still harbored minimal amounts of contaminant. Presence of virus in some 

 clams could be obscured by pooling samples. To simulate naturally polluted 

 clams as closely as possible, some were exposed to minimal amounts of virus. 

 These were cleansed more rapidly by the depuration process than clams polluted 

 with more virus. Naturally polluted clams contained less virus than those 

 studied in the laboratory; thus it was anticipated that naturally contaminated 

 clams may be cleansed more rapidly. Infectious hepatitis virus was not 

 available for laboratory study. It was suggested that field studies be made 

 of the merits of depuration, to be accompanied by epidemiological studies of 

 consumers. - J.L.M. 



1652 



Shah, H. C, C. M. Fontneau, and G. P. Carlson. 1971. 



Drug metabolism in Meroenaria meroenaria. Pharmacologist 13(2): 268 

 (Abstract 4 31) . 



Drug metabolizing activity was investigated in the common quahaug, Meroenaria 

 meroenaria. Whole homogenates of hepatopancreas were unable to carry out the 

 detoxification of O-ethyl O-p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN) , 0- 

 demethylation of p-nitroanisole, N-demethylation of aminopyrene or oxidation 

 of hexobarbital. Nitroreductase activity was shown by the conversion of 

 p-nitrobenzoic acid to p-aminobenzoic acid. A higher concentration of NADP 

 than normally used for rat liver homogenates was necessary. The system was 

 stimulated 4-fold by 10~ 4 M flavin mononucleotide but not by the addition of 

 MgCl2. The reaction was inhibited 47 per cent by 10 _2 M KCN. Neither 10~3m 

 SKF-525A nor carbon monoxide inhibited the activity of the system. Over 90 

 per cent of the activity was found to be associated with the soluble fraction 

 of the hepatopancreas. - entire abstract as published - J.L.M. 



1653 



Shaw, E.,and D. W. Woolley. 1956. 



Some serotoninlike activities of lvsergic acid diethvlamide. Science 124: 

 121-122. 



Experiments were done on isolated heart of Venus meroenaria and on 

 anesthetized dog. The authors attempted to repeat experiments by Welsh 

 (1954), abstracted elsewhere in this bibliography, which reported that 

 serotonin stimulated V. meroenaria heart and increased amplitude of beat, 

 and that this action of the hormone was antagonized by LSD-25. Results 

 were contradictory: instead of acting as an antiserotonin, LSD-25 acted 

 like serotonin. Discussion with Welsh resolved the problem. The earlier 

 experiment had been done with V. meroenaria from European waters. The U.S. 

 species acted differently. On isolated hard clam heart from U.S. waters, 

 LSD-25 acted like serotonin, and was more potent, weight for weight, than 

 the hormone itself. Possession of a serotoninlike and an antiserotonin 

 action need not be perplexing. Serotonin can be viewed as acting on tissues 

 in combination with a receptor specifically designed to react with it. These 

 receptors may vary slightly from tissue to tissue. In V. meroenaria heart 

 LSD-25 not only combines with receptors, but is able to produce a serotonin- 

 like effect presumably because the "fit" is good enough. Antiserotonin action 

 of serotonin itself then may be pictured merely as combination of 2 or more 

 molecules of serotonin with one receptor site, which is thus blocked because 

 it has not combined with a single molecule. This is the classical picture of 

 inhibition of an enzyme by an excess of its substrate. - J.L.M. 



1654 



Shaw, W. N. 1971. 



Off-bottom growing techniques. Am. Fish Farmer and World Aquae. News 2(9): 

 16-21. 



This article describes oyster culture. Meroenaria meroenaria is not 

 mentioned. - J.L.M. and M.W.S. 



458 



