Experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis in the mouse with two types of immune complexes. Immune complex glomerulonephritis was induced in three groups of mice by long-term immunization. Two antigens of similar molecular weight were used. The first group was immunized with ferritin (mol wt 480,000). In altered glomeruli deposits of immune complexes were seen in the subendothelial and subepithelial spaces of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and in the mesangium. The immune complex deposits were formed by amorphous matrix with marked dense molecules of ferritin. The second group was immunized with human fibrinogen (mol wt 450,000). The immune complex deposits were present in the intramembranous, subepithelial and subendothelial spaces of the GBM and in the mesangium. These deposits were relatively less electron-dense and had a fine granular structure. The third group of mice were immunized with both ferritin and fibrinogen simultaneously. Two types of deposits situated subendothelially in the GBM and in the mesangium were seen in one animal of this group. One type of deposit resembled structurally the ferritin-antiferritin complex deposits, the other resembled the fibrinogen-antifibrinogen complex deposits. The individual deposits in the GBM and in the mesangium formed discrete homogeneous masses. The two types of deposit were occassionally in direct contact with one another, but were more often completely separate and were never mixed. It can be assumed that in at least some phase of the experiment both types of complex were present in the circulating blood simultaneously. However, since none of the complexes deposited in the GBM or in the mesangium were mixed, it seems probable that each type of complex is deposited separately in the form of "clusters" composed of a single type of complex. The phagocytic activity of mesangial cells of animals with complex glomerulonephritis was not increased when compared with control animals.


Cerebriform (Sézary like) mononuclear cells in healthy individuals: a morphologically distinct population of T cells. Relationship with mycosis fungoides and Sézary's syndrome. The ultrastructural and surface marker characteristics of lymphocytes in human cord blood and peripheral blood of healthy donors were studied with respect to the presence of cerebriform mononuclear cells similar to those occurring in the dermal infiltrate of patients with mycosis fungoides (mycosis cells), and the skin infiltrate and peripheral blood of patients with Sézary's syndrome (Sézary cells). Cerebriform monuclear (Sézary-like) cells are characterized by a high nucleus-cytoplasm ratio, deep and narrow nuclear identations, condensed chromatin at the nuclear membrane and cytoplasm poor in organelles. Of the lymphoid cells in human cord blood and peripheral blood of healthy donors 6.7 and 8.7% respectively proved to be cerebriform mononuclear cells. Since these cells invariably form E-rosettes they are part of the T-cell population in healthy individuals. The finding of similar cells in the skin infiltrate of patch test areas of patients allergic to rubber, formalin and peruvian balsam--an expression of cellular immunity mediated by T-cells--suggests that these cells are reactive T cells. Not all (up to 85%) of the cerebriform mononuclear cells in patients with mycosis fungoides and Sézary's syndrome have T-cell membrane characteristics as shown by E-rosette formation. This suggests the presence of two populations of cerebriform mononuclear cells in mycosis fungoides and Sézary's syndrome. The relationship of cerebriform T cells as seen in healthy individuals with cerebriform or atypical mononuclear cells occurring in the Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides is discussed.


[Periodicity of chickenpox and epidemic parotitis]. The pattern of the dynamics of incidence of chickenpox and epidemic mumps in Leningrad for many years was studied. The application of mathematical methods of treatment of the incidence data revealed the main trends of the processes and the occurrence of three rhythms in each infection. The average values of the periods of these rhythms differ for chickenpox and epidemic mumps and are 11.0, 6.2, and 4.1 years and 8.2, 4.0, and 2.8 years, respectively. The study of the age incidence in comparison with the dynamics of the epidemic process for many years showed that periodicity of these infections could not be explained completely by variations of the herd immunity of the population.


[Benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne vulgaris (author's transl)]. 63 patients suffering from predominantly papulo-pustular acne vulgaris were treated with 5-10% benzoyl peroxidegel over a period of 2-4 months. The skin condition showed marked improvement in 80% of the patients. Two patients developed cutaneous allergy. Benzoyl peroxide is the therapy of choice for the inflammatory form of acne vulgaris. Systemic tetracyclines need not be given concomitantly. Autoradiographic studies revealed that benzoyl peroxide also has a truly sebostatic effect.


[Epidemiologic study data on foci of enzootic abortion of sheep in Rostov Province]. Epidemiological and serological investigations of diseases among cattle-breeders aimed at the elucidation of the etiological importance of mammalian Chlamydia in human pathology were carried out in cattle-breeding farms where Chlamydial infection in sheep (enzootic abortion of sheep) had been diagnosed previously. In these foci with the suppressed enzootic process from 6.2% to 15.6% of the personnel attending to the animals were found to be infected. Retrospectively, patients and convalescents were found whose sera gave positive results in tests with the group Chlamydial antigen when the infection with the agent of ornithosis had been excluded. Among the seropositive subjects, 61.7% had the history of a clinical disease with symptomocomplex of the affection of the respiratory tract or locomotor system; 37.3% denied the disease which suggests the possibility of a latent infection. The foregoing indicates a possible role of mammalian Chlamydia in the etiology of human disease and the necessity of further thorough clinical and epidemiological study of this possibility.


[Cellular immunity during and after high-dose methotrexate therapy in patients with osteosarcoma (author's transl)]. Nine patients with osteogenic sarcoma and one patient with epitheloid sarcoma of bone undergoing treatment with high-dose methotrexate (MTX) therapy were studied immunologically. The following peripheral blood lymphocyte parameters were evaluated: 1-8 days after the intravenous infusion of 7.5 g MTX followed by leucovorin rescue: absolute count/mm3, the stimulatory response to the mitogens, phythemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed (PW) and the reactivity in the mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). The response to PHA remained unaffected during the observation period, whereas the response to PW decreased on the 2nd and 4th day after treatment. The MLC response was inhibited between the 1st and the 4th day. The inhibition manifested itself first in the patients plasma and was demonstrable 48 hours later in the lymphocyte itself. The responsiveness regained normal or even reacted supranormal values about 7 days after treatment. Lymphocyte function remained essentially unaltered after several cycles of treatment. Absolute lymphocyte counts, however, tended to decrease. The MTX sensitive period in vitro lasts from the 2nd to the 6th day of the MLC, which is the period of intense RNA and DNA synthesis. We conclude that high-dose MTX therapy for osteogenic sarcoma leaves the patient without major permanent damage to cellular immune function.


[The effect of cardiovascular hypertrophy on the work capacity of hypertensive patients]. Hypertensive persons with pathological ECG in rest compared with healthy persons and hypertensives with normal ECG in rest show a significantly decreased physical efficiency. In hypertensives in stage II disturbances in form of references to a stress heart insufficiency, to a stress coronary insufficiency and a circulatory dysregulation are the cause of the disturbed function of the circulation. Thus the pathological ECG in rest in the hypertensive is an important diagnostic and prognostic criterion for practice.


Sensitization of rat T cells to syngeneic tumor cultures by cocultivation in diffusion chambers. Total population and T cell enriched fractions of rat spleen were cultivated in diffusion chambers implanted intraperitoneally to mice and rats. 10-16% of the input cells were recovered after 5 days. When the chambers were carried in the xenogeneic environment activation occurred as indicated by blastogenesis and non-discriminative cytotoxicity. Specific activation of the T population was induced by mixed lymphocyte-tumor culture in chambers implanted in rats. The presence of tumor cells induced blastogenesis, elevation of the proportion of Fc receptor positive cells and generated cytotoxic cells to the sensitizer tumor. The precursor of cytotoxic cells did not have Fc or C3 receptors since nylon wool colum passed fractions depleted from these cells by elimination of EA- or EAC-rosettes were also activated.


Histochemical studies on macula densa cells in the juxtaglomerular complex of rat ren in normal and experimental conditions. The author pays particular attention to the JGA cells of a rat kidney macula densa in noraml and experimental conditions (a single injection of Unazid, Plive, in a dose of 15 mg/kg). The activity of alkaline phosphatase and adenosine-triphosphatase and acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides are negative in these cells, whereas, acid phosphatase and thiamine pyrophatase in the macula densa cells show an activity exclusively near the nucleus, usually in Golgi's zone. The functional meaning of results obtained from the authors own research and that of others was also discussed in the paper.


Histochemical localization of acid mucopolysaccharide in the respiratory muscles of a fresh-water air-breathing siluroid fish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.). Respiratory muscles involved in gill ventilation (= irrigation) of an amphibious siluroid fish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.) were studied by phase contrast and light microscopy after the treatment with PAS. Alcian Blue at pH 2.5 and 1.0, dialyzed iron and Toludine Blue. The transverse muscle bands lightly stained with PAS, Alcian Blue at pH 2.5 and 1.0 and Dialyzed Iron suggesting that the mucopolysaccharide occured in relatively low concentrations. Phase contrast microscopy indicated that the transverse bands stained by the above mentioned reagents correspond to the I-bands. Methylation for 4 hours at 60 degrees C prevented I-band staining with Alcian Blue in the muscles studied. Saponification alone left I-band alcianophilia intact. These findings reveal that myofibrillar I-bands of respiratory muscles contain sulphated acid mucosubstances.


X-ray-diffraction study and determination of absolute configuration of the anticancer drug S(--)cyclophosphamide (Endoxan, Cytoxan, NSC-26271). (--)Cyclophosphamide(1) crystallized from tetrachloromethane in the triclinic space group P1 with cell dimensions a = 10.500 (4) A, b = 10.490 (4) A, c = 10.761 (4) A, alpha = 110.0 (2) degrees, beta = 110.0 (2) degrees, gamma = 108.9 (2) degrees. Three molecules are contained in the unit cell. The X-ray analysis was based on diffractometer measurement of 2635 independent reflections and the structure was solved by Patterson and direct methods. The final R and Rw factors after full-matrix least-squares refinement are 0.0717 and 0.0677, respectively. The absolute configuration is S based on Hamilton's R-factor ratio test. The oxazaphosphorinane ring exists in a chair form with the bis-beta chloroethyl-amino group in equatorial position and about perpendicular to and bisecting the O--P--N plane. The structure is similar to that found in racemic 1 except a different conformation about one ethyl-amino N--C bond.


[Investigation of the recombination kinetic of photodissoziated myoglobin-CO at low temperatures by Mössbauer spectroscopy (author's transl)]. Myoglobin-CO (MbCO) has been photodissoziated with white and monochromatic light at low temperatures (5--40 degrees K). The photoproduct Mb* was identified with Mössbauer spectroscopy as ferrous high-spin complex, with isomer shift and quadrupole splitting, which are similar to the corresponding parameters of deoxymyoglobin. From the time-dependent change of the linewidth of the Mb*-Mössbauer-spectrum at 5 degrees K over a time-intervall of 7 hours we conclude, that there exist several slightly different Mb*-conformations with different recombination characteristics. In order to obtain a convenient time resolution of the recombination behavior, we investigate the time-dependence of one of the Mb*-absorptionlines with a Mössbauer drive of constant velocity. The resulting recombination data then are analyzed in various steps of approximation. It is shown that at least two independent exponentials are necessary for the interpretation of experimental data. The attempt to interprete the experimental data on the basis of distribution of energies is in qualitative agreement with corresponding results, which are derived from optical recombination data by Austin et al. Typical activation energies for the recombination process CO leads to Mb* are 2 kcal/mol. At low temperature (T less than 46 degrees K) the recombination behavior is explained by quantum-mechanical tunneling.


Biologically active constituents of leaves and roots of Aloe arborescens var. natalensis. Several biologically active substances, such as aloenin (1), magnesium lactate, aloe-emodin (4), barbaloin (5), and succinic acid, were found to be contained in the leaf juice of Aloe arborescens Mill. var. natalensis Berger, which has widely been used in domestic medicines. Aloenin (1) and magnesium lactate were elucidated to exhibit an inhibitory action on the gastric juice secretion of rats. Various constituents other than the above bioactive substances were found in the leaves and the roots of the plant.


Composition of the ventral gland-pad sebum from the Mongolian gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus. The chemical composition of the gland-pad sebum of gerbils of both sexes is analysed using gas-liquid chromatographical and mass spectroscopical techniques and compared with the lipids from distal skin areas. Cholesterol esters, with (omega-1)-methyl-substituted fatty acids as acidic constituents, were shown to occur in the gland-pad sebum of both sexes in high concentrations, whereas cholesta-3,5-diene could be detected in the males only.


Electrophoretic analyses of the crop contents of Helobdella stagnalis (L.) (Hirudinea). First, experiments were tested for a new method concerning analyses of crop contents in liquosomatophagous animals. Disc-electrophoretic separations of the crop contents of Helobdella stagnalis yielded protein patterns typical for the number of bands and for the relative mobilities in these Chironomid larvae, on which H. stagnalis were fed. Additionally, slowly migrating bands occurred in the separations of the crop contents, varying in their number; likewise, an esterase showed a high activity at a crop contents of pH 6.2.


[Structure and mechanical properties of dermatosparactic collagen (author's transl)]. Dermatosparactic calf-tail-tendon-collagen was investigated by mechanical measurements, electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. We suppose, that the tensile strength decrease of the fibres is due to the irregular aggregation of subfibrils to fibrils. The x-ray diagram of the fibre is not influenced by state of disorder. Cyclic extension of dermatosparactic collagen leads to a higher increase in tensile strength than in the case of normal calf tendon. The effect might be due to the increase of fibril- and area-density resulting in an augmentation of crosslinks.


Structure and anticholinesterase activity of series of ethyl substituted phenyl methylphosphonates. Thirty derivates from substituted-phenyl-ethyl methylphosphonates have been synthesized and their inhibiting power of acetyl-cholinesterase have been examined in vitro and in vivo. The correlation between inhibition of the enzyme and electrophylic power of the substituent of the phenyl group was excellent, but when this group contains two substituents, steric factors appear to operate. The activity of these compounds has been demonstrated to be higher than their phosphate analogs.


Hydroxycinnamoyl: coenzyme A transferase involved in the biosynthesis of kaempferol-3-(p-coumaroyl triglucoside) in Pisum sativum. The major flavonoids of Pisum are derivatives of kaempferol and quercetin, including both triglucosides and acylated triglucosides in which the acyl group is p-coumaric acid. Although hydroxycinnamic acid esters of flavonoids are common pigments in many plants, neither the enzymes nor the precursors involved in their biosynthesis have been demonstrated. We report here that crude enzyme preparations extracted from peas catalyze the transfer of the p-coumaroyl moiety of p-coumaroyl:Coenzyme A to kaempferol-3-triglucoside forming kaempferol-3-(p-coumaroyl triglucoside) as the acylated product. The reaction product has been vigorously shown to be identical to the naturally occurring kaempferol-3-(p-coumaroyl triglucoside) in both chromatographic and chemical properties. The enzymatic formation of the acylated derivative occurred only minimally when incubated with the cofactors required for carboxyl group activation (ligase) and maximally when incubated with p-coumaroyl : Coenzyme A as the acyl donor.


The reaction of aminoacylase with chloromethylketone analogs of amino acids. 1. Aminoacylase is irreversibly inactivated by the chloromethylketone analogs of benzyloxy-carobonyl-L-alanine, L-alanine, L-leucine, L-aspartic acid (beta), tosyl-L-phenylalanine and L-leucyl-L-alanine. The kinetics of the inactivation of the enzyme by the halo-methylketones were investigated. 2. Leucyl-and alanyl chloromethylketone inactivate the enzyme by blocking of 4 SH groups. Experiments with [U-14C]leucyl chloromethylketone confirm that maximal 4 residues are covalently bound to be protein. 3. Inactivation of the enzyme by benzyloxycarbonylalanyl and tosylphenylalanyl chloromethylketone is the result of the substitution of the epsilon-amino group of one lysine resine residue per active site and not of SH groups. However, in the presence of competitive inhibitors these halomethylketones react only with the SH groups of the enzyme, too.


Assimilatory sulfate reduction by choloroplasts: the regulatory influence of adenosine-mono-and adenosine-diphosphate. The first three enzymatic steps of assimilatory sulfate reduction in chloroplasts of higher plants have been investigated with emphasis on the influence of adenosine-mono-and-diphosphate upon the formation of APS, PAPS and bound sulfite. The data show that the activation process is governed by the energy charge of the chloroplast. The regulatory step is localized at the ATP-sulfurylase reaction. It was found that this enzyme is inhibited by low concentrations of AMP and ADP, with apparent KiAMP=1.8 mM and KiADP=0.5 mM for the chloroplast preparations. The isolated purified ATP-sulfurylase is inhibited by the nucleotides accordingly, with KiAMP=0.2 mM and KiADP=0.4 mM. The results are interpreted as a regulatory mechanism for the complete process of assimilatory sulfate reduction in the chloroplast.


Hill-acitivity and P700 concentration of chloroplasts isolated from radish seedlings treated with-indoleacetic acid, kinetin of gibberellic acid. The Hill-activity (reduction of DCPIP or methylviolgen) and the concentration of P700 were studied in chloroplasts isolated from cotyledons of radish seedlings (Raphanus sativus L. saxa Treib), which had been grown with the addition of beta-indoleacetic acid (IAA), kinetin, or gibberellic acid. 1) The photosynthetic activity of young chloroplasts from 3 day old Raphanus seedlings is very high (c. 180 micron mol O2/mol chlorophyll X h) and decreases continuously thereafter with increasing age. The steady state Hill-activity is reached after 8 to 10 days (values of 55 to 50 micron mol O2/mg chlorophyll X h). 2) Chloroplasts from plants treated with IAA or kinetin not only exhibit higher plastoquinone levels 1,2, but also a higher P700-content and a higher Hill-activity. The promotion effect is more pronounced with kinetin (+36 tb 40%) than with IAA (+12 to 17%). 3) Gibberellic acid has a different effect on composition and activity of chloroplasts. In younger seedlings the Hill-activity appears to be somewhat stimulated, without promotion effect on plastoquinone 2 or P700 concentration. After 10 days GA3-treated plants show signs of chlorosis combined with a strong decrease in photosynthetic activity. 4) The data clearly demonstrate that the composition and activity of the photosynthetic apparatus are under phytohormone control. IAA and even better kinetin promote the light induced formation of pigment systems and electrontransport chains. GA3 seems to block the rebuilding of the photosynthetic apparatus under steady state conditions.


Localization and functional characterization of three thylakoid membrane polypeptides of the molecular weight 66000. Three polypeptide fractions with the apparent molecular weight 66 000 were isolated from stromafreed Antirrhinum chloroplasts which were solubilized with dodecyl sulfate. Antisera to these fractions affect electron transport in distinctly different ways. For the characterization of the three antisera photochemical reactions of chloroplast preparation with artificial electron donors and acceptors as well the analysis of fluorescence rise curves were used. Antiserum 66 000 PSI-96 inhibits electron transport apparently on the acceptor side of photosystem I, provided the antibodies are adsorbed onto the outer surface of the thylakoid membrane. Antiserum 66 000 PSI-88 probably acts directly on the reaction  centre I or on its immediate vicinity, if the antibodies are adsorbed at the inner surface of the thylakoid membrane. Antiserum 66 000 PSII-42 inhibits electron transport in the region of photosystem II. The antigen towards which the antiserum is directed appears to belong to the reaction centre II, as also in the condition of high inhibition degrees, the fluorescence intensity remains unchanged. The determinants are located at the outer surface of the thylakoid membrane.


Phosphorylation by inorganic phosphate of sarcoplasmic membranes. The calcium transport protein of the sarcoplasmic reticulum accepts inorganic phosphate rapidly when phosphorylation is initiated either by the addition of phosphate or magnesium ions to the calcium free protein. Phosphorylation proceeds much more slowly when it is initiated by the addition of the calcium chelatro ethyleneglycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) to the phosphate and magnesium containing assay. The time course of phosphorylation following immediately calcium removal is monophasic at all temperatures between 20 degrees and 37 degrees C. In contrast, biphasic time course doses not only apply to net formation of phosphoprotein but also to its exchange with medium phosphate. On addition of calcium, the phosphoprotein decays in a biphasic process the time constants of which are much longer than those observed for phosphoprotein formation. The temperature dependence of the rate as well as of the extent of phosphoprotein formation indicate a discontinuity in the reactivity of the protein.


Development of phage populations in a bacterial culture: a mathematical model. A mathematical model for the interaction kinetic in phage-bacterium culture is proposed. An appropriate analytical relationship between phage and bacterial concentrations has been derived. Characteristic kinetic constants have been obtained by comparing the experimental growth curves with computer-simulation analysis. The model allows also to evaluate the phage-yield as a function of the initial concentrations.


The tautomeric conformers for the molecules of guanine and cytosine. Some remarks about their stability. In this paper we seek to determine the shape of the barrier between the normal and tautomeric conformers for some excited singlet and triplet states in the molecules of guanine and cytosine. The molecules as considered isolated and a particular movement of the H atom is analysed. The semi-empirical CNDO/2-CI has been used. The calculated results are compared with the available experimental data.


Genetic information analysis of bacteriophage phiX 174. The genetic information of phix 174 genome (genes and intermediate segments) is analyzed in terms of its independent (D1 index) and dependent information (D2 and D3 Markovian indexes), as well as of its ability to generate secondary structure. Genes B and E, enclosed in A and D respectively, have: 1) values of D1 and D3 indexes closer to the theoretical random distribution curves than those of (A-B) and (D-E) gene fractions, and 2) in the ability for secondary structure generation minor differences with genes A and D. F leads to G and mRNA start leads to A intermediate segments differ from randomness in their D1 and D2 indexes, but not so much in the D3 values. All these data point out the use of code degeneracy for increasing the genetic information density of the virus.


Ability to light-induced conductance change of arthropod visual cell membrane, indirectly depending on membrane potential, during depolarization by external potassium or ouabain. Light responses (ReP) and pre-stimulus membrane potential (PMP) and conductance of photoreceptors of Astacus leptodactylus and Limulus polyphemus (lateral eye) were recorded and changes were observed when the photoreceptor was depolarized by the action of external ouabain of high potassium concentration application. 1 mM/1 ouabain application causes a transient increase of PMP and ReP in Limulus, followed by a decrease which is faster for the ReP (half time time 34 min) than for the PMP (half time 80 min). Irreversible loss of excitability occurs when the PMP is still ca. 40% of the reference value. In both preparations high external potassium concentration leads to total depolarization (beyond zero line to + 10-+ 20 mV) of the PMP and after a time lag of 10 min also to a loss of excitability (intracellular recording). In extracellular recordings (Astacus) the excitability remains at a low level of 15%. The effects are reversible and are similar whether no or 10% external sodium is present. In all experiments the light-induced changes of membrane conductance are about parallel to those of the light response. The fact that the ability of the photosensoric membrane to undergo light-induced conductance changes is membrane potential-dependent is discussed, leading to the explanation that dipolar membrane constituents such as channel forming molecules (probably not rhodopsin) have to be ordered by membrane potential to keep the membrane functional for the photosensoric action.


The activity of Golgi-membrane galactosyltransferase in the liver of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. The Golgi-rich membrane fraction isolated from streptozotocin-diabetic rat liver had a lower protein content than the corresponding fraction from normal liver. Its UDPgalactose-N-acetylglucosamine galactosyltransferase activity calculated per 1 g of liver or whole liver was decreased. The electron-microscopic examination of the negatively stained fraction revealed morphological changes. The morphology of the Golgi complex in thin sections of diabetic liver was also changed.


[Monozygotic heterocaryotic twinning (author's transl)]. Since the first publication in 1961, cases of monozygotic heterocaryotic twinning have been repeatedly found and a total of 14 observations can now be analysed. The mechanism involved in this type of twinning is yet uncertain and eventually is not identical in each case, the main uncertainty being to decide whether the chromosomal error affecting one of the twins is related, directly or indirectly, to the process of MZ twinning per se. Regarding the time of occurrence, the error seems to occur at few days of development at the most and, in one case at least, was contemporary to the first division cleavage. Considering the possibility of twins of different sex (e.g., one XY and one XO) the MZ heterocaryotic twinning could be considered as a potential equivalent of autofecundation in species in which the XO is a fertile female. Evolutive implications shall be discussed.


Cancer immunotherapy with surgery.

Cancer immunotherapy with surgery. With the recent advances in the immunological surveillance system, an understanding of the role of host immunity has become essential to the management of carcinogenesis, tumor proliferation, recurrence and metastasis. Although it is important to continue chemical and surgical treatment of cancer, support of the anti-tumor immune system of the host should also be considered. Long term remission has been reported in leukemia by treating with BCG after chemotherapy whereas surgical treatment is usually more effective in preventing cancer recurrence in digestive organ cancer. The first step is extirpating the tumor as thoroughly as possible and the second step is chemo-immunotherapy. Cancer immunity, however weak, constitutes the basis for other treatments in selectively attacking cancer cells remaining after surgery, chemotherapy or irradiation. Immunotherapy should thus not replace chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but these methods should be employed in combination to attain more favorable results.


Studies on human KC cell syncytia formation induced by Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. Human KC cell monolayer inoculated with concentraten Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) showed syncytia formation within an hour. The cell fusion was blocked by the treatment of the MPMV with neutralizing antiserum. Treatment of the MPVM with beta-propiolactone resulted in the loss of infectivity although KC cell fusion ability of the virus still remained. KC cells inoculated with unconcentrated MPMV showed no cell fusion even after several transfers, although a chronic MPMV infection was established. The virus-producing KC cells were refractory to fusion by MPMV. Human embryonic lung cells (HEL) were infected by serially diluted MPMV harvested from virus-producing culture, transferred twice, then cultivated together with KC cells for syncytia formation to examine the end point dilution titer of the virus. HEL infected by 10(-4)-diluted MPMV still induced syncytia formation by cocultivation with KC cells.


Lipoyl dehydrogenase activity of erythrocytes in Spielmeyer-Vogt-Batten's disease. Using the method for the determination of the lipoyl dehydrogenase activity in intact erythrocytes described by Seet and Lee (1975), it was demonstrated that in patients with Spielmeyer-Vogt-Batten's disease, this activity was around the lower limit of normal. In these patients, the enzymatic activity is significantly reduced to such an extent that it may affect the function and metabolism of the erythrocytes.


[Centronuclear myopathy (author's transl)]. Three cases of centronuclear myopathy are reported in a sibship. The disease starts during the late childhood and has a very slow progressive course. Clinical examination reveals a ptosis of the eyelids, a weakness of the facial muscles, a high-arched palate and a diffuse involvement of the lower extremities. The respiratory muscles are involved in the two oldest siblings. Combined morphological studies of the tibialis anterior muscle in one patient demonstrate the following features: 1. the presence of small type I fibres and of large type I or type II fibres; 2. a predominance of type I fibers which represent 86% of the total amount of muscle fibres; 3. central nuclei in about 98% of the muscle fibres; 4. moderate ultrastructural changes. All these features are compared with the relevant data of the literature.


Preoperative blastformation rate in gastrointestinal cancer patients. The rate of blastformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in response to stimulation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was assessed preoperatively in 393 patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The series consisted of 291 cases of gastric cancer and 102 cases of colon cancer, all patients being under 70 years of age. The blastformation rate was related to the stage of cancer ground at operation. Preoperative blastformation rates for both colon cancer and gastric cancer decreased as the cancer progressed. With Stage I gastric cancer 81.4% of those that underwent curative resection had preoperative blastformation rates greater than 40%. However, the number of those with blastformation rates over 40% decreased markedly in the curative cases of gastric cancer Stage II to stage IV. Eighty three percent of cases that underwent curative resection with colon cancer, including advanced cancer, had preoperative blastformation rates of over 40%. These results indicated that the correlation of the preoperative blastformation rate with success of curative resection better for colon cancer than for gastric cancer.


Anemia in the elderly patients with special reference to folic acid status. To investigate the role of folic acid deficiency in the pathogenesis of anemia in the elderly, hematological examinationa and assays of serum iron, vitamin B12 and folate were carried out on the 86 elderly patients admitted to a home for the aged. Means of red blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels and hematocrit were 385.3 x 10(4)/mm3, 12g/dl and 36%, respectively. These levels were lower than any other report in Japan. Anemia was detected in 23 out of 86 patients. Judging from mean corposcular volume and mean corposcular hemoglobin, most of them were normocytic and normochromic. Although low serum levels of iron and folate were rather frequently observed, the results on hematological examinations suggest that deficiency of these factors alone is not the cause of the anemia in the elderly patients. Rapid clearance of 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolic acid and increased excretion of formiminoglutamic acid after histidine loading were revealed in some of those who had subnormal serum folate levels. Therefore, supplementation of folic acid is recommended to those who had poor dietary intake.


Normal chemotactic activity of granulocytes obtained by filtration leucapheresis. The chemotactic activity of granulocytes obtained by the Terumo Filtration Leucapheresis System (F.L.) was examined by the method of Boyden's chamber. The number of cells migrating through the Millipore filter was expressed as the chemotactic activity. The mean values were 117 for the F.L. and 122 in a control, in which cells were collected from the same donor blood using dextran sedimentation. The results suggested that the in vitro chemotactic function of granulocytes obtained by F.L. was within normal limits.


Tryptophan metabolism "via" nicotimic acid in patients with scleroderma. The tryptophan metabolism "via" kynurenine was studied in five patients with scleroderma after aminoacid loading. Four of these patients had abnormal tryptophan metabolism, characterized by a large urinary excretion of kynurenine and kynurenic acid in two cases, of kynurenine, 3-hydroxykynurenine and kynurenic acid in one case and of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid in another case and generally a reduced excretion of xanthurenic acid and its 8-methyl ether in comparison with a group of healthy controls. Only two of the four patients had a normal response to tryptophan loading after pyridoxine administration, while no one of these responded to nicotinamide supplementation. But the simultaneous administration of pyridoxine and nicotinamide to three of these patients normalized the excretory picture after tryptophan loading. This suggested the presence of a combined vitamin deficiency in seleroderma. As four out of five patients showed total excretory values of kynurenine, kynurenic acid and acetylkynurenine higher than that of the controls, the sum of these values might be considered as a characteristic index of scleroderma.


[Immunologic investigations of house-dust and house-dust mites. I. Schultz-Dale test (author's transl)]. With Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and house-dust sensitized guinea-pigs showed cross-reactions between house-dust, D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae in the Schultz-Dale test. Euroglyphus maynei gave positive reactions only in animals sensitized with D. pteronyssinus. The stored food mites Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Chortoglyphus arcuatus and Glycyphagus destructor and the rearing medium (horse dander/yeast) did not cause any cross-reactions in any test group.


Studies on function of lymphocytes in NZB X NZW F 1 hybrid mice; autoantibody-producing cells and cytotoxicity of lymphocytes. Several experiments were performed using B/W mice, experimental model of human systemic lupus crythematosus, with a view to explore the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. As a result of the Investigation by the immunocyte adherence method, autoantibody-producing cells were demonstrated at a ration of 1 to 4% in the spleen, thymus and lymph nodes of B/W mice, but nearly absent in the bone marrow. B/W mouse lymphocytes showed the cytotoxic activity to allgeneic target cells (L cells), but ANA positive sera from B/W mice also had a remarkable cytotoxic activity in the presence of the complement of a high concentration. It was also disclosed that there are Ig+ and theta-lymphocytes in the B/W mouse thymus at a nearly equal percentage, and the possible identity of the two was suggested.


[Immunologic diagnostic pulmonary diseases caused by inhaled isocyanates (author's transl)]. Besides the strong irritative effect on the respiratory tract the isocyanates probably also have an allergenic effect. The paper gives a review of literature about immunologic in vitro- and in vivo-methods in this question. Difficulties arise especially with preparation of antigen. Isocyanates are thought to link with proteins to give antigenic conjugates. Specifity firstly depends on the isocyanate hapten.


[The detection of chloramphenicol allergy by leucocyte migration inhibition test in the skin chamber (author's transl)]. In the leucocyte migration inhibition test in the skin chamber under in vivo conditions an immune reaction is induced, which influences the migration of polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leucocytes into the chamber in a characteristic way. An inhibition of the migration of leucocytes above 40 per cent is considered positive. In 16 out of 17 patients with chloramphenicol exanthema the test was positive. Five allergic patients with eczematous skin lesions presented negative results. In 14 controlpatients chloramphenicol caused a negative result, too. The mechanical irritation of the skin and the immune response produce different mechanisms, which promote and inhibit migration. The observed influence of the number of leukocyte in the skin chamber is the result of these mechanisms.


[Detection of immunoglobulins in pharyngeal tonsillar tissue by direct immunofluorescence technique (author's transl)]. Using a direct immunofluorescent staining method a qualitative determination of different immunoglobulin fractions in the tissue of hypertropic pharyngeal tonsils of children and youth suffering from repeated infections was performed. It was found that the immunofluorescent staining of IgG was stronger than of IgA. A difference with regard to the frequency of appearance between IgG and IgA could not be seen. On the other hand IgM staining was less frequent and strong. Extracellular IgG was present in germinal centres of the secondary lymphoid follicles, intracellular one was found in the immunocompetent cells. Extra- and intracellular IgG was more often demonstrable in the spaces of the lymphoid tissue, between the surface epithelial cells or around the glands and the blood cappilaries. The results seen here are in correlation with the values of the earlier performed quantitative estimations of the different immunoglobulin classes.


[Production of an anti human B lymphocyte serum for detection of B cell-specific membrane antigens (author's transl)]. Rabbits were immunized with lymphocytes from patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL), who showed a remarkable lymphocytosis of B cell origin (distinct membrane fluorescence). After absorption with AB-erythrocytes, kidney tissue powder and infant thymocytes specificity of the antiserum was demonstrated by examination of normal lymphocytes, thymocytes and different CLL-lymphocytes (B- and T-cell leukemias) using indirect membrane fluorescence.


[Influence on the function of lymphocytes in children with generalised mycosis during treatment with 5-fluorocytosin (author's transl)]. After LT Tests with PHA, PPE and Candidin in mixed cultures negativ or decreased results of cellular immunoreactions were obtained in cases of generalised mycosis, taking into account age-specific variations. The generalised form of mycosis having disappeared, the findings returned to normal. While in other diseases the use of metabolites always diminishes cellular immunoreactions, there is no decrease of lymphozyte transformation during treatment with 5-fc in mycosis. After a successful therapy even an increase may be found in this case. Our studies confirm the opinion that 5-FC does not influence the function of T-lymphocytes.


[In-vitro-investigation of immuno lymphocytolysis by influence of streptolysin O (author's transl)]. The cytolytic effect of Streptolysin O to leucocytes, T and B lymphocytes and granulocytes has been examined using an in vitro immuno lymphocytolytic test at 62 patients with different dermatological diseases. This test was established to be only about the immuno-cytolytic reaction of the T lymphocytes, and this process was bound to the present of complement. It is suggested that this method is suitable to in vitro study of the cellular immunity of patients with chronic infectious diseases.


Cardiomyopathy in an adult with Bartter's syndrome and hypokalemia. Hemodynamic, angiographic and metabolic studies. A case of an adult with Bartter's syndrome (hyperplasia of the juxtaglomerular complex with hyperaldosteronism and hypokalemic alkalosis) is described; the patient had the unusual manifestation of cardiomyopathy, probably secondary to severe hypokalemia. Results of metabolic studies and kidney biopsy were consistent with Bartter's syndrome; angiographic and hemodynamic findings were abnormal. The cardiomyopathy was confirmed at autopsy after the patient's sudden death. Conclusions from this case are that severe hypokalemia can pose a serious threat both immediately in the form of dangerous arrhythmias and in the long term in the form of cardiomyopathy.


Automated and manual determination of N1-methylnicotinamide in urine. An automated AutoAnalyzer method and a manual adaptation of the automated method are described for determining N1-methylnicotinamide (NMN) in urine. The new methods incorporate improvements presented by Pelletier and Campbell (Anal. Biochem. 3:60, 1962) for the fluorometric determination of NMN after condensation with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). The new methods are simpler and not limited by the usage of a single brand of MEK. Various brands of MEK into which hydrogen peroxide had been added in order to catalyze the formation of the condensation product were used and found to give comparable NMN values with different urine specimens. Results of the analysis of 21 urine specimens by the new procedures agreed well with those by the method of Carpenter and Kodicek (Biochem. J. 46: 421, 1950) for which interpretation guidelines exist. Furthermore, it was found that eluates from the chromatographic purification of thiamine in urine with Decalso retained the NMN present in the original specimens, gave complete recoveries of added NMN and were free from nearly all interfering fluorescing substances; this purification would be advantageous for determining with accuracy and precision NMN levels in the urine of deficient subjects and could be used routinely when thiamine analysis has to be performed.


Dosage effects for superoxide dismutase-1 in nucleated cells aneuploid for chromosome 21. Assays of the activity of chromosome 21 determined superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) in lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear granulocytes have demonstrated 38% and 40% increases, respectively, in cells from individuals with trisomy 21. Similarly, SOD-1 activity in trisomic fibroblasts is increased by 81%, while cells monosomic for chromosome 21 have only 60% of normal activity. Taken together with the data on SOD-1 activities in trisomic erythrocytes and platelets, the present results firmly confirm the existence of a true dosage effect for this enzyme in cells aneuploid for chromosome 21. However, the results of assays of the activity of glutathione peroxidase in trisomic fibroblasts did not confirm the possibility previously reported of a chromosome 21 related dosage effect for this enzyme.


Mucopolysaccharide accumulation in cultured skin fibroblasts derived from patients with mucolipidosis IV. Increased concentrations of total sulfated mucopolysaccharides (MPS), threefold, and hyaluronic acid (HA), 10-fold, were found in ML IV fibroblast extracts when compared to normal controls. Such accumulations altered the distribution of MPS:HA comprised 70% of total MPS in ML IV but only 30% in control cells. Intracellular sulfated MPS was observed accumulating almost linearly in ML IV fibroblasts. "Pulse-chase" experiments indicate that both HA and the sulfated MPS remain in the ML IV cells for long periods of time; in control cells, they are rapidly removed as low molecular weight, dialyzable fragments. These data suggest that the MPS accumulation in ML IV fibroblasts, is the consequence of a catabolic block, probably involving the lysosome.


Dermatoglyphics in Down's syndrome patients of different racial origins. To investigate whether the phenotypic resemblance of Down's syndrome patients of different racial origins extended to include their dermatoglyphic characteristics, we made comparisons of dermal pattern frequencies on digits, palms, and hallucal areas of white, black and Japanese patients and matched controls. The results showed similarities in frequencies of digital whorls and ulnar loops in patients of all racial groups, of patterns in hallucal, thenar/I, second and third interdigital areas in white and black patients, and of hypothenar patterns and t" triradii in Japanese and black patients. The frequencies of the digital arches and remainder of the palmar configurations in patients of three racial groups showed significant, though often smaller, differences than those found in their controls.


Head Start has little to do with mental retardation: a reply to Clarke and Clarke. Clarke and Clarke's (1977) critique of Head Start in an editorial on mental retardation is based upon questionable assumptions, a selective review of research, and errors in fact. There is considerable evidence that Head Start has improved the social competence of economically disadvantaged children.


Auditory reinforcement in profoundly retarded multiply handicapped children. Profoundly retarded multiply handicapped children were placed in a situation where auditory stimulation was made contingent on a visually directed level-pulling response. Two experiments were performed. In the first, a technique for establishing an effective reinforcer from a range of possible reinforcing stimuli was evaluated. In the second experiment, a multiple schedule was used to compare the effectiveness of a reinforcer whose efficacy was established in Experiment 1 with a second auditory stimulus. The selection of auditory reinforcers and an evaluation of their relative potency was achieved using these techniques. The results show the feasibility of systematic measurement of operant-conditioning effects with very severely handicapped subjects in a laboratory situation. The information gained concerning the effectiveness of auditory reinforcers has implications for behavior-modification programs with these children.


A theory of endothelial control of corneal hydration. The details of our previously described theory of how the endothelium controls corneal hydration in the absence of the epithelium are provided. A central postulate is that the endothelium can produce across its limiting plasma membranes an osmotic gradient that reduces stromal swelling pressure so that it does not exceed intraocular pressure during thinning of a swollen cornea.


Chronic brain disease: an overview.

Chronic brain disease: an overview. The author discusses the current state of clinical and pathological knowledge regarding chronic brain disease, focusing particularly on the dementias. His review of clinical studies deals with diagnostic issues and methods, etiology, and treatment. More basic research on brain alterations with aging, their relation to clinical manifestations of dementia, and studies of specific disorders are also reviewed. These disorders have been receiving increasing attention from psychiatrists, who are becoming more aware of the importance of organic cerebral factors in their patients' complaints. The need to understand the chronic brain diseases and their appropriate diagnosis and treatment will continue to grow as the proportion of older individuals in our society increases.


Thymoxamine and intraocular pressure.

Thymoxamine and intraocular pressure. Topical treatment with 1% thymoxamine produces in rabbit and human eyes a small but real miotic and tension-lowering effect. The latter is more evident using two different models of experimental ocular hypertension in rabbits. In human open-angle glaucoma eyes, tonographic measurements indicate that the outflow facility is left unchanged by the drug.


Establishment of a new bacteriophage set for typing avian staphylococci. A new phage set was proposed for the typing of coagulase-positive staphylococci from chickens. The set was composed of 16 phages isolated from lysogenic staphylococci from chickens and 3 adapted phages derived from the international phage set. These phages were classified into 4 groups (I, II, III and IV) according to their host ranges. The 19 phages were used for typing 569 coagulase-positive staphylococci; 94.2% of the isolates were lysed by 1 or more phages, 88.0% at a routine test dilution, and 6.25% only at a routine test dilution X 100. The reacting ability of the phages seemed to be limited to staphylococci from chickens. It was proved that the phages were more accurate than the international phage set in typing staphylococci isolated from chicken in Japan.


Occurrence and seasonal behavior of gastrointestinal nematodes infecting Maine dairy cattle. Gastrointestinal tracts of 48 yearling Maine dairy cattle were examined (8 animals every 2 months) for 1 year. Adult and immature nematodes were identified and counted. Species recovered were Bunostomum phlebotomum, Cooperia mcmasteri, Cooperia oncophora, Cooperia pectinata, Cooperia punctata, Haemonchus placei, Nematodirus helvetianus, Oesophagostomum radiatum, Ostertagia circumcincta, Ostertagia lyrata, Ostertagia ostertagi, Trichostongylus axei, and Trichuris ovis. Strongyle parasitism was observed during every sampling period and the overall incidence was 93.7%. The most commonly encountered genera were Ostertagia spp (85.4%) and Cooperia spp (81.2%). Seasonal fluctuations in the worm burden of various nematodes were observed, with largest numbers seen in the fall. The incidence and degree of parasitism appeared to be related to environmental conditions. Proportions of adult and immature worms were shown to fluctuate with the time of year. Greatest numbers of immature worms were observed during the fall and winter.


Right ventricular enlargement in heartworm disease. The size of the right ventricle of 15 dogs with spontaneous Dirofilaris immitis microfilaria was evaluated by thoracic radiography, electrocardiography, and right ventricular free wall weights. Based on electrocardiography and right ventricular weights, none of the 15 dogs had evidence of right ventricular hypertrophy. Based on radiography, only 2 of the 15 dogs had right ventricles of normal size. Right ventricular dilation in the absence of right ventricular hypertrophy was demonstrated. The right ventricle appears to dilate, prior to hypertrophy, in response to D immitis infestation.


[Renal venous and inferior cava vein thrombosis post-catheterization (author's transl)]. A case of renal vein and inferior cava thrombosis in a previously catheterized infant with cyanotic congenital heart disease is reported. The different origins of R.V.T. in newborns and infants are briefly discussed. The different factors that favour the beginning of thrombotic process (cyanotic heart disease diabetic mother, etc.) are also emphasized. Some considerations are made on the danger inherent to the use of intravascular catheters.


[Acute duodenal obstruction due to incomplete duodenal diaphragm and foreign bodies in a two-year old child (author's transl)]. A case of congenital incomplete duodenal diaphragm associated to foreign bodies, in a 28 months child with Down's syndrom is reported. This case had an acute beginning of the symptoms and a severe clinical picture. We discuss the clinical features diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.


Musculoskeletal manifestations of bacterial endocarditis. In a retrospective analysis of bacterial endocarditis, 84 of 192 cases (44%) were found to have musculoskeletal manifestations of one or more types. Common manifestations were arthralgias (32 cases), arthritis (26 cases), low back pain (24 cases), diffuse myalgia (16 cases), and myalgias localized to the thigh or calf (11 cases). The joint manifestations typically were monarticular or oligoarticular, and the myalgias were commonly unilateral. No association was found between the pattern of rheumatic symptoms and other clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, or causative bacterial organisms. In 52 patients (27%), musculoskeletal complaints were the first or among the first symptoms of bacterial endocarditis. The frequency and character of these manifestations and their tendency to occur early in the course of the disease indicate that they are an important feature of endocarditis which, if not recognized, may cause a delay in the diagnosis by mimicking a rheumatic disease.


[Cytogenetic study of 350 mental deficient patients at medico-pedagogic institutions]. This report brings to light the results of cytogenetic study carried out on 350 mentally retarded persons (medium: Group I, deep Group II). In 8,2% and 12,56% of the cases a chromosomic abnormality is observed (mainly trisomy 21). These percentages are in correlation with the results of other studies. Ante and peri natal pathology plays a very important part among exogenous factors. In numerous cases a multifactors etiology can be found as the cause of this mental retardation, the effect of an initial organic mental retardation being aggravated by precocious affective perturbations. For those cases without apparent etiology, a teratologic origin may be thought as their cause.


Assessment of cardiac function in marathon runners by graphic noninvasive techniques. The volume overload type of heart often observed in endurance athletes, was simulate a diseased heart. We used a battery of noninvasive graphic techniques, i.e., echocardiogram, apexcardiogram, carotid pulse, electrocardiogram, vectorcardiogram, phonocardiogram, systolic time intervals, and treadmill stress testing in 12 professional marathon runners, mean age 33.8 +/- 11.1. Twenty nonathletes matched for age, height, sex, and weight served as a control group. Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimension in marathon runners averaged 5.53 +/- 0.5 cm compared to 4.81 +/- 0.04 cm in nonathletes (p less than 0.001), LV end-diastolic volume was 172.69 +/- 43.3 ml compared to 113.57 +/- 30.41 ml in nonathletes (p less than 0.001), stroke volume was 122.27 +/- 32.8 ml compared to 78.42 +/- 20.44 ml in non-athletes (p less than 0.001), the thickness of the posterior LV wall was 1.0 +/- 0.2 cm compared to 0.7 +/- 0.1 cm in nonathletes (p less than 0.001), and LV mass was significantly increased, 212.43 +/- 55.8 g compared to 123.48 +/- 24.54 g in non-athletes (p less than 0.01). Left atrium and aortic root were also relatively larger in athletes (p less than 0.01). Right ventricular end-diastolic dimension was enlarged in marathon runners (2.02 +/- 0.65 cm). No statistically significant differences were noted in ejection fraction, percentage of internal diameter shortening (% delta D) and PEP/LVET. The carotid tracing had a bisferiens pulse in five marathon runners. The apexcardiogram showed a bifid systolic thrust in three and absence of abnormal A wave. These abnormalities were related to the overload type of heart as proven by echocardiogram. "Early repolarization syndrome" (abnormal RS-T segment elevation) and notched T waves in ECG had a counterpart a semilunar configuration in the VCG. Three athletes met ECG criteria and one met VCG criteria of LVH. The treadmill exercise ECG was negative in all 12 athletes. Biventricular enlargement and increased left ventricular mass are present in the marathon runner's heart. Myocardial contractility at rest was, however, not statistically different from nonathletes.


The athlete's heart syndrome: a new perspective. Although earlier electrocardiographic and roentgenographic studies suggested that the heart of trained athletes differed from that of nonathletes, little was known of the cardiac dimensions of the athlete's heart until the advent of echocardiography. Echocardiographic studies have demonstrated that trained athletes may have increased left ventricular mass and that the structural change accounting for this increase is related to the type of physical conditioning. Athletes participating primarily in isotonic exercise have an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume with little or no increase in left ventricular wall thickness whereas those athletes participating primarily in isometric exercise have an increase in left ventricular wall thickness associated with normal left ventricular end-diastolic volume. Comparisons between echocardiographically determined cardiac changes in college and world class athletes were made, and the electrocardiographic and chest roentgenographic changes present in the athlete's heart syndrome were reviewed.


Iliopopliteal Dacron graft in treatment of advanced ischaemia of the leg. This is a preliminary report of 14 patients treated for advanced ischaemic disease by iliopopliteal Dacron graft. In all the patients either the saphenous vein was not available for use or the occlusion was too long to be bypassed by saphenous vein. In these circumstances no alternative treatment exists other than amputation. The operation is not difficult and preliminary results are very favourable.


[Report on two cases of bullous manifestations, one of which being a pemphigus, induced by penicillamine (author's transl)]. Cutaneous bullous disease may be induced by D-penicillamin. We have briefly reviewed what was then possible: bullosa epidermolysis, pemphigus, bullous toxiderma. We have had the opportunity to observe twice this phenomenon. In one case, as already mentioned about fifteen times in the literature, it was a pemphigus. Its clinical, histological and immunological features are mentioned, and its good prognosis confirmed. The other case gives matter to discussion about toxic pre-pemphigus.


Transfusion requirements of patients with enzyme deficient red blood cells. Red cell enzyme deficiency disease states are reviewed to outline the requirements for transfusion therapy in the neonatal period, during spontaneous crises, drug or infection-induced crises and chronic anemia.


Deanol acetamidobenzoate treatment in choreiform movement disorders. Deanol acetamidobenzoate was administered in double-blind, crossover fashion with placebo to five patients with tardive dyskinesia, three patients with Huntington's chorea, and one patient with posthemiplegic chorea. No significant effect on dyskinesia was observed. Preliminary administration of physostigmine salicylate to patients with tardive dyskinesia had a variable effect, while benztropine mesylate produced no change. Since the status of deanol as an effective precursor of acetylcholine is uncertain, further trials with putative cholinergic agents remain warranted in choreiform syndromes.


[A comparative study of the development of trisomy 21 concepti and the growth of their cells in vitro]. Children with trisomy 21 are only a part of conceptuses with this anomaly which leads mainly to early arrests of development. Growth retardation of embryo and placenta are the main characteristics of these abortuses. Cell lines were established from tissues of trisomics 21 of different types of evolution (early spontaneous abortions, abortions after prenatal diagnosis, stillbirths and newborn-infants). Differences in the in vitro growth characteristics of these cells have been evidenced. They may explain the variations in the developmental potentials of trisomy 21 conceptuses.


[Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations in normal boys and in those with growth retardation]. Radioimmunoassay of plasma DHA in 179 boys 2 to 16 years old has allowed assessment of normal values (mean and 95% confidence limits) increasing with age on a log DHA/age relationship. Plasma DHA was normal in 58 cases of male idiopathic growth retardation and 40 boys with delayed adolescence. It was significantly increased in 42 obese boys. DHA levels were normal in 10 hypopituitary dwarfs with isolated GH deficiency, and significantly decreased in 24 others with multiple pituitary deficiencies. In pituitary dwarfism, a lowered DHA level may be a reliable index of ACTH deficiency, and may be of importance for evaluation of therapeutic programmes.


[Occupational dermatitis due to inhalation and ingestion]. Occupational materials contacted systemically, either by inhalation or ingestion, are capable of producing toxic as well as allergic skin reactions in exposed persons. Depigmentations of vitiligo type due to paratertiary butyl-phenol, various exanthems due to trichlorethylene fumes in the metal industry and due to alpha-phenylindole in the plastics industry, and the so-called vinyl chloride sickness in the PVC industry are examples of conditions with a probable toxic pathogenesis. Allergic skin conditions may occur as either immediate type (urticaria and Quincke's edema) or delayed type (endogenic contact eczema, more rarely pigmented purpuric eruptions) reactions. Relevant examples from the literature and our own case histories are briefly presented. Some types of eczema and dysidrosiform eruptions, which show an immediate type sensitization to occupational allergens of a protein nature in the skin tests, are difficult to interpret pathogenically. The prototype of such reactions is bakers' eczema with cutaneous vascular sensitization to flour. In addition, farmers' eczema can be related to an immediate type sensitivity to animal hair, resp. farm dust. Our own observations concerning such cases are briefly described.


[Contact eczema in rubberhose makers].

[Contact eczema in rubberhose makers]. 4 tube-bonelace-makers of a rubber tube plant suffered from an allergic contact dermatitis due to rubberdyes of azotype. The cause is a permanent contamination of the skin by coloured rubber solutions used for sticking and signing the enclosed textures of the different tubes, bags and hoses.


[Skin diseases and working disability in the Netherlands. II. Catamnestic study in 3 groups of patients with occupational contact eczema]. A follow-up study was performed of the medical and social condition of 164 patients with an occupational allergic contact dermatitis. A change of work did not always lead to an improvement of the dermatitis. A number of patients improved without changing their job. It is suggested that a change of occupation can only be advised to these patients if the causal allergen can be avoided completely by doing so and only by doing so; at the same time one must reckon with other aetiologic factors and the social situation after change of work. Moreover it is pointed out that patients who changed their occupation did hardly use the possibilities, created by the Dutch law, to obtain expert advice or to be retrained for another job at the expense of the community.


[Quantitative morphology of coronary arteriosclerosis and coronary insufficiency in heart hypertrophy (author's transl)]. After post-mortem coronary angiography the degree of ventricular hypertrophy was estimated on 18 hearts. The cases were divided in three groups: 9 hearts with right ventricular hypertrophy, 4 hearts with left ventricular hypertrophy and 5 hearts with hypertrophy of both ventricles. Cytophotometric studies revealed a close correlation between absolute weight of heart segments and DNA content of muscle cell nuclei of both ventricles . Radius and area of lumen, thickness and area of both intima and media were measured at serial cross sections of all three coronary arteries. Using these data indices on coronary sclerosis and, including the heart weight, indices on coronary insufficiency were calculated. By determining these indices for the isolated right and left ventricle and the interventricular septum additional criteria suggesting failure of coronary perfusion were obtained. These criteria disclosed that in cases of right ventricular hypertrophy the connective tissue of the right ventricular myocardium was increased only at high values of the insufficiency indices. On the other hand in cases of left ventricular hypertrophy the morphological features of decreased perfusion of the right ventricle were observed at low index values. In all three groups the increased vulnerability of the left ventricle to failure of coronary perfusion was numerically proved.


[Dermatomycoses in miners of the "Anna" mine]. 100 miners have been examined for mycosis pedis. All had interdigital macerations, mainly of both feet. 57 cultures of fungi were positive. Blastomyces and especially Candida albicans were the most frequent fungi. Some remarks are made concerning individual hygiene and surface disinfection.


[Epidemiology of occupational disease among bricklayers in Nigeria. Effects of age and duration of contact]. Clinical and epidemiological investigations on 240 bricklayers in Nigeria show an incidence of 2,3% of cement-eczema, 2,0% of wear and tear dermatosis, and 2,8% of sensitivity against chrome. None of the examined showed a concomitant reaction to cobalt chloride. The workers with longest professional contact with cement showed the highest incidence of cement-eczema, and sensitivity against chrome. Workers of the lower age group had a higher alkali neutralization power of the skin than the older workers. The same tendency was noticed in the control tests. Generally, the African skin showed a higher alkali neutralization power than the white skin. The discussion tried to expand on the possible factors which could have influenced the observed rate of sensitization in Nigeria.


Adenosine triphosphatase and adenosine diphosphate/adenosine triphosphate isotope-exchange activities of the chromaffin-granule membrane. The association of adenosine triphosphatase and ADP/ATP isotope-exchange activities with chromaffin-granule membranes was shown by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. The two activities were solubilized, and separated by differential sedimentation.


Left ventricular performance in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy caused by systemic arterial hypertension. To assess the adaptation of the left ventricle to a chronic pressure overload we used echocardiography to study 18 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy caused by systemic arterial hypertension. Increased values for either posterior wall or interventricular septal thickness or both confirmed the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in all patients and an increase in the average wall thickness to radius ratio was consistent with the development of concentric hypertrophy. No patient had clinical evidence of ischaemic heart disease. Ejection phase indices of left ventricular performance (mean Vcf, fractional per cent of shortening, normalised posterior wall velocity, and ejection fraction) were within the normal range in the basal state in 16 of the 18 patients. The hypothesis is advanced that patients with concentric left ventricular hypertrophy resulting from systemic arterial hypertension usually have normal left ventricular performance in the basal state because values for wall stress remain within the normal range. We conclude that the hypertrophic response to a chronic increase in systemic arterial pressure does not per se result in depression of the basal inotropic state of the left ventricle.


Myopotential inhibition of a bipolar pacemaker caused by electrode insulation defect. A patient is described in whom myopotentials orginating from the anterior abdominal wall muscle suppressed the implanted demand pacemaker despite its bipolar mode of action. This phenomenon was shown by simultaneous recording of the electrocardiogram the electromyogram. At operation, a defect in the insulation of a previously repaired epicardial electrode was found lying in close proximity to these muscles. After repair of the insulation defect, normal pacemaker function was restored. It is suggested that the myopotentials leaked into the pacing system through the insulation defect, thereby suppressing the demand unit, which maintained its bipolar mode of pacing throughout.


Ketamine as the sole anaesthetic agent for laparoscopic sterilization. The effects of premedication on the frequency of adverse clinical reactions. Ketamine, as the sole anaesthetic agent, was assessed in a double-blind study of 135 female patients who underwent laparoscopic sterilization. The patients were allocated randomly to one of four groups according to the type (pentobarbitone or droperidol) and route (i.v. or i.m.) of premedication. In addition all the patients received hyoscine i.m. Neither pentobarbitone nor droperidol prevented adverse emergence reactions and the total frequency of dream-like activity. However, patients who received pentobarbitone i.v. did not recall unpleasant dream-like activity. Patients who received droperidol i.v. had the shortest recovery time after ketamine anaesthesia. There was a high incidence of visual disturbances in all groups. Droperidol protected against the initial increase of heart rate, and pentobarbitone against the increase in arterial systolic pressure associated with ketamine.


Anaesthesia and Huntington's chorea. A report of two cases. Two patients with Huntington's chorea were anaesthetized successfully with a technique including thiopentone, nitrous oxide and either a narcotic analgesic or halothane; pancuronium was employed for myoneural blockade.


Maternal-fetal mixed lymphocyte reactivity in pre-eclampsia. Two-way mixed lymphocyte reactivity (2-way-MLR) between maternal and fetal lymphocytes in vitro, and one-way mixed lymphocyte reactivity (1-way-MLR) of maternal lymphocytes (responders) to stimulation by mitomycin-treated fetal lymphocytes (stimulators), were investigated in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. No relationship was observed between pre-eclampsia and the 2-way-MLR. The 1-way-MLR was lowest in normal pregnancy, higher in mild pre-eclampsia, and highest in severe pre-eclampsia, although none of these differences were statistically significant.


A preliminary study of biochemical changes in the rat small intestine following long-term ingestion of chrysotile asbestos. Changes are reported in the DNA, RNA, protein and brush border enzymes in the small intestine mucosal lining cells and gut lumen, induced by maintaining rats on a diet containing chrysotile asbestos for 10 months. Intracellular levels of RNA, DNA and protein remained unchanged but significant alterations, consistent with a mineral-induced cytotoxicity, were found in the lumen level of DNA (increased) and RNA (decreased) in asbestos-treated rats. Most intracellular enzyme levels were consistently, but not significantly, elevated in animals maintained on diets containing asbestos whilst the activities within the lumen were significantly higher than those found in normal animals. The presence of cigarette smoke alone in the diet induced changes in intracellular RNA and lumen ATPase but the combined effect of cigarette smoke and asbestos was rarely different from the alterations induced by asbestos alone on the majority of parameters studied.


Androgen receptor in human skin.

Androgen receptor in human skin. Cytosol androgen receptor was assayed in 18 human skin biopsies by an exchange technique with a labelled potent synthetic androgen, methyltrienolone (R 1881), under conditions which measured total (i.e. both free and occupied) binding sites. Androgen binding sites were only present in skin biopsies from patients with marked seborrhoea often accompanied by acne (8 cases) and no sites were detected in normal skin biopsies (7 cases). Three biopsies from seborrhoeic patients, however, did not contain androgen receptor. Although no direct quantitative correlation could be drawn between binding site concentration and sebum excretion, it would seem that the androgen receptor content nevertheless constitutes an important parameter in the study of the hormonal control of seborrhoea.


A double-blind study of the effect of zinc and oxytetracycline in acne vulgaris. With a double-blind technique, the effects of oral zinc and tetracyclines were compared in 37 patients with moderate and severe acne. No difference in effect between the treatments was seen and no side-effects were noted in any group. After 12 weeks of treatment, the average decrease in the acne score was about 70% in both groups.


Iododerma after high dose urography in an oliguric patient. A case of iododerma caused by iodinated urographic contrast media is presented. It seems possible that iodide is split from the organic molecule in patients with severe renal impairment.


Changes in the activities of some membrane-associated enzymes during in vivo ageing of the normal human erythrocyte. Human erythrocytes from healthy male donors were fractionated with respect to in vivo age by simple centrifugation in order to characterize changes in the functional integrity of the membrane during the life-span of the cell. The three enzymes, Na/K-ATPase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and NADH-ferricyanide reductase, were found not to change with age, but significant age-dependent decreases were observed in the cases of acetylcholinesterase, phosphoglycerate kinase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, adenylate kinase, Mg-ATPase and alkaline phosphatase. The possibility that these changes were attributable to mechanisms other than age-related inactivation, such as reticulocyte contamination, differential resealing and crypticity, was investigated. Only the decrease in acetylcholinesterase could be explained wholly in terms of reticulocyte contamination. A decrease in membrane integrity on ageing was observed, which accounted for approximately half the change in alkaline phosphatase and may have contributed to the other enzyme activity changes. This membrane integrity effect masked a real decrease in the highly cryptic NADH-ferricyanide reductase, this decrease being apparent only after total disaggregation of the membrane with nonionic surfactant.


Steady-state kinetics of smooth muscle myosin. The kinetic properties of purified smooth muscle myosin, free of actin, have been examined. Analysis of the steady-state kinetic data revealed an intermediary plateau region on the substrate saturation curves. In addition, these data, when analyzed by Hill and Lineweaver and Burk plots, indicate both positive and negative cooperativity, suggesting at least four substrate binding sites. The plateau region was abolished when the kinetic measurements were made at pH 5.5 and 9.0. Both positive and negative cooperative effects were absent at pH 9.0 and hyperbolic kinetics was observed. In contrast, at pH 5.5, although the plateau region was abolished, the enzyme exhibited positive cooperativity of substrate binding. When either heated or urea treated enzyme was used for kinetic measurements: (i) the plateau region shifted toward higher substrate concentration range; (ii) the cooperativity of binding sites was lost at low substrate concentrations but was instead seen at higher concentrations; and (iii) the Vmax was doubled. These data have been interpreted as due to ligand-induced conformational changes in the enzyme according to J. Teipel and D. E. Koshland, Jr. (1969).


Cold lability of membrane-bound F1-ATPase. 1. Preincubation of MgATP submitochondrial particles with EDTA or Tris.HCl liberated a measurable amount of ATPase inhibitor that could be rapidly purified using only trichloroacetic acid precipitation and heat treatment. 2. In spite of the emergence of high ATPase activity, a considerable amount of ATPase inhibitor was left in the particles. Comparative analysis of other submitochondrial preparations indicated that only AS-particles were effectively depleted. 3. The high ATPase activity of inhibitor-deficient particles, was labile at low temperature provided that the exposure to cold was done in the presence of MgATP. Other nucleotides could not substitute for ATP. Glycerol inhibited and salts enhanced the cold inactivation of membrane-bound F1-ATPase. Isolation of F1-ATPase from cold-inactivated particles yielded a soluble preparation of correspondingly lower activity. 4. It is concluded that together with the increase of ATPase activity, the ATP-dependent cold lability of membrane-bound F1-ATPase and the dislocation of ATPase inhibitor at non operative sites reveal the extent of ATPase complex disorganization.


The binding of aurovertin to isolated F1 (mitochondrial ATPase). 1. Isolated F1 contains 14.9% N, indicating the presence of at least 8% non-protein material. The Lowry method, standardized with bovine serum albumin, correctly measures the protein content. 2. An extinction coefficient of 28.5 mM-1.cm-1 at 367.5 nm was found for aurovertin D in ethanol. 3. The fluorescence enhancement of aurovertin bound to F1 at pH 7.5 was found to be more than 100-fold. 4. Binding parameters calculated from the fluorescence enhancement with fixed F1 and variable aurovertin concentrations, and vice versa, indicate two binding sites per F1 molecule. 5. The fluorescence data are not readily interpreted on the basis of successive binding of aurovertin by 3-component binding reactions of the form E + A in equilibrium EA, but fit closely a model of two non-interacting sites binding aurovertin in a 4-component reaction, EF + A in equilibrium EA + F, with an equilibrium constant of about 2.


The binding of aurovertin to isolated beta subunit of F1 (mitochondrial ATPase). Stoicheiometry of beta subunit in F1. 1. Beef-heart mitochondrial ATPase (F1) is inactivated and dissociated by incubation with 0.85 M LiCl. ATP partly protects against inactivation. Three dissociation products could be identified after chromatography on diethylaminoethylcellulose: the delta subunit which is not adsorbed, the beta subunit which may be eluted from the column, and the alpha and gamma subunits which remain bound to the column. 2. Aurovertin binds to dissociated F1 with a fluorescence enhancement equal to about 30% that found with F1. Unlike intact F1 which shows two kinetically separated phases of fluorescence enhancement, only a fast phase is found with dissociated enzyme. 3. Fluorescence measurements at varying aurovertin and protein concentrations indicate that aurovertin binds to dissociated F1 in a simple 3-component reaction with dissociation constant 0.4 muM. There are two indistinguishable binding sites, calculated on the basis of the initial F1 concentration before dissociation. 4. The beta subunit was isolated from dissociated F1 by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. It has no ATPase activity but reacts with aurovertin with a fluorescence enhancement similar to that of dissociated F1. 5. The isolated beta subunit contains one aurovertin binding site with a dissociation constant of 0.56 muM. 6. It is concluded that F1 contains two beta subunits.


[18 O-exchange during ATP and n-nitrophenylphosphate hydrolysis by Na, K-ATPase from bovine brain]. The reaction of the oxygen isotope exchange (18O-exchange) was studied in the course of the Na, K-ATPase reaction. It was shown that the intermediary and direct 18O-exchanges occurred in the system in the presence of both ATP and p-NPP. These findings are indicative of the same intermediate during the hydrolytic process in both cases. The intermediary 18O-exchange was activated by N-ethylmaleimide, hydroxylamine and 2.0--1.5 18O atoms, respectively. The detection of 18O-exchange Ouabain had no effect on the exchange. The levels of intermediary 18O-exchange during ATP and p-NPP hydrolyses were equal to 1.3--1.4 and 2.0--1.5 18O atoms, respectively. The detection of 18O-exchange reactions at the intermediary steps of both ATP and p-NPP hydrolyses implies the identity of certain stages in the destruction of these substrates by Na, K-ATPase.


[Relationship between the activity of the kallikrein, plasmin and thrombin systems of the blood during intense physical exertion]. The authors studied the changes in the level of precursors of kallikrein, plasmine, and their inhibitors with the aid of a complex method. Blood plasma of sportsmen was examined--of healthy persons and of those with the syndrome of myocardial overstraining under conditions of rest and intensive bicycle ergometric exercises. The results obtained and correlation analysis data pointed to the functional association of the "Hageman's factor system". Sportsmen with the overstrain syndrome displayed an aggravation of the functional possibilities of humoral systems of the hemovascular regulation, this being expressed in a reduced level of the proenzymatic activity and a reduction of the inhibitor values. Correlation of the mentioned indices was disturbed both at rest and during the exercises.


[Refractory nature of erythrocytes and thrombocytes]. The authors studied the influence of proteolytic enzymes and arachidonic acid on the erythrocyte and platelet aggregation. These substances stimulated the blood formed elements aggregation. At the same time preliminary incubation of fibrinolysin, trypsin and arachidonic acid with the blood formed elements suspension was accompanied by a significant reduction of their aggregation capacity, i.e. by the development of a refractory condition. A possible mechanism of this phenomenon is discussed.


[Joint action of protein-chondroitin-4-keratan-sulfate and hyaluronic acid on erythrocyte aggregation and adhesion]. It was shown that the rate and the degree of erythrocytes aggregation brought about by a mixture of protein-chondroitin-4-keratan sulfate (PCKS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) was greater than the sum of the values of the corresponding indices observed during separate independent action of these proteoglycans on the aggregation of the mentioned cells concentrations as in the mixtures. It may be supposed that such phenomenon is connected with formation in the mixture of a hybrid PCKS-HA complex which is more active in respect to the erythrocyte aggregation than its components separately.


Histology of the capsules causing constrictive fibrosis around breast implants. Histological features seen in 9 capsules formed around breast prostheses with Dacron patches were described. Dacron evoked a marked foreign body reaction and fibroplasia. Parts of the silicone layer in which the Dacron fibres were originally anchored may also get into the capsule together with the Dacron. The main cause of fibrotic thickening in the capsules was contamination of the tissues with a foreign material, very probably silicone. The contamination of the capsules showed individual and local variation, with no definite correlation to the time which has elapsed since implantation.


Evidence for two different Na+-dependent [3H]-ouabain binding sites of a Na+-K+-ATPase of guinea-pig hearts. 1. The influence of various Na+ concentrations on [3H]-ouabain binding was studied in experiments on a microsomal Na+-K+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) from guinea-pig hearts. 2. The ATP-independent cardiac glycoside binding was not influenced by increasing Na+ concentrations. However, a good correlation was found between the ATP-dependent [3H]-ouabain binding and Na+ concentration. 3. A more detailed analysis of these results according to Hofstee (1952) revealed two distinct processes involved in this interaction: one ouabain binding process was activated at rather low Na+ concentrations, (K0.5 = 4.5 mM); this type of [3H]-ouabain binding was strongly correlated to the Na+ concentration necessary for half maximum phosphorylation (K0.5 = 1 mM). The other ouabain binding process was predominant at high Na+ concentrations (K0.5 = 69 mM). 4. On the basis of the commonly accepted ATPase reaction cycle a model for the interaction of cardiac glycosides with the Na+-K+-ATPase is proposed, assuming two different binding sites for cardiac glycosides (E2-P and E1-P) and involving a translocation of these drugs from an outer to an inner compartment of the cell membrane.


A pharmacological study of the spontaneous convulsive activity induced by 1,2-dihydroxybenzene (catechol) in the anaesthetized mouse. 1. The convulsive activity induced by catechol has been examined in anaesthetized mice either by determining the CD50 for the convulsions in drug-treated and control animals, or by studying the effects of various drugs on the total whole body activity. 2. The results indicate that catecholamines play no part in the mechanism of action of catechol. Drugs which alter cerebral catecholamine levels had no effect on the convulsions, nor did the alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs. 3. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) could possibly be important, though results with drugs which either change brain 5-HT levels, or block 5-HT receptors were inconsistent. 4. gamma-Aminobutyric acid also appears not to be involved in the mechanism of action of catechol. 5. The results strongly suggest that catechol primarily activates a central cholinergic system, in that muscarinic and nicotinic receptor blocking drugs inhibit, and anticholinesterases potentiate the convulsions.


The rate of urine production and the isotope renogram. The rate of urine production has been measured in a group of normal subjects undergoing renography. It has been helpful in assessing the results. Renograms look unusual at low flow rates and can be misinterpreted if the urine flow rate is not known.


The ultrasound diagnosis of rectus sheath haematoma. Three cases of rectus sheath haematoma are presented in which the diagnosis was confirmed by the use of ultrasound. The aetiology and diagnosis of the disease are discussed and the use of ultrasonography in a disease with a previously low preoperative diagnostic rate is emphasized.


The other handicap: brightness.

The other handicap: brightness. Because of changing attitudes to the measurement of mental abilities, only the slow child is assessed and receives special educational help. By contrast, the bright child may remain undetected because unassessed. For these children there are few special provisions, and they may present as behaviourally disturbed or educationally retarded. We describe four such children, and we feel that more facilities should be devoted to helping bright children, both at home and in school.


Sterilisation failure.

Sterilisation failure. During 1969-76 77 pregnancies occurred after sterilisation in Aberdeen. The overall pregnancy rate was higher for laparoscopic sterilisation (1.2%) than for non-laparoscopic methods (0.23%), although there has been a great improvement over the past three years. The pregnancy rate was double if sterilisation was combined with termination of pregnancy, and in 30% there were surgical difficulties. Inexperienced operators were responsible for over 80% of the failures. The ectopic pregnancy rate was 15.6%.


Effect of oral contraceptives on sebum excretion rate. Oral contraceptives containing a high dose of oestrogen reduce the sebum excretion rate (SER) and improve acne vulgaris, but more progestogenic preparations may exacerbate acne. The effect on the SER of several oral contraceptives with varying progestogenic potencies was studied in 81 women. The predominantly progestogenic pills (Eugynon 30, Gynovlar) produced no significant change in SER, whereas the rate in women taking a more oestrogenic pill (Minovlar) was significantly reduced compared with the rate in controls. Progestogens therefore do not exacerbate acne by inducing seborrhoea, but in the doses we studied they nullified the inhibitory effect of oestrogens on the sebaceous glands. Acne-prone women who require an oral contraceptive should be given a predominantly oestrogenic preparation.


Monoamine involvement in hippocampal self-stimulation. The roles of noradrenergic and serotonergic projections to the hippocampus were investigated with respect to their involvement in the intracranial self-stimulation of this structure. In the first study, 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesions of the dorsal tegmental noradrenergic bundle, which depleted hippocampal NE by 97%, had no effect on hippocampal self-stimulation in rats. In the second study, intragastric administration of para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) decreased hippocampal self-stimulation, suggesting the importance of a serotonin input in maintaining this behavior. Identical PCPA treatments resulted in temporary depletions of brain serotonin which paralleled the changes in hippocampal self-stimulation. The maximal decreases in both the biochemical and behavioral measures occured at 4 days post-drug. Interpretations of this deficit in hippocampal self-stimulation in terms of gross sensory and/or motor changes were ruled out as animals with lateral hypothalamic electrodes showed increases in self-stimulation paralleling the post-drug serotonin changes. An intra-sessional analysis of the PCPA-induced behavioral changes revealed that lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation was facilitated mainly during the first hour of the two-hour test sessions, whereas the depression in hippocampal self-stimulation occurred primarily in the last hour of the sessions. The differential effects of PCPA on lateral hypothalamic and hippocampal self-stimulation provide evidence against simple monoamine theories of reinforcement.


[Differentiation of the prostate in the snail Helix aspersa Müll]. The differentiation of the snail Helix aspersa prostate gland is studied in animals from one to six months old. After the presentation of organogenesis the primary stage of secretion (3 months) and a stage where the prostate gland shows abundant secretions (6 months) were described; but the oviduct is still indifferentiated. The ultrastructural analysis shows the formation of secretory and ciliated cells in epithelioid prostatic tubes.


[Numerical arguments in favor of the existence of clone cells in the adenohypophysis]. In the rat's anterior pituitary, mitoses occur to be side by side, forming "pairs", the frequency of which is significant all the more as their number is underrated in sections. In 85% of the pairs the mitoses are synchronous. These paired synchronous mitoses are suggestive of the existence of cellular clones in the pituitary.


[Kinetics of the glycosidases activity in Schistocerca gregaria Forsk]. Extracts from the alimentary canal of Schistocerca gregaria Forsk allow hydrolysis of a remarkably wide range of oligosaccharides, heterosides and polysaccharides. Sucrose and starch are more rapidly and more intensely attacked, other osides much more slowly. The balance of released monosaccharides shows a clean predominance of glucose but some oses are released in appreciable amount only in case of delayed digestion.


[Pharmacological analysis of the pendular movements appearing during calcium blocking of peristalsis in the isolated guinea pig ileum]. Calcium chloride acting from the serosal surface blocked the peristaltic reflex and at the same time, after about 30 minutes, evoked pendulum type of activity in the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig isolated ileum, subjected to constant intraluminal pressure. Hexamethonium, tetraethylammonium, morphine, methadone and atropine blocked, while, neostigmine potentiated the pendulum movements evoked by calcium chloride. In the Magnus preparation of the guinea-pig isolated ileum calcium chloride also caused pendulum type of activity. From these experiments it is concluded that calcium chloride evoked pendular movements by stimulating the postganglionic cholinergic nerves in the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig isolated ileum.


[Pharmacological analysis of the peristalsis block induced by magnesium applied at the serosal and mucosal surfaces of the isolated guinea pig ileum]. Acetylcholine, metacholine, eserine and neostigmine, acting from the serosal surface antagonised the peristaltic block produced by mucosal application of magnesium, as well as when choline esters and anticholinesterases were injected intraluminally and magnesium acted from the serosal side of the guinea-pig isolated ileum. On the other hand, 5-hydroxytryptamine and histamine did not remove the peristaltic block produced by magnesium. It is concluded that cholinoceptive sites within the myenteric plexus which, when stimulated by cholinergic substanced, produce regular peristaltic waves, are accessible from either sides of the guinea-pig isolated ileum.


[The effect of zinc and cobalt ions on the chromogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the presence of methylphosphonic acid]. Adding zinc or cobalt sulphate into synthetic culture media of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was followed by partial or total inhibition of pyocyanine production, varying with the nature of the chemical source of phosphorus. An antagonism between Zn2+ and Co2+ ions was shown.


[The effect of theophylline on the diameter of the afferent glomerular arteriole of the rat]. Agar-agar and indian ink mixture intrarenal injections enable the precise glomerular afferent arteriole diameter and the evaluation of its variations after theophyllin perfusion. The increased diameter (+ 35, 78 %) confirms the peripheral vasodilating theophyllin effect, never to our knowledge proven in situ in the kidney.


[Strict additivity of the antispasmodic effects of papaverine and tiemonium: an example of sequential blockage]. The interaction of papaverine and tiemonium alone or combined, with BaCL2 and histamine on guinea pig ileum and with acetylcholine on rat jejunum have been studied with the help of molecular pharmacology techniques. The competitive antagonist effects of tiemonium and the non competitive antagonist effects of papaverine are evidenced and shown to be strictly additive when the two drugs are combined. This reflects a sequential blockage of the effects of acetylcholine, histamine and barium ions at the smooth muscle level. No such antagonism has been previously described in the case of the interaction with barium chloride with any other combination of two spasmolytic drugs.


[The combined effects of testosterone propionate and a temporary lowering of temperature on the fate of Müllerian ducts of the female bird embryo. Morphological, histological, and cytobiochemical studies]. The action of testosterone propionate combined with a temporary lowering of temperature after the sexual differentiation of chick and quail female embryos--inhibits the cephalo-caudal regression of the right müllerian duct--prevents the development of the left one. In some cases, these two ducts are thread and often have the same length: in other cases, the involution of the müllerian tractus may be total.


[Plasma concentration and metabolic clearance rate of aldosterone at weaning, at puberty, and in adult guinea pigs]. Plasma aldosterone concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and metabolic clearance rates (M.C.R.) were determined by a continuous infusion of H3-aldosterone on day 20 and 50 and at 3, 6 and 24 months in the male and the female guinea-pig. Plasma aldosterone concentration rose gradually from day 20 up to 24 months. At every stage the values were always higher in the female than in the male. M.C.R. (1/24 h/100 g) decreased from day 20 to 24 months and appeared to be sex-dependent in the guinea-pig.


[Changes in the electric charge of blood lymphocyte populations after secondary immunization with tetanus antitoxin in man]. The electrophoretic mobility of circulating lymphocytes has been studied in normal human subjects after immunization by tetanus toxoid. The mean migration speed was shown to increase, particularly two and three days after secondary immunization. This increase appeared to be due to the elevation of percentage of T cells migrating at 1.20 and 1.35 micrometer. sec.-1v.-1 cm. (active rosettes-forming cells), with a decrease of the percentage of B cells and T lymphocytes migrating at 1.10 micrometer. sec.-1v.-1 cm. The return to the anterior status was observed between day 4 and 8 after immunization.


[Morphine self-administration added to food conditioning: methodological variant in rats]. Rats with permanent intra-jugular cannula are submitted to an alimentary operant reinforcement schedule with fixed ratio type FR 1, FR5, then FR 20. As a result, the animals are self administering (together with the alimentary inducer) a slow (about 5 sec) intravenous infusion of morphine (0.05 mg/kg). 20 per cent only of the experimental population exhibit a psychogenic dependance afterward. On the other hand, the animals for which morphine self-administration has been substituted to the alimentary reinforcement without respecting a transitory period combining both types of reinforcement have never shown any tendancy toward morphine self-administration. The lack of positive results could be related to the marked duration of the self-injection.


[Culture of cells isolated from the smooth muscle of the rat duodenum]. A culture obtained from rat duodenal smooth muscle layer is described. The cells are isolated by trypsinization (0.2 %) and the medium used for culture is either MEM with glutamine and non essentiel AA, or RPMI, both containing 10 % foetal calf serum. The cell culture contains both smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts in proportions varying with the age of the culture. At day 6, cell differenciation is important. At day 12, when the cells and confluent, the majority of the cells are fibroblasts. Although it is difficult, the transfer of cells is possible at least twice.