmic reticulum of the exocrine cells and the content of the microsomes were found to be of low or moderate density. In fed guinea pigs the cavities of the reticulum frequently contained dense intracisternal granules and the microsomes were distinguished by a content of high density sometimes in the form of recognizable intracisternal granules. In starved animals, the microsomes were found to account for 5 to 20 per cent of the trypsin-activatable proteolytic activity and ribonuclease activity of the whole cell, whereas in fed animals they contained uniformly almost 30 per cent of these activities. In fed animals the dense, cohesive content of the microsomes (intracisternal granules) could be isolated by breaking up the microsomes with dilute (0.1 per cent) deoxycholate solutions and separating microsomal subfractions by differential centrifugation. The specific enzymatic activities of a heavy microsomal subfraction rich in intracisternal granules were almost equal to those of isolated purified zymogen granules. The ribonucleoprotein particles attached to the microsomal membranes could be isolated by the same technique and found also to exhibit some of the same enzymatic activities. Corresponding subfractions isolated from the microsomes of starved animals were considerably less active. The relevance of these findings for the synthesis and intracellular transport of protein in the exocrine cell of the pancreas is discussed.

STUDIES ON NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS

The application of the 50 per cent embryo mortality to a study of the virus of Newcastle is described. It has been evaluated by a series of duplicate titrations of the same sample of virus. In seven such titrations the largest difference between the two was 10(-0.4). It is therefore believed that a difference of 0.6 log is probably significant and of 1.0 log almost certainly significant. This would mean that we can almost certainly detect a loss of 90 per cent of activity. Neither temperature of incubation nor route of inoculation in the test embryos had consistent effect on the measurement of virus activity. The effect of increasing age of the incubated embryo, from 10 days up to 16 days, is slight and inconsistent. The addition of chicken red blood cells to a dilution of virus may lower the titer of the preparation, but the change is not sufficient to be of importance in the routine handling of the virus.