This study was initiated to explain the rare occurrence of bitter defects in goat and ewe cheeses, compared to cow cheeses. The main difference between whole caseins from these three species is their relative content of Lys1-and p-caseins. The tastes of enzymic hydrolysates (obtained with rennet, porcine pepsin, or-chymotrypsin, trypsin and thermolysin) of whole caseins from these species were compared as well as those of cow as1 -and p-caseins. In each case (except with chymotrypsin) the bitterness of hydrolysates from cow whole casein was much stronger than those of goat and ewe whole casein hydrolysates. Cow CQ, -casein hydrolysates were more bitter than cow p-casein hydrolysates, except with thermolysin.

Abstract. Plasma catecholamines assayed by a double isotope radio enzymatic method were studied in the basal state and during a thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH)-test in 7 acromegalics, divided into 2 groups: active and non-active acromegalics, according to clinical and biological criteria. Basal plasma norepinephrine levels were significantly increased in the active group 648 ± 22 pg/ml (P < 0.001) and were in the normal range in the non-active group 439 ± 26 pg/ml. Basal plasma epinephrine values were not significantly different in the 2 groups 59 ± 15 pg/ml vs 34 ± 7 pg/ml. During a TRH-test, norepinephrine levels remained elevated (P < 0.001) in the active group, and the difference between the 2 groups was enhanced during the test. On the other hand the 2 patients who responded to TRH demonstrated an increase of norepinephrine levels. Our results suggest that TRH may stimulate norepinephrine release in acromegalics with an active response to TRH.

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Rats were fed diets containing various amounts of added thiram, a dithiocarbamate fungicide. As thiram feeding resulted in decreased appetite, control rats not receiving thiram were pair-fed to the experimental ones. On d 30 of the experiment the animals were weighed and sacrificed, and the following organs were weighed: liver, kidneys, heart, epididymal and perirenal fat pads, testes, seminal vesicles, tibia, adrenals, and thyroid. Liver concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, ATP, and ADP were determined by enzymatic-spectrofluorimetric assay. For each parameter studied and each thiram dosage, values for treated rats were compared to those for control rats and the probability under the null hypothesis was computed. These probabilities were transformed into probits, logits, or "Weibull transforms" and plotted against the logarithms of the respective doses. Models were fitted to the data by linear regression techniques. Finally, the dose inducing the least significant difference (LSD dose), and the dose considered "safe" at P = 0.95, 0.99, and 0.999 were calculated. Significant pesticide-induced changes in the following parameters were found: food intake; weights of the whole body, kidneys, epididymal and perirenal fat pads, testes, and seminal vesicles; and liver beta-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate and lactate/pyruvate ratios. As the models did not differ in fit to the experimental data or in computed LSD doses, they were discriminated on the grounds of their underlying theoretical assumptions and their prediction of safe doses in a long-term study. The log-probit model was rejected for the former reason, and it was shown that the Weibull model foresees a nonnegligible risk of change, with thiram feeding at low doses, for too many parameters. The analysis resulted in the selection of the log-probit model for further use. Weight of fatty tissues was the most sensitive parameter and, using the log-probit model, the predicted no-effect dose at the 95 percent confidence level was 38 ppm thiram in the diet.