Dermatoglyphs of the inhabitants of the Island of Hvar, Yugolsavia. An analysis of the digito-palmar dermatoglyphs obtained from 231 inhabitants of the Island of Hvar, divided into two groups according to some sociocultural differences, is presented. The quantitative features do not reveal heterogeneity between the groups, while some qualitative palmar dermatoglyphic features are statistically significantly different. The results are discussed in the light of the possible influence of some different evolutionary processes.


GLO polymorphism in Norway.

GLO polymorphism in Norway. GLO phenotype distribution and GLO allele frequencies in samples of the Norwegian population and the Lappish minority of Norway are presented. The GLO frequency is 0.442 in 216 Norwegians, while it is 0.304 in 184 Lapps; the difference is statistically significant. There are furthermore probably differences in gene frequencies between two main groups of Lapps.


In vitro cultivation of human renal cell cancer. I. Establishment of cells in culture. A technique for initiating and propagating epithelial cell cultures of human renal cell cancer and adjacent nontumor kidney is described. Seventy-five percent of the tumors and 79% of the adjacent kidney specimens cultured with this method have shown initial outgrowth and have been subcultured at least once. Two renal cell cancer cultures initiated by this method have now been in continuous culture more than 6 months, have been subcultured 27 and 18 times, and now appear to be stable lines. The ability to establish long-term in vitro cultures of human renal cell cancers will facilitate studies concerning the immunoreactivity, cholesterol metabolism, the isolation of renal-cell-cancer-specific antigens, and in vitro chemotherapy testing and will further our understanding of the basic biology of human renal cell cancer.


Karyology of primary human fetal cell cultures. Cell cultures were established from the biopsies of lung, skin and kidney from each of nine human fetuses, and chromosome analyses were performed on material through the fifth subculture. Kidney cell cultures generally showed a higher level of polyploidy than lung or skin. The frequencies of hyperdiploid cells and those with structural abnormalities were consistent with the low levels found in cultures of human lymphocytes. The data provide a normal cytogenetic baseline for human fetal material which may be useful in a variety of studies.


Proliferative capacity of cell cultures derived from the human placenta. The placenta consists largely of fetal tissue, yet at term it displays histological signs of deterioration not apparent in the fetus. To determine whether the apparent degeneration of the placenta is genetically determined, the life-spans of placental cell cultures and the proportion of placental cells capable of incorporating [3H]thymidine for replicative DNA synthesis in vitro were measured. Under the culture conditions employed, the placental cells were removed from the influence of many extrinsic factors thought to play a role in the degeneration of the placenta in vivo. Cultures of fibroblast-like cells derived from the placenta exhibited a reduced life-span and correspondingly reduced proportion of cells able to incorporate [3H]thymidine for DNA synthesis in comparison to cultures derived from the fetal skin and the maternal decidua. These results suggest that intrinsic cellular processes may be involved in the apparent degeneration of the placenta.


Cellular morphology of human malignant melanoma in primary culture. Early monolayer outgrowths of cells from human cutaneous malignant melanomas mostly derived from metastatic lesions were examined microscopically. Cells resembling the two dendritic types of melanoma previously described in the established lines could readily be recognized. Of 22 specimens, 14 consisted of cells with a triangular dendritic morphology, four had both triangular and elongated dendritic morphology, and one had a cuboidal morphology. The remaining three specimens showed only fibroblastic outgrowths. It is concluded that cells with a triangular dendritic morphology are either the most common type of the secondary cutaneous melanomas, or alternately the most adaptable to the present culture conditions. An association of a more favorable prognosis with the homogeneous triangular dendritic cell type is noted.


Evidence of an extended representation of the visual field in the superior colliculus of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Electrophysiological mapping using multiple-unit criteria was employed to study the representation of the visual field in the superior colliculus of the rabbit. It was found that the contralateral superior colliculus of the rabbit has an extended representation beyond the representation of the zero vertical meridian or the line of decussation in the geniculostriate system. The amount of extended representation in the contralateral superior colliculus is coextensive with the extent of visual field represented ipsilaterally in areas 17 and 18 of the visual cortex. In agreement with previous findings, the representation of the visual field on the superior colliculus is extremely distorted. Finally, no evidence of an ipsilateral input can be produced.


Body temperature and basal metabolic changes during acclimatization to altitude (3,500 m) in man. Oral temperature (Tor), mean weighted skin temperature (Ts), mean body temperature (Tb) and basal oxygen consumption were studied on twelve young men at sea level. Then they were flown to an altitude of 3,500 m and the readings were continued after 24 hours of their arrival and thereafter at four day intervals for a period of 25 days. Thereafter the subjects were flown back and retested at sea level. Oxygen consumption was recorded at weekly intervals only. The changes in body temperature were compared with those of their basal oxygen consumption. The results indicate that there is a slight rise in the Tor on arrival at altitude and thereafter a gradual fall. A steady and continuous fall was recorded in Ts and Tb throughout the stay at altitude. The basal oxygen consumption showed an initial rise which has come back to normal by the third week of their stay at altitude. On retest, the valves of body temperature and oxygen consumption reached their own initial sea-level pattern. The observation suggests that central mechanisms are involved in bringing about a fall in body temperature during altitude acclimatization.


Effect of centrally administered glucagon on urine output in dogs. The effect of minimal doses of glucagon, administered by intracerebroventricular (ICV) and intracisternal(IC) routes, on urine output in mongrel dogs have been studied. The dose of 2.0 mug of glucagon was found to be the minimal dose for diuresis on peripheral administration. This dose when centrally administered, produced an oliguric effect in animals. This effect was not observed in vagosympathectomised-spinal cord transectomised or adrenalectomised animals. It is suggested that the probable efferents might be the sympathetic fibres as they are present in vagi nerves as well in the spinal cord (26). The observations made in an attempt to find out the organ responsible for the oliguric effect, showed that some substance released from the adrenal cortex has an influence on the kidney's excretory function.


Hypothermia dn alphamethyldopa treatment. The hypotensive drug alphamethyldopa, an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, caused significant hypothermia ranging from 33.4 to 34.8 degrees C (t=3.09 at P less than 0.05) in four out of nine hypertensive patients, with evidence of cerebral atherosclerosis. The anti-serotonin effect of alphamethyldopa correlated with statistically significant (t=6.8 at P less than 0.001) fall in the 24 hour urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid on the third day of the therapy. The possible mode of hypothermic side effect is discussed.


Electrocardiographic study of the effect of masturbation normal individuals. An electrocardiographic study of 120 normal individuals of age group between 22 years to 38 years was carried out to observe changes manifested in the electrocardiogram under the effect of masturbation. Twelve-lead electrocardiograms was recorded, E.C.G. were taken twice in all the subjects: (i) before ejaculation, and (ii) after ejaculation. After ejaculation, in electrocardiogram, following changes were observed: (i) increase of QRS-amplitude, (ii) increase of T-wave amplitude, (iii) decrease of heart rate, and (iv) elevation of St-segment. Blooe pressure was also estimated in all the subjects before and after ejaculation. Blood pressure levels increased after ejaculation in all the cases. The fact that any sort of stressful condition may induce the discharge of epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla as well as adrenergic nerve endings, led us to estimate the concentration of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine in plasma before and after ejaculation. The result showed, increase of concentration of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine after ejaculation. Hence epinephrine and nor-epinephrine, were thought to be responsible to cause changes in the electrocardiographic pattern after ejaculation.


Blood ketoacids and its relation to respiratory quotient. The total number of 43 young boys and girls of varying age group between 17-22 years were studied. The levels of blood ketoacids e.g., pyruvate and alphaketoglutarate were estimated spectrophotometrically. The RQ was determined by open circuit method of calorimetry by using Douglas bag for 13 boys and 13 girls and the BMR was estimated by closed circuit method of calorimetry using Collin's metabolex. With the increase of age the RQ and pyruvate were found to increase till the age of 20 years for both the sexes. The increased pyruvate level had a positive correlation with the age for the girls and the alphaketoglutaric acid had no such correlation with age for both the sexes.


Effects of heat-stress in rats, III. On pregnant rats, maternal organs and foetal tissues. Exposure of intact and ovariectomized rats to high ambient temperature (34.4 degrees C, 60-65% relative humidity) resulted in reduction of their body weight, increased water consumption. The feed consumed which was lowered by 25% initially, did not alter later. Intact rats were also subjected to a still higher ambient temperature of 36.6 degrees C and 70 to 75% RH and the effects were observed. When compared with 'controls' no significant changes in the weights of ovaries or pituitary gland were seen due to heat stress in intact rats. But, the latter weighed heavier in ovariectomized rats. Adrenal glands were found enlarged and weighed more both in intact and ovariectomized rats. The average foetal weight due to high ambient temperature in intact rats was lower, but in ovariectomized rats it weighed more. Similarly, the average weight of the placenta was lower in intact rats but higher in ovariectomized rats due to thermal stress.


Studies on the pharmacological actions of Cardiospermum helicacabum. The leaves of the plant "Cardospermum helicacabum" were extracted with different solvents and found to contain largely tannins, saponins and traces of alkaloids. The alcoholic extract was tested for its pharmacological effects on various intact and isolated biological preparations. On the CNS the extract produced depression in near lethal doses. On the CVS the extract produced fall of blood pressure and bradycardia. The fall of blood pressure was antagonised partially by atropine and anti-histamine. On guinea pig ileum the extract produced powerful contraction which was partially antagonised by atropine and anti-histamine. The extract produced mild analgesia as tested by the radiant heat method in rats. It appears to be a proconvulsant in nature as tested by the electroshock method in rats. The extract when administered orally produced significant anti-inflammatory effect in rats as tested by the granuloma pouch and cotton pellet implantation methods.


Plasma monoamine oxidase levels in mammals. Plasma monoamine oxidase (MAO) levels in ruminants and non-ruminants including man are reported. The mean MAO levels in units are, goat 6699.7+/-367.4; cattle 6272.9+/-9.257.4; camel 5166.0+/-666.8; sheep 4831.4+/-543.8; buffaloe 4045.8+/-387.3; rabbit 837.0+/-19.3; dog 441.8+/-55.5 and man 20.0+/-2.8 respectively.


Studies on the physiology and biochemistry of female genital tract of albino rats: response of uterus, cervix and vagina to two different dose ratios of estrogen and progesterone. Effect of two different dose ratios of estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) (1:1000; 1:10,000) on the morphological and biochemical response of the uterus, cervix and the vagina of ovariectomized estrogen pretreated rats was studied. It was observed that the dose ratio of E & P at 1:1000 did not produce any remarkable ponderal and histological changes from that seen under the influence of estrogen alone. Whereas, in the dose ratio of E & P at 1:10,000 progesterone appeared to inhibit the effect of estrogen. The biochemical response of the uterus, cervix and vagina, however, varied from each other in both the dose ratios.


Antagonism of anthracene-9-carboxylic acid as screening test for muscle relaxants. Veratrinic response produced by anthracene-9-carboxylic acid in mice has been used as a model for studying effect of variety of drugs which induce muscle relaxation. None of the drugs listed as general depressants, central muscle relaxants, neuromuscular blocking agents and anti-convulsants were effective even at doses causing 100% loss of righting reflex. Local anaesthetics/direct acting muscle relaxants were effective. This simple model employed in conjunction with Straub's tail test can differentiate various categories of muscle relaxants and their mechanism of action.


National Health Survey Systems in the European community. This paper is based on the report of a conference held in October 1975 to discuss the possibilities for collaborative action between countries of the European Community in conducting various forms of health survey. Health interview surveys offer the principal opportunity for such action, and it may be possible to incorporate health questions into multi-purpose international surveys. Health examination surveys are less likely to be developed widely in the immediate future. Hospital in-patient discharge records are collected routinely in many countries, and further international cooperation seems feasible. These possibilities are now being kept under continuous review by a working party.


Problems in the assessment of blood pressure: the Framingham Study. The reliability of casual blood pressures for reflecting blood pressure status and predicting cardiovascular sequelae of hypertension was examined in the Framingham cohort of 5209 men and women followed for 18 years. Blood pressures were more variable in persons with higher levels. After controlling for pressure level the degree of variability in an individual at one point in time did not correlate with the degree of varability at another time. Although a single casual measurement does not afford a precise characterization for an individual it was found to be highly predictive of future cardiovascular disease. A series of blood pressure measurements (averaged) improved the predictability somewhat but this seemed to be fully explicable by the  greater stability of an average of several measurements as against a single measurement.


The world distribution of gallstones.

The world distribution of gallstones. This paper presents two maps summarising all available published data on the world distribution of gallstones as recorded from autopsy studies. It is suggested that further autopsy studies are required, especially in Asia, Russia, the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries and South America. Such studies could be readily carried out and would contribute to our understanding of the aetiology of gallstones.


Acute bacterial meningitis: where do children die? The case-fatality rate for acute bacterial meningitis in childhood is still disappointingly high. A review of 687 cases of acute bacterial meningitis including 72 deaths, identified in a defined population of children under ten years of age, was done to determine where patients were treated and where they died. Ten per cent of all hospital admissions were to infectious-disease hospitals, 16 per cent to teaching hospitals, and 74 per cent to general, non-teaching ("regional-board") hospitals. The case-fatality rates associated with these hospitals were three per cent, three per cent and 11 per cent respectively. The difference between regional-board and other hospitals was smaller, although still present, when children who died within a few hours of hospital admission were excluded from the analysis. Twenty-two per cent of all deaths (10 children who died outside hospital and six who were certified dead on admission) occurred before specialist care was reached. It may be possible to reduce the mortality from this disease by improving facilities for treatment in some hospitals. There is, however, an important residue of deaths--those which occur before hospital care is reached and, no doubt, some of those which occur soon after hospital admission--which would be unaffected by such improvements.


Estimation of risk as a function of risk factors. This paper describes a model which makes allowance for unequal follow-up times in estimating the risk as a function of risk factors. It is the usual exponential model with an instantaneous risk which is assumed to be an exponential function of the risk factors. Computing methods and an extension of the model are given.


The impact of city surveillance teams in Bangladesh during the smallpox eradication campaign. Some of the methods of distribution and collection of information in the city of Dacca, Bangladesh during the Smallpox Eradication Campaign are described. The use of surveillance teams and exchange of information between the city and surrounding countryside are emphasized.


Variola minor in Bragança Paulista County, 1956: overall description of the epidemic and of its study. An overall description of the epidemic of variola minor (alastrim) affecting Bragança Paulista County (Brazil) in 1956 is given. A total of 484 cases were recorded for 210 households, one hotel and one boarding school. At least 95 per cent of the households with cases of the disease in the capital city were surveyed and 90 per cent of the households in the rural districts. An orphanage, an old folk's home, the County jail and 10 schools operating in the capital city and some other social groups without cases were also surveyed, as well as 125 households without cases but with one or more contacts with the disease. An overall attack rate of 1924 cases, 267 cases and 781 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was obtained, respectively, for the capital city, the rural environment and the whole County. Clinical, epidemiological, serological and environmental surveys were conducted. Evidence on identification of the epidemic disease is presented. Study of the epidemic was made at these levels: the disease itself (frequency and severity); the disease in the individual (association of characteristics of persons with occurrence and clinical severity of variola minor); the disease in social units (occurrence and spread in households and school classes); the disease in small communities (occurrence and spread in housing projects, city blocks and farms); the disease in two large communities with contrasting socio-economic characteristics (the capital city and the rural environment); and the disease in the County as a whole.


Chickenpox--a disease predominantly affecting adults in rural West Bengal, India. Outbreaks of chickenpox were observed every year from 1970-74 in a small West Bengel village. The cases did not follow any definite pattern and were scattered throughout the village each year, occurring between March and June. Sixty-three per cent of cases occurred in people over 15 years old; the mean age at which infection took place was 23.4 years. The attack rate in susceptible children below the age of eight was very low. The transmission of the disease even in contact families was very low, although most families lived in small one-room houses. Epidemiological interference is suggested as a possible cause of the low infectiousness of this otherwise highly-communicable disease.


Studies of arboviruses in Southwestern Venezuela: I. Isolations of Venezuelan and Eastern Equine Encephalitis viruses from sentinel hamsters in the Catatumbo region. The purpose of this report is to describe isolations of Venezuelan (VEE) and Eastern (EEE) Equine Encephalitis virus made in the lowland moist tropical forest of the Catatumbo region on the southwestern part of the State of Zulia, Venezuela. We have isolated four strains of EEEV from sentinel hamsters exposed at Caño Mocho and Madre Vieja sites in 1973 and 1974, and three strains of EEEV in Hacienda (Hda.) Las Nubes in 1975. Both viruses were recovered during silent interepidemic periods and we believe these viruses are maintained in this region in sylvatic conditions. The recovered virus strains were detected within 24 to 48 hours, both in SMB and Vero Cell monolayer cultures and the sentinel hamsters yielded virus infectivities up to 10(4) PFU ml. Our VEEV isolate (IVIC PAn 23645-47), recovered during the silent interepizodemic period had an elution profile on the hydroxylapatite column corresponding to that of a I-D (VEEV-3880) or a I-E (VEEV-63A216) 'enzootic' subtype. However, considering other in vitro criteria (KHI; HA pH 5.8-6.0; small plaque size in Vero monolayers with suitable overlay media), this later and other previous isolates had some very distinct properties of the 'epizootic' strains. Thus, the evidence suggests that in Venezuela the VEEV cycle in nature is maintained either by the so called 'enzootic' and/or 'epizootic' virus types, or the virus population of the isolates have particular in vitro properties which do not correlate to the virulence markers in vivo. We consider this important question must be further clarified, and in addition, the isolation of three strains of EEEV are reported; this is the first report of the presence of this virus in Venezuela. Although the EEEV isolates may be of the South American type, they must be considered as potentially dangerous in the case of outbreaks.


A simple method for estimation of thiamine in foods using base-exchange on sand instead of Decalso. Sea-sand obtained from two different areas (Madras and Bombay) in India showed that sand of 50-80 mesh from Madras had a satisfactory capacity to adsorb thiamine, and that the elution of the adsorbed vitamin was quantitative. With Bombay sand, however, the elution of the vitamin was not efficient. A few simple methods that can be used for testing sands from different areas for their efficacy as base-exchangers were described, and details were given of a method for the estimation of thiamine in cereals and legumes using sea-sand in place of Decalso for the removal of the interfering substances from the food extracts.


Nutritional studies of 3,5-dimethyoxy salicylic acid (antithiamine) on rat as well as on the growth of S. aureus. 1. The growth of rats treated with 3,5-dimethyoxy salicylic acid was retarded in comparison to that of normal rats. 2. The free cholesterol level of plasma of rats treated with 3,5-dimethoxy salicylic acid diminished while the pyruvate level of erythrocyte under the same condition increased in comparison with their normal levels; but on administration of thiamine both the cholesterol and pyruvate levels became normal. 3. The growth of a thiamine dependent strain of S. aureus was retarded when the organism was incubated in the medium containing 3,5-dimethoxy salicylic acid and this growth can be restored with the supplementation of thiamine in the medium.


Nutritional studies on long-term surgical patients with special reference to the intake of vitamin B12 and folic acid. A nutritional survey performed in 46 elderly long-term surgical patients in an orthopedic ward showed that, although a sufficient hospital diet was served, the intakes of vitamin B12 were borderline, while the intakes of folate were inadequate inmost patients. Low energy intake combined with a high consumption of titbits in bedridden patients was assumed to be responsible for this malnourishment.


Nutritional status of pantothenic acid in Indian pregnant and nursing women. Investigations on nutritional status of pantothenic acid were carried out in 57 pregnant women and 24 lactating mothers belonging to the low socio-economic group. Fourteen non-pregnant, non-lactating women from the same group served as controls. Pregnant subjects had blood levels of the vitamin comparable to those of the control group while cord blood contained significantly higher concentrations of patnothenic acid than did the maternal blood. The urinary excretion of the vitamin in pregnant women was comparable to that in the control group. Blood and milk levels of the vitamin in the nursing women were in the reported range.


Pre-intestinal stability of beta-carotene in ruminants. The stability of beta-carotene in the rumen contents of cows, calves and sheep was investigated in vitro and in vivo. Incubation tests with rumen liquor consistently showed that carotene was relatively stable, less than 10% losses being found under a wide variety of incubation conditions and with different sources of carotene. There was no relation between the small carotene losses and the extent of fatty acid hydrogenation. Rumen liquor samples taken from a fistulated cow over a 24 h period after the feeding of alfalfa meal had a nearly constant ratio of carotene to unsaponifiable matter. Carotene was injected into the rumen of a ram after surgical ligation of the pylorus. The recovery of carotene from the combined contents of the reticulo-rumen, omassum and abomasum 24 h later amounted to 89% whereas vitamin A palmitate, under the same conditions, yielded a recovery of 70%. It is concluded that little carotene is lost normally during its passage through the pre-intestinal part of the alimentary canal of ruminants.


Low utilization of carotene by sheep.

Low utilization of carotene by sheep. The apparent digestibility of beta-carotene was determined in Awassi rams by means of balance trials. In a first series carotene was supplied per os in constant daily amounts ranging from 2.88 to 8.52 mg in the form of pelleted alfalfa meal or as a water-dispersible synthetic preparation. The supplements were given with a basal low-carotene ration composed of barley, soybean meal and straw and supplying 82 mug carotene daily. Fecal recoveries for the carotene supplements ranged from 92 to 98%, whereas the unsupplemented basal diet yielded a recovery of 28%. In a second series single doses of carotene in various carriers were introduced into the abomasum of fistulated rams. With an aqueous carotene dispersion fecal recoveries were close to 90%. When dissolved in triglycerides, carotene yielded less than 50% recovery in the feces, and free fatty acids and monoglycerides gave intermediate values. Additional tests with 3H-labelled carotene revealed that the low fecal recovery of carotene given in oil was not due to improved absorption but to degradation of carotene in the lower intestinal tract. This was confirmed by measurement of blood radioactivity. The results show that carotene from different sources and with intakes bordering on minimum requirements is poorly absorbed by sheep. It is suggested that the peculair physiology of digestion in the ruminant creates unfavorable conditions for the efficient micellar solubilization of nonpolar lipids in the upper small intestine.


[Vitamin A and carotene concentration in serum in persons with chronic conjunctivitis and pterygium]. In 41 persons with chronic conjunctivitis, 28 persons with pterygium and 61 eye-healthy persons the Vitamin A and carotene blood level have been examined. All persons with chronic conjunctivitis and pterygium have subjective eye disturbances. In persons with chronic conjunctivitis the vitamin A blood level was lower (men 32 mcg%, women 20 mcg%). In almost all persons with chronic conjunctivitis and pterygium delayed dark adaptation was recorded and the skin-mucosal changes are more frequent.


The effect of selenium or vitamin E supplementation on volatile fatty acid content of rumen liquor in sheep fed a purified diet. Twelve crossbred wethers, four per diet, were allotted at random as follows: (1) purified control diet; (2) purified diet plus a weekly oral dose of 1 mg sodium selenite per sheep; (3) purified diet plus a weekly oral dose of 1000 l.U. vitamin E. The wethers were maintained on the diets for six months. Weight gains during the initial 140 days of the experiment were significantly greater in selenium (Se)-supplemental sheep than in the others. The rumem liquor from the untreated sheep contained lower proportions (molar %) of acetic acid than from the Se or vitamin E-supplemented sheep and had higher butyric acid concentration than the Se-supplemented sheep. Concentrations of acetate, butyrate and valerate were higher in vitamin E than in Se-supplemented sheep. In addition, the concentration and molar percent of isovaleric acid was significantly higher in Se-supplemented sheep than in the other sheep.


The effect of ubiquinone-7 and its metabolites on the immune response. III. The effect on the immune response to sheep erythrocytes and DNP-Lys-Ficoll in mice. The effects of Q acid-11, Q-7 and vitamin A palmitate on humoral immune response to two different types of antigens were examined. Particulate T-dependent antigen (SRBC) and T-independent antigen (DNP-Lys-Ficoll) were used to study the mode of action on immune system. Sodium-salt of Q acid-II (Q acid-11 Na) in the form of saline solution or water-in-oil emulsion showed suppressive effect on the direct and indirect PFC responses when administered simultaneously with SRBC. The suppressive effect of Q acid-II Na, however, was not observed when Q acid-II Na was administered two days before immunization. When Q acid-II Na was administered one day after immunization, the suppressive effect of Q acid-II Na was diminished and the level of PFC response was nearly equal to that of the control group. On the other hand, Q acid-II Na, Q-7 and vitamin A palmitate markedly enhanced the immune response to DNP-Lys-Ficoll (T-independent antigen). From the comparison of these humoral immune response, their modes of action are discussed.


Liver regeneration in rats administered high levels of carbohydrates. Partially hepatectomized male rats were administered high levels of carbohydrates by drinker, in a casein-cellulose synthetic medium and in a commercial meal over a period of 10 days after surgery and the amount of liver regenerating or the increment ascertained; representative hepatic glycogen changes were also followed. Of the carbohydrate solutions, 5% levulose, 5% levulose+5% glucose and 10% sucrose increased the extent of liver regeneration as was also the case with the synthetic diet suplemented with 30 and 60% glucose, 30 and 60% levulose, 30% levulose+30% glucose, 30% each of galactose and the arabinoglactan, Stractan and 60% each of sucrose, honey and unsulphured molasses. The liver increments and glycogen contents were in the control range for animals fed the synthetic diet containing 30% each of lactose, sorbitol, corn starch and raffinose pentahydrate, 5% ascorbic acid and 15% L-arabinose but the liver glycogen was depressed with 30% xylose, a diet which was poorly tolerated; 15% mannitol caused a decrease inthe increment. The incorporation of several sugars into the commercial rat meal, including xylose (11%), raffinose (15%), L-arabinose (8%), D-arabinose (5%), L-sorbose (17%), galactosamine (0.20%) and galactono-gamma-lactone (10%), led to little change over the control increments. In intact rats fed the synthetic diet containing 30% each of glucose, lactose, galactose, sucrose and levulose for an interval of 10 days, the wet and dry liver--body weight ratios were significantly elevated only with the last two sugars but liver glycogen was increased in each instance.


Effect of dietary palmitate, stearate, oleate and linoleate on the tissue lipid and systolic blood pressure of the rat. The nutritional effects of palmitate, stearate, oleate and linoleate were correlated with the percentage of each fatty acid in the dietary lipid but were found to be largely independent of the total amount of fat in the diet. Increasing the proportion of linoleate in diet fat to levels as high as 52% of the fat, increased theproportion of fat observed in the carcass. Increased linoleate and/or oleate resulted in increased concentrations of cholesterol in body fat deposits. The maximum weight of the perirenal fat pads occurred when diet fat contained about 43% oleate and 19% stearate. Increasing the stearate decreased the cholesterol concentration in plasma. The systolic blood pressure was decreased slightly when the amount of diet fat was increased.


[Technic and dosage of zinc injections for studies on metabolic efficiency]. When rats are supplied with zinc by the diet, absorption interferes with the determination of the efficiency of utilization of zinc in metabolism. In studies on the metabolic efficiency of zinc it was therefore attempted to by-pass the step of absorption by i.m. or i.v. injection and, at the same time, to determine the appropriate dosage for these zinc injections. For that reason, young male rats, after 20 days of zinc depletion were injected i.m. or i.v. in five different dosages of ZnCl2 solutions and their gains in live weight were followed. It was found that higher zinc doses given i.v. were lethal to rats, whereas they were tolerated when given i.m. The better metabolic efficiency of zinc, indicated by comparatively higher live weights of the i.v. injected groups, could be seen even at the lower i.v. zinc dosages. Therefore, based on the results of the present experiment, a dose of 0.4 mg zinc is proposed for the i.v. injection to study the metabolic efficiency of zinc in rats.


Effect of Ovulen-50(ethynodiol diacetate 1 mg and ethynyloestradiol 0,05 mg) on protein, nucleic acids and nucleases in the rat liver. Treatment of adult female rats with Ovulen-50 (ethynodiol diacetate 1.0 mg and ethynyloestradiol 0.05 mg--one tenth tablet per day) led to a small but significant fall in total protein, RNA and DNA content of the liver. Alkaline and acid DNAse activity also tended to decline, whereas alkaline RNAase tended to show a marginal rise after twentyfour days of treatment.


The effect of lithium on food intake in rats. The influence of lithium on ingestive behavior and body weight was studied in male and female rats. Single i.p. doses of LiCl (3.6-7.2 mmol/kg) reduced both food intake and water consumption. Repeated large doses of LiCl given intraperitoneally caused a prompt anorexia and delayed polydipsia as well as weight loss, effects that were much more pronounced in male than in female rats. Small doses of LiCl on the other hand, increased food intake and body weight during long-term treatment. The findings indicate that an increase in food intake can account for the increased body weight sometimes seen in rats given lithium.


A simple method of delineating between the antrum and corpus of the stomach, part 1: A comparative study in rats. A comparative study was performed in rats to find the fastest and most reliable method for delineating the corpus-antrum boundary using alcohol, betazole and electric vagal stimulation in conjunction with Congo red. This study demonstrated that electric vagal stimulation is the fastest and most reliable method.


Diazepam in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. Preliminary observations. Three patients, aged 23-33 years, with the diagnosis of schizophrenia, developed symptoms of tardive dyskinesia while receiving neuroleptic treatment, mostly with haloperidol. Existential problems and emotional upset seemed contributory. Diazepam was found effective in controlling dyskinesia. Its therapeutic effect seemed not to be related to sedation. Some implications of the reported observations are mentioned.


Influenza virus: association of mouse-lung virulence with plaque formation in mouse kidney cells. In genetic recombination experiments with the mouse-lung-adapted human influenza A/Engl/1/61 (H2N2) and an avian influenza strain A/Rostock/34 (FPV) (Hav1N1) which is avirulent for the mouse lung, recombinants in which hemagglutinin and neuraminidase were either segregated (Hav1N2; H2N1) or not segregated (Hav1N1) were selected. The recombinants were studied for mouse-lung virulence and their ability to propagate in mouse kidney cells, mouse embryo fibroblasts, chick embryo kidney cells and chick embryo fibroblasts. An association between plaque formation in mouse kidney cells and mouse-lung virulence was found.


In vitro translation of polyribosome-associated RNAs from tobamovirus-infected plants. RNAs associated with polyribosomes in plants infected with the U2 strain of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) or with sunnhemp mosaic virus have been isolated. Most are about 0.35 X 10(6) daltons in weight. They translate efficiently in vitro to produce their respective coat proteins which were identified by their serological behavior and peptide composition. They also reassemble in vitro with coat protein. The coat protein of sunnhemp mosaic virus reassembles more quickly than that of TMV U2.


Patterns of shedding of human reovirus-like agent in gnotobiotic newborn piglets with experimentally-induced diarrhea. Virus shedding patterns of neonatal gnotobiotic piglets infected with the reovirus-like agent of human infantile gastroenteritis were studied. Fecal viral counts were highest before or at the onset of diarrhea. In diarrheic piglets, viral particles were usually observed for only 1-2 days after the onset of diarrhea, and total duration of shedding was 2-6 days. One infected piglet shed virus for 4 days but did not develop diarrhea. The presence of virus at or about the time of illness is consistent with the induction of diarrhea in piglets inoculated with the human reovirus-like agent.


Translation in vitro of artificially produced fragments of a tobamovirus genome. Particles of the U2 strain of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) were partly disassembled by SDS, treated with RNases and then phenol, and yielded RNA molecules one quarter to half the size of the intact virus genome. These molecules, when translated in vitro, produced the coat protein of the virus. Reassembly experiments indicated that the active messenger molecules were those that most rapidly reassembled with coat protein; the rate of reassembly was greatly diminished by treatment with spleen phosphodiesterase. Particles of sunnhemp mosaic virus (the bean strain of TMV) resist disassembly by detergent much more than those of the U2 strain of TMV.


Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Fifty-five patients underwent thorough laboratory and clinical investigations for pancreatic cancer. The disease was diagnosed in 32 patients. Thirty of these plus three others who did not undergo the sequence of tests underwent exploratory surgery. Pancreatic cancer was found in all. The high diagnostic accuracy was mainly due to the secretin test. We used Dreiling's technic for this test, which we think is the most popular and accurate technic.


On the nature of the difference in the densities of the particles of two tobamoviruses. Particles of sunnhemp mosaic virus (SHMV) are denser than those of the U2 strain of tobacco mosaic virus (T2MV) when their densities are estimated by equilibrium centrifugation in gradients of either cesium chloride or Metrizamide; in cesium chloride the densities are 1.318 and 1.307 g/ml, and in Metrizamide they are 1.249 and 1.240 g/ml. Experiments with particles reassembled from homologous or heterologous mixtures of the RNAs and coat proteins of the viruses show that the difference in their densities is determined by their coat proteins. The disassembled coat proteins of the two viruses have the same density, but polymerized SHMV protein is less dense than polymerized T2MV protein. Particles reassembled from homologous or heterologous mixtures of the RNAs and coat proteins of the viruses have the density of the nucleoprotein particles used as the source of protein. The density difference of the two virus nucleoproteins therefore reflects the different behavior of the two proteins on assembly with RNA.


Synchronization of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus replication in cowpea leaves. A technique that 'systemically inoculates' cowpea leaves with cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) is described. The upper leaves of cowpea plants are maintained at 10 degrees and allowed to become infected with inoculum from lower leaves maintained at 32 degrees; when the whole plant is shifted to 25 degrees, synchronous virus replication starts in the upper leaves. Following the shift to 25 degrees, no infectivity could be detected during the first 6 h, after which the infectivity increased exponentially between 8 and 20 h and linearly between 20 and 72 h. The time-courses of effectiveness of different inhibitors occurred sequentially and at different times during the infection. An actinomycin-D-sensitive step occurred at 10 degrees, prior to the shift to 25 degrees. A 2.0 mM guanidine-sensitive step occurred between 4 and 20 h and a cycloheximide-sensitive step occurred between 12 and 48 h after the shift to 25 degrees. When the upper leaves were maintained at 5 degrees while the infected lower leaves were at 32 degrees, viral inoculum did not move into them. However, rapid systemic infection occurred during the first 6 h after a shift of the whole plant to 25 degrees.


Cytological evidence supporting the inclusion of poplar mosaic virus in the carlavirus group of plant viruses. The filamentous particles of poplar mosaic virus (PopMV) were detected in palisade, mesophyll and parenchyma cells of systemically infected leaves of Nicotiana clevelandii and N. megalosiphon. The particles were sometimes found scattered throughout the cytoplasm, but more often they occurred loosely associated within ovoid aggregates (up to 3.5 x 1.5 mum) adjacent to chloroplasts and/or mitochondria. PopMV did not induce the formation of 'pinwheel' inclusions, nor other conspicuous ultrastructural or cytopathic effects in infected cells. These observations provide additional evidence that PopMV is a Carlavirus and not a Potyvirus nor a mite-borne virus. PopMV particles were also detected occasionally within plasmodesmata.


Solar heating and cooling.

Solar heating and cooling. Solar energy is discussed as an energy resource that can be converted into useful energy forms to meet a variety of energy needs. The review briefly explains the nature of this energy resource, the kinds of applications that can be made useful, and the status of several systems to which it has been applied. More specifically, information on solar collectors, solar water heating, solar heating of buildings, solar cooling plus other applications, are included.


Optimal control of artificial aeration in river networks. Under suitable conditions, artificial in situ aeration is an appropriate and economical method of alleviating water pollution. Regional planning for the control of water pollution can properly consider the use of artificial aeration on a river network in conjunction with other pollution abatement techniques. Application of optimization methods can yield significant savings in the aeration energy consumption required to produce a given level of impact on a polluted river network. The confluence of two rivers, each receiving effluent discharges and subject to artificial aeration control, is first investigated. It is shown that the optimal feedback aeration strategy in one branch of the river system not only depends on measurements of the water quality in that branch, but also on the water quality measurements in the second branch. With these results as the foundation, the optimal aeration control strategy is then determined for a generalized river network modeled as a graphical tree. Various properties of the optimal aeration policy are illustrated by computational examples.


Evaluation of environmental dispatch strategies. Several strategies have been proposed for the dispatch of electric power according to environmental objectives. These environmental dispatch strategies are of significance to the power industry because of the current national concern with environmental quality. Historically, power system generation has been scheduled (dispatched) to minimize cost. In the mathematical programming formulation cost is then the objective function. However, in an environmental dispatch strategy, the objective is the minimization of an environmental or an environmental-economic function. Inherent in all environmental strategies is the utilization of system generation diversity, both in the operational and geographic sense, and it is to be expected that "cleaner" generating units, i.e., those that emit less pollutants, be utilized more fully under these strategies. An important application of environmental strategies is the control of SO2 emission from fossil-fired units. In this paper a methodology is presented to evaluate environmental strategies for SO2 control through computer modeling. Application of the more promising environmental strategies to a realistic power system is presented and preliminary results are compared with regard to environmental and economic effects. The economic dispatch strategy is used as the reference case.


[The nonspecific epifocal Malek-Mansour immunotherapy of malignant cutaneous melanoma using DNCB]. This is a report on first experiences with epifocal DNCB therapy of Malek-Mansour in metastases and primary tumors of melanoma. Clinical, histological, and fluorescencemicroscopical documentation of six cases with melanoma metastases and twelve cases with primary melanomas, treated epifocally with DNCB (solution or ointment) are given. Metastases of melanoma react variably to DNCB, whereas primary tumors especially flat forms the SSM with or without invasion, usually disappeare totally after four to twelve DNCB applications. The results of Malek-Mansour et al. could be confirmed. During the DNCB treatment, which does not require a preceding sensibilization, initial caustic effects, chemosurgical effects, and a longterm "immuno-chirurgical" effect must be distinguished. An apparent immunological effect of treatment is shown by the therapeutical reaction of non-treated metastases. A sensitization to DNCB occurred also in all cases of older patients. Recurrences of melanoma, which could be due to the new method of therapie, did not occur within 18 months.


[Clinical experience with the 8-methoxypsoralen-UVA therapy (photochemotherapy) of psoriasis]. Seventy patients with various forms of psoriasis were treated topically and orally with 8-MOP and UVA in high or low intensity treatment units. Most of the patients were treated with the oral route. Treatment modalities, age distribution, and medical history of psoriasis are compiled. The present investigations are based upon experiences with three treatment units, a horizontal box, a stand-up box, and a hand-foot-box. The mean exposure time and the mean duration of treatment are compared. Advantage and disadvantage of oral vz. topical 8-MOP-UVA-therapy are discussed. The typical treatment-schedule with determination of minimal phototoxic dose, initial treatment and maintenance irradiation are described. Side-effects are reported. A careful selection of patients for PUVA-therapy is stressed. Possible long-term side-effects are considered.


[Improvement of the patch-test reading through contact thermography]. The evaluation by contact-thermography (with heat sensitive cholesterinester crystals) of patch tests for contact dermatitis is an important aid to detect weak positive or false negative reactions. In addition, it facilitates the interpretation of patch tests in dark skin persons. The number of diagnosed cases of contact dermatitis can be increased by about 10% without increasing the expenditure of time on the part of the patient or the physician.


[Malignant lentigo on glans penis. Differentiation using a new method]. A lentigo maligna melanoma on the glans penis and the orificium urethrae is described. From the clinical point of view a superficial spreading melanoma as well as a lentigo maligna could be considered as differential diagnoses. The flat part of this lesion, however, was a lentigo maligna when investigated using a lightmicroscope and especially fluorescence-microscope. In the lightmicroscope only single heavily pigmented and dendritically branched cells could be seen in the basal parts of the epidermis. The definite shape of the other tumor cells was not identifiable. With the fluorescence microscope, however, in nearly all fluorescing and atypical pigment cells, dendritic branching clearly was present.


[Pyoderma gangrenosum with IgG-paraproteinemia in plasmacytoma]. A 61 year old patient suffered from pyoderma gangraenosum combined with IgG-paraproteinemia and plasmocytoma. In recent years several papers mentioned the existence of paraproteinemia in patients with pyoderma gangraenosum. Until now only in two cases the association with plasmocytoma were reported. This is the third case of pyoderma gangraenosum combined with plasmocytoma.


[Definition of unusual hair roots in the trichogram]. Some uncommon forms of dystrophic hair roots, stimulating club hairs, "dysplastic anagen hairs" or catagen hairs, are demonstrated.


The relationship between drug education programs in the Greater New Haven schools and changes in drug use and drug-related beliefs and perceptions. This study presents a broad epidemiological approach to evaluation of drug education. Data on adolescent drug use and on drug-related beliefs and perceptions, collected yearly over a three-year period in 33 schools in the Greater New Haven area, were analyzed in relation to information on drug education programs in these schools. Changes in the general prevalence rates for the study period (1970-1973) and with age were the background against which the effects of the independent variable--presence or absence of specific drug education activities in the various schools--were explored. While the overall evidence suggested that drug education does not have a strong, across-the-board influence on either drug use rates or beliefs and perceptions, more modest and specific effects were noted which have implications for drug education.


The effectiveness of drug education programs: a critical review. Twenty-seven studies were reviewed to determine whether school-based drug abuse prevention efforts have succeeded. Most of the studies reviewed either did not examine program impact on actual drug using behavior or were not designed with a degree of scientific rigor sufficient to warrant acceptance of their findings as valid. Those studies leading to reliable results regarding program effect on drug use were contradictory in their conclusions. In view of the possibility that educational efforts aimed at drug abuse prevention may be counterproductive, it is suggested that school-based programs henceforward be designed and conducted as experiments with controlled manipulation of relevant variables.


Asymptomatic gonorrhea and pregnancy.

Asymptomatic gonorrhea and pregnancy. A 4 year survey of a low socioeconomic prenatal population in a large outpatient clinic revealed an incidence of 4.4% gonorrhea by cervical culture. These patients who were culture-positive had a 7.6% perinatal mortality rate compared to a 3.0% perinatal mortality rate among culture-negative patients from the same clinic. The immaturity and prematurity rate was significantly higher in the culture-positive group as was the incidence of premature rupture of the membranes and prolonged premature rupture of membranes.


Cervical gonorrhea in women using different methods of contraception. Cultures were made from the cervix, rectum, and oropharynx of 2,019 women to determine the prevalence of gonorrhea. For patients of similar race and age, the rates of cervical gonorrhea among users of oral contraceptives (10.6/100) or IUD users (9.5/100) were significantly greater than observed with patients using barrier methods, condom-diaphragm-foam (1.7/100). On the other hand, there were no significant differences in rates of rectal or oral infection by method of contraception. Postpartum patients were found to have similar infection rates at all three sites as a comparable group of nonpuerperas. Recommendations for utilization of barrier methods are made for suitable patients, including those in the immediate puerperium.


Reevaluation of the role of T-mycoplasmas in nongonococcal urethritis. T-mycoplasmas have been associated with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in studies in which these organisms were found to be more prevalent among men with NGU than among control groups of men. In none of these studies were the groups matched for sexual experience, a variable which we have shown to be an important determinant of colonization with T-mycoplasmas. We obtained urethral cultures for genital mycoplasmas from men presenting to the Boston City Hospital with gonococcal urethritis and with NGU, and from men of comparable sexual experience who did not have urethritis. Colonization with T-mycoplasmas was no more prevalent among men who had NGU than among the men who did not have urethritis. These data raise some serious questions about the role of T-mycoplasmas in nongonococcal urethritis.


Sociopsychiatric characteristic of clinic patrons with repeat gonorrhea infections. This study compared repeat gonorrhea patients with nonrepeat patients and control patients not having venereal disease. Focus was given to current intellectual and personality attributes as well as a broad spectrum of background factors in social, familial, educational, and sexual history. One-tailed t-tests were computed on the myriad permutations of patient group and the multiple derived scores from the personality and intellectual assessments. The results show no significant differences between the patients having their first infection of VD and the patients with repeat VD; however, when these 2 groups are pooled and compared with the controls, the VD patients are significantly higher on the depression, schizophrenia, psychasthenia, hysteria, and psychopathic scales. A similar pattern exists on reasoning ability and internal versus external locus of control. The VD patients are seen to perceive themselves as much more externally controlled than do the controls. It is concluded that the VD patients might profit from psychologic treatment; such treatment resources might aid not only in the control of repeat infections but in the general social integration of the patients.


Psoriasis of the penis: Koebner reaction. Following oral genital exposure. Today, there is an apparent increase in oral genital activity among heterosexual groups not only in the United States but also globally. As a result, gonococcal pharyngitis was rediscovered, and primary syphilis of the oral cavity has been recognized with increasing frequency. In addition, physicians are seeing a wide variety of traumatic lesions of the genitals from "hickeys" of the labia to dental imprints and ulcerations of the glans penis. Our patient exhibits an interesting phenomenon recognized readily elsewhere on the skin but infrequently diagnosed on the glans penis.


A retrospective study on the effectiveness of a screening effort to reduce the complications of gonorrhea. In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of a mass screening program for gonorrhea, a retrospective study was carried out on patients admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of acute and chronic salpingitis. This study was done at the Confederate Memorial Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. Admissions were reviewed for the year prior to the screening program, and compared to the numbers that were admitted after 2 years of screening. A 70% increase was found to have occurred despite extensive efforts to identify and treat asymptomatic women with gonorrhea, and their male contacts. This finding contrasts dramatically with the experience of others who have reported success in reducing the spread of gonorrhea by such a screening program.


Oropharyngeal gonorrhea during pregnancy. The frequency of oropharyngeal infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae in pregnant women was studied in two prenatal clinics in Bandkok, Thailand. A third group of women visiting a dental clinic on a routine basis was included for comparison purposes. Group I, from an American dependent clinic, had an oropharyngeal infection rate of 15% while only 0.7% had cervical infections. None had infections in more than one site. In Group III, from a Thai clinic, no patients had oropharyngeal infections while 11.9% had infections from either the cervix or rectum or both. One and eight-tenths percent of the patients attending the dental clinic had oropharyngeal infections. Oropharyngeal gonorrhea was found in a prenatal population of American military dependents at a high rate. We propose that all women visiting a prenatal clinic routinely have their oropharynx cultured for N gonorrhoeae.


Anorectal Herpesvirus hominis infection in men. Thirteen cases of anorectal Herpesivirus hominis infection in male homosexuals are described. Symptoms included pruitus ani in 11 cases, while 7 noticed intense and pain. Change of bowel habits and anal discharge were not presenting symptoms in the majority. None had generalized complications. Inguinal lymphadenopathy, a vesicular eruption, and superficial ulceration around the anal margin were commonly found. Some developed vesicular spread to the natal cleft. Treatment with cotrimoxazole to prevent masking of possible coexistent syphilis, though satisfactory in preventing secondary infection seemed to have little effect on early resolution of the lesions. Relapse occurred in over one third of the patients. Infection with Herpesvirus hominis seems an uncommon but increasingly recognized hazard for the passive homosexual and should be included in the differential diagnosis of lesions presenting at the anus.


Gonorrhea screening program in a women's hospital outpatient department: results and analysis of risk factors. Endocervical cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae were taken from 4,285 new patients attending the emergency room and outpatient clinics at Women's Hospital, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. Of these, 144 (3.4%) were positive. Clinic-specific rates were: emergency room 9.0%, family planning clinic 2.3%, therapeutic abortion clinic 2.2%, and prenatal clinic 1.0%. An additional 70 return patients were cultured because of history, symptoms, or signs suggestive of gonorrhea; 14% of these "nonscreen" cultures were positive. Rates for the emergency room and nonscreen category were significantly greater than rates from the clinics. A questionnaire was used to determine patient characteristics in an attempt to identify a high-risk population. Variables of age, race, marital status, history of previous veneral disease or pelvic infection, number of sexual partners, and suspicion of venereal disease were significantly related to the incidence of positive cultures. Obstetrical history and symptoms of cramping or discharge were not related.


Accidental laboratory infection with Treponema pallidum, Nichols strain. This case report describes a laboratory-acquired infection with Treponema pallidum, Nichols strain. The specific details of the accidental exposure are presented, along with a description of the clinical observations. This infection indicates that the rabbit adapted Nichols strain of T pallidum retains its capability to infect humans. In addition, aerosols of concentrated preparations of these organisms, generated within the laboratory, represent a definite biohazard.


Reporting and treating gonorrhea: results of a statewide survey in Alaska. Two hundred physicians, public health nurses, medics, and physician's assistants, comprising 92% of health care providers treating gonorrhea in Alaska, were interviewed to determine the number of cases seen during a 12-month period and to determine the adequacy of treatment given. Significantly more cases were reported on the survey than were reported to the State Department of Health. However, an attempt to validate the survey results through a chart review suggested that surveys relying on memory provide overestimates of cases and that gonorrhea may not be as underreported as previously thought. A wide variety of antibiotics were used to treat gonorrhea. Physicians in private practice accounted for the majority of inadequately treated cases. The actual number of cases receiving ineffective therapy was estimated as 2%.


Treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea with Polycillin-PRB. Penicillin has remained the choice drug for the treatment of gonorrhea. Its cure rate has been relative, and because cure rates are not as good as one would wish, an additional increase in dosage has been advised. Despite an improved cure rate with increased dosages, we are rapidly approaching a dose requirement beyond that which can be administered practically on an outpatient basis. Therefore other antimicrobial agents have been evaluated for the treatment of gonorrhea. Ampicillin 2 gm (IM) with 1 gm probenecid was evaluated in 1969 with a 99% plus cure rate. It also has been found that 3.5 gm of ampicillin orally (7 capsules of 500 mg) and probenecid (2 tablets of 500 mg) is an effective treatment for gonorrhea. We undertook the present study to evaluate the efficacy of a new single oral combination treatment, Polycillin-PRB.


Sexuality and prostatitis: a hypothesis. Pathways of entry of pathogenic organisms into the prostate may include hematogenous dissemination from distant foci of infection, extension via lymphatics, transmission via infected urine from kidneys, or retrograde entry via the urethra. The last route of entry seems to account for most episodes of prostatitis. Indirect evidence from studies of patients with prostatitis points to retrograde entry of bacteria via the urethra following oral, anal, or genital intercourse or masturbatory practices as a major means of induction of prostatitis. Evidence is based upon similarity of organisms recovered from various orifices to those in the prostate, apparent low incidence of prostatitis in asexual males, and appearance in the prostate of bacteria which reside in the distal urethra. Definitive studies are necessary to prove this hypothesis; emphasis must be placed on correct diagnosis of prostatitis.


Parameters of normal polymorphonuclear cell function in patients with repeated gonococcal infections. The response to phagocytic stimuli was tested for polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells from gonorrhea repeaters, first-time infected patients, and never-infected controls. PMN function was assessed by measuring quantitative leukocyte iodination, glucose-1-C oxidation, and phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus 502A. No significant differences in PMN function were noted for the three groups studied. However, white patients had significantly greater leukocyte iodination than black patients (p less than 0.05) and males tended to have greater leukocyte iodination than females (p less than 0.02). It is concluded that PMN cells from gonorrhea repeaters, first-time infected patients, and never-infected controls respond equally well to in vitro phagocytic stimuli. This implies that a significant defect in PMN cell function should not be implicated as a reason for the apparent susceptibility of gonorrhea repeaters to multiple genital gonococcal infections.


Treatment of primary syphilis.

Treatment of primary syphilis. Reports in the English language of the treatment of primary syphilis are reviewed. Except for benzathine penicillin, the efficacy of the currently recommended dosage schedules are documented only by Schroeter et al. Although these investigators reported generally acceptable failure rates, further study is necessary to determine: (1) if differences in efficacy exist among regimes; (2) if the current schedules are equally effective in both primary and secondary syphilis; and (3) if increased dosages reduce failure rates.


Treatment of secondary syphilis.

Treatment of secondary syphilis. There are few studies of therapy for secondary syphilis which are adequate by modern standards of scientific design. Penicillin has been the best documented, effective antibiotic, although not all forms and regimens are equally effective. Although both aqueous penicillin G and procaine penicillin G in oil with aluminum monostearate (PAM) appear effective, these are not practical penicillin forms. The first requires injections every 2 to 4 hours for 7 to 10 days and the latter is no longer available in the United Sates. Aqueous procaine penicillin G (APPG) regimes have been evaluated in limited trials, but do appear effective. However, APPG requires daily injections and is impractical for widespread use in the treatment of secondary syphilis. The injection of 2.4 million units of benzathine penicillin G appears to be an effective single session regimen. Although tetracycline is widely accepted as the drug of choice for patients allergic to penicillin, this drug has been less rigorously evaluated for treatment of secondary syphilis. Other antibiotics have been even less well evaluated and none has been clearly shown to be highly effective.


Treatment of latent syphilis.

Treatment of latent syphilis. The studies in the English language of the treatment of latent syphillis suffer from a variety of problems. Investigators have failed to define cases adequately and, in some instances, have combined results of several treatment regimens, and have not followed patients for an adequate period of time. It may be wisest to recommend that regimens considered effective for asymptomatic neurosyphilis also be used for latent syphilis.


Treatment of late benign syphilis: review of the literature. The English literature on the treatment of late benign syphilis with penicillin was reviewed. To date there have been no controlled randomized therapeutic trials to support the efficacy of this therapy. This disease responds rapidly to all antisyphilitic drugs including arsphenamine and heavy metals. There are ample case reports and 2 major therapy studies which demonstrate the safety and beneficial effects of penicillin in individual patients. Although the exact dosage and duration of therapy are open to speculation, it is wise to treat patients with late benign syphilis with doses of penicillin judged to be effective for concomitant neuro-or cardiovascular syphilis.


Treatment of cardiovascular syphilis.

Treatment of cardiovascular syphilis. The English literature on the treatment of cardiovascular syphilis with penicillin was reviewed. To date there have been no controlled randomized clinical trials to demonstrate that penicillin therapy prolongs life expectancy, alleviates symptoms, or arrests the disease process. In spite of many shortcomings in the published data, penicillin is safe and free of severe reactions. Most authors agree that significant subjective improvement in the patient's status occurs following penicillin treatment. Once the patient has become symptomatic penicillin may have little efficacy. The optimal dosage and duration of therapy have never been established. Because of its low cost, ease of administration, and lack of toxicity, it should be given to all patients with cardiovascular syphilis in hope of arresting the effects of the disease on the heart and great vessels.


Treatment of neurosyphilis.

Treatment of neurosyphilis. Penicillin has some ameliorative effect in every stage of neurosyphilis. Meningovascular disease responds most dramatically. Once anatomic damage has occurred, penicillin is not effective in restoring lost function. In addition, blindness secondary to primary optic atrophy or 8th nerve deafness responds poorly to any type of treatment. Penicillin schedules employing more than 5 million units appear more effective than lower dose regimens. Reports of alternative antibiotic regimens are too fragmentary to allow recommendations to be made.


Treatment of syphilis in pregnancy.

Treatment of syphilis in pregnancy. Only penicillin has been adequately studied in treating syphilis during pregnancy. It is safe for the fetus and highly effective in doses currently recommended by the USPHS. Since these schedules appear to represent a minimal effective dose, smaller amounts should never be used. Whether higher doses would produce higher cure rates is not known. Penicillin is the drug of choice and the standard against which all others must be measured. Tetracyclines in any dose or form should not be used because of toxicity to both mother and child. Erythromycin (except the estolate) and cephalosporins are promising because of low toxicity, but their efficacy has not been established.


Treatment of congenital syphilis.

Treatment of congenital syphilis. Although penicillin remains the drug of choice for congenital syphilis, the optimal regimen has not been established. The published clinical trials were completed before the development of repository preparations such as benzathine penicillin. Consequently, current therapy must be derived from available clinical and pharmacologic data.


Adverse reactions in syphilis therapy.

Adverse reactions in syphilis therapy. Reactions related to treatment of syphilis may be due to treponemal infection, therapy, or to the interaction of these. In this review I discuss the Jarisch-Herxheimer (J-H) reaction and the therapeutic paradox. Antibiotic side effects are not unique among patients treated for syphilis; therefore, readers are referred elsewhere for reviews of major antibiotic side effects. J-H reactions are acute, transient episodes with manifestations occurring both systemically and at local sites of treponemal concentration. These reactions are related to the rapid destruction of treponemes by various therapeutic agents. In this review, I suggest that J-H reactions may be significant only in syphilitic paresis, pregnancy complicated by syphilis, and when local inflammation can cause serious functional compromise, as with second or eighth cranial nerve involvement. Many workers use prednisone in conjunction with penicillin in some or all of these situations. However, the efficacy of corticosteroids has not been evaluated for such problems in clinical trials. Therefore, the use of prednisone can be supported only in very selected situations and for short duration (ie, 2 days). Therapeutic paradox, which is clinical worsening despite cure of infection, is said to result from scar formation after rapid treponemal destruction by therapeutic agents. The therapeutic paradox does not appear of great significance. Futhermore, no methods to prevent such reactions are generally advocated.


Epidemiologic treatment of syphilis.

Epidemiologic treatment of syphilis. Epidemiologic treatment refers to antibiotics administered when a diagnosis is considered likely on clinical, laboratory, or epidemiologic grounds, but before the results of confirmatory laboratory tests are known. This treatment is justified on the grounds that the potenial benefits of treating the patient outweigh the potential harm of not treating. This potential harm may affect the individual or the community. Individual sequelae are most significnat when congenital syphilis is allowed to develop due to delays in treating the pregnant woman or newborn child. Community sequelae occur when an infected patient disseminates disease during the interval between initial presentation and final diagnosis. Unless qualified by time limitation and the behavioral and disease characteristics of a given population, exposure to syphilis is a poor criterion for epidemiologic treatment. The risk of infection of certain groups (defined by epidemiologic, clinical, or serologic criteria) should be determined empirically so that epidemiologic treatment is only provided to groups in which this risk has been estimated.


An ultrastructural study of implantation in the golden hamster. III. Initial formation and differentiation of decidual cells. The transformation of fibroblasts into decidual cells was studied ultrastructurally in golden hamsters pregnant for 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2, 5, or 5 1/2 days (post-ovulation). Cells within the endometrial stroma were generally separated from one another and spindle-shapted before blastocyst contact with the uterine epithelium. Once the epithelium enclosed the blastocyst (3 1/2 days), stromal cells adjacent to the blastocyst antimesometrially began to exhibit more extensive Golgi complexes with increased secretory activity. As differentiation proceeded the amount of cellular contact increased and various types of junctions formed between the cells. Throughout the period examined, intercellular space progressively decreased, while the cisternal width of the granular endoplasmic reticulum continually increased. Special organelles, whose functions remain unknown, first appeared in differentiating cells at 4 days (fibrils) and 5 1/2 days (crystalloid and 'dumb-bell' structures).


Comparative anatomy of the vomeronasal organ complex in bats. The morphology of the vomeronasal organ complex was histologically described in eight out of fourteen chiropteran species investigated. Of the six families examined, all except the family Pteropodidae (suborder Megachiroptera) were found to have at least one member possessing the organ. The organ is best developed in phyllostomatids. It is absent in vespertilionids (including a Myotis embryo) except in Miniopterus. An accessory olfactory bulb is reported for the first time in the latter. The organ is described for the first time in Rhinopoma, Megaderma, and Hipposideros. The organ in Rhinolophus is also described. Homologous anterior nasal cartilages and patent nasopalatine ducts are present in all species. The organ occupies the anterior ventral nasal septum region. In Megaderma and Hipposideros it is level with the nasal cavity floor. Areas of epithelium similar to olfactory epithelium have been observed in some organs. Epithelia, vascular sinuses, vomeronasal nerves, paravomeronasal ganglia, accessory olfactory bulbs, and vomeronasal glands have been investigated. In bats with regressed or rudimentary organs (Megaderma, Rhinopoma, Rhinolophus, Hipposideros) accessory olfactory bulbs could not be identified. Thus, presence of the organ does not necessarily indicate presence of the accessory olfactory bulb. Septal pockets located superior to the organ complex and lined with pseudostratified columnar epithelium are described in Hipposideros and may play a part in nasophonation. A unique role is proposed for the organ in the feeding behaviour of Desmodus. The desirability of extending the useful terms 'diosmatic' and 'monosmatic' to all vertebrates in reference to their respective possession or lack of the vomeronasal organ is suggested.


Scanning electron microscopy of the lateral cell surfaces of rat incisor ameloblasts. Dry dissected rat incisor ameloblasts studied in the scanning electron microscope show remarkable specializations of their lateral surfaces. Four or five cycles of a change from a surface with longitudinal gutterlike folds associated with large intercellular spaces, to one with microvilli and reduced intercellular spaces, are found along the length of the lower incisor maturation zone. It is argued that these changes indicate cyclical activity in maturation ameloblasts.


Fine structure and cytochemistry of the intralobular ducts of the human parotid gland. An intralobular duct of a human parotid gland has two parts, an intercalated part and a striated part. Intercalated ducts are lined with low cuboidal cells endowed with scanty cytoplasmic organelles. Striated ducts are lined with columnar cells rich in mitochondria and glycogen particles, and are characterized by extensive infoldings of the basal plasma membrane. The apical cytoplasm of the cells of the striated ducts shows a number of membrane-bound granules having a diameter of about 0-15 mum. These granules contain material of varying electron density which does not react with silver or with the histochemical reagents employed in the present study. Thus, on the basis of their small size and histochemical characteristics, they are distinct from the large and dense secretory granules observed in the so-called granular striated ducts of some animals. In addition, cells of striated ducts contain lysosomes, peroxisomes, and large lipoid bodies which give histochemical reactions typical of lipofuscins. Bodies of myoepithelial cells have been observed only in intercalated ducts. Their processes, however, extend into the proximal parts of striated ducts.


The maintenance of rat palatal mucosa in organ culture. Palatal mucosa from neonatal rats was maintained under organ culture conditions in a chemically defined medium for periods up to 28 days. The histological state of the cultured palatal mucosa was compared with that of control tissue from growing animals of comparable age. The control tissues showed an increase in epithelial thickness, first noticeable at 17 days. Whilst the general structure of the tissues in organ culture was preserved for the duration of the experiment, some changes in epithelial behavior were evident. There was an increase in epithelial thickness up to 6 days, followed by a reduction in the nucleated cell layer of the epithelium to a thickness comparable with that at the start of the experiment. There was a loss of epithelial glycogen within the first day, with occasional reappearance of patchy and irregular deposits. Whereas the control of epithelial thickness appeared to be restored after 10 days in vitro, disturbances in the maturation of the keratinocytes, manifested as epithelial pearls and dyskeratotic cells, were evident at subsequent stages. Epiboly never occurred. The connective tissue component showed continued development, indicated by an increase in the thickness of collagen fibres. The overall palatal growth seen in vivo did not occur in organ culture. We suggest that the improved maintenance reported is partly the result of explanting tissues in such a way as to minimize trauma, and partly the result of incorporating serum albumin into the chemically defined medium.


The lumbosacral dorsal rami of the cat.

The lumbosacral dorsal rami of the cat. The lumbosacral dorsal rami of the cat were studied by gross dissection. The L1-6 dorsal rami form three discrete branches - lateral, intermediate and medial. The lateral branches supply the iliocostalis lumborum and become cutaneous over the back. The intermediate branches ramify in the longissimus lumborum, and are separated from the lateral branches by the lumbar intermuscular septum. The medial branches supply the multifidus and have a constant branch - the nerve to intertransversarii mediales. The L7 dorsal ramus forms only medial and intermediate branches. The S1 and S2 dorsal rami form three branches, the middle of which form the ascending sacral trunk and accessory ascending sacral trunk. The ascending sacral trunk is derived from S1 and S2, the accessory ascending sacral trunk from S2. Both nerves are the exclusive nerve supply of lumbococcygeus.


Some observations on the ultrastructure of the adenohypophysis of the Plains viscacha (Lagostomus maximus). The ultrastructural appearance of the pars distalis of the Plains viscacha is described. Of particular interest are the prolactin cells and stellate cells and the intercellular cysts or channels which may be part of a transport system for hormones.


The pig synovium. I. The intact synovium in vivo and in organ culture. 1. The normal synovium of the metacarpophalangeal joints of young pigs was examined by light and electron microscopy with special reference to the superficial layer (intima). 2. Cells of the macrophage-like or A-type (Barland et al. 1962) constituted only a small proportion of the intimal synoviocytes; the majority were of the intermediate and B-types. 3. Synovial villi were explanted on Millipore filters and maintained as organ cultures. The intimal cells in contact with the Millipore formed long branched processes which penetrated deeply into the substrate; these cells, which had a very well-developed endoplasmic reticulum, resembled those of the B-type. The synoviocytes at the upper (free) surface of the villus withdrew their long processes, acquired lamelliform pseudopodia, and their endoplasmic reticulum regressed; they were similar in appearance to the A-type. 4. In the organ cultures the highly branched cells (B-type) next to the Millipore were less phagocytic than the rounded cells (A-type) at the free surface of the villus.


An account of the longitudinal mucosal corrugations of the human tracheo-bronchial tree, with observations on those of some animals. A description is given of the distribution of the longitudinal mucosal corrugations in the human tracheo-bronchial tree. It has been shown that they are made up of elastic tissue in a collagen matrix, and that the elastic fibres continue into the smallest bronchioles beyond where the corrugations are no longer visible. An examination has also been made of the tracheo-bronchial trees of the hen, rat, raccoon, pig, sheep, llama and tiger. Corrugations are present in all these animals, except the hen and the raccoon, and they have been compared and contrasted with the condition in Man. The functional significance of these corrugations remains unknown, but, they could be important in equalizing tension in the tracheo-bronchial tree during inspiration, as well as in providing elastic recoil during expiration.


A new antibiotic XK-90. II. The structure of XK-90. The new antibiotic, XK-90, produced by Streptomyces sp. is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The structure has been determined as N-acetyl-N'-(3-formyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)hydrazine (1) and is the second example of a naturally occurring antibiotic having the phenylhydrazine skeleton.


Chemical modification of sorbistin. I. N-acyl analogs of sorbistin. Sorbistin A1 (1b) and sorbistin B (1a), bioactive components of a new type of aminoglycoside antibiotic produced by a strain of Pseudomonas species, have been converted into a key intermediate 3 by blocking of the 1- and 4-amino groups of sorbistins with dimedone and subsequent deacylation of the 4'-N-acyl group. Some 4'-N-acyl analogs of sorbistin (1e approximately 1t) have been synthesized by 4'-N-acylation of 3 with an appropriate reactive derivative of carboxylic acids (mixed anhydride, acid chloride or activated ester) followed by deblocking of the protected group with bromine or sodium nitrite. Chemical interconversion of three natural sorbistins A1 (1b), A2 (1c) and B (1a) has been performed by this procedure. The 1-N-acyl (4a approximately 4c) and the 1,4'-N,N-diacyl analogs (6a approximately 6c) have been prepared by direct N-acylation of sorbistin D (1d) (the 4'-desacyl derivative) and sorbistin A1, respectively. On the other hand, the 4-N-acyl (5a and 5b) and the 4,4'-N,N-diacyl derivatives (7a and 7b) have been prepared by acylation and subsequent hydrogenolysis of 1-N-Cbz-sorbistin D (4b) and 1-N-Cbz-sorbistin A1 (6b), respectively. Determination of in vitro antimicrobial activity showed that the 4'-N-propionyl (1b) and the 4'-N-cyclopropylcarbonyl (1s) derivatives are the most active members of the 4'-N-acyl derivatives. Elongation and shortening of the side chain and introduction of functional groups decreased the activity. N-Acylation of the amino group at C-1 or at C-4 gave virtually inactive products.


Evaluation of mycobacillin and versicolin as agricultural fungicides. II. Stability in soil. The effect of paddy soils on mycobacillin and versicolin was investigated. Soil inactivated mycobacillin as determined by spectral analysis and microbiological assay. Soil can inactive mycobacillin only at or above the threshold concentration (125 approximately 130 mug per 10 mg of soil), the excess being unreacted. No new peak appears in the ultraviolet spectrum (240 approximately 300 nm) while mycobacillin is inactivated. Soil is without any effect on versicolin.


Mechanism of action of acetyl kidamycin. II. Inhibition of RNA synthesis in HeLa cells. The effects of acetyl kidamycin on RNA synthesis in HeLa cells were investigated. Acetyl kidamycin inhibited the synthesis of 45S pre-rRNA, heterogeneous nuclear RNA (HnRNA) and small molecular weight RNAs, though not to the same degree. The processing of 45S pre-rRNA into 18S and 28S rRNA and that of HnRNA into mRNA were not affected.


Reassociation of dreams. II. An LSD study of sexual conflicts in eczema and asthma. This second paper on the reassociation of dreams confirms 1. the value of reassociating a key dream (The Beetle Bug Dream) and 2. the use of lysergic acid diethyl amide (LSD) as an adjunct to psychoanalytic therapy. The patient (Joyce) was a young mother whose very severe eczema and asthma were accompanied by an incapacitating depression. The following summary of the three interviews indicate briefly the psychodynamic materials developed which helped Joyce uncover her confused sexual identifications and fear of lesbianism. In Interview 96 the initial Beetle Bug Dream was studied cautiously. On analysis the tentacles of the Beetle Bugs symbolically represented the hands of a man mauling a girl's skin. A sexual approach by a man is considered an attack. "Bugs get under the skin. If Jack (my husband) touches my skin, that spot itches." A second Beetle Bug is described. The special aspect of this unique Bug is that it was not threatening. This Bug is discussed in terms of the transference: the silent analyst and a father who responded to her childhood travail by silence are compared. Reassociation of the Beetle Bug Dream without LSD took place one year later. The session (Interview 235) lasted about 45 minutes and the verbatim recording occupied 12 typewritten pages. Free association led to the realization that the patient was programmed in part to identify with her father--a silent, passive individual. It was apparent that a psychological struggle for femininity, induced by the confused identification led to a threat of penetration by the sting of the Beetle Bug and, where a man was involved, penetration by the penis. Interview 236 (three days later) was conducted under LSD 25. The Beetle Bug Dream again formed the basis of this interview, which lasted four hours and occupied 46 pages of typewritten, verbatim material. A new feeling of independence from maternal influence is felt. "It used to be if I just thought of her, I could start scratching." The relationship with her husband is complicated by "deep, dark secrets." She is afraid of her husband. Her mother emphasized she was "one" with her father. Contact with aggressive males during adolescence, as well as seductive episodes were disturbing. In camp she feared that she might be a lesbian. This fear persisted into adult life. The threat of the Beetle Bug sting is developed further. Hostile feelings toward the penis are revealed in detail, The part of the penis in the vagina could be chopped off--the penis was what the sting of the Beetle Bug would be if it penetrated the skin. The bridegroom attacks the bride. An unwanted pregnancy is equivalent to the broken sting remaining in the skin. These revelations led to insight regarding unusual violent anger toward her child during toilet training. The data support the view that publication of verbatim recordings are a necessary condition for establishing psychoanalytic procedures as a basic science of medicine and of the validity of psychodynamic theory...


Comparative study of carbohydrate-protein complexes. II. Determination of hydroxylysine and its glycosides in human skin and scar collagens by an improved method. A modification of the existing methods for measuring hydroxylysine, galactosylhydroxylysine, and glucosylgalactosylhydroxylysine is described. The method is based on analysis with an automated amino acid analyzer using a conventional separation system for basic amino acids. The prior removal of acidic and neutral amino acids was necessary. This was achieved by passing an alkaline hydrolysate of collagen through a column of Amberlite CG-120, Type II (H+) and washing the column with 8% aqueous pyridine. A basic fraction containing the hydroxylysine compounds was then recovered from the column by elution with 3 M NH4OH. Model experiments showed that hydroxylysine and its glycosides could be analyzed with an hour and that recoveries exceeded 90%. This method was applied to human tissues to investigate whether the dermal scar is different in collagen composition from normal skin. With the limited number of samples analyzed, the data suggested that long-standing scar tissues reverted to a composition similar to that of normal skin. The composition of hydroxylysine-linked carbohydrate units is also discussed on the basis of the age-related change.


Calf thymus histone H2A. Purification and tryptic peptides. One of the five main histone molecular species, H2A, of calf thymus was fractionated and purified on a large scale for chemical and physical studies. This was achieved by three methods, using different combinations of our CM-cellulose chromatographic technique with other chromatographic systems reported. Method I consists of chromatography first on CM-cellulose and then on Sephadex G-100, Method II first on Amberlite CG-50 and then on CM-cellulose and then on Bio-Gel P-10. Method I was successful when the starting material obtained by Johns' fractionation methods was contaminated by a small amount of H3 histone. Method II did not suffer from such a limitation but gave a low recovery of H2A on the first chromatography. Method III provided the purest preparations of H2A, together with highly purified H3, H4, and others, and is superior to methods previously reported for the large-scale preparation of H2A and other species from whole histone as regards the simplicity of the procedures and the purity and yield of the products. The preparation obtained by Method I was digested with trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4]. The resulting soluble and insoluble fractions of the digest were fractionated by column chromatography to give 20 small peptides and 2 large peptides, respectively, with high recoveries. The sequences of almost all the soluble peptides were determined; these, taking into account the recoveries of these peptides and the compositions of the insoluble peptides (19 and 29 residues), accounted for all the 129 amino acid residues of this histone.


Studies on silk fibroin of Bombyx mori. I. Fractionation of fibroin prepared from the posterior silk gland. 1. Fractionation of fibroin prepared from the posterior silk glands of Bombyx mori was carried out. After carboxymethylation of the fibroin, it was fractionated by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. 2. The fibroin was composed of at least two protein groups of large molecular size and three or four components of small molecular size, and, in addition, a mixture of proteins ranging in size from about 25,000 to more than 100,000 daltons with almost the same amino acid compositions. 3. The latter proteins contained about 48% glycine, 32% alanine, 11% serine, 4.5% tyrosine, 2% valine, and other minor amino acids. The sum of these main five amino acids accounts for more than 97% of the total amino acid residues of the proteins. 4. The present results indicate major heterogeneity in the molecular size of posterior silk gland fibroin, and, in addition, suggest the possibility of repeating sequences with relatively simple amino acid compositions in major peptide chains of fibroin.


Phospholipid metabolism in ehrlich ascites tumor cells. II. Turnover rate of ether phospholipids. 1. Radioactive precursors of phospholipids, i.e., 32Pi, [1-14C]glycerol, [2-3H]glycerol, and [1-14C]acetate, were individually injected into the peritoneal cavity of mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and the rates of incorporation were estimated. 2. Although [2-3H]glycerol was not practically incorporated into ether phospholipids, the other three radioactive precursors were incorporated into diacyl, 1-O-alkenyl-2-acryl-, and 1-O-alkyl-2-acryl-GPE (GPC). 3. In the experiments on 32Pi or [1-14C]acetate incorporation, 1-O-alkyl compounds in the ethanolamine phosphoglyceride fraction showed high specific activities in comparison with 1-acyl compounds. In the case of [1-14C]glycerol incorporation, a high rate of incorporation into 1-O-alkyl compounds was not found. In the choline phosphoglyceride fraction, a high rate of incorporation of the above precursors into 1-O-alkyl compounds was not observed. 4. The specific activities of 1-O-alkenyl compounds were fairly low compared with those of 1-acyl- and 1-O-acyl- and 1-O-alkyl compounds throughout the incorporation experiments with [1-14C]glycerol and [1-14C]acetate, but in 32Pi incorporation, 1-O-alkenyl compounds showed higher specific activities than 1-acyl compounds in ethanolamine phosphoglyceride, suggesting an exchange reaction of the phosphorylethanolamine moiety. 5. From the above findings, it appears that alkyl ether phospholipids of ethanolamine from may have a significant role in ascites tumor cells, based on their rapid turnover.


Solubilization of diglyceride acyltransferase from the membrane of Mycobacterium smegmatis. Diglyceride acyltransferase [acyl-CoA : 1,2-diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.20] was found to be localized in the membrane of Mycobacterium smegmatis, and this enzyme could be solubilized from the membrane by treatment with aqueous acetone. The solubilized enzyme required either 1,2-diolein or 1, 3-diolein as an acceptor for palmitoyl-CoA. The apparent Km value for 1,2- or 1,3-diolein and that for palmitoyl-CoA were about 1.4 X 10(-5) M and 6 X 10(-6) M, respectively. Several sulfhydryl reagents were inhibitory to the enzyme activity, suggesting the existence of a thiol group(s) in its active site. The solubilized enzyme, which was more labile than that membrane-bound one, could be stabilized to some extent with antichaotropic salts such as phosphate, pyrophosphate, and sulfate.


Effect of cholesterol sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate on lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase in human plasma. The effects of cholesterol sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the esterification of cholesterol in sonicated dispersions of lecithin-cholesterol mixtures by lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase [EC 2.3.1.43] (LCAT) in human plasma were studied in vitro. The acyltransferase activity was inhibited at concentrations of cholesterol sulfate higher than 1 X 10(-4) M. This inhibition was not eliminated by the addition of bovine serum albumin or CaC12. On the contrary, the acyltransferase activity was stimulated at concentrations of SDS ranging from 1 X 10(-5) M to 1 X 10(-3) M, and maximum stimulation was obtained at 5 X 10(-4) M. The maximum stimulation disappeared on the addition of bovine serum albumin (30 mg per ml of incubation medium), 1 X 10(-3) M CaC12 or 1 X 10(-4) M cholesterol sulfate. On the other hand, the extent of inhibition of the acyltransferase by cholesterol sulfate was not affected by the amount of lecithin in the dispersion added as a substrate, but the maximum stimulation (5 X 10(-4) M SDS) of the acyltransferase was interfered with when a large amount of lecithin was present in the dispersion. In addition, the amount of SDS required for maximum cholesterol esterification was not affected by the amount of lecithin present in the dispersion. These results suggest that the action of cholesterol sulfate on the acyltransferase is different from that of SDS.


Ribonucleases from porcine brain. Partial purification and properties. 1. An acid ribonuclease was partially purified from an acetone powder of porcine brain. This enzyme was an acidic protein with a molecular weight of aroung 70,000. It acted on yeast RNA optimally at about pH 5.9, yielding only a mixture of 3'-mononucleotides, and therefore appears to be an exonuclease. It did not hydrolyze heat-denatured calf thymus DNA or bis(rho-nitrophenyl) phosphate. It was fairly unstable to heat and acid. 2. An alkaline ribonuclease was partially purified from the same source simultaneously. This enzyme was a basic protein with a molecular weight of 25,000-26,000. It was a pyrimidine-specific endoribonuclease, and acted on yeast RNA optimmally at around pH 7.4. It did not hydrolyze heat-denatured calf thymus DNA or bis(rho-nitrophenyl) phosphate. It was fairly stable to heat and acid.


The aconitase of yeast. IV. Studies on iron and sulfur in yeast aconitase. Chemical analyses were carried out to determine the active components of the crystalline aconitase [EC 4.2.1.3] of Candida lipolytica. The enzyme contained 2 atoms of non-heme iron, 1 atom of labile sulfur, and 6 sulfhydryl groups per molecule. One atom of the non-heme iron was released by the addition of metal-chelating agents such as sodium citrate, sodium nitrilotriacetate (NTA) or sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) without loss of the enzyme activity. The non-heme iron and labile sulfur were released by the addition of sulfhydryl reagents such as rho-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), sodium mersalyl or urea with loss of the enzyme activity. o-Phenanthroline reacted with the iron atoms in the enzyme at pH 6.0 with loss of the activity. These results show that yeast aconitase is an iron-sulfur protein and that only one of the two non-heme iron atoms is essential for enzyme activity.


The aconitase of yeast. V. The reconstitution of yeast aconitase. The apoenzyme of yeast aconitase [EC 4.2.1.3] was prepared by treatment of yeast aconitase with sodium mersalyl, followed by passage by passage of the reaction mixture through a column of Dowex A-1 and gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. The apoenzyme had no aconitase activity, but the active enzyme could be reconstituted by treatment of the apoenzyme with ferrous ions and sodium sulfide in the presence of 2-mercapto-ethanol. The reconstituted active enzyme was isolated by DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration from the reaction mixture. The reconstituted enzyme was identical with the original untreated enzyme in terms of specific activity, iron content and spectral characteristics, but not in terms of labile sulfur content. A significant difference in visible spectra between the holo- and apoenzymes appeared to be due to the difference in iron and labile sulfur contents between the two proteins.