A new tissue repair agent, RGTA11, is described for its ability to enhance colonic anastomosis repair and resistance to leakage. RGTA11 is a dextran derivative containing 110% carboxymethyl groups, 2.6% carboxymethyl benzylamide groups, and 36.6% carboxymethyl benzylamide sulfonate groups. RGTA11 was deemed efficient to protect the heparin-binding growth factors FGF2 against trypsin digestion. By this property RGTA11 mimicked heparin or heparan sulfate. We have also found that RGTA11 protected TGF beta 1 against trypsin digestion while heparin did not. RGTA11 was then tested in an in vivo wound-healing model of colonic anastomosis. Our results indicate that after 48 h, RGTA11- or RGTA11/FGF-2-treated animals presented a resistance of the anastomosis to leakage which was increased twofold (p < 0.05) over untreated controls. After 96 h and until day 7 there was no more difference with control animals. Our results suggest that RGTA11 presents potential clinical interest by preventing earlier leakage of colonic anastomosis.

The successive phases of the photosexual reflex in birds involve the eye, the hypothalamus, the adenohypophysis and the gonads. On June 6, I reviewed structural components of the retino-hypothalamo-hypophyseal pathway in the duck (Anas platyrhynchos). Today, I shall rapidly review the successive experiments which, since thirty years, enabled me and my collaborators to ascertain the rBle of effective light radiations in this mechanism, as well as the properties of the two photoreceptors which seems to be complementarily involved in the photosexual reflex : the superficial, retinal photoreceptor, and the deep, hypothalamic photoreceptor. I. Experiments demonstrating the r6le of the eye as superficial photore-1. Illumination of immature male ducks whose heads are covered by a black cloth, does not stimulate the testes. However light does bring about a testicular growth when limited to the ocular region, the remaining parts of the head and the body being kept away from light (Benoit, 1935 a, 1937) (FIGURE la, b ) . Blackening, or removal of the lids does not prevent the optosexual reflex. On the contrary, no testicular development occurs in response to light supplied to the side of the head when the ocular globe has been removed and replaced by a metallic or rubber plate (Benoit 1937, 1938 a ) (FIGURE ceptor. Hence light acts at the level of the ocular region.

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