Antibody synthesis in vitro has been studied wtth immunologically competent cells of lymphoid tissue in radioactive culture medium. Specific antibody proteins have been isolated and characterized from such a system. However, non-specific radioactive proteins which coprectpitated with heterologous precipitates were also found in the culture medium (Ketson and Katchen, 1956; Wolf and Stavitsky, 1958; Stavitsky 1958, 1960, 1961; Dutton et al., 1958; Askonas and Humphrey, 1958; Vaughan et al., 1960; Bussard and Huynh, 1960; and Thorbecke, 1960). The so-called non-specific proteins were produced by normal and immunologically competent cells; they had the capacity to absorb to antigen-antibody complexes and were found in the alpha and beta globulin protein fractions. These properties suggested that such non-specific proteins might be complement. In this laboratory, non-specific coprecipitating proteins were also found to be present in culture medium in which immunologically competent cells were Incubated. This observation,as well as those previously mentioned, initiated this investigation in order to determine whether or not these non-specific proteins were identlcal with complement and also to identify the tissues concerned with the synthesis. [...]

[...] The purpose of the present investigation has been to continue the study of the antiviral substance in greater detail. The experimental work was designed to investigate various properties of the active material using influenza virus as the test virus and also to study its effect on influenza virus and other viruses under a variety of conditions. Àttempts were made also to further purify and concentrate the substance and to determine its chemical nature. The mode of action of the active principle was also investigated in seme detail. In addition, the effect of the antiviral substance on certain viral haemolysins was studied. [...]

The Canadian lobster catch is worth approximately twenty-five million dollars annually. Of this total, two-thirds is from live shipment to distant markets. Prior to shipment the lobsters are held in tidal pounds, crates, tanks and cars. During this holding prior to shipment, the lobsters are susceptible to a number or factors such as temperature extremes, low salinity, low oxygen tension, cannibalism and disease. [...]

The use of herbicides and insecticides in agricultural practices may influence, directly or indirectly, both the microflora of the soil and the development of plants. Because of the increasing use of compounds of this nature in agriculture it is imperative that such effects should be studied to avert possible damage to large sections of arable land. [...]

Bacteria and other micro-organisms play a very important role in the alteration and decomposition of proteins in nature. Although the proteolytic enzyme systems of animals have been fairly well studied and classified, comparatively little is known about these systems in micro-organisms. [...]

When medically important fungi were first studied, some pathogenic fungi which were unicellular in vivo were found to change to a mycelial form when cultured. This change in morphology was misleading as investigators believed they were not isolating the correct pathogenic organisms. The confusion continued until the pathogenic fungi were shown to change their morphology as a result of temperature changes. [...]

The author claims to have conducted an original investigation into the following aspects of soil fertility: 1. A direct relationship between microbial numbers and CO2 evolution in two soils; one a mineral soil and the other a muck soil. [...]

Moulds belonging to the Fusarium genus were isolated that are able to utilize coumarin as the sole carbon source in a medium containing inorganic nitrogen and various salts. Factors affecting the growth of the cultures and the rate of coumarin degradation were studied. [...]

Girard (54) found that rabbits in a state of induced monocytosis produced antisera of higher titre than normal rabbits. He also demonstrated that during active or passive immunization, the antibodies were concentrated in the monocytes. These findings suggest that monocytes may play a part in the production of antibodies or merely store them. Exudates rich in monocytes were obtained from rabbits in a state of artificially induced monocytosis. The monocytosis was induced by injections of MPA (Monocytosis producing agent) which was prepared from an extract of L. monocytogenes. [...]

In the last fifty years many investigators have studied the microorganisms that are in the soil which surrounds the roots of living plants. Some of them endeavoured to provide a better understanding of the various phenomena related to plant feeding and growth, cropping systems and root disease control, but others tried to establish the nature of the microorganisms and to note the differences from those in soil not in the immediate vicinity of the plant root.