[Effects of the bee and various snake venoms on the rat thermoregulation].

The most sensitive organ to any kind of venoms is the skin, whereas muscles response of milder, and the intestine response reveals no difference between effects of different venoms. The isobarin desympathetising effect combined with V.lebetina venom shows that the venom affects thermoregulation interacting with the sympathetic nervous system, and exerts a sympathomimetic effect.

[Erythrocyte membrane function in intrauterine fetal hypoxia].

Studies of the structural changes of erythrocytic phospholipids and their free-radical oxidation in health and intrauterine hypoxia in 61 parturients and their fetuses have shown that, despite a variety of causes of intrauterine hypoxia, the structural changes of fetal red cells are virtually the same and present as enlarged crystals and more marked crystallization of the phospholipid layer of the membrane. These structural changes occur in the presence of lipid peroxidation activation and antioxidant system insufficiency.

[The antitumor effect of an extract of human umbilical cord].

The study was concerned with the evaluation of effect of the extract of a human fetal organ, the umbilical cord, on development and growth of such transplantable tumors as Ehrlich's ascites tumor, sarcoma 37, sarcoma 180 and Zajdela's hepatoma as well as of dimethylbenzanthracene- and benzo(a)pyrene-induced cancer. In a subgroup of animals who had been vaccinated once or twice prior to inoculation of cells, a significant inhibition of growth of tumors of all the histologies except sarcoma 180 was observed alongside with a decrease in tumor incidence and partial resorption of ascitic fluid. Preliminary vaccination of rats interfered with dimethylbenzanthracene- and benzo(a)pyrene-induced carcinogenesis reducing tumor incidence and assuring longer latent period and slower progression of cancer.

[Age-related changes in the serotonin content of the epiphysis of birds].

Serotonin content of the epiphysis has been studied in 1-day chicks, 1-, 5-5 1/2-, 8-12- and 24-month hens. It was found that this content undergoes significant changes during life cycle of hens, being dependent on physiological activity of the gonads. The highest level of serotonin (16 micrograms/g) was observed in 8-12 months old hens which corresponds to the period of the most intensive activity of the gonads.