[Prevalence of antibodies to A/New Jersey/76, A/Victoria/3/75 and B/Hong Kong/5/72 influenza viruses in the population of Milan examined in the late spring of 1976 and evaluation of the past experience of the same population with probable agent of the 1918-20 pandemics]. Hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies (h.i.a.) to influenza viruses A/New Jersey/76, A/Victoria/3/75 and B/Hong Kong/5/72 were titrated in 227 serum samples collected in Milan in the late spring 1976 from healthy subjects of 0 to 90 years of age. In 185 of these neuraminidase-inhibiting antibodies (n.i.a.) for the type A strains were also titrated. Subjects up to 40 years of age lack h.i.a. to A/New Jersey/76 strain; antibody levels equal to or greater than 1:40 are occasionally present in the 41-50 year group and the incidence rises to 75% and more after 60 years. N.i.a. are absent in the sera from persons of 0-30 years and titers equal to or greater than 1:100 were found only in the age group over 40. Of the sera examined 44% is lacking in h.i.a. to A/Victoria/3/75 strain and antibodies at protective levels were found in 14% of the subjects, usually among the youngest (0-15 years) and the elderly (over 60 years). N.i.a. for this strain are present in 40% of the samples and 10% have titers equal to or greater than 1.100. Half of the sera under test has h.i.a. to B/Hong Kong/5/72 strain, but only 19% with titers equal to or greater than 1:40. The age distribution of h.i. and n.i. antibodies to A/New Jersey/76 virus suggests that strains antigenically related to the swine virus were widespread in our population until about 1929. The presence of n.i.a., but not of h.i.a. in subjects born between 1935 and 1946 supports the hypothesis of cross-reaction between the neuraminidases of the swine and of the A-O strains.


[Evaluation of the immunity to A/swine influenza virus in a sample of population of Rome]. Hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibodies in respect of type A/swine influenza virus (strain NIB/3) were titrated on 225 serum specimens taken in Rome during 1976. No HI antibodies to the A/swine virus were found in the serum specimens of the 155 subjects under 50 years of age, while the majority (94%) of the serum specimens of the subjects over 70 years of age showed HI antibody reactivity to the virus, with a mean geometric titre of 21.75. The vaccination of 38 individuals over 50 years of age with live attenuated influenza virus (strain H3N2 - A/Port Chalmers/1/73) failed to cause any elevation of HI antibody titres against A/swine influenza virus, though producing significant seroconversion in respect of the A/Port Chalmers influenza virus in more than 60% of the vaccinees.


[Complement fixation, hemagglutination inhibition and neuraminidase inhibition reactions in the seroepidemiologic evaluation of an influenza A epidemic]. Complement-fixing (CF), hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) and neuraminidase-inhibiting (NI) antibodies in respect of type A influenza virus were titrated on 2080 serum specimens. The sera were collected between December 1974 and May 1975 for the open population of Rome, in groups of an average of 300 samples per month. Influenza type A strains, related to the Port Chalmers variant, were isolated in Rome in January and February 1975, during that time a significant increase of antibody titers and of serum positivity was detected. The increase of positive response for influenza type A antigen was of 21%, 17% and 8% for FC, HI and NI reactions, respectively. The NI reaction proved to be less responsive that the CF and HI reactions for the purposes of sero-epidemiological evaluation of the influenza epidemic.


[Methods for identification of rhodochrous bacterial complex]. Branching observation, color and emulsionability of colonies, growth on BHI-agar, Mc Conkey-agar, Sabouraud, Mannitol Salt-agar, galattosidase, degradation of polyethylene glicol in 7H-10 medium, drug sensitivity to antituberculous drugs and semi-synthetic penicillins are reactions able to differentiate the rhodochrous complex from pathogenic pigmented Mycobacteria and Nocardia. Numerical taxonomy performed among 14 strains belonging to rhodochrous complex and 17 strains of Nocardia revealed a distinct separation of the two species and the non omogeneity of rhodochrous complex.


An improved method for PHA-culturing mouse lymphocytes using Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. A simple, reproducible method is described for in vitro culture of mouse lymphocytes purified by differential centrifugation through Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. Peripheral blood, spleen and thymus purified lymphocytes responded well to in vitro PHA stimulation as measured by blast transformation and tritiated thymidine incorporation; the lowest values were observed with thymus lymphocytes.


Phytohemagglutinin unresponsiveness of spleen cells of mice bearing an allogeneic lymphoma. The in vitro response of spleen cells to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was studied in BALB mice bearing an allogeneic AKR lymphoma (progressors). A significant decrease in blast transformation and DNA synthesis was observed in these animals as compared with those rejecting the tumor (regressors) or with unchallenged controls. It is postulated that either an alteration in PHA lymphocyte receptors or the presence of enhancing serum factors may be responsible for this decrease in PHA response.


[Demonstration of a granulocyte defect in aged persons correlated with the presence of autoantibodies]. Assessment of PMN leukocyte function and search for autoantibodies were performed in 36 aged human subjects (more than 60 years of age) and in 15 younger controls (40 to 60 years of age). Autoantibodies were found in 15 of the 36 aged subjects, and in none of the controls. Leukocyte function defects were therefore correlated to old age and to markers of autoimmunity. Phagocytosis of bacteria was significantly impaired in both groups of old-aged subjects, irrespective to the presence or absence of autoimmunity. Intracellular killing of bacteria was shown to be normal in all the examined subjects. Nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by resting and latex-stimulated leukocytes was significantly impaired only in the group of old-aged subjects with autoimmunity. These leukocyte function defects are similar to those already described in human autoimmune diseases -- particularly S.I.E. -- and confirm the possible association between P.M.N. dysfunction and autoimmunity.


[Infection due to hepatitis B virus and host immune response]. Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was investigated in patients who recovered from acute hepatitis B and in chronic carriers of the antigen, either with or without liver disease. The study was performed using leucocyte migration inhibition test and purified HBsAg. In antigen-negative post-hepatitis patients the frequency of cellular immunity to HBsAg (63.6%) showed a significant difference to controls. On the other hand, only one out of 5 antigen-positive post-hepatitis patients showed sensitisation to HBsAg; four out of these cases had chronic hepatitis at liver biopsy. In HBsAg-chronic carriers, with or without liver disease, the frequency of CMI to HBsAg was not significant to controls. A significant correlation was noted between inflammatory activity and inhibition of migration. Our results suggest that a normal cellular immune response to HBsAg is necessary for the recovery from acute hepatitis B and for the clearance of the virus. In HBsAg-chronic carriers this response seems to be absent or inadequate, leading to the state of healthy chronic carriers or to the evolution to HBsAg-chronic hepatitis, respectively. The high frequency of CMI in HBsAg-negative chronic active hepatitis, suggests that hepatitis B virus infection may play a role in the ethiology of the disease.


[The sexual transmission of Australia antigen (HBsAg)]. Examination was made of 300 serum specimens taken from patients with latent syphilis, in order to study the incidence of HBsAg antigen as compared with the normal population. Examination was by means of counter immunoelectrophoresis, radioimmunoassay and electron microscope with negative staining. The incidence as shown by counter immunoelectrophoresis is 2.33%, by RIA 10% with 86.6% of sub-type AY and 13.3% of sub-type AD, which is significantly higher than the incidence in the normal population. These data would therefore seem to confirm the possibility of sexual transmission of hepatitis B.


Ultrastructural aspects of Peptichemio action on mouse sarcoma 180. The electron microscope study of the cellular elements originating from mice experimental tumours (sarcoma 180) treated and non-treated with Peptichemio showed alterations of the nuclear and cytoplasmic structures in the animals treated. The data herein accord fully with the results obtained by other histological, biochemical and biomolecular techniques and make it possible once again to lay stress on the double alkylating and antimetabolic action of this antitumour drug, very likely taking place simultaneously both at nuclear and cytoplasmic level.


[The coagulase test. I].

[The coagulase test. I]. A syntetic review of data about the free coagulase and the clumping factor has been made. The importance of the test, the different methods, the possible reasons of mistake are discussed.


Immunization against human and swine-like influenza A: serological response to two inactivated vaccines of different formulation. The immunizing capacity and the tolerability of two purified vaccines containing the inactivated A/New Jersey/76 ( x 53 recombinant) swine-like strain were studied. A trivalent vaccine (A/New Jersey/76-300 I.U.; A/Victoria 3/75-300 I.U.; B/Hong Kong 5/75-300 I.U.) was administered to 31 subjects over 50 years of age. No side-effects were observed and it caused a good HI antibody response to A/New Jersey/76, fairly good for B strain and modest for A/Victoria 3/75. A monovalent vaccine (A/New Jersey/76-400 I.U.) was administered to 32 subjects in the age range from 16 to 43 years. HI antibodies occurred in 84% of the subjects, devoid of antibodies before vaccination. Younger subjects (between 16-20 years) generally developed fairly low antibody titres; one among them (16-year-old) had a temperature rise within 48 h after vaccination. The Authors expect that the X 53 recombinant with the surface antigens of the A/New Jersey/76 strain may be employed for the preparation of the inactivated vaccine to be used in an emergency situation and discuss the composition of the vaccine more adapt for the present epidemiological situation.


With reference to a simple kit for short-term lymphocyte culture tested in experimental animals. The results on blastic transformation of peripheral-blood lymphocytes from different species of experimental animals studied in short-term cell culture made with a fully pre-prepared Kit, are here illustrated and discussed. Lymphocyte donors were: mice, rats, hamsters, guinea-pigs, and rabbits. The Kit used in these experiments was the so-called Blasto-Kit, prepared by the Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese. It contains a lyophilized mixture of all the culture medium components, including the mitogen (in our study: PHA). The lyophilized mixture was diluted with the proper solvent just at the culture time, and then supplemented  with 5 drops (200 mul) of whole blood. The extent of blastic transformation was evaluated in morphology, by counting the blast-like cells on culture smears; but the method provides adequate data also when lymphocyte transformation is evaluated via the extent of 3H-Tdr incorporation. The results showed quite significant discrimination (blastic indices) between the mitogen stimulated cultures and the non-stimulated controls in all the animals tested. On the other hand, different transformation extents were observed in relationship to the single animal species: it appeared that guinea-pigs, and mostly the rabbits gave the most beautiful blast-like cells, which appears to indicate that they are the most appropriate for this study among all those tested. It should be finally emphasized that : (1) the simplicity of the method makes the investigation on the transformation capability of lymphocytes easy to be carried out in every Lab; and (2), the small quantity of blood which is needed to perform the test makes it possible to investigate each single animal even in the case, when it has to be examined before, during, and after given treatments.


[Liver-specific proteins and autoimmunity in inflammatory liver diseases]. Cell-mediated immunity to a liver specific membrane protein (LP1) has been studied in patients with different types of liver diseases, using the leucocyte migration inhibition test. A high frequency of cellular sensitization to LP1 was detected in untreated chronic active hepatitis, with no significant differences between HBsAg-positive and negative cases. Inhibition of migration is a long-lasting reaction in the spontaneous evolution of the disease, while immunosuppressive treatment normalizes the test only in cases with complete remission. In viral hepatitis B cell-mediated immunity to the liver specific membrane protein can be detected in the acute phase of the disease as a time-limited reaction, exhausted with the clearance of the virus from the liver. An inhibition of migration with LP1 was found also in some cases of HBsAg-positive post-hepatitis patients, in chronic persistant hepatitis, mainly HBsAg-positive, and in asymptomatic chronic carriers of the antigen B. Most of these cases showed a progression to chronic active hepatitis, in clinical and histopathological prospective studies. Our results suggest that cell-mediated immune response to liver specific antigens plays a major role in the pathogenesis of chronic active hepatitis. Moreover the evaluation of these reactions in chronic liver diseases may help in the diagnosis and in the control of the immunosuppressive therapy. Hepatitis B virus infection must be considered one of the possible cause responsible for the rising of autoimmunity to the liver.


Peripheral lymphocytes in paraproteinemia. In 22 cases of myeloma and 12 cases of benign paraproteinemia the functional situation of circulating lymphocytes was studied. The technique used was the incorporation of 3H-Thymidine after PHA stimulation. E rosette formation and immunoglobulin bearing cells were evaluated. A reduction of 3H-Thymidine incorporation in the blastic cells was seen in the patients with myeloma (2,942 +/- 421 cpm/10(6) lymphocytes in respect to 13,182 +/- 920 of the control group). The difference was statistically significant: p less than 0.001. In benign monoclonal gammopathies the reduction was moderate and was at the limits of the significance: 9,482 +/- 1,100. The percentage of E rosettes and of immunoglobulins bearing cells was normal. The different behaviour of the blastic response in vitro in the two groups of patients tested confirms that the respective condition of the immunocompetent system is clearly different. A possible interpretation of this type of behaviour is discussed.


[Anti-inflammatory agents and lymphocytary reactivity]. The acetylsalicylic acid, like other drugs with analogous properties, is an anti-inflammatory drug, whose mechanism of action is still unknown. Lymphocyte release, on stimulation, phlogogenic substances (lymphokines) which are responsible for some phlogistic processes, above all chronic. Acetylsalicylic acid inhibits some lymphocyte functions, therfore its mechanism of action may be possibly accounted for by this activity. This paper dealt with the effect observed that acetylsalicylic acid on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastization. In vitro it was observed that acetylsalicylic acid inhibits blastization only when it is present in the incubation medium and that the inhibitor effect is dose dependent. In vivo, in the rat, it was observed that acetylsalicylic acid inhibits blastization only when administered some hours before lymphocyte withdrawal. The Authors believe that this effect may be accounted for by a metabolite of the drug itself.


[Sensitization to metals in patients submitted to arthroplasty]. The sensitization of the patients submitted to arthroplasty has been pointed out with increasing frequency. This paper attempted to establish the occurrence rate and the importance of this sensitization in patients submitted to arthroplasty of metallic or plastic type, by means of the patch-test, blastization and macrophage inhibition test. The highest positivity incidence was observed towards chromium (9.7%) and cobalt (6.4%) in the patients submitted to arthroplasty of metallic type, while that of plastic type showed a 1% positivity to methylacrylate. These data stress the importance of the adoption of the patch-test in all patients, before being submitted to any type of prosthesis, and of the preferential use of those prostheses which turned out less sensitizing.


Limulus test, parenteral drugs and biological products: an approach. The Authors report the results concerning the control of the presence of bacterial endotoxins in parenteral drugs, blood products and immunological reagents and drugs, by means of Limulus amebocyte lysate test. All the data suggest that Limulus assay is a simple, rapid, sensitive test, mostly when it is correctly performed.


Pressure antagonism of anaesthetic-induced conduction failure in frog peripheral nerve. Experiments to investigate pressure-induced antagonism of the effects of general anaesthetics in isolated peripheral nerve from the frog are described. The doses of four gaseous general anaesthetic agents required to reduce electrically evoked action potentials by 50% (mean +/- SEM) were nitrous oxide 490 +/- 40.4 kPa, ethylene 665 +/- 212 kPa, dichlorodifluoromethane 108 +/- 17.2 kPa and cyclopropane 70 +/- 5 kPa. The combination of high pressure and the anaesthetic agent partially or completely restored the action potential amplitudes for the gaseous and some of the volatile agents (chloroform, diethyl ether, helothane). However, reversal of the effects of other volatile agents (ethanol, butanol), sodium pentobarbitone and two local anaesthetic agents (procaine, dibucaine) did not occur. The pressures used to effect a reversal were less than anticipated. This apparent inconsistency with the critical volume hypothesis for anaesthesia is discussed.


The effect of splenectomy on circulatory adjustments to hypoxaemia in the anaesthetized dog. Six intact and seven splenectomized dogs were subjected to a similar degree of hypoxaemia while under light anaesthesia and artificial ventilation. In the intact animals, heart rate, cardiac output, myocardial contractility and oxygen consumption were increased as a result of hypoxaemia; oxygen transport was not affected. In the splenectomized animals the changes in cardiac output and myocardial contractility were small, and oxygen availability was decreased.


A further study of general anaesthesia for Caesarean section. Methoxyflurane or trichloroethylene in concentrations of 0.2% or 0.1% used in anaesthesia for Caesarean section were compared. There were no differences in the acid-base state or the clinical condition of the infant at delivery, or in the incidence of maternal complications, which could be related to the choice of volatile agent. Either volatile agent in the 0.2% concentration was associated with an overall incidence of maternal awareness and unpleasant dreams of 2.5%, compared with 4.9% when the 0.1% concentration was used. The incidence of maternal nausea and vomiting was less in the 0.2% series. There was an apparent relationship between the induction-delivery interval and (a) the degree of neonatal acidosis and (b) the Apgar-minus-colour scores at one minute ((A-C)1). The correlation between those indices of increasing foetal depression and increasing length of the uterine incision-delivery interval was highly significant. There was no systematic relationship between the one-minute score for "colour" and the umbilical artery PO2.


Haemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption during isoflurane (forane) anaesthesia in geriatric patients. The influence of isoflurane on haemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption was examined in seven geriatric patients under conditions of controlled ventilation and a normal arterial carbon dioxide tension. During isoflurane/nitrous oxide in oxygen anaesthesia (0.75 and 1.5 vol% inspired isoflurane) no significant changes occurred in cardiac output, stroke volume, heart rate, central venous and pulmonary artery pressure. Arterial pressure decreased, as did total peripheral resistance. A reduction in left ventricular maximum dp/dt (18-39%) was, at least in part, a result of changes in loading conditions. Total body (CaO2--CVO2) and base excess values remained within the normal range. We consider that the oxygen supply was adequate to meet the metabolic demands of the body as a whole. Myocardial oxygen consumption decreased by 25% during 0.75 vol% inspired isoflurane and by 43.5% with deepening of anaesthesia (1.5 vol% isoflurane).


Pharmacokinetic analysis using an electrical analogue. After i.v. administration, the distribution and elimination of many drugs may be simulated by a compartmental mathematical model. The analogue can be used to construct such models in electrical terms. When programmed with an appropriate model, the analogue can be used in a wide range of predictive studies. The application of the analogue is illustrated by analysis of serial plasma concentrations of fentanyl and pancuronium.


Tubocurarine and the neonate.

Tubocurarine and the neonate. Tubocurarine, given as a single bolus, may be used safely for neuromuscular blockade in the neonate. The recommended dose is 250 mug/kg at birth, increasing to 500 mug/kg at 28 days of age. This dose should be reduced in the event of prematurity, acidosis or hypothermia, or when certain antibiotics or inhalation anaesthetic agents are present in the tissues. A single dose as described has a duration of approximately 1 h and it is only after this time that satisfactory antagonism can be obtained. The potency of pancuronium when compared with tubocurarine in the study is 6:1, from birth to 28 days.


Laryngeal incompetence during neuroleptanalgesia in combination with diazepam. In eight patients, following carotid angiography under neuroleptanalgesia, a radiopaque dye was instilled into the pharynx. The chest was x-rayed 15 min later. All eight patients were observed to have aspirated the dye. The technique of neuroleptanalgesia described should not be used without safeguarding the airway in patients liable to regurgitate and inhale gastric contents.


Tetany, tetanus or drug reaction? A case report. An 8-year-old child was given perphenazine to prevent vomiting after surgery and developed an acute dystonic reaction; There were features of both tetany and tetanus without any of the classical features of extrapyramidal disturbance. The diagnostic difficulties are discussed. The reaction was treated successfully with i.v. diazepam. The prescribing of anti-emetics after surgery is examined critically with special reference to children.


Hypersensitivity to suxamethonium in a Suffolk family. Suxamethonium apnoea developed in a patient who was a homozygote for the atypical gene. Fifty-five members of the patient's family were investigated. Seven further homozygotes were found. Suxamethonium apnoea had been demonstrated previously in one of these. Thirty-two members of the family were heterozygotes.


[Purification of alpha-amylase by affinity chromatography on cross-linked starch]. Affinity chromatography on cross-linked starch affords a simple and rapid procedure for alpha-amylases (EC 3.2.1.1.) purification. When starch is cross-linked in alkaline medium by epichlorhydrin in the conditions described, the insoluble polysaccharide obtained is able to retain specifically the alpha-amylase which is then eluted with 2M maltose solution. alpha-amylase can be obtained in a pure form with a 60% yield. The exoenzyme beta-amylase (EC 3.2.1.2) is not retained by the support and is eluted with other contaminant proteins. Therefore, this procedure allows the separation of the endo- and exoamylase activities.


[Primary structure of the casein macropeptide of caprine kappa casein]. The amino acid sequence of caprine CMP, the negatively charged C-terminal fragment released by chymosin (rennin EC 3.4.23.4) from goat K-casein at the initial stage of the milk-clotting process, has been investigated. The complete sequence has been determined by analysing chymotryptic and "thermolysin" fragments of the CMP. Caprine CMP contains 66 amino acid residues, 2 being phosphorylated. Asp2, Asn5, Thr11, Ser6, SerP2, Glu7, Gln2, Pro6, Ala9 Val5, Met1, Ile6, Lys3, His1, and the carbohydrate-free polypeptide chain has a molecular weight of 6,998 daltons. The occurrence in caprine CMP of an additional phosphate group, linked to serine 168 in the C-terminal region Thr-Ser168-Thr-Glu170-Val.OH of the polypeptide chain, has given support to the phosphorylation code for caseins that we postulated earlier [28, 27]. According to this hypothesis, a specific phosphoryl kinase may recognize an anionic phosphorylation site corresponding to the tripeptide sequence Thr/Ser-X-Glu, X being any amino acid residue. Since the C-terminal sequence of bovine and caprine CMPs differ by the substitution Ala/Glu170 (caprine), phosphorylation of caprine serine 168 could be explained by the occurrence of the new phosphorylation site Ser168-Thr-Glu170.


[Preparation and immunoephelometric quantitation of fibrinogen in rabbits]. Pure rabbit fibrinogen was prepared by a method involving two ammonium sulfate precipitations, one 2 M phosphate buffer precipitation, one DEAE cellulose chromatography and lastly one Sepharose 6 B chromatography. The aminoacid composition was determined and an immunonephelemetric assay was proposed. This assay followed an accurate determination of fibrinogen concentration in a rabbit with inflammatory reaction.


Transfer ribonucleic acid methylase activity in adult and foetal rat liver. Foetal rat liver extracts were found to have higher tRNA methylene activities than corresponding extracts of adult liver. When the specific activities were expressed per mg of liver or per mg of protein, the foetal tRNA methylating enzymes were respectively 2.5 and 6 times higher than those of adult livers. The presence of an inhibitor in adult liver can be excluded, since the same recoveries of total tRNA methylase activity were obtained after partial purification of both adult and foetal liver extracts: yields were close to 100%. The apparent Km's for the substrates in the methylating reactions were the same when tRNA methylases from either adult or foetal liver were used: values were 0.2 muM for Escherichia coli tRNA and 2.1 muM for S-adenosyl-L-methionine. After T1-T2 ribonuclease digestion of an in vitro methylated tRNA, similar methyl nucleotide patterns were observed in foetal and adult enzymatic extracts. It is concluded that the same tRNA methylase pool is present in adult and foetal liver. In addition, it is hypothesized that the different reaction rates exhibited by these enzymes might be due to the tRNA functional requirements rather than to the presence of a tRNA methylase inhibitor.


[Biological methylations in the crab Carcinus maenas; in vitro inhibition by a fraction purified from androgen gland extracts]. Extracts from muscles, testis, seminal vesicles and ovaries of the Crab, Carcinus maenas, have been studied in vitro, in presence of [14C]-methyl S-adenosylmethionine, with an E. coli tRNA as methyl acceptor. The highest level of methylases is found in the testis. It has been reported previously that a purified fraction extracted from the androgenic glands of Carcinus maenas inhibits the vitellogenesis in ovaries. We now show that the same fraction inhibits tRNA methylation in an extract of testis as methylase; a 50% inhibition is obtained with about 10 mug of a purified fraction corresponding to 15 glands. With an enzymatic preparation from the ovaries, a 50% inhibition of the tRNA methylase is observed with the purified extract from 4 glands.


[Structure, amount and composition of sulfuric, sulfonic and phosphoric esters of glycosyldiglycerides of three fucacea]. The mono and polyester glycosyl sulfates or phosphate diglycerides account for a group of polar lipids which is found in large amounts in the three fucacae that are studied: Pelvetia canaliculata (L) Deen and Thur, Fucus vesiculosus (L), Fucus serratus (L).  These polar lipids have been shown to have complex structures, most of them are unknown in the present nomenclature. Both quantity and composition of these polar lipids are species characteristics, forming the equipment of polar lipids for every species of algae. Glycosyl ester sulfate and phosphate diglycerides are very unstable substances when pure, moreover photolabile and thremodegradable. This extreme fragility caused many difficulties in the determination of molecular structures which require a very high purity of isolated substances, The determination of the structures, studies of quantities and composition cytological localization of these polar lipids should allow to define clearly their physiological function and importance from the biochemical and ecological point of view.


[Aliphatic alcohol sulfates: new polar lipids isolated from various Fucacea]. Four new sulfolipids have been found in the three Fucacea from the coast of Britany P. canaliculata (L) Deen et Thur, F. vesiculosus (L), F. serratus (L). These four polar lipids form a separate group, their structures being very different from those of the glyceride by-products already known. By acid hydrolysis of these substances the aliphatic mono and dialcohols can be separated. The aliphatic hydrocarbons studied by gas chromatography and spectrometric methods (IR, MASS), have been established as being saturated C30 mono or dialcohols, saturated C18 and C20 monoinsaturated dialcohols. SAA are the only substances found: there was no sulfonate or phosphate ester in the three algae studied. The quantity and composition of SAA are not characteristic of the species. Their variations depend on the physiological and biochemical states of the thallus and on the conditions of extraction and purification.


Ocular development and involution in the European cave salamander, Proteus anguinus laurenti. The anatomy and development of the eye of Proteus anguinus are described. The relationships between organogenesis of the eye in embryos and larva and its involution in the young and the adult are discussed. The availability (in breeding cultures) of a significant number of Proteus embryos (which are normally rare) allowed experimental analysis of the effects of light, xenoplastic differentiation and thyroid hormones on the development of the eye. The results of this study suggest that development and involution of the eye of Proteus are controlled by genetic factors which are not greatly influenced by environment, and one can, therefore, consider the microphthalmy of Proteus as a relict characteristic which is the result of a specific development with disturbance of the normal ontogenic process.


Observations on the feeding mechanism, diet and digestive physiology of Histriobdella homari Van Beneden 1858: an aberrant polychaete symbiotic with North American and European lobsters. 1. The aberrant annelid Histriobdella homari (Polychaeta:Eunicida) lives in the branchial chambers of the marine lobsters Homarus americanus and H. vulgaris where it feeds on the rich microflora of bacteria, blue-green algae and related organisms which grow on the inner surface of the branchial chamber, the setae fringing the edges of the carapace, the gill filaments and, especially, the surfaces and setae of the epipodite plates between the gills. H. homari, therefore, is to be regarded as an epizoic microphagous cleaning symbiote of the lobsters. 2. The alimentary canal consists of mouth, buccal cavity, oesophagus, proventriculus, stomach, intestine and anus. The much-modified proboscis lies ventrally below the oesophagus and proventriculus, with its anterior portions protruding into the rear of the buccal cavity. 3. The proboscis consists of two fixed parallel mandibles, a transverse carrier which slides upon the mandibles and to which is attached, posteriorly, a median flexible dorsal rod and, anteriorly, four pairs of movable articulated maxillae, paired external and internal retractor muscles and various tensor, flexor and extensor muscles. 4. Contraction of the retractor muscles withdraws the carrier and maxillae posteriorly, causing bowing of the dorsal rod which is fixed at its posterior end. Relaxation of the muscles allows the rod to straighten and, thus, causes protraction of the carrier and protraction and lateral expansion of the maxillae. Contraction and relaxation of the relaxation of the retractor muscles are supplemented by appropriate changes in the other muscular components of the proboscis. 5. During feeding the serrated anterior ends of the mandibles are applied to the food, the maxillae are fully expanded and then dawn ventro-posteriorly toward the mid-line by contraction of the retractor muscles in the effective movement of the feeding mechanism. This draws the food organisms across the anterior ends of the mandibles, detaching them from the substratum and allowing their ingestion by ciliary action. The first pair of maxillae are also capable of independent action and can be used while the remainder of the proboscis apparatus is held in the protracted position. 6. Detached microorganisms are entangled in a sticky mucous secretion from the salivary glands; other salivary secretions provide a transport medium for the clumped particles and a third set contain C-esterases which initiate digestion. 7. Ingested food is held briefly in the proventriculus, then passed to the stomach where gland cells secrete A- and C-esterases which continue and extend the digestion initiated by the salivary C-esterases. 8. Some soluble products of gastric digestion are taken up by absorptive cells in the stomach wall and their digestion is completed intracellularly by enzymes which include  beta-glucuronidase. Others pass into the intestine for absorption and completion of digestion by cells similar to the gastric absorptive cells but which lack beta-glucuronidase...


Thermal compensation in protein and RNA synthesis during the intermolt cycle of the American lobster, Homarus americanus. 1. The in vitro rates of incorporation of precursors into protein and RNA and the concentration of RNA were measured in tissues of intermolt and premolt lobsters acclimated to 5 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Midgut gland, abdominal muscle and gill of intermolt lobsters respond to temperature acclimation by a compensatory translation of the rate-temperature (R-T) curves with respect to the rates of incorporation of 3H-leucine and 3H-uridine into the acid-insoluble fraction. Midgut gland and muscle of premolt animals exhibit either no compensation or inverse compensation; gill tissue exhibits a rotation of the R-T curve. 2. The existence of the complete de novo pathway of pyrimidine biosynthesis is demonstrated in the class Crustacea. NaH14 CO2 is incorporated into orotic acid and orotic-14 C-acid is incorporated into the acid-insoluble fraction. 3. Both the concentration of RNA and the rates of incorporation of precursors of both the salvage and de novo pyrimidine pathways are enhanced in the midgut gland of premolt lobsters, relative to intermolt tissue, under conditions of warm-acclimation.


Morphological adaptation to thermal stress in a marine fish, Fundulus heteroclitus. Populations of Fundulus heteroclitus (Cyprinodontidae), a coastal marine fish, were studied in control and artificially heated environments on the north shore of Long Island to determine patterns of variation in morphology and the extent to which this variation reflected adaptation to environmental characteristics. Principal components and discriminant function analyses were used to analyze variation in and among seventeen morphological characters. Fishes living in water artificially heated by a power plant exhibited marked divergence from control populations in head morphology, and convergence with a population sampled at more southern latitudes. Hence, these differences were interpreted as adaptations to warm environments. Greater morphological variation is detected at the heated locality than at control localities, and this may be partially due to a breakdown in developmental homeostasis, and partially due to selection favoring phenotypes that are rare in this environment.


Development and metamorphosis of the sea-star, Astropecten scoparius Valenciennes. 1. Astropecten scoparius develops to a bipinnaria with simple ciliary bands and short bipinnari arms through a wrinkled blastula by holoblastic, radial cleavage. 2. About seven days after insemination, the posterior portion of the bipinnaria becomes swollen and fine spicules appear on it, while the anterior portion, the stalk, remains unchanged. 3. Metamorphosis takes place gradually at the posterior portion, while the metamorphosing bipinnaria is pelagic. Two weeks after insemination, the stalk rapidly shrinks and the larva sinks to the bottom. 4. About 18 days after insemination, the juvenile completes metamorphois with the opening of the mouth. The newly metamorphosed juvenile is 600 mu in diameter and each arm bears two pairs of the tube-feet, each having a sucker at the tip, and one terminal tentacle with red eye-spot. 5. The aboral skeletal system of the juvenile immediately after metamorphosis is composed of one central, one madreporic, ten radial and interradial plates, in addition to five terminal plates on the arms. 6. The juveniles smaller than about one cm in R do not bear some of the diagnostic features in this species. 7. A characteristic feature of the development of Astropecten, i.e., the lack of a brachiolaria stage, is stressed. The term "nonbrachiolarian type" is tentatively proposed to distinguish the development of Astropecten and Luidia, which do not pass through a brachiolaria stage, from the usual indirect type of development.


Symbiotic association of Photobacterium fischeri with the marine luminous fish Monocentris japonica; a model of symbiosis based on bacterial studies. Isolation of bacteria from the luminous organ of the fish Monocentris japonica has revealed that the organ contains a pure culture of luminous bacteria. For the four fish examined, all contained Photobacterium  fischeri as their luminous bacterial symbiont. This is the first time that P. fischeri has been identified in a symbiotic association. A representative isolate (MJl) of the light organ population was selected for in vivo studies of its luminous system. Several physiological features suggest adaptation for symbiotic existence. First, MJl has been shown to produce and respond to an inducer of luciferase that could accumulate in the light organ. Secondly, the specific activity of light production was seen to be maximal under low, growth-limiting concentrations of oxygen. Thirdly, unlike another luminous species (Beneckea harveyi), synthesis of the light production system of these bacteria is not catabolite repressed by glucose--a possible source of nutrition in the light organ. Fourthly, when grown aerobically on glucose these bacteria excrete pyruvic acid into the medium. This production of pyruvate is a major process, accounting for 30-40% of the glucose utilized and may serve as a form of regulatory and nutritional communication with the host.


Exchanges of sodium and chloride at low salinities by Nereis diversicolor (Annelida, Polychaeta). 1. Experiments to compare the exchange (total influx) of sodium and chloride in the polychaete Nereis diversicolor in steady-state adaptation to very low salinities are reported. 2. The Na-uptake mechanism shows a high affinity for sodium, reaching half the maximal uptake rate at an external Na-concentration of 8-10 mM/liter (ca. 2% SW), and becomes "saturated" or reaches a plateau of uptake at concentrations of 40-50 mM/liter (ca. 10% SW) up to ca. 350 mM/liter (75% SW), above which Na-exchange is proportional to the external concentration. 3. The Cl-uptake curve differs from the Na-uptake curve in showing a relative depression at very low salinities before reaching "saturation" at Cl-concentrations of 50-60 mM/liter (ca. 10% SW). Cl-uptake becomes proportional to external concentration in salinities of 50% SW or greater, suggestive of passive diffusion in the ionic and osmotic conforming range. 4. It is shown that the permeability of the body wall, both to Na and to Cl, is reduced at very low salinities, thus destroying one of the assumptions upon which a previously-presented balance-sheet for chloride exchanges in N. diversicolor was based (Smith, 1970a). 5. Attempts to demonstrate an activation of the Na-uptake mechanism at very low salinities were inconclusive; reduction of body-wall permeability to sodium masks any possible activation. 6. It is suggested that the inside-negative body-wall potential is related to the depression of the Cl-uptake curve in salinities below 10% SW.


Osmotic adjustment in an estuarine population of Urosalpinx cinerea (Say, 1822) (Muricidae, Gastropoda). Individuals from a subtidal, estuarine population of the common oyster drill, Urosalpinx cinerea (Say, 1822), were brought into the laboratory and tested for osmotic adjustment to changing salinity. Tissue variables monitored at seven experimental salinities ranging from 10 to 40% were tissue fluid osmolality, chloride, sodium, potassium, free amino acids (FAA), ninhydrin-positive substances (NPS) and water content. The results of this study demonstrate that the test animals did not exhibit anisosmotic regulation at any of the experimental salinities. However, the data do suggest a high degree of hyper-ionic regulation of potassium at all experimental salinities and a hyporegulation of sodium between the 25 and 40% salinities. Taurine, aspartic acid, alanine and glycine were the four FAA present in relatively consistent high amounts. These four amino acids comprised from 59.6 to 75.7% of the total FAA pools. It is postulated that the population does not maintain its euryhaline survival status through an osmoregulatory mechanism. Rather, the population has probably adapted physiologically to withstand dilution of its body fluids during spring conditions of low salinities.


A method of measuring the temporal/distance factors of gait. There exist many clinical situations where it is desirable to have some measure of a patient's ability to walk. The complex nature of human locomotion is reflected by the number of parameters that have been measured in previous studies of gait analysis. The temporal/distance factors of gait have been found to be extremely useful as a measure of a person's functional mobility. This paper describes a system which has been developed to measure these parameters of gait.


A solid state delayed auditory feedback system for speech therapy. A delayed auditory feedback system has been constructed using solid state integrated circuit components. The construction of the instrument is described and the advantages of such an electronic device over conventional electro-mechanical systems are discussed.


Elevated myo-inositol concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of neonates and of patients with an impaired state of consciousness. A simple, semiquantitative paper chromatographic method was used to identify samples of cerebrospinal fluid containing elevated concentrations of myo-inositol. All patients whose CSF inositol concentrations were greater than 70 mug/ml (as determined by S. carlsbergensis microbiological assay) showed disturbances of the state of consciousness, reported as stupor, coma or confusion in adults, or apathy and stupor in infants. An elevated level of inositol in cerebrospinal fluid appeared to be a characteristic finding in infants under one year of age. Among other age groups no common etiology was correlated with high inositol concentration.


Inhibition of free fatty acid release from isolated rat epididymal fat cells by some natural occurring organic acids. The effects of some mono-, di- and tricarboxylic substrates (acetate, pyruvate, L-lactate, L-alanine, D,L-beta-hydroxybutyrate, succinate, D,L-malate, alpha-oxoglutarate, L-glutamate and citrate) on the basal lypolytic activity of isolated white adipocytes from fasted rats were investigated "in vitro". At concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 mM, the compounds tested, except lactate, had no influence on the rate of glycerol release but markedly reduced the free fatty acid (FFA) release. Lactate reduced both the glycerol and FFA release. As this "in vitro" lowering effect on FFA release was observed using concentrations occurring "in vivo" in the blood for lactate, beta-hydrobutyrate, and alanine, these results suggest that, besides lactate and beta-hydroxybutyrate, alanine may also assume an important role in the "in vivo" regulation of peripheral FFA mobilization and consequently of ketogenesis.


Enhancement of murine erythrocyte auto-antibody responses by Rauscher leukemogenic virus and by a weak allogeneic stimulation. B6/c mice do not develop spontaneous positive direct Coomb's tests (DCT), but they are highly susceptible to the induction of erythrocyte auto-antibodies by immunization with cross reacting rat blood cells (36% positive DCT). Rauscher leukemogenic virus (RLV) does not directly induce DCT in these susceptible mice; neither does the inoculation of parental spleen cells. On the other hand both RLV and allogeneic stimulation by parental spleen cells enhance the incidence of the rat blood cell-induced DCT (up to 75% and 69% respectively). This is discussed in terms of a separate etiology to antinuclear and anti-erythrocyte auto-antibodies and of the possible mechanisms of auto-immune stimulation by oncogenic viruses or allogeneic stimulation.


Fluorescence and flow dichroism of F-actin-epsilon-ADP; the orientation of the admine plane relative to the long axis of F-actin. The excitation polarization spectrum of epsilon-ADP bound to F-actin shows that two absorption dipoles at 260 nm and 340 nm are oriented in different directions relative to the emission dipole. On the other hand, the linear dichroism of F-actin-epsilon-ADP gives that the dichroic ratio of the bound epsilon-ADP is approximately constant (about-0.5) in the wavelength region form 250 to 350nm. Furthermore, the fluorescence polarization of epsilon-ADP bound to F-actin which is oriented in the field of flow shows that the emission dipole is nearly perpendicular to the long axis of F-actin. From these observations we conclude that the adenine plane of the bound nucleotide is almost perpendicular to the long axis of F-actin.


Optical studies on complexes between DNA and pseudoisocyanine. Linear dichroism (LD) results when pseudoisocyanine=PIC (1,1-diethy1-2,2-cyannine iodide) binds to flow-oriented DNA. LD may be used to follow the complexation both stoichmetrically and structurally, since when specified to unti complex concentration LD provides a measure of the average orientation of the absorbing transition dipole. Two different types of complexes can be distinguished: I. One strong, ionic-strength insensitive complex with monomeric PIC with an orientation indication intercalation. II. Several weaker complexes of electrostatic nature (only observed at I less than 0.2M Na Cl) among which those with dimeric (IIa) and with polymeric (IIb) PIC are concluded both from LD and from circular dichroism (CD). The dimer is probably formed by employing one intercalated PIC as a second site. The polymer complex is characterized by a very sharp absorption band at 553 nm polarized parallel to the DNA-axis (with positive LD and positive CL). The structure, a right-handed helical array of PIC molecules, is discussed in terms of exciton theory in relation to that of polymeric free PIC ("Scheibe polymer") which is also shown to interact with DNA (IIc) yielding a large aggregate which is degraded at a distinct flow force field...


Model calculations of casein micelle size distributions. A previously proposed model for the formation and structure of casein micelles from subunits of variable composition is used to calculate theoretical micelle size distributions. Using the fractional content of k-casein as the only variable but with a value near that observed in a sample of milk serum, the model successfully reproduces experimentally determined distributions. Predicted size distributions are quite sensitive to the value of the variable and shift toward smaller average size as the assumed fractional content k-casein gets larger. Also, there is a discontinuity in the distributions which predicts that there will be essentially no micelles with radii smaller than 25-30 nm. These predictions are all in accord with experimental observations. The good agreement between theory and experimenet supports the micelle structure suggested by the model.


On the analysis of linear binding effects associated with curved Scatchard plots. First the question is examined as to which binding data, especially if given as Scatchard plots, can be described in terms of a basic model mechanism. This referes to a linear lattice of equivalent binding sites (as for example located on a linear biopolymer) which can exert cooperative interaction between nearest neighbors. It is shown that the effect of overlapping of potential site (so-called "multiple-contact"binding), as may occur with larger ligands, will largely be compensated by a higher degree of cooperativity. Therefore, in practice such properties can scarcely be separated by means of oridnary binding experiments. A pronounced inflection point in the Scatchard plot turns out to be clearly indicating a more complex mechanism involving at least two rather antagonistic cooperative interactions which may, however, occur even between equivalent binding sites. Finally some consequences of different classes of bindings sites are considered. In particular a simple approach is introduced by which the binding to mutually exclusive classes of sites may be described. Such a model is of interest for multiple-mode binding of ionic ligands to oppositely charged polymers.


Aggregation of chlorophylls in monolayers. The interaction of dioxane vapor with monolayer and multilayers of chlorophyll has been studied using electronic and infarared spectroscopies. Our results indicate the formation of a complex implying the oxygene of the dioxanc molecules with the magnesiums of adjacent chlorophyll molecules. These results are consistent with the molecular orbital calculations, using the "free electron network" method done by Le Brech, Leblanc and Antippa [Chem. Phys. Letters 26(1974) 37-44].


High pressure enzyme kinetics of dextransucrase. The pressure dependence of enzymatic dextran formation has been observed up to 1000 at for several substrate concentrations. First order denaturation effects could be separated from the thermodynamic effects, which lead to a volume of 30.4 to 44.0 ccm per mole for the formation and -13.6ccm per mole for the activation of the enzyme-substrate complex. Denaturation depends on the substrate concentration. This leads to the conslusion that only the free enzyme is denatured, wheras the ES complex is stable.


Thermodynamic properties of polyelectrolyte solutions containing mixtures of monovalent and trivalent counterions. The osmotic coefficients, heats of dilution, and volume changes on dilution of aqueous solutions containing mixtures of polystyrenesulfonic acid and its lanthanum salt have been determined at 25 degrees C. The curve representing the osmotic coefficient as a function of the equivalent fraction of the acid has a maximum; the corresponding curves for the enthalpy and volume changes on dilution have a sigmoidal shape. Experimental results have been compared with predictions of the theory based on the cell model with cylindrical symmetry. A semiquantitative agreement between theory and experiment has been found.


Investigation of the electronic term scheme of deoxygenated human haemoglobin by a least squares fit procedure using simultaneously magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer data. The calculation of the magnetic susceptibility from a published term scheme for the ferrous iron in deoxygenated human haemoglobin is discussed and a procedure for the simultaneous least squares fit of susceptibility and Mössbauer data is presented. The application of this procedure to the appropriate measurements on human haemoglobin leads to a rearrangement of the low lying electronic levels of the iron. The term schemes received as results of two different sets of susceptibility data used in combination with one set of Mössbauer data overlap with their error bars. The obtained level scheme of the Fe is correlated with the distance of the iron atom from the haem plane and the distance Fe-HIS F8, and some biological implications of these correlations are discussed.


The problem of nonstationary ion fluxes in excitable membranes. Time-dependent electrodiffusion through a membrane is analysed within a simple model treating the boundary-layers in a consistent manner. It is shown that time-independent reversal potentials for the ion fluxes exist only under steady-state conditions. We argue that this result holds very generally. Therefore nonstationary effect like ion storage and depletion inside the membrane should not contribute to the phenomena of excitability.


Theory of fluorescence polarization of oriented pigment molecules in spherical arrays. Theoretical results are presented which are appropriate for the analysis of the static polarized fluorescence experiment with oriented pigment molecules in spherical arrays (vesicles). Though the global orientation mediated over the whole sphere is isotropic, the fluorescent molecules may have preferred local orientation with respect to the local plane. As in a former paper, concerning fluroescence polarization in planar arrays, three basic (local) orientation distributions of the electronic transition moments are investigated, which may be expected to describe a wide class of real cases with sufficient accuracy. Analytic expressions for the degree of polarization are derived. One important result is that the degree of polarization may be extremely dependent on the local orientation of transition moments. Hence the usual method of determination of microviscosities from experiments with vesicles with the use of the theory of fluorescence polarization for macromolecules in solutions should be regarded with great caution.


Orientation and rotational freedom of fluorescent probes in lecithin bilayers. The fluorescence polarization properties of lecithin bilayers stained with 2,6-MANS and 1,8 ANS under applied potential steps have been studied. The fluorescence signal components of both dyes were found to have different sign and relative amplitude, suggesting that 1,8-ANS and 2,6-MANS behave differently when bound to black lipid membranes. In order to determine the location and the extent of rotational brownian motions of the bound chromophores, the experimental data were analyzed by using a simplified physico-mathematical model. According to it 2,6-MANS appears to have a ratio rho/tau higher than 1.8-ANS (rho being the rotational relaxation of in plane rotations and tau the lifetime of the excited singlet state of the bound molecules), suggesting that the former chromophore is more tightly held inside the bilayers. Furthermore, 2,6-MANS is found to possess the absorption and emission oscillators more closely oriented to the normal of membrane surface, while 1,8-ANS has both oscillators almost near the plane of the bilayers. The results furnish also a fair estimate of the random molecular motion own by the phospholipid molecules at room temperature. The comparison of the present data with those obtained from squid axon membranes confirms the validity of the proposed physical model, yielding a rough estimate of the axon membrane-area covered by integral protein macromolecules. These preliminary results derived from lecithin model membranes suggest that fluorescence polarization techniques can provide valuable informations if applied to study the macromolecular organization of in vitro reconstituted membranes.


Kinetic isotope effects in the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin. Kinetics were determined for the four transients K590, L540, M410, O660 of the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin (BR570) both in 1H2O and in 2H2O over a wide temperature range. Breaks in the Arrhenius plots, observed at 25 degrees-32 degrees for the longest-lived transients coincide with a transition point in the microviscosity of the membrane as measured by depolarization of an added fluorescent probe. The earliest isotope effect occurs in the decay of L540, and is present in the subsequent formation and decay of M410 and O660. Thus in the light-driven proton pump of BR570, proton ejection from the Schiff base correlates with decay of L540 and reprotonation occurs with the decay of both M410 and O660 back to BR570.


Complementary molecular models of learning and memory. The functional capabilities of the brain are formally characterizable interms of a finite system along with a memory space which it can manipulate. Two types of learning are possible: (1) modification-based learning, associated with alternate realizations of the finite system; (2) memory-based learning, associated with the assimilation, manipulation, and retrieval of memories. Constructive models which fulfill these conditions and which at the same time operate on the basis of molecular information processing principles have certain general features. We describe these features in terms of two interfaced submodels, the first for the finite system and the second for the memory space. The finite system may be realized by networks of neurons in which the specificity of enzyme molecules controls the nerve impulse. Such a realization is amenable to modification-based learning mediated by processes analogous to those of natural evolution and selective theories of antibody synthesis. The memory space is realizable by networks of neurons in which the conformation of dendritic receptor molecules controls the nerve impulse. In this case certain neurons firing in response to an external input undergo sensitization at the dendrites and in such a way that they are loadable and later callable by reference neurons, thereby allowing for reconstruction of manipulation of the firing pattern associated with this input. The overall construction makes a large number of biochemical, anatomical, physiological, and psychological predictions which are either testable or in good agreement with fact.


Abiotic synthesis of some polysaccharide-like and polypeptide-like structures in cold plasma. Starting from methane, ammonia and water vapors polypeptide-like and polysaccharide-like structures have been synthesized in cold plasma conditions. By gel filtration analysis of the raw product eight fractions of different molecular weight have been separated. The partial chemical nature of each fraction and of the hydrolysis products has been determined using elementary analysis, IR spectroscopy, paper, thin-layer and gas-chromatography. It is noteworthy that higher proportions of H2O in the feed composition increase the amount of sugar and polysaccharide-like compounds in the reaction product.


[Mechanism of the fast neurogenic component of the respiratory response to muscular work]. Dynamics of pulmonary ventilation, electric activity of the intercostal muscles and of the alveolar gas composition was studied in 12 healthy men during dosaged muscular work; these men were given different gas mixtures to breathe. The respiratory response at the initial period of work in inhalation of the hypoxic-hypercapnic gas mixture was greater than that in persons who breathed room air. This response practically disappeared after oxygen hyperventilation. Apparently the rapid component of the ventilation response to the muscular work was largely due to increased sensitivity of the respiratory centre to the chemoreceptive drive.


[Changes in the cerebral serotonin and noradrenaline levels in the brains of white rats trained with emotionally different reinforcement]. The changes in the serotonin (5-OT) and noradrenaline (NA) content in the brain of rats taught on the emotionally-positive (food) and emotionally-negative (pain) reinforcement were compared. The process of animal learning was accompanied by increase in the biogenic amine level. But when the teaching was conducted on the emotionally-positive reinforcement there was a greater increase in the 5-OT and NA level than in the case of the emotionally negative reinforcement. The process of animal teaching on food reinforcement was accompanied by an elevation of 5-OT chiefly in the cerebral cortex which apparently reflected the active functioning of the 5-OT system. An intensification of the NA system occurred in teaching the animals in the defence situation. A conclusion was thus drawn that the character of the changes in the biogenic amine level in the brain during learning depended on the emotions experienced by the animal (the emotional reinforcement utilized).


[Effect of copper, manganese and cobalt ions on the chemical sensitivity of interoceptors]. Acute experiments were conducted on 82 cats; a study was made of the influence of copper, manganese and cobalt on the chemical sensitivity of interoceptors. Administration of copper chloride caused inversion of the reflex reactions of the blood pressure and respiration to acetylcholine, cobalt chloride weakened these reactions, and manganese chloride intensified them. It is supposed that changes in the interoceptive reflexes observed depended chiefly on the direct action of microelements on the functional condition of the interoceptors.


[Functional state of the left ventricle of the heart in cardiocytotoxic shock]. Changes in the cardiodynamics and the contractile myocardium function under experimental shock caused by intracoronary injection of the anticardial cytotoxic serum were studied on 20 anesthetized dogs. Along with the symptoms of disturbance of the left ventricle function (a decrease of the systolic index, stroke work index of the left ventricle, rate of the intraventricular pressure rise, indices of myocardial contractility, ejection fraction) a decrease of the end-diastolic volume and pressure in the left ventricle was observed. These data show that disturbances in the cardiodynamics were cause not only by the cytotoxic heart damage, but also by derangement of the blood flow to the left heart.


[Effect of different types of excessive feeding on the state of vascular walls in rats]. Immature male rats were overfed for a long time with an excess of fats or carbohydrates; this caused obesity. Carbohydrate overfeeding led to a greater body weight gain and a greater increase in the weight of epididymal fat and of the adipose cell volume than fat overfeeding, but failed to decrease the lipolytic activity of the aorta. Prolonged fat overfeeding decreased the lipolytic activity of the aorta considerably. Thus, the results of the mentioned experiments showed that the predisposition of the aortic wall to atherogenesis did not correlate with the gain in weight and depended on the character of nutrition.


[Erythropoietic activity of human blood following exposure to hyperbaric hyperoxygenation]. Before exposure of man to hyperoxia the blood plasma posessed erythropoietic activity, but 18 to 20 hours after exposure to compressed air condition in the high pressure chamber corresponding to the depth of 100 metres there proved to be a marked fall of the erythropoietic activity. No statistically significant shifts were revealed in the peripheral blood indices by that time.


[Interrelationship between the structure, microcirculation and tissue-vascular permeability of the liver after experimental toxic damage]. Biomicroscopic and morphological studies demonstrated that in experimental heliotrine affection  of the liver there occurred very early and marked microcirculatory disturbances which preceded the parenchymal damage. With the further progress of the pathomorphological changes and chronization of the pathological process in the liver one of the leading roles was played by the advance of microcirculatory disturbances and of the tissue-vascular permeability leading to hypoxia of the hepatic tissue and derangement of the metabolic processes in the organ.


[Role of the kidneys in the mechanism of erythrodieresis in hemolytic (phenylhydrazine) and acute posthemorrhagic anemia]. The degree of hemolysis was studied comparatively in intact and nephrectomized rats after the phenylhydrazine injection. In the nephrectomized animals hemolytic (phenylhydrazine) anemia was expressed by a lesser reduction of the total erythrocyte count, of the percentage of Cr51-labeled erythrocytes, and of the intensity of the reaction for hemosiderin in the organs and tissues. A lesser degree of erythrodieresis was found in the nephrectomized rats and after an acute unsubstituted blood loss. Blood perfusion through the kidney of anemic rats led to increase of the potassium concentration in the plasma perfusate, reduction of the electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes, their resistance, hemolysis duration, and to decrease of albumin fractions with the mol wt of from 74 500 to 27 000 in the erythrocyte stroma.


[Functional state of the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenal system of guinea pigs under the influence of angular acceleration]. Experiments were conducted on guinea pigs. A study was made of the influence of increased gravitation on the activity of the hypothalamo-hypophysio-adrenal system. It appeared that a single centrifugation led to the activation of the mentioned system; however, repeated action of the angular accelerations on the animal organism failed to lead to any increase in the blood corticosteroid level (on the 6th-11th days); this can be attributed to the adaptation of the central link of the hypophysio-adrenal system to the given stimulus, and not to the exhaustion of the adrenal cortex.


[Effect of cytostatic drugs on fever development following administration of bacterial pyrogen]. A study was made of the development of pyretic reaction to the administration of a bacterial lipopolysaccharide (pyrogenal) after preliminary treatment of rabbits with actinomycin D and cortisone. Such treatment failed to change the reactivity of thermoregulating centres to the endogenous pyrogen. Intravenous injection of bacterial pyrogen was followed by marked shortening of pyretic reaction; the reaction was markedly inhibited in response to its intracysternal administration. An important role played by polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the formation of endogenous pyrogens in the mechanism of pyrexia induced by bacterial pyrogens was shown in this work.


[Changes in the activity of 3beta-OH-steroid dehydrogenase in the adrenals of rat fetuses following decapitation in utero]. The activity of 3beta-OH-steroid dehydrogenase in the adrenal cortex of 21-day fetuses in control and 3 days after decapitation in utero was estimated quantitatively by microspectrophotometry. The enzyme activity calculated as per conditioned cell in the fascicular zone exceeded that in the forming glomerular zone. After hypophysectomy the activity of the 3beta-OH-steroid dehydrogenase decreased in both the fascicular and glomerular zones.


[Effect of insulin on the adipose tissue of patients with diabetes mellitus]. A study was made of insulin sensitivity of the adipose tissue biopsied in 11 healthy women, and in 10 women with normal weight suffering from newly-detected diabetes mellitus. In difference from healthy persons in the adipose tissue of patients suffering from diabetes, insulin in a concentration of 50 mu/ml failed to enhance the oxidation of glucose to CO2, and in a concentration of 50 and 100 mu/ml failed to enhance the glycogen synthesis from glucose. Reduction of the sensitivity of different ways of glucose metabolism in the adipose tissue to insulin in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus pointed to the possibility of disturbance of insulin interaction with the cell membrane in this disease.


[Heterogeneous hemoglobin system in anemic rats]. Fractional contents of hemoglobins of the peripheral blood, spleen and the bone marrow was studied in intact and anemic rats by using electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel. Anemia was caused by injection of phenylhydrazine (HCl) into the animals. The principal regularities in the formation of the heterogeneous system of hemoglobin, depending on its source and the animal condition, was established. Possible mechanisms responsible for the rebuilding of the fractional contents of the protein investigated and its biological sense are discussed.


[RNA concentration in neuron-neuroglia systems of the retina and visual zones of the cerebral cortex during light deprivation and light stimulation]. A two-wave-length cytophotometry of the gallocyanin-chromium alum-stained preparations showed that in adult rats kept for 30 days in complete darkness there was a decrease in the RNA content in the perineuronal neuroglia of the retinal ganglion cell layer only, with no changes in the corresponding neurons. No changes were found in the neurons and in the perineuronal glia of the layer II---III of the visual cerebral cortex. After the end of light deprivation a 2-hour stimulation with a constant or flickering light did not influence the RNA content in the neurons of both regions of the visual analyzer studied, whereas in control rats this stimulation induced a marked increase in the RNA content in these neurons. Qualitative changes in the metabolism of the cellular RNA in the nervous system of adult animals under the effect of light deprivation are emphasized. Differences in the biochemical peculiarities of various neuron-neuroglia systems, depending on their localization in the visual analyzer, are discussed.


[Effect of muscular load on the invertase activity of the small intestine]. Acute experiments were conducted on male albino rats; a study was made of the invertase activity of the proximal, middle and distal portions of the small intestine after a 2-, 4- and 10-hour muscular load in the form of swimming in water at a temperature of 35 +/- 1 degree C. After 2 hours of swimming the invertase activity in the first two portions showed a rather sharp fall; it was restored to the initial level in 48--72 hours. This reduction was much less in the distal portion. Both the 4- and the 10-hour swimming led to an insignificant elevation of the enzymatic activity in all the three portions during 24 hours, with a subsequent decrease in the first two portions and a marked elevation in the distal portion after 48 hours. It is supposed that these changes were realized by means of the hypothalamo-hypophysio-adrenal system by the principle of the common nonspecific adaptive syndrome.


[Structural changes in nucleoprotein systems under the influence of serum from ill and healthy subjects]. A thermomechanical method was applied to the study of the interaction of the model desoxyribonucleoprotein systems (DNP-systems) of chromatin with the blood sera of healthy and sick persons. It was demonstrated that the blood sera of healthy persons caused decondensation of the DNP-systems. The intensity of this action varied when the sera with the composition altered as a result of pathology were used: the sera of the patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus increased the condensation; in comparison with the sera of healthy persons, the sera of schizophrenic patients intensified the DNP-system decondensation. The sera action was not connected with the activity of the serum enzymes. The role played by the serum components in regulation of the structural-functional chromatin properties is discussed.


[Isolation of the most active DNA synthesizing cells of hematopoietic organs by fractionation on a density gradient of albumin]. After separation of the bone marrow or the spleen suspension on the discontinuous albumin gradient cell fractions were obtained in which the activity of the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase, aspartate carbamoyl transferase, as well as the rate of the 14C-thymidine incorporation in the DNA was 2 to 3 times higher than in the original suspension. The most actively DNA-synthesizing cells were concentrated in the 5th-6th fractions when the osmolarity of 35% BSA was 370 mOsm, or in the 2nd-3rd fractions when the osmolarity of 35% BSA was 380 mOsm.


[Participation of GABA and glycine in the formation of somato-sympathetic reflexes]. Experiments were conducted on cats with intact spinal cord, and after spinalization a study was made of the action of strychnine and picrotoxin (synaptic GABA and glycine antagonists) on the components of somatosynaptic reflexes caused by stimulation of the skin and muscular intercostal afferents. Induced potentials were recorded in the white ramus of the third thoracic segment. The action of strychnine and picrotoxin on the values of different reflex components was not identical; this pointed to a different localization of the inhibitory action of GABA and glycine in the central link of the somatosympathetic reflex arch.


[Analysis of the effect of morphine and promedol on uptake and release of noradrenaline by myocardial tissue]. A study was made of the effect of morphine and promedol on the content, uptake, and release of norepinephrine (NE) on rat myocardium. Promedol proved to decrease the NE level in the myocardium. Morphine failed to influence the release of the NE-14C from the isolated perfused heart, whereas promedol increased it significantly, altering both the "slow" and the "rapid" release of the mediator. Promedol failed to influence the uptake of NE-14C by the perfused heart, whereas morphine decreased it significantly. The competition between morphine and NE was characterized by the effect of incomplete inhibition: morphine and NE produced reciprocal effects on the affinity of one another to the receptor, and their interaction depended on the ratio of the concentrations of these drugs.


[Synchronization of cellular proliferation in mice with sarcoma 37 by using hydroxyurea]. The synchronizing effect of hydroxyurea on the passage of sarcoma 37 cells through the stage of the S-phase and mitosis was investigated in albino mice. The study was performed with consideration to the circadian variations in the mitotic activity and the labelled nuclei indices. The degree of synchronization was assessed by the changes in the cell count and the rate of changes in synchronicity. The tumour consisted of at least two cell populations in which the variations in the number of cells both at the S-period, and, possibly, in mitosis were shifted in respect to one another by phase. The rate of artificial cell synchronization in the mitosis proved to be much greater than the natural one in the tumour undivided into individual populations. However, the number of cells subjected to artificial synchronization showed no significant difference not only from the cell count in the tumour undivided into individual populations, but also from the number of cells synchronized naturally in one of the populations. This could be explained by the fact that hydroxyurea acted on one group of cells only since variations in the number of DNA-synthesizing cells were shifted in individual populations in respect to one another by phase.


[Inhibiting effect of cholera vibrio neuraminidase in Rauscher mouse leukemia]. A study was made of the inhibitory effect of neuraminidase of cholera vibrio in mouse Rauscher leukemia. It was shown that the processing of cells of the spleen of mice suffering from leukemia with neuraminidase (in a dose of 50 units/ml and more) significantly inhibited the capacity of these cells to induce leukemia in their injection to BALB/c mice. In the mentioned concentration neuraminidase injected repeatedly parenterally produced no therapeutic effect in Rauscher leukemia.


[Effect of the enterotropic carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine on the level of biogenic amines in the hypothalamus of rats]. The hypothalamic levels of noradrenaline (NA), dophamine (DA), serotonine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) were found to be decreased in male rats 24 hours after subcutaneous injection of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (SDMH) in a dose of 21 mg/kg. During 3 to 12 hrs after the SDMH treatment the hypothalamic level of NA was decreased, whereas the 5-HT turnover became greater. The hypothalamic histamine level increased 30 min after the SDMH injection only. In the brain stem and the great hemispheres the biogenic amine level displayed no significant changes under the effect of SDMH. The endocrine-metabolic changes due to the selected SDMH effect on the hypothalamic biogenic amine level are supposed to be of great significance in the realization of the carcinogenic action of SDMH in rats.


[Possibility of migration of several elements in biological systems following x-irradiation]. The effect of local X-irradiation on the content of trace elements of subcellular fractions (nuclear, mitochondrial) and the blood serum of rats with sarcoma M-1 was studied. It was shown that systematic local irradiation of sarcoma M-1 (single dose--250 R) during the tumour growth promoted zinc redistribution from the nuclei into the mitochondria. In addition, there were revealed statistically significant postirradiation changes in the blood serum Ca content of rats with sarcoma M-1 after one-time local irradiation of the tumour with 1000 R.


[Comparative study of the level of mitotic activity and duration of mitosis over a 24 hour period in mouse tumors and normal tissue]. Circadian rhythm of cell division in the forestomack epithelium proved to be largely similar to that in the transplantable (continuous) carcinoma of the forestomack; the duration of mitosis in these tissues changed in the course of 24-hours. The mean 24-hour mitotic activity in the tumour was double that in the forestomack contrary to this, colchamine (colcemide) accumulated in the course of the 24-hours 121.1% mitoses in the forestomack and 83.8% mitoses in the carcinoma. A greater number of mitoses in the tumour with the usual count is attributed to the fact that the mean 24-hour duration of mitosis of the remen carcinoma was 2.7 greater than in the epithelium of the forestomack.


[Mitotic activity changes in the corneal epithelium of rats of different ages following exposure to pain]. A study was made of pain stimulus (amputation of 1/3 of the tail) on the mitotic activity in the corneal epithelium of 21-day fetuses, 1-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 7-, 10-, 15-, 20- and 25-day rats. In 45 minutes after the infliction of trauma no significant change was seen in the cornea of the fetuses and of the one-day-old ratlings. A gradual establishment of the reactive inhibition of mitoses in response to pain occurred between the 3rd and the 10th day of postnatal development. This reaction became more intense after the 10th day, reaching the maximum by the 25th day. Reactive inhibition of the mitotic activity was connected with the inhibition of the entrance of cells into mitosis.


[Diurnal changes in the number of mitoses and cells synthesizing DNA in the tissues of young rats]. Regular circadian variations in the mitotic index and in the number of cells synthesizing DNA (labelled nuclei index) were shown in the liver, epidermis, and in the exocrine portion of the pancreas in 7-day-old rats. The nature of these changes differed in the tissues under study. No regular correlations between the carcadian variations in these two indices were revealed.


[Changes in the mitotic activity of the corneal epithelium of white rats following coolong of the animals at different times of the day]. A study was made of the influence of moderate hypothermia on the mitotic activity of albino rat corneal epithelium. The animals were cooled by the contact method for one hour to 28 degrees C; such procedure was conducted at 6 a.m., at noon, and at 6 p.m.; the epithelial reaction to cooling proved to depend on the time, the greatest suppression of mitotic activity (14-fold) occurring at daytime 3 hours after the cooling. A tendency to normalization of cell division was observed 6 and 12 hours after the cooling. The number of mitoses decreased 3 hours after the evening cooling, no changes in the mitotic activity in 3 and 6 hours after the morning cooling; cell division was found to be suppressed in 12 hours.


[Effect of spleen and bone marrow regeneration on the number of hematopoietic colonies in mouse spleen]. The spleen (2/3) was removed in CBA male mice (the 1st group); in the 2nd group the bone marrow from the right posterior shin was removed. The hemopoietic splenic colonies were counted on the 8th day after the lethal irradiation and injection of 1 X 10(-6) nucleated cells of the intact spleen. A significant increase of the number of colonies in comparison with their number in control intact mice was observed. The authors suppose that this increase could also be caused by the local influence of the regenerating stroma of the spleen and by some stimulating factor discharge by the regenerating hemopoietic tissue.


[Recovery processes in the muscles of dogs following free transplantation under auto- and homoplastic conditions]. Whole gastrocnemius muscles, preliminarily (one month before) denervated, were auto- and homotransplanted in dogs. The transplanted muscles took at the site of transplantation; some of the transplanted material was lost and was resorbed; myoblasts were released from the viable disintegrating material. The muscle organ was built anew as a result of further differentiation of myogenic elements in the autotransplants under conditions of timely restoration of the circulation and innervation. No stable take of the transplant occurred in the case of homoplasty--the newlyformed muscle was lost as a result of the incompatibility reaction. Thus, preliminary denervation serves as an effective means of preparation of the muscle tissue for the autotransplantation.


[Cytologic changes in the myocardia of rats trained to altitude hypoxia]. Rats trained to the high-altitude hypoxia displayed signs of intensification of both the plastic and lytic processes; one of these processes prevailed in different cells. There was no significant change in the mitochondrial and myofibrillar ratio. An increase of the relative volume of the microcirculatory bed on account of dilatation of small vessels without any increase of their count was noted.


[Effect of sympathomimetic substances and DOPA on the ultrastructure of the nervous apparatus of the heart]. After a single administration of norepinephrine or DOPA to albino rats there occurred an incorporation of norepinephrine into the adrenergic axons of the heart and its deposition in the form of granules in small synaptic vesicles, about 300 A in diameter. The adrenergic and cholinergic axons can be thus differentiated. The amount of cholinergic axons in the auricles is greater than that of the adrenergic ones. The adrenergic terminals came into the most intimate contact with the cholinergic terminals and with the endothelial cells of the blood capillaries and the myocardial muscle cells. It is supposed that adrenergic fibers can act upon the heart muscle in three ways: by means of presynaptic inhibition through the cholinergic axons, by humoral route, and directly on the myocardial muscle cells.


[Electron-microscopic study of satellite cell formation in skeletal muscle under conditions of physical loading]. An increase of condensed chromatin was found in the nuclei of the muscle fibers of rat skeletal muscle after secondary exhastive physical exercises. Some nuclei of the muscle fibers with a part of the sarcoplasm separated from the muscle fibers. Satellite cells formed from the separated parts of the muscle fibers.


[RNA synthesis in the circular nucleoli of hepatocytes]. By analysis of serial sections it has been revealed that the so-called ring-like nucleoli of hepatocytes consist of a cavity with an amorphous contents surrounded by fibrillar and granular material. Such nucleoli are sometimes encountered in normal animals; the number of ring-like nucleoli increases considerably in chronic pathological process caused by repeated CCl4 injections. The capacity of RNA synthesis in the ring-like nucleoli was revealed by means of electron-microscopic autoradiography.


[Topographic features of the ultrastructure of parietal cells of the gastric mucosa (morphometric study)]. A new methodical approach to the study of the ultrastructure of the parietal cells of the gastric mucosa is suggested. Electron microscopic study of peculiarities of the submicroscopic cell organization at the three main levels (the generative zone, the zone of the most active cells, and the gland floor) is necessarily followed by the morphometric analysis of the results obtained. Marked differences in the ultrastructural morphometric indices of the parietal cells located at various levels of the glands were demonstrated with the aid of the mentioned method. Despite certain difficulties, such approach can be also applied to the study of other cell elements of the gastric mucosa and also of many other tissues with continuous quick cell renewal.


[Assessment of human regional cerebral circulation by venocclusive rheoplethysmoencephalography]. A possibility was shown of using the method of venocclusion rheoplethysmoencephalography (RPEG) for the assessment of the extent of changes in the cerebral circulation (CC) in individual regions of the cerebral hemispheres of a practically healthy man in various functional loads. The changes in the CC was recorded in per cent in respect to its initial background value. Data on the increase (by 114%) of the CC in the centralparietal region of the left cerebral hemisphere in movement with the right hand and on its reduction (by 45%) in sound stimulation. In the adjacent (temporal) region the changes in the CC were of other character.


[Morphofunctional express-diagnosis of liver conditons]. Methods of simultaneous detection of the vitally-essential indices of the hepatic tissue status by injecting neutral red vital dye into the portal vein are described. The liver tissue morphological status, the hepatic cell absorbing capacity, the blood microcirculatory efficacy and the pH shift were assessed on a histological preparation from the liver slice. The dye was extracted from the other portion of the same liver slice and the total amount of the dye absorbed was estimated.


Influence of magnesium on calcium- and potassium-related responses in vascular smooth muscle. The influence of Mg on Ca- and K-related responses of rabbit aortic strips was studied. Aortic strips bathed in either a K-free or 60.0 mM K solution were less sensitive to Ca in the presence of 1.2 mm Mg. Ca induced greater maximum tension in the aortic strips in the presence of Mg when bathed in 60.0 mM K. Addition of K to a K-free medium induced a slight relaxation at low concentrations (is less than 1.0 mm) which was Ca dependent. The relaxation was less in the presence of Mg. Wiolution were less sensitive to Ca in the presence of 1.2 mm Mg. Ca induced greater maximum tension in the aortic strips in the presence of Mg when bathed in 60.0 mm K. Addition of K to a K-free medium induced a slight relaxation at low concentrations (is less thth Mg in the medium throughout the experiment (90 min), the threshold concentration of K, including a contractile response, was increased as was the maximum tension. Acute addition of Mg decreased the maximum response to K. When K was lowered from 5.4 to 0.0 mm a contractile response, absent in the presence of Mg, occurred. When the K was increased, the tension returned to baseline. At 25-30 mm K, the tension again increased, reaching a maximum at 40-50 mm K. Ca uptake was stimulated at all K concentrations producing a contraction. Mg depressed this increase in uptake. 45Ca efflux was more rapid into a 50.0 mm than into 0.0 mm K solution. Mg delayed Ca efflux. It is concluded from these data that Mg has two components in its effect on the Ca associated with K responses. One is a competition with Ca at extracellular sites probably at the membrane, and the other is intracellular, probably a competition with Ca at sequestration sites.


Standstill of nailfold capillary blood flow during cooling in scleroderma and Raynaud's syndrome. Capillary blood flow in nailfold capillaries, observed continuously by capillary microscopy during standardized cold exposure (16 degrees C) has been compared in 15 patients with scleroderma (SD), 6 patients with Raynaud's syndrome (RS) without known organic pathology, and 9 normal controls. Capillary microscopy affords direct observation of capillary blood flow and allows one to determine if standstill of capillary circulation occurs (as defined by the movement of the red blood cell column), a state impossible to differentiate from near zero flow by conventional methods. Complete standstill of capillary blood flow occurred in 10 of 15 patients with SD and in 1 of 6 patients with RS. Intermittent standstill was observed in 5 of 15 SD and in 4 of 6 RS patients. In all normal subjects and in 1 of 6 patients with RS the capillary blood flow continued throughout the cooling period. Thus all 15 patients with SD and 5 of 6 patients with RS could be distinguished from control subjects by the development of capillary standstill on cooling. It is concluded that capillary microscopy can separate SD and RS patients from control subjects during cold exposure and may be useful in early diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatic syndromes and in the evaluation of therapy designed to improve the nutritional capillary blood flow of the skin. Whereas the complete standstill of capillary blood flow appears to be definitely associated with pathology, the intermittent standstill pattern as defined in this study may be an exaggerated form of flow fluctuation also seen in normal subjects. A larger number of subjects will have to be studied to determine whether patients with RS of the vasopastic type without connective tissue disease can be distinguished from normal subjects with low finger blood flow rates in cold conditions.


Comparison of the excitatory and inhibitory effects of angiotensin and vasopressin on mammalian portal vein. Angiotensin produced inhibitory and excitatory responses in guinea pig portal vein and excitatory responses in rabbit and rat portal vein. Vasopressin produced inhibitory responses in guinea pig and rabbit portal vein and excitatory and inhibitory responses in rat portal vein. In guinea pig portal vein, inhibition by angiotensin and vasopressin was associated with an increase in membrane potential which was, on average, smaller than that produced by isoprenaline, and with a suppression of spike discharges. Tachyphylaxis of the responses to angiotensin and vasopressin in portal vein was not observed and their effects were unaffected by tetrodotoxin, atropine and phentolamine plus propranolol.


Density of perivascular nerves on some cerebral and extracerebral blood vessels. The perivascular adrenergic nerves were counted as they crossed a grid-line superimposed on rat cerebral or femoral arteries and arterioles, and on the portal vein and its tributaries. The nerves were visualized with the formaldehyde-vapor, fluorescence technique. No support was received for the hypothesis that cerebral vessels are better innervated than extracerebral vessels. In fact, the density of nerves was significantly greater on the femoral and portal vessels than on the cerebral.


[Development of the renal glomerulus examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy]. The kidneys of 2 to 10 days old albino rats were fixed by perfusion and examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, vascular casts of renal vessels in rats of the same ages were effectuated by injection of methacrylate into the aorta and observed by SEM. The observation of glomerulogenesis in different stages has indicated that the glomerular capillaries originate in the interstitial vessels which penetrate into the cleft formed in the wall of the renal vesicle. Initially the capillaries have an aspect of small sinusoids which then expand peripherally and undergo successive subdivisions: the anastomosis in each glomerular lobule persists. The podocytes originate from the cells of the renal vesicle facing the penetrating capillaries. The initially primitive cells branch off successively and extend around the expanding capillaries with their small processes -- the foot processes which interdigitate with the corresponding structures of the neighbour cells.


[Descriptive anatomy of the posterior root of the trigeminal nerve (preliminary study)]. By 25 dissections, an angulation of 40 degrees at the emergency of the trigeminal nerve was observed. To the three types of fibers described by SICARD, a fourth type is added of V2 fibers wrapped by cranio-median and caudo-lateral fibres. Two groups form the motor root, a postero-superior group and an antero-inferior group. Anastomoses exist between the motor and sensitive roots as well as a few unusual sensitive rootlets.


[Pulmonary atresia (with ventricular septal defect)]. The study has been carried out on eight cases of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect, this abnormality involves both valvular atresia and the stenosis of the outflow tract of the right ventricle; that means a pulmonary atresia both valvular and infundibular. The atresia is always combined with a dextroposition of the aorta, overriding the ventricular septum; often with an auricular septal defect or a patency of the foramen ovale. In two cases, other associative caridac malformations exist : either a single ventricle or an atresia of the tricuspid valve. The arterial supply to the lungs may be assured by a persistent duct or by systemic arteries, or an association of both.


[Effects of adaptation temperature on the development of brown adipose tissue in the rat]. Male Long Evans rats were acclimated to 28 degrees C, 5 degrees C or to a daily fluctuating temperature (Cy group). The development of brown adipose tissue (BAT) was compared to that of controls maintained at 22 degrees C. Acclimation to 28 degrees C did not affect the BAT weight. After 10 days of cold exposure, the total BAT weight was increased in the 5 degrees C group, but not in the Cy group compared to controls. After four months the BAT weight was increased by about 130% in 5 degrees C group and only by 60% in Cy. In both groups the increase of abdominal BAT was four times larger than the interscapular one. No histological difference was observed between interscapular and abdominal BAT of cold acclimated rats : the size of lipid droplets is smaller than in controls. The physiological significance of the important cold induced hypertrophy of abdominal BAT is discussed.


[Study of correlations linking the volumes of the hypophyseal lobes and the epiphysis to body and brain weights in Chiroptera]. Study of the correlations binding the different lobes of the hypophysis and the pineal gland to body weight and brain weight in Chiroptera shows that the hypophysis is better correlated to body and brain weight than the pineal gland, fact that we already observed in Rodents and Primates. The allometry coefficient (M.R.A.) related to body weight varies from 0,80 to 0,98 for the hypophyseal lobes. The value of this coefficient for the pineal gland (1,60) is greater than that found (1,009) in another group of Mammals (Insectivora, Lemurians and Primates). It is less sure as the important variations in volume of this gland determine a lower correlation coefficient.


[Comparison of the intraspecific growth of the endocranial organs (hypophyseal lobes, pineal gland, SFO) in the white Wistar rat. Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout), with their interspecific growth in the rodents]. The intraspecific growth of various endocranian organs (hypophysis, pineal gland and SFO) in the Rat compared to a group of Rodents shows that their allometry coefficient/somatic weight is : close to isometry for the anterior and intermediate lobes of the hypophysis which is suitable for endocrine glands; lower and close to that found for the relation brain weight/somatic weight for the nervous lobe in the Rat and in Rodents; and extremely low (0,33) for the SFO in the Rat, which is comparable to that found in Rodents (0,44). The allometry coefficient found for the pineal gland is not comparable to that found in Rodents (1,25). Many facts (important intra and interspecific variations, existence of species or individuals deprived of pineal gland) seem to indicate that this gland is not related to an essential somatic function.


[Fine structure of the public symphysis in the mouse]. Classical histological descriptions of the modifications of the mouse pubic symphysis (PS) during pregnancy did not take sufficient account of its structural heterogeneity. Precise morphological study of the PS, in adult male and virgin female mice, was carried out under light and electronic microscopy. Our observations on pregnant females are still imcomplete. Two regions of the PS should be distinguished according to their structure and evolution during pregnancy. The cranial region shows diarthrodial articular characteristics. This region disappears in the female during the first pregnancy and is not reconstituted after parturition. The caudal region comprises two types of cells in the female : typical chondrocytes and a peculiar cell-type whose function has yet to be defined. The latter seems to be responsible for the loose structure of the symphyseal cartilage and to contribute to the development of pseudocavities in the ligament in the final days of pregnancy. It is possible that such cells may be stimulated by relaxin and may secrete a hydrophilic factor such as hyaluronic acid.


[Validity of descriptive characteristics in the sexual differentiation of the skull]. Revision of former results concerning the sexing of skulls by anatomical characteristcs, confirms the interest of the following data : superciliary arches protuberance, upper orbitary rim's shape, supramastoidian temporal crest protuberance. Other data have no bearing for this problem.


[Structural correlations between dimensions of the trunk]. Almost all the great dimensions of the trunk are correlated. Some of them correspond to the social stratification of the biological characteristics, others to anatomical structures, as shown by the study of partial correlations for a given stature, or by multiple partial correlations for a given stature and weight.