Smoking and risk factors in deep vein thrombosis. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as diagnosed by the 125I fibrinogen test (125IFT) was determined in a series of 300 newly admitted medical and 201 surgical patients. 6 medical patients died before 125IFT screening could be completed. The incidence of DVT was 14% in medical patients and 18% in surgical patients. Increasing age, a malignant condition and a past history of thromboembolism all increased the risk of DVT. Increasing levels of cigarette smoking were found to be associated with a reduced incidence of DVT. Although statistical significance was achieved at only the 10% level for this finding it is in agreement with the results from studies on patients with myocardial infarction. The protective effect of cigarrette smoking was observed at all ages, and in both medical and surgical patients.


Subcutaneous ancrod after operation for fractured hip--a dose-ranging and feasibility study. We have conducted a dose-ranging and feasibility study of daily subcutaneous injections of ancrod (Arvin) as a potential antithrombotic method in 28 patients following operation for fractured neck of femur. Sustained, predictable fibrinogen depletion during the first post-operative week was induced by four different regimes. A total dose of 10 units/kg weight, given in divided doses starting on the day of operation, is suggested as a possible antithrombotic regime. Ancrod treatment produced a rise in fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, prolongation of the thrombin clotting time, and a fall in plasminogen, plasma fibrinogen and corrected blood viscosity were observed in 14 control patients. Plasma fibrinogen was correlated with plasma viscosity and corrected blood viscosity. No adverse effects of treatment occurred. Subcutaneous ancrod appears to be a simple, safe, and feasible potential antithrombotic method, and merits trials of efficacy in the prevention of post-operative thromboembolism.


In vivo platelet kinetics in 31 diabetic patients. Correlation with the degree of vascular impairment. In vivo platelet survival was estimated, in 31 diabetic patients, using 51Cr-labelled autologous platelets. A mathematical analysis attempted to measure the "potential" life span (senescence process) and the degree of a superimposed aleatory destruction (consumption process). The potential platelet life span in diabetics did not differ from normal values. However, excessive consumption was observed in one third of the studied cases, without correlation with the age of the patients, the clinical duration of diabetes, and the degree of vascular impairment. Thus, platelet kinetic studies did not provide presently useful indications, in a particular patient, regarding the prognosis of the vascular disease, and the justification of anti-aggregant therapy.


Platelet monoamine oxidase and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation. Platelet MAO activity and the aggregation response to epinephrine, ADP, and collagen were measured in normal subjects. There was a direct correlation between the amount of platelet MAO activity and the per cent aggregation induced by 1 and 2 micrometer epinephrine. There were lesser correlations between platelet MAO and ADP or collagen-induced aggregation. These findings suggest that platelet MAO may play a role in determining the response of human platelets to epinephrine.


Effects of autoprothrombin II-A on epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation of normal- and coumadin-treated dogs. Platelet-rich plasma from dogs and from coumadin-treated dogs aggregated at the same optimum concentration of epinephrine. Neither protein C nor its active form called autoprothrombin II-A was necessary for aggregation of dog platelets with epinephrine. For platelet aggregation, suboptimal concentrations of epinephrine were potentiated by addition of purified autoprothrombin II-A. The latter, by itself, induced platelet aggregation in high concentration.


Thromboxane generation and platelet aggregation in survivals of myocardial infarction. Arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet aggregation was studied in platelet-rich plasma of 30 male patients who survived myocardial infarction and in 30 healthy men of similar age. Mean platelet aggregation thresholds to AA were 746 +/- 62 micrometer, and 869 +/- 57 micrometer, respectively. Only in 2 healthy subjects, but in 12 patients, irreversible platelet aggregation was induced consistently with low concentrations of AA, under 500 micrometer. The rate of conversion of AA to thromboxane A2 (TXA2) by platelets of these patients was augmented. Furthermore, less endogenous TXA2 was required to trigger aggregation of their platelets as compared to the controls. We have also shown that in platelet-poor plasma of these patients with "hyperreactive" platelets there exists a transferable factor which makes platelets of healthy subjects more prone to aggregatory action of AA. It is proposed that the assessment of platelet aggregability with AA provides a tool for identifying a subgroup of patients with coronary heart disease who might substantially benefit from the secondary preventive treatment with aspirin and with other antiplatelet drugs which inhibit the generation of TXA2 in platelets.


In vitro interaction between cultured cells and human blood platelets. The effects of washed human cultured cells (tumour cells and Chang liver cells) on human blood platelets in heparinized plasma were studied. Platelet aggregation was induced by suspensions of the tumour cells. Ultrastructural examination showed that the platelets, especially in the central regions of the aggregates, were tightly packed and the alpha-granules were mostly present. In the periphery of the aggregates the platelets appeared swollen and devoid of organelles, and fibrin strands were seen. The platelet aggregation was not completely abolished by incubation with apyrase. The washing fluids from the tumour cells also induced platelet aggregation, but the aggregation could be abolished by incubation with apyrase. When three different lines of the Chang cells were used, suspensions of two lines of these cells induced platelet aggregation, but the third line did not. Presence of ADP could be demonstrated in the washing fluids from the cultured cells, except for the one line of Chang cells which did not induce platelet aggregation. The experiments indicated that the platelet aggregation induced by the various types of cells was mediated via ADP, but with a possible additional effect of coagulation activity.


[Three lambings within two years following induction of oestrus (author's transl)]. The annual number of weaner lambs per ewe is a factor of major importance in the profitability of sheep farming. In the Netherlands, approximately 80 per cent of the incomes are derived from the returns for lambs sold. Induction of oestrus makes it possible for the ewes to lamb three times in two years. To achieve a high conception rate, tupping should take place under supervision. In the Experimental Livestock-Farming Station, Lelystad, studies on the possibilities of inducing oestrus were done in ewes in which tupping occurred for the first time at an age of approximately seven months during natural oestrus in the months of October and November. The results obtained by inducing oestrus in July and August were similar to those obtained with natural oestrus in October and November. The results obtained in February and March were slightly inferior, which probably was also due to the fact that the condition of the ewes was not very good immediately after weaning of the lambs at six weeks. The number of lambs born showed an average increase of 0.5 lamb per ewe mating with the ram per year. A further increase of the annual number of lambs per ewe is likely to be achieved.


Cystic fibrosis and HLA.

Cystic fibrosis and HLA. In 94 children suffering from cystic fibrosis, no abnormal frequencies of HLA markers of the A and B locus were observed in comparison with the distribution of these antigens in control series. Furthermore, the HLA genotypes of seven pairs of diseased sibs are incompatible with the hypothesis of a closed linkage between CF--an autosomal recessive transmitted disease--and HLA.


The distribution of HLA antigens in the Motilones Indians of Venezuela. The HLA antigen profile of the Bari and Yupa Indians who live in the Motilones Valley on the border between Venezuela and Colombia was studied. Both groups showed very limited polymorphism. HLA--A1, A3, A11, Aw23, A25, A26, A29, Aw30, Aw32, and Aw33, and HLA--B7, B8, B12, B13, B14, B17, B18, Bw22, and B27 were not observed in either population.


Detection of thrombocyte antibodies by 125I labeled protein A. Protein A from Staphylococcus aureus interacts in a specific manner with most subclasses of human IgG. In the present study a method is described which utilizes Protein A labeled with 125I for the detection of antibody sensitization of platelets. The clinical applicability of the test for detection of in vivo or in vitro sensitization is demonstrated in three patients with platelet antibodies.


The HLA antigens in women with recurrent abnormal pregnancies of unknown etiology. Women with recurrent abnormal pregnancies of unknown etiology--as compared with those with recurrent abnormal pregnancies of known etiology and with normal controls--had a significantly increased frequency of antigen HLA--A9 (corr. P less than 0.01). Analysis of the frequencies in matings performed at different levels of HLA incompatibility between parents in 35 couples with recurrent abnormal pregnancies of unknown etiology revealed a high degree of wife husband compatibility of the antigens of the HLA--A locus, but not of the antigens of the HLA--B locus. These results indicate that the HLA chromosomal region may influence the reproductive efficiency and the fate of the fetus.


Relations between the HLA-antigens and immune responsiveness to SK/SD in healthy Japanese subjects. A possible association between the HLA antigens and immune responsiveness to SK/SD was studied in 90 healthy Japanese volunteers. No association was found between the HLA antigens, including B5, and SK/SD stimulated blastoid transformation. There was a week indication of an association between Bw22 and responses to SK/SD. But this was not statistically significant as far as the corrected P value was concerned.


HLA system and affective disorders: a sibship genetic study. The authors have investigated HLA-haplotype zygotic assortment in 21 families with multiple cases of affective disorders and in 19 sibling pairs discordant for the disease. The finding of excess similarity between affected sibs stressed the possibility of the existence of genes in the HLA chromosomal region which are involved in the susceptibility to affective disorders. The mode of inheritance of such an hypothesized DS gene was also tested and some theoretical implications are discussed.


Fine structure of the electrotonic synapse of the lateral giant axons in a crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). The electrotonic synapse of lateral giant axons of the crayfish was studied by conventional thin sectioning. The most prominent membrane specialization observed in this synaptic region is the communicating junction. It is characterized by a close apposition of the two axonal membranes which are separated by a 4--5 nm wide gap. Other characteristics of the junction are an array of particles spaced about 20--22 nm apart and a row of vesicles symmetrically arranged at the cytoplasmic leaflets of each membrane. The communicating junction does not cover the entire surface of the electrotonic synapse. Indeed, we have found other specializations such as: finger-like Schwann cell processes extending between synaptic membranes, saccular invaginations of one synaptic membrane into its axon, and coated vesicles continuous with one of the membranes. In addition, large vesicular pieces of the communicating junctions, with their accompanying vesicles, appeared to extend deeply inside the axoplasm. The morphological appearance of the communicating junction is found to be different from the one reported for mammalian maculae communicans such as liver or heart muscle. This is surprising because, regardless of their morphological differences, both junctions seem to transmit electrotonically.


The effects of adrenalectomy and cortisol treatment on cell types, other than corticotrophs, in the anterior pituitary of the mouse. This investigation was designed to characterize changes due to adrenalectomy and cortisol treatment in cell types, other than corticotrophs, in the anterior pituitary of the mouse. Cortisol injections resulted in a reduced number of mammotrophs and an increased number of somatotrophs. By 5 days post-adrenalectomy an increase in the number of mammotrophs and a decrease in the number of somatotrophs was observed. No changes were noted in the number of gonadotrophs or thyrotrophs due to either adrenalectomy or cortisol treatment.


The quantitative morphology of interstitial tissue channels in some tissues of the rat and rabbit. The water-rich phase (tissue channels) of the intersititial tissue in rat ileum, knee joint capsules, kidneys, and implanted Guyton's capsules was examined electron microscopically by the SEM of plastic injection models, and by TEM and HVEM of ferrocyanide and ferritin as tracers. It was shown that the channels do in fact exist, and are not just vacuoles. Quantitative estimations of their numbers and diameters were made. These agreed well with estimates made by other methods.


Origin and fate of cytoplasmic gap junctional vesicles in rabbit granulosa cells. Vesicles within the cytoplasm of the rabbit granulosa cell, in both thin section and freeze-fracture preparations, appear to consist of typical gap junctional membrane. In most cases these vesicles, like gap junctions at the cell surface, are composed of two membranes, but in rare cases may consist in part of single membrane, identified as gap junctional because of the presence of typical 8.5 nm P face particles and E face pits. Both thin section and freeze-fracture studies support the view that these vesicles may be produced by the endocytosis of junctional membrane from the cell surface as one cell invaginates into its neighbor at the junction. The presence of apparent acid phosphatase activity within the matrix of these gap junctional vesicles suggests that they may represent a stage in the specific degradation of gap junctional membrane.


A modified Giemsa C-banding technique for Hordeum species. A Giemsa C-banding technique with a hot 1 N HCl hydrolysis step has been developed for barley chromosomes. This step makes it easy to obtain well separated C-banded chromosomes. To compare this technique with other C-banding techniques, chromosomes of H. vulgare cv. York were stained by both this technique and a modification of the technique of Kimber et al. (1976). With respect to centromeric and intercalary bands, both techniques produce a similar banding pattern, but telomeric bands observed by the modified technique of Kimber et al. (1976) were not detected by our procedure. This indicates that telomeric heterochromatin may be different chemically and/or structurally from the centromeric and intercalary heterochromatin and its appearance dependent upon the C-banding technique. The procedure described provides a relatively rapid technique for C-banding of barley chromosomes.


An artifact of liquid emulsion autoradiography. The localization of 3H-opiates in the myenteric plexus of the guinea pig ileum is subject to systematic artifact when stretch preparations of the myenteric plexus are dipped into liquid Kodak NTB-3 emulsion for autoradiography. The cause of the artifact was determined to be a discontinuous distribution, or retraction, of emulsion over plexuses. The apposition of frozen freeze-dried ileal sections to dried photographic emulsion avoids this source of error.


[Radiation therapy for tumors of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses. I. Communication (author's transl)]. In the period between 1966 and 1976, a total of 53 cases with neoplasms of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses underwent radiological treatment. The 5-year-survival rate for all tumors of all stages amounted to 34.6%. Local recurrences appeared in 54%. The present cases are compared and analysed reviewing their special anatomic extension, clinical symptomatics, histology and classification. The radiotherapeutic proceeding is described.


[Radiotherapy of the prostate carcinoma (author's transl)]. 41 patients were submitted to telecobalt irradiations of the prostate and the adjoining lymph drain regions. The absence of remote metastases was verified by X-ray examinations of the skeleton and bone scintigrams, and stades were divided by means of lymphography. The overall 3,5-year survival rate was 79.9%, the 3,5-year survival rate of the patients without lymph node metastases was 100% and that of the group with lymph node metastases was 25%. 69,6% of all patients had no recurrences after 3.5 years, the corresponding rate for the patients without lymph node metastases was 84% and that for the patients with lymph node metastases was 24.6%. The difference between patients with and patients without lymph node metastases demonstrated by lymphography was statistically significant and decisive for the prognosis. The clinically judged local tumor control was 100% for those patients who were observed during a period of more than one year after the radiotherapy. Lymph nodes which were also irradiated underwent an involution in all cases. Different differentiation degrees responded in the same way to radiotherapy. A dependence of rectal complications on the dose could be demonstrated. The results were not ameliorated by additional hormonal therapy.


[Linear accelerators in oncoradiology. Comparison of the effciency of four clinically utilized electron linear accelerators with energies up to 20 MeV (author's transl)]. Further development of linear accelerators for medical purposes results in leaving off the principle of circular acceleration. The present investigation, comparing four clinically utilized electron linear accelerators with different constructional systems, reveals a large scale of clinical applicability, advantages and disadvantages partly compensating one another. None of the four machines examined offers a total of decisive advantages as compared to the other ones. Some essential data from the side of radiation exit are tested: depth dose data and photon contamination during operation with electrons, field sizes and homogeneity, penumbral width and penetration power for electron and X radiations. The appreciation of electron therapy by the radiologist may be a factor as well the handling of the machine, but in many cases the space available in an existing locality or the confidence in the ready service of a contracting firm, considerations concerning failure periods, estimate of repair and subsequent costs are influencing the decision for a certain type of equipment.


Dependence of the postirradiation lymphopenia and hypersegmentation of neutrophil nuclei on the therapeutic irradiation exposure in patients with breast carcinoma--some ways of its use for biological detection of irradiation. In the work, changes are presented of the numbers of lymphocytes and hypersegmented neutrophils after therapeutic irradiation of women after mastectomy. The values found were evaluated statistically by the decision method. It was found that in the course of irradiation the lymphopenia and increase in the number of neutrophils with hypersegmented cellular nuclei occurred. This contraversory course of the values showed an increasing tendency with increasing exposure. An attempt was made, whether the values found could serve for the biological detection if irradiation, when completing the response of the organism to irradiation based on changes of one parameter by a response from changes of second parameter examined. The values were used as training material for the statistical decision method. The results are represented in the from of a diagram for reading off the magnitude of the damage in practice by stimultaneous evaluation of both parameters. A further approach is shown in the biological dosimetry by simultaneous examination of several independent paramters statistically treated by a suitable method.


[Conceptions for optimization in radiation therapy (author's transl)]. The discrepancy between the exact radiation planning possible nowadays and the distinctly differing real dose to the target volume is interpreted as due to the appearance of unavoidable time-dependent disturbance variables which are not quantitatively predictable. By means of the block diagram generally used in control engineering is shown the necessity of introducing a feedback mechanism with small time-lag in order to eliminate the disturbance variables. A practicable plan of such a control system for application in therapeutic radiology is outlined.


The pharmacokinetics of tritiated ethinylestradiol in the rabbit. The disappearance of ethinylestradiol from the blood of rabbits has been studied, following the intravenous administration of this steroid. The disappearance followed two exponentials, the first having a half life (t1/2) of 5.5 min and the second, apparently terminal exponential was also rapid (t1/2-69 min). The plasma clearance was 150 ml/min which suggests almost total clearance of this steroid during a single passage through the liver. Bile contained a significant concentration of EE conjugates and thus this steroid could undergo enterophepatic recirculations. A large oral dose of unlabelled EE, given prior to intravenous administration of tritiated EE, considerably altered the pharmacokinetics of the latter by saturating both phase one metabolism (changes of the steroid nucleus) and the secretion of conjugates into bile. It was not clear whether phase two metabolism (conjugation) was also saturated.


The synthesis and activity in vitro of 25-masked 1alpha-hydroxylated vitamin D3 analogs. 1alphaHydroxylated-25-masked-vitamin D3 and analogs were synthesized as probes to help evaluate the role of 25-hydroxyl group in hormone-receptor interactions of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (13a). Synthetic work on model systems showed that the steroidal 25-hydroxyl group could be easily fluorinated in high yield with diethylaminosulfur trifluoride. Treatment of 25-fluoro compound with acetic acid resulted in both elimination and displacement of fluorine by acetate. The desired 1alpha-hydroxy-25-fluoro-vitamin D3 (14b) was obtained efficiently by fluorination and subsequent deacetylation of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 1,3-diacetate (13b). Also obtained was a mixture of 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3-24- and 25-enes (15b). Both 14b and 15b were 300-400 times less active than 13a in the chick intestinal cytosol protein binding assay, making these analogs similar in potency to 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 in vitro. The essentially equivalent activity of 14b and 15b with 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 indicates that in the absence of a 25-hydroxyl group some alterations to the side chain carbons of 13a may be tolerated without further weakening analog-protein interactions. The fluoroanalog 14b was also about 250 times less potent than 13a in stimulating bone resorption in vitro. These compounds should prove to be valuable tools in aiding understanding of the salient structural features of the vitamin D3 metabolites.


The use of homologous and heterologous 125I-radioligands in the radioimmunoassay of progesterone. Eight homologous and heterologous 125I-radioligand systems for the radioimmunoassay of progesterone were examined. Using an antiserum raised to 11alpha-hydroxyprogesterone 11-succinyl-bovine serum albumin, standard curves were set up with the homologous radioligands, 11alpha-hydroxyprogesterone 11-succinyl-[125I]-iodotyramine, -[125I]-iodohistamine and -[125I]-iodotyrosine methyl ester. Heterologous bridge systems were represented by progesterone-11alpha-oxycarbonyl-[125I]-iodotyrosine methyl ester and 11alpha-hydroxyprogesterone 11-phthalyl-[125I]-iodotyrosine methyl ester, and heterologous site systems by progesterone-3-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime-[125I]-iodotyramine, progesterone-12-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime-[125I]-iodotyramine, and progesterone-20-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime-[125I]-iodohistamine. The preparation of the steroid derivatives and iodination by a two-phase method are described. The curves obtained from the homologous radioligands were relatively insensitive compared with a tritiated system, with the tyrosine methyl ester derivative providing a more sensitive assay than the corresponding tyramine or histamine analogues. The heterologous bridge systems gave more sensitive curves than the homologous tracers whilst the 3- and 12-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime derivatives of progesterone furnished curves as sensitive as the tritiated reference. Progesterone-20-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime-[125I]-iodohistamine was not bound by the antibody.


Properties of the aromatase system associated with the mitochondrial fraction of human placenta. The aromatase system associated with the mitochondrial fraction of human term placenta, present at 35--50% the specific activity of the microsomal enzyme, is substantially the same as the microsomal enzyme as determined by the following: 1) The rate of aromatization of androstenedione, 19-nortestosterone, and 16alpha-hydroxytestosterone in mitochondria was a nearly constant proportion of the microsomal rate; 2) Sensitivity to carbon monoxide was the same; 3) The magnitude of cytochrome P-450 Type I spectral interactions with androgen substrates was a constant proportion in mitochondria and microsomes; 4) Sensitivity to an antibody raised against hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was the same. When inner and outer mitochondrial membrane subfractions were prepared, the predominant aromatase activity was associated with the outer membrane preparation. This aromatase activity could not be accounted for by microsomal contamination as determined by inosine diphosphatase activity, a microsomal marker. After correction, the rate of aromatization in the outer membrane preparation was almost six times that in the inner membranes and three times that of the whole mitochondrial fraction.


Cardenolide analogues. 3. A fast thin layer chromatographic separation of cardenolide diastereomers. Cardenolide diasteromeric mixtures may be analytically separated on 2.5 x 6.5 cm x 0.25 mm pre-coated silical gel 60 F-250 (EM) tlc plates (cut from 20 x 20 cm plates). Three successive developments in mixtures of CH2Cl2-EtOAc-MeOH achieve complete separation of diastereomers in less than 15 minutes, and 2--6 micrograms of sample is sufficient. This procedure facilitated the separation of several diastereomeric mixtures, including 20(R) and 20(S)-20,22-dihydrocardenolides. A single development produces separations sufficient for separating starting materials and products of common cardenolide types of reactions.


Estrogen 2-hydroxylase: activity in rat tissues. Incubation parameters for a radioderivative assay for estrogen 2-hydroxylase have been examined. The assay was found to be specific and sensitive if a chromatographically purified preparation of COMT was used. Estradiol was found to be a better substrate for the 2-hydroxylase than estrone or estriol. The liver had significantly higher estrogen 2-hydroxylase activity than any other tissue examined. The estrogen 2-hydroxylase was highly localized in the microsomal fraction in both the liver and the brain. The male rat was found to have significantly more estrogen 2-hydroxylase activity in the liver than the female rat. In addition, in the male rat liver, the estrogen 2-hydroxylase activity was reversibly inducible by testosterone and was not affected by phenobarbital. In the male and female rat brain the estrogen 2-hydroxylase activities were similar.


A case of lung myiasis caused by larvae of Megaselia spiracularis Schmitz (Diptera: Phoridae). A 19-year-old Japanese man in good health was found on a routine chest X-ray to have considerable lung abnormalities. An open lung biopsy was performed and 30 third-instar larvae of Megaselia spiracularis Schmitz were found in the suction tube postoperatively. This appears to be the first recorded case of lung myiasis.


Prophylactic activity in rodents of trypanocides complexed with dextran. The prophylactic activity of prepared complexes of each of several trypanocidal drugs with dextran sulphate (M.W. 5 X 10(5)) was determined in rodents at the same time as that of the corresponding uncomplexed drug, and also the suramin complex in some cases. All the dextran complexes tested showed some degree of enhanced prophylaxis over the uncomplexed drug but in most cases a significant extension of prophylaxis was demonstrated only at dose levels well in excess of those used in the field. The dextran complex of isometamidium, however, showed very considerable enhancement effects over a range of dose levels. An amount of this complex containing an equivalent of the therapeutic dose of uncomplexed drug extended the period of effective prophylaxis by several months in both rats and mice. The suramin complex of isometamidium, on the other hand, was almost invariably less effective than the uncomplexed drug.


Parasitological and ecological aspects of Schistosomiasis mansoni in the valley of the Paraíba do Sul River (São Paulo State, Brazil) I. Natural infection of small mammals with Schistosoma mansoni. Small mammals naturally infected with Schistosoma mansoni were studied in the valley of the Paraíba do Sul river (São Paulo State, Brazil). 192 animals of 12 species were examined post mortem. Cavia aperea, Holochilus brasiliensis leucogaster, Nectomys squamipes squamipes, Oryzomys nigripes eliurus and Zygodontomys brachyurus were found infected. Most schistosome eggs found in the faeces were mature but no eggs were found in the faeces of C. aperea although adults were recovered. In the other infected animals the number of eggs per gram of faeces showed a marked daily variation. Perfusion of the portal system demonstrated that in H. b. leucogaster worms usually remained in the mesenteric veins. In C. aperea 75.7% of worms were found in the portal and intra-hepatic veins. H. b. leucogaster seems to be the rodent most likely to play a role in the epidemiology of schistosomiasis mansoni in the valley of the Paraíba do Sul river.


The advantage of a build-up anti-globulin technique for the detection of immunoglobulin on the red cells of rabbits infected with trypanosomes. A preliminary report. A build-up anti-globulin technique has been used to detect immunoglobulin on the red cells of rabbits infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei S 42 and 427. The method, which is useful for the detection of immunoglobulin on sparsely coated red cells, involves treating the red cells of infected rabbits with antiglobulin followed by alternate globulin and antiglobulin layers until a lattice is built up which allows agglutination to occur. The red cells of five infected rabbits have been tested with anti-rabbit IgG,-IgM and broad spectrum anti-globulin reagents at intervals after infection and following the administration of Berenil, a drug which destroys trypanosomes. The positive anti-globulin reactions which developed following inoculation with trypanosomes were much reduced after giving Berenil. The tests became more strongly positive again in two rabbits after reinfection.


Nephrotic syndrome in the Africans and Indians of South Africa. A ten-year study. The frequency of nephrotic syndrome was 0.2% of all medical admission records. A prospective study of 180 nephrotic patients was begun in 1966 and ended in 1976 and the clinical, biochemical and renal histological changes were studied. Unlike other studies of nephrotic syndrome in West and East Africa, in which malaria is believed to play an important aetiological part, this study in Durban was done in a malaria-free area. Most of the patients were between the ages of 12 and 30 years. The aetiology of the nephrotic syndrome was undetermined in 94% of the African patients and in 87% of the Indian patients. The most common histological pattern in both racial groups was proliferative glomerulonephritis, followed by membranous glomerulonephritis. Minimal change on light microscopy was rare. This has important implications from the therapeutic aspect because African patients suffering from nephrotic syndrome will not as a rule respond to steroids or cyclophosphamide therapy. An initial diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 110 mm Hg and a low serum complement were more common in proliferative glomerulonephritis. The serum gamma-globulin, though low, was raised compared with the normal serum gamma-globulin, in the white population. A difference in the serum lipoprotein patient between the two races was observed.


Studies on onchocerciasis in the United Cameroon Republic. IV. A four-year follow-up of six rain-forest and six savanna villages. The incidence of ocular lesions. After an interval of four years the same observers re-examined six rain-forest and six savanna villages, using the same standardized techniques. The results of these surveys have previously been reported by area, i.e. rain-forest and savanna. The present paper analyses the incidence of ocular changes by village. In the rain-forest the concentrations of microfilariae in the skin were similar in the six villages and there was, in general, little difference in the incidence and/or deterioration of ocular lesions between these villages. In the savanna the corresponding quantities were much higher in the three more heavily infected villages compared with the three less heavily infected ones. The implications of these findings for the control of blindness due to onchocerciasis in the savanna are discussed.


A form of muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World. Four Ethiopian patients with leshmaniasis affecting the nose or the mouth are described. Leishmaniasis affecting these sites is relatively common in Ethiopia; this resembles South American leishmaniasis but probably results from direct extension from skin lesions rather than from metastatic spread of organisms.


Melioidosis presenting as prostatitis--a case report from Sabah. Previous reports of melioidosis in Sabah are reviewed and a detailed account of a case, presenting as prostatitis, in a 40-year-old British male is given. The history suggested that the organism, Pseudomonas pseudomallei, was transmitted by a fly which entered the eye. Diagnosis was delayed and treatment presented some difficulty, the organism being relatively insensitive to amplicillin and gentamicin. Co-trimoxazole was the most effective, followed by minocycline. Cure was eventually achieved and after four years the patient was fit and normal, except for sterility.


The activities of urinary alpha-esterases in bilharziasis and their possible role in the diagnosis of bilharzial bladder cancer in Egypt. The activities of serum and urinary alpha-esterases were studied in 49 bilharzial bladder cancer patients, 92 bilharzial patients with other, different, urologic diseases and 22 normal healthy controls. Among the group studied, the bilharzial bladder cancer patients showed the highest level of urinary-alpha-esterases and the lowest ratio of serum/urine activity. These patients showed a significant increase in the activity of urinary alpha-esterases as compared with the normal controls or with the other different bilharzial groups. Although a small but significant increase in serum activity was observed in all the bilharzial groups studied compared with the normal healthy controls, no significant difference was found between the bilharzial bladder cancer patients and the other different bilharzial groups. Biochemical determination of urinary alpha-esterases for bilharzial patients revealed a high degree of accuracy for the diagnosis of bilharzial bladder cancer (95.9%), with low falsely positive (3.26%) and falsely negative (4.08%) results. The activity of urinary alpha-esterases in recommended as a screening test for bilharzial bladder cancer.


Coexistent Tk and VA polyagglutinability. Serologic investigations of the red blood cells of two patients indicated polyagglutination as the cause of compatibility problems. Lectin studies to classify the variety of polyagglutination demonstrated the simultaneous exposure of two latent membrane receptors, Tk and VA. It is proposed that different bacterial enzymes were responsible.


Regional blood center automation: computer surveillance of donor blood processing. Computer assistance in blood processing is necessary in large blood donor centers if errors are to be eliminated. Sample identification, recording of data, and use of the computer data file in final labeling are most important.


Filtration of cryoprecipitate: a microscopic assessment of filter depostion. A recent survey indicated that many Canadian hemophiliacs and physicians did not consider it necessary to filter cryoprecipitate prior to infusion. Experiments were performed to demonstrate that no loss of factor activity resulted from filtration of cryoprecipitate through standard blood filters. Furthermore, examination of the material retained on standard and ultrafiltration elements using scanning and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of amorphous and fibrillar proteins that proved to be largely composed of fibrin. This was accompanied by cellular material including intact and disintegrating leukocytes, erythrocytes, and platelets. Nonbiologic material was also discovered, including cellulose and plastic debris. This study emphasizes the need for effective filtration of cryoprecipitate.


Crossmatch compatible blood for patients with anti-P1. Anti-P1 is a cold-reactive antibody often found in the serum of P2 individuals. For the past two years our reference laboratory has encouraged the use of crossmatch compatible blood for patients with Anti-P1 rather than the use of reagent-typed P1 negative units. The authors recently surveyed those hospitals that referred patient samples with anti-P1 to determine the safety of blood selected in this manner. Nineteen patients received 53 units without incident using this procedure. This report is a summary of the authors' findings.


Stability of neutrophil-releasing activity of plasma obtained from leukapheresed rats and stored at 4 C. When granulocyte-donor rats were treated prior to pheresis with plasma obtained from previously leukapheresed rats (PPP), granulocytosis and a significant increase in granulocyte yield were observed. Previous studies have demonstrated that such plasma stored at -150 C for up to two weeks preserved the neutrophil-releasing activity. This study demonstrates that neutrophil-releasing activity was satisfactorily preserved when plasma from previously leukapheresed rats was stored at 4 C for three weeks.


Supportive granulocyte transfusion in the infected severely neutropenic patient. The patterns and types of infection in 93 infectious episodes in 76 patients who received supportive granulocyte transfusions are presented. In this population of infected patients 86 per cent had debilitating malignancies, 88 per cent of the infectious episodes were associated with severe (less than 100/microleters) neutropenia and septicemia was documented in 56 per cent. The overall four-week survival was 71 per cent. Patients with localized infection did extremely well. Pediatric patients also responded well to the transfusion dose and schedule. Older patients (greater than 60) and patients over the age of 17 with diffuse infection did not do as well. Delay in the initiation of granulocyte transfusions after a diagnosis of serious infection was a significant factor in the group which died less than four weeks after the initial WBC transfusion. Donor reactions in nylon filtration leukapheresis and problems associated with administration of nylon filter cells are presented and discussed.


The clinical significance of anti-H in an individual with the Oh (Bombay) phenotype. To evaluate the clinical significance of anti-H present in individuals with the Oh (Bombay) phenotype, red blood cell 51chromium survival studies and related serological tests were undertaken in an Oh (Bombay) individual. A small sample of group O donor red blood cells was labeled with 51chromium and infused into the patient. The T 1/2 of the infused cells was six minutes, with two percent of the cells surviving at 24 hours. A similar study using the patient's own labeled red blood cells demonstrated 100 per cent survival at 24 hours. Initial laboratory studies indicated that the anti-H was active in saline at 4, 22 and 37 C and by the indirect antiglobulin test. Analysis of the antibody in both preand posttransfusion specimens showed it to have both IgM and IgG components. The anti-H titer at 37 C rose from 1:4 prior to the infusion of the O cells to 1:32 one week postinfusion, and a partial hemolysin appeared. Saliva inhibition studies demonstrated that the antibody was neutralizable prior to the group O exposure but was not neutralizable one week post exposure. We conclude that the anti-H present in this individual rapidly destroyed infused group O red blood cells. Individuals with the Oh (Bombay) phenotype should be transfused only with Oh (Bombay) blood.


Factor VIII procoagulant and antigen content of antihemophilic factor (AHF) concentrates. Antihemophilic factor concentrates from six manufacturers were studied for factor VIII procoagulant and antigen content. Marked lot-to-lot differences were found in the factor VIII antigen:procoagulant ratio. The average antigen content was 2.33 times that of procoagulant activity in 21 lots studied, indicating a significant loss of activity during the fractionation process.


Plasma factor VIII, variables affecting stability under standard blood bank conditions and correlation with recovery in concentrates. Some of the variables affecting factor VIII during storage of plasma at 4 C prior to preparing factor VIII concentrates and cryoprecipitates were investigated. No significant difference in factor VIII levels could be demonstrated between whole blood, platelet-rich plasma or plasma depleted of platelets when stored at 4 C. However, in frozen plasma platelets were shown to have a deleterious effect on factor VIII. No significant difference in factor VIII levels was found in whole blood or plasma stored at 4 C for 6 hours as compared with blood or plasma stored for 18 hours (p = greater than 0.1). There was, however, a highly significant difference (p = less than 0.001) between plasma and whole blood stored at 4 C for 4 hours as compared with storage for 18 hours. There was a significant correlation (correlation coefficient 0.714) between factor VIII levels in the starting material and the factor VIII recovered in cryoprecipitates, but in a small pilot study no correlation between factor VIII levels in the starting material and that recovered in freeze-dried concentrates, could be found. There was no significant difference in factor VIII levels between the Group O and Group A donations used in this study (p = greater than 0.1), and no correlation was found between the drop in pH during storage and the factor VIII decay pattern.


Notes on the Ena and U antigens of Ena(En.OP) heterozygotes, and the U antigen of En(a--) individuals. Using two anti-Ena antibodies, from which anti-Wrb had been removed, and anti-U antibodies, the authors have failed to demonstrate any difference in the amounts of Ena and U antigens on the red blood cells of individuals with one and two functioning Ena(En.OP) genes. Two En(a--) samples, one from an individual who is En/En (En.op/En.op) and the other En/Mk (En.op/Mk), could not be distinguished from U-positive samples from individuals with two functioning U (U.OP) genes in dosage studies with anti-U.


Glomerular lesions in patients with Schistosoma haematobium infection. In order to investigate the prevalence and type of glomerular lesions in patients with overt Schistosoma haematobium (S H) infection, renal biopsies obtained from 13 patients were studied by light microscopy (in 13), ultra-structural (in 9) and immunofluorescence (in 11) techniques. Renal function was normal in all patients, only two had mild proteinuria. Glomerular deposits were absent in four patients. Electron microscopy showed in four cases an increase of the mesangial matrix with subendothelial deposits in the mesangial area. Subepithelial deposits were also present in one of these cases. Associated or isolated deposits of IgM, IgG, Clq, C3 were identified in the glomeruli of seven patients. Attempt to detect schistosomal antigen by using a high titer human anti-SH conjugate serum was unsuccessful. The relation between the glomerular lesions observed and schistosomiasis and other parasitic diseases is discussed.


Prospects of schistosomiasis in the proposed Lake Mtera in Tanzania. Pre-impoundment studies were conducted to determine the present and future schistosomiasis situation in the proposed man-made lake at Mtera, Tanzania. The population, at the time of the survey scattered in small villages, was estimated at 2000 people. The figure fluctuates with seasons and is higher during the rainy season when fishermen from the neighbouring districts go to the area to fish in the Ruahas. The bilharzia prevalence rates were low in the actual area to be under water but high in the neighbouring village of Kisima. Bulinus (Physopsis) nasutus snails were collected from several places in the area. The potential for other vectors and of the disease in the future Lake Mtera is discussed.


Kala-azar among labour migrants in Metema-Humera region of Ethiopia. A semi-prospective study of clinical and laboratory data of kala-azar was made in 27 patients from Metema-Humera lowlands in north-west Ethiopia. Most patients were labour migrants. A high mortality rate (55.6%) was found in these labourers in spite of therapy with pentavalent antimonials. We suspect that kala-azar in this region is a zoonosis and believe that the clinical picture is similar to that of the Sudan.


Burkitt's lymphoma of the spinal cord.

Burkitt's lymphoma of the spinal cord. The clinical pattern of Burkitt's lymphoma of the cord seen in 20 patients over a five-year period is reported. The age incidence suggests that involvement of the spinal cord occurred in the older child when compared to the child with the jaw tumour. In contrast to the remarkable survival in children with Burkitt's lymphoma of other sites, the results of treatment of of cord involvement have been disappointing. Surgery did not alter the downhill course of the disease.


The oogram as a sensitive method of assessing the effect of dietary deficiency on the parasite in experimental Schistosomiasis mansoni. Effects of malnutrition on Schistosoma mansoni worms harbored by groups of chronically infected malnourished mice were assessed by four different methods: oogram technique, liver egg count, measurement of worm lengths and the number of surviving worms. Compared with the other methods the oogram technique showed several advantages. It seems to be the method of choice for conducting such studies at the chronic stages of the disease. Unlike other methods each of which offers only one parameter of measurement, it provides three parameters and is the only method that is apparently capable of detecting residual effect of severe malnutrition on the parasite under the experimental conditions. Since the oogram technique has not been in common use in nutritional studies, it is suggested that its use in combination with some of the existing measures would enhance the scope of findings from such studies.


Thyroid hormone levels in Nigerians living in endemic goitrous and non-goitrous areas. Serum thyroxine (T-4) levels, triiodothyronine (T-3) sponge uptake and free thyroxine index (FTI) were determined in Nigerians living in endemic goitrous and non-goitrous areas. T-4 and FTI values in inhabitants of the non-goitrous area were found to be significantly higher and T-3% sponge uptake values significantly lower, than those from the goitrous area. The range of T-4 levels for normal subjects falls between 4.0 and 13.5 Ug%, that of T-3% uptake between 21.0 and 35.0 and that of FTI values between 1.25 and 4.60.


Freshwater snail consumption and angiostrongyliasis in Malaya. A survey of the freshwater snails, Pila scutata and Bellamyia ingallsiana, as food consumed by the local population was carried out in Peninsular Malaysia. Of these two species the first is preferred; the sizes favoured are between 25--40 mm. Pila snails were found to be consumed by the three communities, viz. Malay, Chinese and Indian, in different ways. The various methods of preparing the snails for consumption are described. P. scutata is an intermediate host of the rat-lung worm, Angiostrongylus malaysiensis. As this worm presumably is the causative agent of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, the eating habits of the three races in consuming the snail in relation to the epidemiology of the disease was also discussed.


Bowel habits in Ugandan villagers.

Bowel habits in Ugandan villagers. Enquiry has been made into the bowel habit of 1245 rural Africans of Uganda. The range of normal bowel habit in the village African may be defined as between one and four bulky motions daily of stool that is soft or loose in consistency. This confirms the prevailing impressions; however, other aspects of the bowel habit were at variance with current opinion, and similar to findings from surveys of western populations.


Ocular cysticercosis in India.

Ocular cysticercosis in India. Ocular cysticercosis is frequent in Andhra and Tamilnadu states of India due to the unhygienic habits of local people. The conjunctiva is the commonest site of ocular involvement in India while the vitreous and the retina are the usual sites of pathology elsewhere.


Machakos Project Studies. Agents affecting health of mother and child in a rural area of Kenya. VI. The social and hygienic environment. As part of an investigation into determinants of health and disease in children below five years old, a household survey on social and hygienic conditions was carried out in the Machakos Project area. This paper deals with the field methodology of the survey, the selection of variables from the material collected and the differences between the eastern and western parts of the area in respect of the variables selected. In later issues of the Machakos Project Studies, the data obtained will be related to those from other cross-sectional surveys as well as to findings on morbidity and mortality in the child population.


Epidemiology of poly-parasitism. IV. Combined effects on the state of health. The assessment of morbidity caused by chronic parasitic infections in the populations of endemic areas has remained difficult and controversial. Contributing to this predicament is the frequent occurrence of multiple infections with agents that can cause a wide range of clinical manifestations, from the frequent symptomless carrier state to overt disease with more or less specific clinical manifestations. In the interpretation of the complex morbidity patterns found in rural populations of tropical countries, it is often difficult to make a clear determination of cause and effect. The situations is further complicated by the low degree of pathognomicity of the clinical manifestations of even the advanced stages of certain parasitic diseases. The paper gives examples that illustrate the interaction between endemic malaria and schistosomiasis as important causes of hepatosplenomegaly. Also shown in the paper are the inter-relationships between the nutritional status and the number of multiple infections with parasites found in African villages as well as the association between habitual coca leaf chewing, malnutrition and hookworm disease in a Peruvian community of mixed ethnic origin. The paper describes micro-epidemiological features of poly-parasitism by comparing the prevalence and intensity of infection with Onchocerca volvulus, Schistosoma mansoni and S; haematobium between sub-groups in the village population who have different sources of domestic water supply. In two African villages with endemic schistosomiasis where mass treatment will be administered, only 25% of the residents with parasitologically confirmed S. haematobium infection and 12% of those with S. mansoni had single infection; the remaining majority had at least one additional patent parasitic infection of public health importance.


Serum immunoglobulin concentrations in human S. mansoni and S. haematobium infections in the Sudan, with special reference to the effect of chemotherapy. The serum immunoglobulin concentrations of IgG, IgA and IgM were studied in 111 selected Sudanese patients with S. mansoni infections and 48 with S. haematobium infections before and 6 weeks after successful treatment with hycanthone; 52 local individuals were studied as controls. Both IgG and IgM were found to be significantly raised in S. mansoni patients compared with controls, while only IgG was significantly raised in patients with S. haematobium infection. S. mansoni patients with the hepatosplenic and splenic forms had higher IgG and IgM levels than those with the intestinal and hepatic forms. No relationship could be established between the levels of immunoglobulins and parasite loads. A rise in IgG was noted in 60% of patients with S. mansoni infection 6 weeks after successful treatment with hycanthone whereas IgM decreased.


[On the occurrence of human paragonimiasis in Ecuador (1972--76) (author's transl)]. During 1972 and 1976 316 cases of human paragonimiasis were stated in the following provinces of Ecuador: 19 cases in El Oro, 16 cases in Los Rios, 74 cases in Pichincha, and 206 cases in Manabi. 153 patients were males and 163 females. For localization of the probable origin of the infections the data of 192 patients could be utilized. The home villages and towns of these persons have been marked on a map. The majority of the patients were between 10 and 29 years of age. The youngest case was 4 years, the oldest 75 years old.


Babesia rodhaini: passive protection of mice with immune serum. Immune serum delayed the onset of parasitemia in both intact and splenectomized mice, but it neither prevented the development of Babesia rodhaini infection nor protected the mice from death even with further supplementation of immune serum during the infection. The protective antibodies in the serum are more effective in their action on free B. rodhaini parasites than on infected erythrocytes; the parasites (free or inside the red cells) being direct targets for the antibodies. Passive administration of the immune serum seemed to inhibit the active development of the host's own immune response. B. rodhaini, unlike Plasmodium berghei, produces surface changes in the membranes of infected erythrocytes and therefore on incubation of infected erythrocytes and therefore on incubation of infected erythrocytes in immune serum there is either entry and subsequent interaction of antibodies with the parasites within the erythrocytes or there is action of antibody with antigen in the erythrocyte membranes. The effect of immune serum on parasitized erythrocytes is greatest when the parasitized cells incubated in immune serum were administered with additional amounts of immune serum, indicating the ability of the immune serum to extend its action in vivo.


Free plasma amino acid profiles of normal and Trypanosoma vivax infected sheep. The free amino acids in the plasma of normal and Trypanosoma vivax infected sheep and also in the trypanosome organism per se were determined. Threonine, asparagine, methionine, tyrosine, citrulline, ornithine, histidine, arginine and urea were significantly decreased in the plasma of infected sheep. Alanine was significantly elevated in plasma of infected sheep. Valine, isoleucine, leucine values were also elevated in the plasma of infected sheep, although not at significant level. Taurine was present among the amino acid profile of T. vivax organisms and also in the plasma of normal and infected sheep. The significance of the amino acid changes in terms of host and T. vivax metabolism is discussed.


The identification of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in Liberian pigs and dogs by isoenzymes and by resistance to human plasma. 29 Trypanozoon stocks from Liberian pigs and dogs were screened for human plasma resistance and electrophoretic isoenzyme patterns of eleven enzymes. Two stocks from pigs were found both to be resistant to human plasma and to have an isoenzyme marker, a slow alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) pattern, previously found only in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense from man. This constitutes evidence that the pig is a reservoir of human trypanosomiasis in West Africa. The T.b.gambiense ALAT was also found in stocks from 5 other pigs and a dog, but none of these stocks was resistant to human plasma; conversely, 9 further isolations from pigs and 2 from dogs were plasma resistant but did not have the T.b.gambiense ALAT. The lack of correspondence between the two characteristics is discussed. A T.b.gambiense stock from man in Zaire had the ALAT pattern characteristic of T.b.gambiense from Senegal and Nigeria, together with the ASAT triplet found in most T.b.gambiense stocks. Peptidase polymorphism was shown in trypanosomes for the first time.


A preliminary trial of nifurtimox in the treatment of onchocerciasis. Nifurtimox tablets were given at a dose of 15-20 mg per kg bodyweight daily for 5 days to 14 patients with onchocerciasis in the savanna of Cameroon. In general the therapy was well tolerated. During the course there were no clinical signs of microfilaricidal effects. 6 patients were re-examined after an interval of 8 months. The microfilarial load had decreased in 3 patients, while it was unchanged in 2, and increased in the last. There was no improvement in ocular lesions. These preliminary results suggest a possible effect on the adult parasite, and further trials are justified.


Acid phosphatase activity in the larval stages of Onchocerca volvulus developing in the vector Simulium damnosum. The staining patterns of acid phosphatase activity of the various larval stages of Onchocerca volvulus from experimentally infected Simulium damnosum s.l. have been described. The enzyme activity was localized in the anal vesicle/pore area of the first-stage larva, in the anal vesicle and intestine of the secong-stage larva and all over the body in the third-stage larva. Early third-stage larvae could be differentiated from late third-stage infective larvae by the presence of pronounced enzyme activity in the rectum area of the former. There were no detectable differences in the staining patterns between the forest and Sudan-savanna strains of O. volvulus developing in S. damnosum.


[Ultrastructural changes in rat hepatocytes with diabetes and insulin administration]. Ultrastructural alterations in rat hepatocytes were studied at different periods following injection of alloxan. Visible increase in the size of mitochondria, decrease in development of rough endoplasmic reticulum and proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum elements have been found. These alterations increased with time after alloxan injection and were accompanied by the appearance of lysosome-like bodies and autophagic vacuoles in hepatocytes cytoplasm. Repeated administration of insulin normalized the ultrastructure of hepatocytes of diabetic animals.


[Changes in the ultrastructure and functional parameters of rat adrenal cortex cells in the course of reparative regeneration]. On the tenth and twenty-first days after bilateral enucleation of adrenal  glands of Wistar rat-males their regeneration and mitochondria have been studied biochemically and with the electron microscope. The signs of transformation of glomerular zone cells into cells of lower gland zones have been found. The process of vertical zone transformation for glomerular cells remained under the gland capsule after the operation is shown to be accompanied by functional cell reconstruction. During the process of cell differentiation the adrenal gland cells are supposed to function by means of golocrinical secretion of some of the regenerated cells.


[Inheritance of certain quantitative and qualitative traits in a system of diallele barley crosses]. Unequal inheritance of characters, i.e. flower glume colour, degree of lateral spikelets development, hairy rechis of the ear, were observed in diallel crosses among the varieties Nutans 244, Trumpf, DZ-02389, Hiproly and Brachitic. Recessive inheritance was marked for short rachilla hairs. The dominant effect of genes for the leaf length and overdominance for the plant height were ascertained. The partial dominance for the number of internodes and leaf width was found. The character of the upper internode length did not correspond to additive-dominant model.


[Ineffectiveness of the back cross method in selecting hemp for heterosis]. In the back crossings the heretability caused by the additive effect of the genes predominates. The selection on the characters controlled by the additive genes leads to the homozygosis increase of the population and to the reduced vitality of the plants. The repeated crossing of the heterozygous hybrid plants with the parental form homozygous according to the recessive gene increases the quota of the genes of the latter. It results in the intermediate type of inheritance for all the elements of the back crossing hybrids productivity.


[Capillary ultrastructure and permeability in the posterior lobe of the rat pituitary]. The ultrastructure of capillaries and their permeability to horseradish peroxidase and ferritin in rat posterior pituitary has been studied. The capillary wall is formed mainly by flat endothelium penetrated by regularly situated fenestras. The majority of organelles is concentrated in the perikaryon. Caveoles and pinocytotic vesicles are not numerous except for some perikaryons where they are concentrated along the basal surface. Intracellular clefts are interrupted in the regions of fusion of the outer osmiophilic layers of membranes of neighbouring endothelial cells. Horseradish peroxidase and ferritin penetrate partly from the capillary lumen into the pericapillary space: the majority of markers penetrate across the fenestras and the minority--within pinocytosis vesicles. The former way is more rapid than the latter. Ferritin penetrated into the cytoplasm is captured by lysosomes.


[Study of structural changes in muscle fiber contractile proteins using polarization ultraviolet fluorescent microscopy. IV. Several features of the conformational changes in F-actin during muscle fiber relaxation]. Using the polarized ultraviolet fluorescent microscopy in the presence of a fluorescence quencher (acrylamide, NO3-) it has been shown that actin tryptophanyls are oriented with their short axes perpendicular to the long axis of the thin filament. Fluorophores in hardly accessible sites of the macromolecule have a more pronounced anisotrophy of orientation in comparison with those in the protein sites easily available by a fluorescence quencher. During the muscle fiber relaxation, conformational changes of F-actin take place which embrace seemingly the sites of subunits, close to the surface of macromolecule, and make difficult the penetration of univalent ions and neutral molecules deep into the protein macromolecule. Some connection between conformational changes of the surface areas of F-actin subunits and the actin incapability of combining with HMM in the presence of ATP is assumed.


[Proliferative activity of normal and tumorous plant tissues cultivated in vitro]. Proliferative pools of Helianthus tuberosus L. explants tissues were studied using autoradiography with 3H-thymidine in the course of normal growth in vitro and tumorous growth induced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. It is determined that on the 3d or 4th day of tumorous transformation the number of cycling cells reaches 30% whereas that of normally growing explants showed 10-11%. No changes were observed in 3H-thymidine transport during this period.


[RNA synthesis in the isolated nuclei of nerve cells treated with acetylcholine]. Acetylcholine modified the incorporation of radioactive precursors 3H-uridine-5-triphosphate, 14C-uridine and 14C-cytidine in RNA of nuclei isolated from the rat brain. This modification has two tendencies: either the activation or the suppretion. The character of the nuclear reaction depends upon the season and animal population. In the presence of actinomycin D (5.10(-5) M), acetylcholine does not influence the precursor incorporation into the nuclear RNA. In the system that involves nuclei+soluble cytoplasmic fraction acetylcholine exerts an effect that is opposite to that when the nuclei are alone. These results suggest that acetylcholine action is mediated by a cytoplasmic factor. Actinomycin D in the presence of cytoplasmic fraction did not influence effects of acetylcholine.


[Genetic mechanisms of the stimulating effect of mutagenic factors on the growth and development of plants]. Small doses of mutagenic factors were studied as applied to plant growth and development. It is found out that the stimulation effect is not the same in the laboratory and field experiments and is essentially modified by the environmental conditions. An opinion is advanced that nonspecific derepression and supression of genes are responsible for mechanisms of the mutagenic factors stimulating action. It is emphasized that the method of presowing irradiation in seed growing should not be applied.


[Ability of cells in tissue culture to recover from damage caused by chemotherapeutic drugs]. The repair of potential lethal damages was investigated in the LL cell line induced by some chemicals. Three different chemical compounds were used. An inhibitor of DNA synthesis--hydroxyurea, an alkylating agent--methylnitrosourea, and an antibiotic intercalating in DNA--actinomycin D. It was shown that damages induced by hydroxyurea could be repaired. Unlike, the repair of damages induced by methylnitrosourea and actinomycin D was not observed.


[Determination of the period of sex cell sensitivity of the chick embryo to the action of estradiol benzoate]. The sensitivity period of chick embryo sex cells to estradiol-benzoate was determined using injection of the hormone into eggs on days 5, 6, 7 or 8 of embryonal development. The hormone influence on the change or reproduction rate in 9 day old embryos was determined by thymidine autoradiography. The hormone injection on days 5, 6 and 7 causes an essential gonade reformation and increase of the proliferation rate of sex cells in genetically male embryos. The hormone injection on the 8th day did not change the sex cell reproduction rate but in some degree stimulated the reproduction of germinative epithelium of the left gonades in male embryos. A conculsion is made on the existence of a period of sensitivity in the sex cells to the effect of female sex hormone limited by 7 days of embryo developmnet.


[DNA synthesis in the Purkinje cell nuclei of the chick embryo cerebellum in the process of their differentiation and morphofunctional specialization]. Single injections of 3H-thymidine was introduced into chick embryos on days 10, 13 and 15 of development. The label incorporation into the cell nuclei was determined on days 13--20, i. e. during differention and specialization of the Purkinje cells, with the complete absence of their proliferative activity. 3H-thymidine was incorporated in 5.2--38.5% cases. The labeling index and labeling intensity increased with ageing, which is in direct correlation with the increase of DNA content in the nuclei, and with the number of cells having increased DNA contents. It is concluded that the synthesis observed is not a premitotic or reparative one, and that it is closely related to the process of cell defferentiation and specialization. On the basis of our and literature data, the question of non-proliferative replicative DNA synthesis (DNA hyperreplication) in the nuclei of neuronal cells, and especially in the Purkinje neurons, is discussed. In the authors' opinion, this phenomenon is necessary condition for the realization of differentiation and specialization processes in the cell population of developing organisms.


[Effect of cyclic nucleotides and histone fractions on mitochondrial respiratory and phosphorylating activity]. CAMP in the wide range of concentrations (3.10(-7)--10(-3) M), cGMP (10(-6)--10(-5) M) and dibutyril-cAMP (3.10(-6) M) produced no effect on oxidative phosphorylation of rat liver mitochondria. Among histone fractions (H1, H3 and H4) tested, the arginine-rich fraction H3 (18 microgram/mg of mitochondrial protein) produced a strong uncoupling effect. It is supposed that the effect of cAMP on oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria may be carried out indirectly through activation of protein kinase, phosphorylation of histones, and their release into the cytoplasm.


[Effect of sodium and calcium ions on glutamate and glutamine oxidation by rat brain synaptosomes]. 5 mM oxidative substrates and 0.15 mM Ca(2+) being used, different effects of Ca(2+) on the oxidation are possible, such as an additional inhibition of glutamine oxidation and an additional activation of glutamate oxidation. A decreased Na+-ion concentration in the medium inhibited synaptosomal respiration with glutamate as a substrate. With glutamine as a substrate oxygen consumption does not change.


[Effect of enucleation on the structural and functional state of the cytoplasm in L cells]. The viability of cytochalasin-enucleated L-cells (cytoplasts) was investigated using autoradiography in addition to fluorescence and electron microscopy. L-cells were enucleated according to a modified Prescott's method (thermostabilized centrifugation, low centrifuge acceleration). Relatively mild conditions of enucleation permitted us to prolong the life-span of cytoplasts up to 24 hours. Soon after enucleation, the disaggregation of polyribosomes in cytoplasts takes place, reflecting, apparently, m-RNA degradation. The cytoplasts are shown to be able to live for 1--2 days with a completely stopped protein synthesis. Acridin orange staining and ultrastructural investigation showed lysosomal hypertrophy in senescent cytoplasts. The death of cytoplasts is suggested to be due to disruption of lysosomes.


[Tissue-specific inhibition of DNA synthesis by contactins, factors that possess tissue-specific adhesive activity]. Highly purified factors extracted from the liver and lungs of adult rats, tissue-specifically increasing the stability of intercellular contacts and of cell plasma membranes to mechanical disruption, were found to decrease, in the same manner, the labeling index (LI) in explants of the embryonic tissue of mice. The comparison of the action of these factors on the LI, and on mechanical properties of the tissue has shown that the latter effect is manifested earlier than the former one.


[DNA replication in HeLa cells after gamma irradiation. I. The period of DNA replicative synthesis after the irradiation of cells in the G1 phase with gamma rays in large doses]. HeLa G-63 cells irradiated by 5 krads of 60 Co-gamma-rays during their G1-period pass through the S-period of the same interphase just as do non-irradiated cells: the kinetics of labeled cells upon a 30 min incubation with 3H-TdR (radioautography) is the same for both irradiated and non-irradiated cell populations; the rate of 3H-thymidine incorporation during the S-period upon a 3H-TdR continuous incubation is the same for both the cell populations; the mean DNA content per nucleus of irradiated cell is doubled after the S-period (cytophotometry). With increasing the radiation dose (from 10 to 30 krads), the rate of 3H-TdR incorporation into cells falls, and the S-period is prolonged.


[Use of the MUF-5 microspectrophotometer for enzymatic and chromatographic research on a microscale]. The use of MUV-5 as a recording microspectrophotometer for enzymatic and chromatographic analysis on miscroscale is proposed. The tuning of MUV-5 for working with a thermostated microcuvette is described. A microspectrophotometric method of the assay of lactate dehydrogenase activity in a single ovum of the mouse according to the kinetics of enzyme reaction is described.  The proposed method allows to analyse the enzyme quantity 470 times as small as that which can be measured with SPh-16. A method for chromatographic separation of RNA with poly-U-sepharose column is described. The use of MUV-5 for the procedure of chromatographic separation of poly-RNA permits to reduce the amount of RNA in the assayed sample to 50 ng.


[Active transport of organic acids in the proximal tubules of a surviving rat kidney normally and under certain actions. I. The effect of temperature, aeration conditions and Na ions]. The transport of a marker organic acid (fluorescein) in the intact proximal tubules was studied with the aid of contact microfluorimetry of the surface of surviving rat kidneys. The kinetics of transport at 20 and 37 degrees obeys to the Michaelis-Menten equation. The increase of oxygen content in the gas phase, from 21 to 100%, results in raising V max by 1.7 times, with an apparent Km being unchanged. With the 100% oxygen content taken as a gas phase, the fluorescein transport rate is maximal at 37--40 degrees, the temperature raising from 20 to 37 degrees results in decreasing Km by 4.5 times and in increasing V max by 45%. Both Na-free medium and the addition of strophantin K inhibit fluorescein uptake at temperature higher than 25 degrees only. At 37 degrees the omission of Na+ from the bath medium inhibits the fluorescein transport via Km augmentation with Vmax being unchanged. Thus, active transport of fluorescein is Na+-dependent in physiological range of temperature and the motive force of the transport is an electrochemical Na+-gradient created by means of Na+, K+-ATPase operation.


["Extracyclic" DNA synthesis and the accumulation of total protein and hemoglobin in erythroid series cells in anemia in pigeons]. Two types of biosynthetic processes associated with cytodifferentiation underlie the "reserve" erythropoiesis of pigeons during anemia: 1) cells rapidly increase their nuclear DNA amount up to the level of 4c, whereas the total protein remains at the initial level; furtheron, cells double also their protein amount, and then enter into the phase of differentiation and specialization; after having hemoglobin accumulation they divide; 2) a limited increase of DNA amount takes place up to the level not exceeding 130% of the initial level; in this case a synchronous increase of the hemoglobin amount is detected in the cell. The first type processes provide the accumulation of the specific product and the accelerated increase of the number of erythrocytes in the population. The second way is aimed only to the accumulation of the specific product in a greater amount.


[DNA replication in HeLa cells after gamma irradiation. II. The periodicity of DNA replication in the process of giant cell formation]. HeLa G-63 cells irradiated by 5 krads of 6 degrees Co gamma-rays 1.5--2 hours after mitosis (G1-phase) were incubated in growth medium during 9 days. The number of proliferating and eliminated cells, the content of DNA per cell nucleus, and kinetics of the labeled cell fraction upon 3H-TdR continuous incubation were studied. It has been concluded that: during the giant cell growth the nuclear DNA is replicated periodically without following mitoses; 90% of cells are involved in such a cycle; the duration of the period of DNA synthesis in giant cells is the same as that in non-irradiated cells; the duration of the gap between two successive S-periods in giant cells is 2--6 times as long as the sum of G2+M+G1 periods in the normal non-irradiated cells.


[Change in the state of the lysosomes in isolated Kupffer cells and hepatocytes in the process of liver reparative regeneration]. Using hepatectomized rats, it was shown that immediately after a partial liver removal the Kupffer macrophages were accumulated. At the maximal mitotic activity (36 hours following partial hepatectomy), the relative amount of Kupffer cells keeps low, but 72 hours later turns out to be higher again. The periodic changes of the Kupffer cell amount in hepatectomized rats  are accompanied by remarkable increase (by 1.5--3 times) of free and total lysosomal enzymes (acid DNAase, DNAase, cathepsin D). The activation of the Kupffer macrophage lysosomes goes ahead of labilization of hepatocyte lysosomal membranes. The blockade of mononuclear phagocyte system by means of carbonate iron in an early prereplicative period leads to an as long as 10--12 hours retardation of hepatocyte proliferation. The role of the Kupffer macrophages in reparative liver regeneration is discussed.


[Change in the specific functions of cells under the influence of antibodies]. Antibodies against the nucleic fraction are capable of activating specified functions of hormone-producing cells. Stimulation of hormone production may occur even when protein synthesis is blocked by puromycine. A possible mechanism of the action of antibodies against the nucleic fraction of endocrine gland cells is a derepressing of enzyme system responsible for biosynthesis of specific hormone substances.


[Restoration of the reproductive capacity of irradiated hematopoietic tissue in cultivation]. The reproductive power of the blood forming tissue of irradiated rats (450 rad), cultured in diffusional chambers in vivo, has been followed for 30 days. The cultivation of bone marrow of the control donors did not change the intensity of ultra-violet fluorescence, compared to the similar cells in situ. The differentiation capacity of bone marrow, taken from animals irradiated half a year before, became weaker in diffusion culture conditions. These changes coincided in time with the appearance of some abnormalities in blood forming tissue of the irradiated animals.


[Independence of tumor cell affinity for lung tissue from its interaction with unfixed macrophages]. The selection of tumor cells for their affinity to pulmonary tissue significantly enhances their ability to invade and proliferate. The intraveneous inoculation of these cells into mice increases the number of animals bearing tumour clones and the number of clones per animal. The adduction of unfixed macrophages by means of intramuscular injection of BGG, which is known to increase the implanted tumour growth, did not increase either the percentage of animals bearing tumor cell clones or the number of clones per a lung, in our experiments. The affinity of tumor cells to pulmonary tissue obviously does not depend significantly on the interaction with unfixed macrophages. We assume that the selection of tumor cells for their affinity to pulmonary tissue is not necessarily connected with changes in their antigenous properties for recipient animals.


[Variability in chlorophyll accumulation and the structure of the chloroplasts in the daughter strains of the phenotypically yellow mutant Y-4 of Chlamydomonas reinhardi]. The analysis of a group of recombinant strains of phenotypically yellow mutant Y-4 Chlamydomonas reinhardii has shown a considerable variability in displaying the degree of pigmentation. Chlorophyll "a" is the first to accumulate in chloroplasts. Chlorophyll "b" was found in strains when the content of chlorophyll "a" reached 1% of its concentration in cells of the wild type, The occurrence of spectral forms of chlorophyll "a" at 661, 667, 678, 685, 698 and 703 does not correlate with its quantitative accumulation. Variability in pigment accumulation is accompanied by changes both in the structural organization of the membrane system of chloroplasts and in the functional activity of photosystems. The degree of development of chloroplast structure in the group of recombinant strains varies from the formation of vesicules  to well developed tilakoids and their arrangement in grains.


A second study of the use of community leaders in case-finding for pulmonary tuberculosis in Kenya. This is the second study of case-finding activities for tuberculosis suspects undertaken in 2 locations of Machakos District. Three methods were investigated, namely (1) the requestioning of the Community Elders 1 year or more after a first questioning in the original study, (2) the examination of patients registered in the District Tuberculosis Register from 1969--1974 and (3) the examination of their close contacts. Requestioning the Elders produced a total of 421 suspects, 129 (31%) of whom had not been identified a year previously. The yield of freshly identified smear-positive, culture-positive cases was 0.7 per 100 suspects examined and of all culture-positive cases was 1.7. However, all the smear-positive and 1.0 per 100 of the culture-positive cases were old patients who had previously been registered in the District Tuberculosis Register. Of the 181 patients with tuberculosis in the Register bacteriological results were available for 97; of these 6 were smear-positive, 9 culture-positive--yields of 6.2 smear-positive, culture-positive cases per 100 registered persons examined. The corresponding yields for the 63 persons who had been registered as having pulmonary disease were 9.5 and 14.3. Of the 9 culture-positive, 7 had strains resistant to isoniazid, but all were sensitive to streptomycin. The examination of the 628 close contacts of the registered patients produced only 3 culture-positive cases, none of whom was smear-positive--a yield of 0.5 culture-positive cases per 100 contacts examined. All 3 strains were sensitive to isoniazid and streptomycin.


A study of a standardised contact procedure in tuberculosis. Report by the Contact Study Sub-Committee of The Research Committee of the British Thoracic Association. A standardised procedure in contacts of patients with all types of newly diagnosed tuberculosis was undertaken by the British Thoracic Association Research Committee to assess the present relevance of contact examination in Britain. The results suggest that the tracing and examination of contacts remains a worthwhile procedure, resulting in the detection of significant numbers of previously unsuspected cases of tuberculosis in the contact population. The yield of new cases of tuberculosis is very similar for the Asian and non-Asian (mainly British) communities, namely 3.4% and 3.6% respectively, of the close contacts examined. The yield of new cases is about three times as great as the above percentages when the index case is positive on sputum smear, and about a third as great when the index case has non-respiratory tuberculosis. The examination of close contacts represents a larger workload in the Asian communities, where there are about five close contacts per index case, compared with about three in the other communities. Most close contacts were diagnosed at initial examination, but contacts of Asian index cases had an appreciable morbidity on re-examination at one or two years, as did the close contacts of smear-positive index cases of other ethnic groups. Prior BCG vaccination has a protective effect in both populations and chemoprophylaxis seems to be used infrequently in close contacts at high risk. All close contacts should be examined once. Close contacts of Asian index cases with respiratory disease, and close contacts of smear positive non-Asian index cases should be examined annually for at least two years; BCG vaccination or chemoprophylaxis should be considered in these groups. Casual contacts need be examined only if unusual exposure to a highly infectious case has occurred.


Sarcoidosis in Ethiopia.

Sarcoidosis in Ethiopia. Six cases of sarcoidosis seen within a period of 12 months are described. They presented variously with cutaneous, lymphatic, pulmonary, hepatic, splenic, skeletal and nervous manifestations. These 6 cases are the first to be reported from Ethiopia. A review of the archives of the Pathology Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, showed there had been 23 cases confirmed by skin or lymph node biopsy in the past 2 years. A survey of the literature concerning sarcoidosis in Africa reveals very few reported cases, but it seems likely that there are many others which are not recognised.


Tuberculous pleural effusion: clinical patterns and management in Nigerians. A study was carried out on 167 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion. It was found that tuberculosis is the commonest cause of pleural effusion in Nigerians, forming 56% of the 300 cases which were reviewed. The clinical and radiological features are described and the characteristics of the fluid are discussed. The pleural fluid was predominantly lymphocytic in 83% of cases, the glucose concentration was less than 50 mg/100 ml in 54%, and M. tuberculosis was cultured from only 12%. Pleural biopsy was found useful in the diagnosis in 53% of cases. The management and prognosis of tuberculous effusions are briefly discussed. Six of the 167 patients died despite chemotherapy, but all of them were moribund at the time of admission to hospital.


Activity of amikacin, erythromycin and doxycyline against Mycobacterium chelonei and Mycobacterium fortuitum. The activity of amikacin, erythromycin and doxycycline was studied against 18 strains of M. fortuitum and 10 of M. chelonei. The agar dilution technique was used for the evaluation of the minimum inhibitory concentration. Between the three drugs tested, amikacin was the most active, since 66.6% of the M. fortuitum and 80% of M. chelonei strains were inhibited at 12.8 microgram/ml. It is possible that in some circumstances amikacin could be useful in the treatment of infections caused by M. fortuitum or M. chelonei.


Tuberculosis in East Africans presenting with intra-thoracic lymphadenopathy. Seven cases are presented of tuberculosis in East African Asian immigrants. In each case the main feature was enlargement of hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes. This type of tuberculosis is rare amongst adults in Britain. The problems of diagnosis and treatment are discussed.


[Formation of pyruvic and lactic acids in muscles diluted homogenate differing from the generally accepted glycolysis scheme]. When studying formation of pyruvic and lactic acids from fructose diphosphate the effect of dilution is found in the process of muscles homogenate incubation. Pyruvic acid accumulates only in samples with magnesium chloride added. The increase of lactic acid remains constant irrespectively of availability of conditions for pyruvate formation. Phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate form pyruvic acid only in samples with magnesium chloride added without forming lactic acid. It is shown that in the muscles diluted homogenate (25 mg per 6 ml of mixture) lactic acid is formed under conditions unsuitable for pyruvic acid formation. Lactic acid is formed omitting the stages of 2-phosphoglycerate, phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate i.e. in the pathway different from a classical scheme of glycolysis.


[AMP-deaminase activity of rat brain nuclear and mitochondrial fractions]. It is established that purified nuclear and mitochondrial fractions of the rat brain possess a noticeable AMP-deaminase activity. ATP is an effective activator of AMP-deaminase in the both fractions, but this enzyme is also stimulated by hexokinase in the mitochondrial fraction. The ammonia production from ADP in the mitochondrial fraction is connected with the formation on ATP and AMP under the influence of myokinase and subsequent deamination of AMP by AMP-deaminase.


[Studies of rabbit serum albumin with fatty degeneration of liver by thermal perturbation spectroscopy]. Accessibility of tyrosiles in serum albumin of healthy rabbits and those with experimental fatty degeneration of the liver was studied by the termal parturbation spectroscopy. The method determined about 50% of perturbed tyrosiles in albumin of healthy rabbits. Serum albumin of rabbits with fatty degeneration of the liver perturbed 30% of tyrosiles, that evidences for conformational transformations of the rabbit albumin in this pathology.


[Hydrolytic enzymes of rat tissues with adjuvant arthritis]. Tissues of rats with adjuvant arthritis manifested differences in activity and distribution between free, latent and membrane-bound forms of acid catepsins, alpha-D- and beta-D-galactosidases, alpha-D- and beta-D-glucosidases, beta-D-glucorunidase, hyaluronidase, acid phosphatase, arylsulphatases (A+B). Activation of certain hydrolytic enzymes is observed in tissues of the liver, kidneys, heart and spleen: a rise in total activity (of arylsulphatase in the liver and acid catepsins in the spleen; hyaluronidase in the kidneys, beta-D-glucuronidase in the heart) and a change in the ratio of different forms with a simultaneous increase in the activity of free form (of hyaluronidase in the spleen, acid phosphatase in the heart and liver). Inhibition of alpha-D-glucosidase in the liver and beta-D-glucosidase in the spleen is also detected. A decrease in the activity of beta-D-glucuronidase in the spleen is pronounced in a significant decrease in the activity of each enzyme free form with no changes in the total activity.


[Metabolism of homocarnosine and gamma-amino butyric acid in different regions of rat brain under hyperoxia]. The content of homocarnosine, GAMA, histidine, glutaminic acid and activity of glutamate decarboxylase were studied in four regions of rats brain: cerebral hemispheres, midbrain, diencephalon and cerebellum, in norm and under hyperoxia. A considerable decrease in the content of homocarnosine, GAMA and histidine is observed in all the studied regions of the rat brain in the convulsion stage of oxygen poisoning. A decrease in the glutamate  decarboxylase activity is the reason for a drop in the GAMA content. Homocarnosine in the brain is bound functionally with the GAMA level.


[Chemiluminescence of hemoglobin induced by hydrogen peroxide]. A new chemiluminescent hemoglobin (H2O2 + KOH) system is suggested. It is characterized by a comparatively high luminescence intensity. The chemiluminescence is shown to depend on the availability of hemoglobin and H2O2 in a cell. The influence of alkali on the luminescence intensity is established. Since the peroxidizing effect of hemoglobin and its derivatives is based on the reaction of these compounds with hydrogen peroxide, the suggestion was made to study this complex process, from kinetics of chemiluminescence that arises during the interaction.


[Composition and enzymic activity of cytoplasmic proteins in myometrium of female rabbits during pregnancy]. It is shown that on the 27-30th day of pregnancy in the myometrium cytoplasm of female rabbits the content of proteins, the aldolase (EC 4.1.2.7) and lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) activities are increased. Redistribution between fractions of certain lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes is observed: the fraction of LDH4--5 increases and that of LDH1--2 decreases, and the ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) activity lowers as well. A rise in the amount of proteins in the female rabbits myometrium cytoplasm in the last days of pregnancy and the growing fraction of LDH4--5 testify to the myometrium enchanced contractility during the labour.


[Study of hydrolase activity of rat small intestine mucosa with vitamin A deficiency]. The activity of amylase, alkaline phosphatase and lipase in the pancreas, in the mucosa and on the surface of small intestine (turned out segments) was studied for elucidating the effect of vitamin A deficiency on the synthesis of the studied enzymes and their translocation to the surface of glycocalix cell membranes. The activity of amylase is established to increase in the homogenate of the pancreas, intestine mucosa and on the surface of cell membranes. The activity of alkaline phosphatase and lipase in the homogenate of small intestine mucosa and in the pancreas lowers. The results obtained evidence for a disturbance in the intestine digestive function with vitamin A deficiency, the may be connected with the damage of the mucosa membrane structures as well as with a disturbance in the biosynthesis of the protein playing a decisive role in formation of secretory products in cells.


[Carbohydrate metabolism and endogenous hyperlipemia]. The state of carbohydrate metabolism was studied under conditions of endogenous hyperlipemia induced by triton WR-1339. The data obtained testify to the fact that administration of triton WR-1339 to experimental animals intensifies lipogenesis from carbohydrates, that is confirmed by a decrease in the glycogen amount in the liver and by an activation of the pentose-phosphate pathway of carbohydrate oxidation which is important for cells intensely synthetizing fatty acids. Thus, there is a relation between disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism and development of hyperlipemia induced by the triton.


[On cytocidic effect of exogenous modified DNA]. The number of defects of the secondary structure and dispersions of the molecular weights of DNA preparations were studied before and after their gamma-irradiation within a 5-2500 krad range of doses. These results are compared with the ability of the irradiated preparations to induce death of thymocytes irradiated in vivo during their combined incubation in vitro. It is established that the DNA biological activity is a result of the presence in the total preparation of molecule fractions of 5.10(6) or 1.10(6) Daltons with 3 or 50-80 defects of the secondary structure.


[Studies of histone-nonhistone complex]. A chromatin protein complex was isolated from the calf thymus using hydroxyapatite without denaturants. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that this complex consisted of five histones and nonhistone proteins. The complex is stable in 2 M sodium chloride. As the evidence of its stability the results are presented or rechromatography on hydroxyapatite, of gel-filtration on Sephadex G-150 and of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after crosslinking proteins by formaldehyde under mild conditions. It is suggested, that hydrophobic interactions which take place under high ionic strength due to the counteraction of protein charged groups, are among the possible mechanisms. This is supported by partial dissociation of the complex with a decrease in the sodium chloride concentrations in the solution.


[Effect of carbonic acid of different concentrations of the glycolysis processes and tricarboxylic acid cycle in rat liver tissues]. A rise in the carbonic acid and pH level in rat blood determines an increase in oxidative properties of the liver cell cytoplasm. Simultaneously the content of alpha-ketoglutarate, isocitrate, glutamate, alpha-glycerophosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, pyruvate, lactate, malate increases and the level of glucose, glutamine and ammonia decreases. The in vitro experiments showed that the rise in the level of carbonic acid in the incubation medium from 10 up to 40 mM under all the studied values of pH (7.2, 7.4, 7.6) stimulates formation of dihydroxyacetone phosphate, malate, pyruvate, alpha-ketoglutarate (by 1.5-2.0 times). The same regularity is observed for lactate and glutamate at pH 7.4 and 7.6. The increase in the level of carbonic acid under the all studied values of pH produces a 1.5-fold decrease in the ammonia concentration.


[The significance of axial misalignment as a pre-osteoarthrotic deformity, and its radiological assessment]. Pathological misalignment of the axis of the leg in the frontal plane should always be considered as predisposing to osteoarthrosis of the knee joint. This is especially relevant with increasing age. Complete radiological investigation of the leg with the patient standing allows determination of the site and degree of any axial deviation and calculation of the required angle of correction. In the light of these considerations it is apparent that correction of pathological axial misalignment of the leg is not only justified but necessary.


[Corrective osteotomies of the head of the tibia (indications, technique and results) (author's transl)]. The best indication for corrective osteotomy of the head of the tibia is unilateral osteoarthrosis of the knee joint in which the apical angle of the deformity lies in the head of the tibia or in the joint. Full-length radiographs of the leg are indispensable to determine the level of the osteotomy and the angle of correction required. The indications for high openwedge osteotomy of the tibial condyles and high osteotomy of the head of the tibia are discussed, and some of the technical details of the osteotomy and its fixation are described. Between 1970 and 1977, 139 corrective osteotomies of the head of the tibia were carried out in our clinic. Seventy nine adult patients with 100 operated knees were followed up approximately 3.5 years after operation. In 80% there was an improvement with regard to pain and walking distance when compared with the praeoperative state. The results depend on the kind of deformity (varus deformities generally show a better result) and the seriousness and duration of pre-existing osteoarthrosis and laxity of the ligaments.


[Corrective orthopedic surgery following injury to the epiphyses adjacent to the knee joint (author's transl)]. Epiphyseal lesions adjacent to the knee joint may result in disturbances of growth with subsequent changes of leg length and knee axis. Both conditions involving the weight-bearing lower extremities call for correction. Knowledge of the epiphysis' pathophysiology, the case history, and the actual situation compared to the contralateral extremity is the basis of management along with the command of physiologically reasonable as well as technically feasible operations. Final normalisation may be achieved by static correction using modern internal fixation techniques and bone grafts once growth is terminated. Serious axis deviations and leg length discrepancies exceeding 10 degrees and 3 centimeters respectively should, however, be corrected, even if growth is still in progress. It may be possible to eliminate the cause of deformation by removing an epiphysiodesis. Methods to accelerate growth have not been useful clinically. Temporary deceleration of growth by means of epiphyseal staples is justified in certain cases provided close follow-up is possible. Static correction as outlined will also produce the most dependable results if growth is still in progress.