Muskrats as carriers of pathogenic leptospires in The Netherlands.

Leptospires were isolated from 24 of 327 (7%) muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) caught in The Netherlands. All isolates were identified as Leptospira interrogans. One isolate was typed as serovar copenhageni in the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup, one as serovar lora in the Australis serogroup.

The influence of light of different wavelengths on the methylating capacity of the pineal gland of male golden hamsters in relation to reproduction.

In the present experiments the influence of light of different wavelengths on pineal indole metabolism in relation to reproduction was studied. Therefore, during autumn and winter male golden hamsters were kept under natural conditions but for the sunlight which was filtered exposing the hamsters to either normal (control), red or blue light. During the gradually shortening photoperiod at the start of the experiments under normal light conditions, a marked decrease of FSH and LH plasma content as well as testicular weight was found, indicating the onset of gonadal atrophy.