An efficient and simple procedure for inducing high frequency direct shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis in lentil from cotyledonary node explants (without both the cotyledons) in response to TDZ alone is reported. TDZ at concentration lower than 2.0 μM induced shoot organogenesis whereas at higher concentration (2.5-15 μM) it caused a shift in regeneration from shoot organogenesis to somatic embryogenesis. The cotyledonary node and seedling cultures developed only shoots even at high concentrations of BAP and TDZ, respectively. TDZ at 0.5 and 5.0 μM was found to be optimal for inducing an average of 4-5 shoots per cotyledonary node in 93 % of the cultures and 55 somatic embryos in 68 % of the cultures, respectively. The somatic embryos were germinated when transferred to lower TDZ concentration (0.5-1.0 μM). The shoots were rooted on MS basal medium containing 2.5 μM IBA. The plantlets were obtained within 8 weeks from initiation of culture and were morphologically similar to seed-raised plants. The possible role of stress in thidiazuron induced somatic embryogenesis is discussed.

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Plasma concentrations of testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) and percent binding of T to plasma protein (TB) were studied in 16 normal fertile men and in 81 men who had undergone vasectomy from 1 to 5 yr earlier. No significant difference from the control values to T = 582 plus or minus 39.5 (SE) ng/100 ml; FSH = 15.09 plus or minus 2.18 (SE) mIU/ml; LH =10.03 plus or minus 1.13 (SE) mIU/ml and TB = 92.99 plus or minus 0.285 (SE) % binding was detected in any group of the vasectomized men in any of the parameters studied.

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