Lipid absorption in bile fistula rats. Lack of a requirement for biliary lecithin. The role of biliary or dietary phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) in the process of lipid absorption was studied in bile fistual rats. Jejunal lipid-reesterifying enzyme activities were determined in experimental rats given diet, bile salts and phosphatidylethanolamine and results compared to controls given diet alone. Lipid absorption was also studied in vivo with radioactive techniques. Two groups of bile tistula rats were used. Both received diet and bile salts. In addition, one group was given phosphatidylethanolamine and the other received lecithin. Enzyme activities were moderately but significantly reduced in bile tistula rats receiving phosphatidylethanolamine. This was associated with an abnormal phospholipid composition of the microsomal membrane. Despite the changes in mucosal enzyme activity, however, no abnormality of lipid absorption was noted in bile fistula rats that received phosphatidylethanalamine. Results in this group were similar to controls and to the other bile fistula group given lecithin. In all groups, significant amounts of lecithin were recovered from the lumen of the small bowel. It is concluded that if lecithin is required for lipid absorption, it does not have to be supplied to the small bowel via the diet or in bile.


Cell-surface carbohydrates and their interactions. I. NMR or N-acetyl neuraminic acid. 1. The proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the sialic acid N-acetyl neuraminic acid was measured and completely assigned. The coupling constants for interactions between protons are obtained and the assignments checked by calculating the observed line intensities. 2. It was verified that the pyranose ring exists in the 1C (1-C4) conformation as the alph-D anomer and no mutarotation was detectable. Coupling constants for the glycerol side chain were interpreted to yield its most likely conformation.


Diffucison of OXYGEN, Nitrogen and water in hyluronate solutions. A method is reported for the measurement of the diffusion coefficients in water of some sparingly soluble gases. The results obtained for the diffusion coefficients of oxygen and nitrogen gas through water at 25 degrees C are 2.12. 10-5 and 2.61 . 10-5 cm-2 . s-1, respectively. A check on the accuracy of the teachnique using tritiated water as the diffusing substance gave a value of 2.15 . 10-5 cm-2 . s-1 which agrees within 3% with recent values from the literature. The method was applied to the measurement of oxygen, nitrogen, and tritiated water diffusion coefficients through agarose gels and through agarose gels containing hyluronate. The results indicate that the hyaluronate had only a small effect as a barrier to the diffusion of such low molecular weight substance.


The mechanical properties of stratum corneum. I. The effect of water and ambient temperature on the tensile properties of newborn rat stratum corneum. The tensile properties of the outermost layer of skin of neonatal rats, the stratum corneum, were investigated at a constant strain rate as a function of moisture content and ambient test temperature. The results show that the mechnical behavior of this membrane, whose primary constituent is the fibrous protein keratin, can be significantly altered by variations in both the sorbed water content and ambient temperature. In particular, a brittle to ductile transition was observed at 25 degrees C once the hydration level exceeded 70% relative humidity. Similarly, an identical phenomenon was detected at temperatures beyond 40 degrees C for specimens whose equilibrium moisture concentrations were maintained at 10 g H2 O/100 g dry protein. Differential scanning calrimetry measurements showed the presence of a molecular relaxation process which migrated from 42 degrees C at 40% relative humidity to --18 degrees C at 95% relative humidity. It is postulated that this relaxation process, possibly corresponding to the glass transition of the fibrous protein component of stratum corneum, is primarily responsible for the observed behavior.


The state of water in biological systems as studied by proton and deuterium relaxation. Careful experiments on the measurement of the intensity of the deuterium NMR signal for 2-H2 O in muscle and in its distillate were performed, and they showed that all 2-H2 O muscle is "NMR visible". The spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) of the water protons in the muscle and liver of mice and in egg white has been studied at six frequencies ranging from 4.5 to 6.0 MHz over the temperature range of +37 to --70 degrees C. T1 values of deuterons in 2H2 O of gastrocnemius muscle and liver of mice have been measured at three frequencies (4.5, 9.21 and 15.35 MHz) over the temperature range of +37 to --20 degrees C. Calculations on T1 for both proton and deuteron have been made and compared with the experimental data. It is suggested that the reduction of the T1 values compared to pure water and the frequency dependence of T1 are due to water molecules in the hydration layer of the macromolecules, and that the bulk of water molecules in the biological tissues and egg white undergoes relaxation like ordinary liquid water.


Effects of temperature on the activity of cloacin DF13 and cloacin DF13-immunity protein. During the interaction of cloacin DF13 and sensitive cells the cloacin molecules display different functions which can be distinguished on the basis of their heat-sensitivity. Binding to cell envelope receptors, binding of immunity protein and in vitro inactivation of ribosomes are heat-stable functions in contrast with the entire killing action in vivo. Cloacin DF13-immunity protein appears to be a heat-stable inhibitor of the fibosome inactivation caused by cloacin DF13.


Phenolic metabolism in petunia tissues. I. Characteristic responses of enzymes involved in different steps of polyphenol synthesis to different hormonal influences. Pronounced changes in enzymatic patterns occur in petunia tissues when calluses are subcultured on media containing different growth substances. As judged by variations of enzymes related to primary metabolism (6-phosphogluconate and malate dehydrogenases) there are individual responses for each metabolic pathway. Concerning the enzymes of aromatic metabolism: (a) Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate and p-coumarate hydroxylases and the enzyme(s) activating phenylpropanoid units vary in the same manner. (b) Chalcone-flavanone isomerase, a key enzyme in the synthesis of flavonoids, and coniferyl alcohol dehydrogenase, which leads to the monomers of lignins, have, on the other hand, an independent behaviour. These responses show that the enzymes involved in the synthesis and activation of phenylpropanoid units seem to act coordinately in plants. Moreover, the data suggest that the common pathway leading to the activated cinnamic acids and the specific metabolic steps of lignin and flavonoid synthesis are regulated in a different way.


Biosynthesis of edeine: II. Localization of edeine synthetase within Bacillus brevis Vm4. Edeine-synthesizing polyenzymes, associated with a complex of sytoplasmic membrane and DNA, were obtained from gently lysed cells of Bacillus brevis Vm4. The polyenzymes-membrane-DNA complex, isolated from dells intensively synthesizing edeines (18--20 h culture) contained edeine B. Edeine B was found to be bound covalently t o the edeine synthetase. The amount of edeine bound to polyenzymes was 0.1--0.3 mumol/mg protein, depending on the age of cells. Detachment of deeine synthetase with a covalently bound edeine B from the membrane-DNA complex was accomplished by a treatment with (NH4)2-SO4 at 45--55% saturation or by DEAE-cellulose column fractionation. In contrast to other components of the complex, the edeine-polyenzymes fragment was not adsorbed to the DEAE-cellulose. Sephadex G-200 column chromatography separated the edeine-polyenzymes complex into 3 fractions. Edeine-polyenzymes complex, obtained from lysozyme-Brij-58-DNAase treated cells, contained edeine B bound to two protein fractions of mol. wt 210 000 and 160 000. Edeine-polyenzymes complex detached from the complex with the membrane and DNA contained  edeine B, bound only to protein fraction of mol. wt 210 000. Edeine A was not found in the edeine-polyenzymes complex. No accumulation of free antibiotics within 16--22 h old cells of B. brevis Vm4 was detected. The edeine-polyenzymes complex associated with the DNA-membrane complex has shown no antimicrobial activity. By treating of above with alkali, edeine B of specific activity: 80 units/mjmol was released. The complex of DNA-membrane associated with edeine-polyenzymes complex was able to synthesize DNA, under the conditions described for synthesis, directed by a DNA-membrane complex. Edeine when associated with this complex did not effect the DNA-synthesizing activity.


Regulators of cell division in plant tissue. XXIII. The identity of an unusual metabolite of 6-benzylaminopurine. When the cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine was supplied to de-rooted radish seedings, the principal metabolites formed were the 7- and 9-glucosides. However the cytokinin activity of these glucosides was much less than that of a minor metabolite. This metabolite was purified (yield 550 mug from 40 600 seedings), identified as 6-benzylamino-3beta-D-glucopyranosylpurine and synthesized. It is the first compound with a glycosidic linkage at position 3 of a purine ring to be isolated from a plant tissue.


The induction of allophanate lyase during the vegetative cell cycle in light-synchronized cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardi. Allophanate lyase can be induced by urea or acetamide 20-40-fold within 4 h in NH4 + -deprived cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardi. In light-synchronized cultures, allophanate lyase induction appeared to be limited to the light phase of the cell cycle, provided that culture samples were induced under ongoing illumination conditions (i.e. light induction of light phase cells and dark induction of dark phase cells). However, when culture samples were induced under constant light conditions this cell cycle pattern was abolished. Light was found to be required for allophanate lyase induction and this was shown to be due, in part, to the light requirement for inducer uptake. The relationship between allophanate lyase induction and gametogenesis is discussed.


Effect of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol on biliary excretion of bile acids. The effect of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol on biliary bile acids has been investigated. The ratio of cholate to chenodeoxycholate was diminished by the estrogen in cholestyramine-treated rats. With low doses, this effect was due to increased excretion of chenodeoxycholate. With the highest dose, the decreased ratio was due to a reduction in the levels of cholic acid. In the intermediate dosage range, both factors contributed to the decreased ratio. Prolonged treatment with 500 mug daily of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol produced a reduction in the excretory rate of both bile acids in animals treated or not treated with cholestyramine.


Effect of hydrocortisone and dexamethasone on xylose uptake by isolated rat soleus muscle. To determine the effects of glucocorticoids on sugar uptake, xylose uptake by isolated rat soleus muscle of bilaterally adrenalectomized animals was studied. The results indicate that in vitro addition of 10-4 M hydrocortisone, dexamethasone or hydrocortisone sodium succinate had no inhibitory effect on basal xylose uptake. In the presence of both low and high medium insulin, the above steroids failed to inhibit insulin-stimulated uptake. When the concentration of hydrocortisone sodium succinate was increased to 10-2 M, insulinstimulated uptake was decreased. The results thus indicate that glucocorticoids at concentrations observed under physiological or pathological conditions do not inhibit basal or insulin-stimulated sugar uptake.


Dinitrophenylation of rabbit skeletal actomyosin. Dinitrophenylated reconstituted or natural actomyosin effected changes in the Ca2+ sensitivity which were dependent upon the ionic strength of the reaction medium. Dinitrophenylation of reconstituted actomyosin in 0.6 M KCl led to the incorporation of 2-6 mol of the reagent per 5-10(5) g of protein and it possessed considerable Ca2+ sensitivity. Dinitrophenylated natural actomyosin under the same conditions lost most of its Ca2+ sensitivity when 1.3-5.4 mol of the dinitrophenyl group were bound. The myosin from these modified actomyosins did not lose Ca2+ sensitivity and the myosin was labeled only with 0.4-1.7 mol of the dinitrophenyl group. Dinitrophenylation of both kinds of actomyosin in 0.06 M KCl abolished the Ca2+ sensitivity; the myosin from the modified actomyosins also lost Ca2+ sensitivity. Myosin alone was more susceptible to a loss of Ca2+ sensitivity than myosin in actomyosin. Actin protected the ability of myosin to sense Ca2+ regulated actin in modified actomyosin at 0.6 M KCl but not at 0.06 M KCl. Actomyosin dinitrophenylated in the presence of ATP lost Ca2+ sensitivity. However, the myosin from this actomyosin possessed Ca2+ sensitivity. Thiolysis of the dinitrophenylated actomyosin by 2-mercaptoethanol at low ionic strength did not restore the Ca2+ sensitivity of this actomyosin or its myosin although there was a significant loss of the dinitrophenyl group.


The relationship between histones F 2al and F 2a2 and the ancestral histone A peptide. Further evidence for the common origin of histones F 2al, F 2a2 and F 3. The relationship between histones F 2al and F 2a2 becomes much more apparent if the alignment is not made between the total sequences but between the ancestral A peptide, reconstructed earlier for histone F 2al (IV) and F 2a2. 46.5% of the latter's sequence can thus be clearly connected with F 2al through this ancestral dodecapeptide. A parallel development of histones F 2al, F 2a2 and F 3 from the A peptide is proposed.


Surface behaviour of oestradiol-17beta.

Surface behaviour of oestradiol-17beta. The absorption of [3H]oestradiol-17beta from its aqueous solutions has been measured in the range 0-10mug/ml. It is found that the first adsorbed molecules are parallel to the interface and occupy 100 A2. Those adsorbed in the range 6-10 mug/ml occupy 21 A2. They are presumably associated. When the adsorption occurs in the presence of a synthetic lecithin monolayer, the molecular area is equal to 16 A2. Surface tension measurements of the solutions of oestradiol-17beta and a parallel study of their fluorescence have been performed. No association of the hormone molecules has been observed in bulk. It is concluded that surfaces and liquid monolayers may favour molecular association of the oestradiol-17beta.


Kinetic analysis of blood-brain barrier transport of amino acids. The Michaelis-Menten kinetics of blood-brain barrier transport of fourteen amino acids was investigated with a tissue-sampling, single-injection technique in the anesthetized rat. Tracer quantities of 14C-labelled amino acids and 3H2O, used as a freely diffusible internal reference, were mixed in 0.2 ml of buffered Ringer's solution and injected rapidly into a common carotid artery. Circulation was terminated by decapitation at 15s following injection. A brain uptake index (Ib) was determined from the ratio of 14C dpm in the brain tissue and the injection mixture divided by the same ratio for the 3H2O reference. Brain clearance of tracer concentration of amino acid was saturable when various concentrations of unlabeled amino acid were added to the injection solution. Double reciprocal plots of the saturation data yielded Km (mM) values that ranged from a low of 0.09 mM for arginine to a high of 0.75 mM for cycloleucine. Transport V values were determined from the relationship P = V/Km where P is the blood-brain barrier permeability constant (ml/g per min): P was calculated from the Ib for each amino acid based on a cerebral blood flow of 0.56 ml/g per min and a fractional extraction of 0.75 for the 3H2O reference 15s following carotid injection. The V values ranged from a low of 6.2 nmol/g per min for lysine to a high of 64 nmol/g per min for l-DOPA. Efflux of the tracer amino acid during the 15-s period after injection was assumed to be slow, since the rate constant of cycloleucine from brain to blood was low, 0.11 min-1.


Electrical properties of squid axon membrane. II. Effect of partial degradation by phospholipase A and pronase on electrical characteristics. Passive electrical characteristics of perfused squid axon membrane are investigated. In a previous publication, we reported that the capacitance of intact squid axon membrane is partly frequency dependent. We extended the same measurement to perfused axons. We found that the electrical characteristics of perfused axon membrane are essentially the same as those of intact axons. In this work, we investigated the effects of phospholipase A and pronase on the membrane capacitance. Phospholipase A is known to block the sodium activation and pronase to eliminate the sodium inactivation. Phospholipase A is found to increase the frequency dependent as well as the frequency independent capacitances. Our tentative conclusion is that this enzyme perturbs the lipid structure and decreases its thickness. Pronase is found to increase the frequency dependent capacitance slightly while the capacitance  of the lipid layer remains unaltered. Although voltage clamp data indicate that the pronase disrupts the excitatory mechanism extensively, this enzyme has relatively little effect on the overall membrane capacitance.


The possible role of pancreatic proteases in the turnover of intestinal brush border proteins. 1. Intestinal brush border enzymes have heterogeneous rates of turnover, the largest proteins having the fastest turnover. Since the membrane faces the intestinal lumen, the effects of pancreatic factors were examined in mediating this turnover. Surgical subtotal pancreatectomy was used as an experimental model to study the turnover of brush border proteins in the absence of most pancreatic secretions. 2. Subtotal (95%) pancreatectomy of rats was found to cause elevations by about 50% of total activity and specific activities of certain brush border enzymes (maltase, sucrase, lactase), but not of others (alkaline phosphatase, trehalase). Rats were judged to be functionally deficient in pancreatic proteolytic enzymes (a) by demonstration of vitamin B-12 malabsorption, which was corrected by trypsin, and (b) by the finding of only about 20% of proteolytic activity appearing in the lumen after a test meal when compared to control. 3. To measure protein turnover in vivo the method of double labelling was used, where [3H]- and [14C]valine were administered intraduodenally in sequence 10 h apart. With this technique, a high 3H/14C ratio is correlated with rapid turnover. Proteins with apparent molecular weights of about 200 000-270 000 were found to turn over more rapidly than smaller proteins. 3H/14C ranged from 4.7 to 6.2 in animals without pancreatic insufficiency. In the face of decreased pancreatic proteolysis, the 3H/14C ratio was 2.3-3.1, similar to that of proteins with a slow half life. 4. Estimates of relative synthetic rates of large brush border proteins were lower than normal in pancreatectomized animals, but were constant over the period of the labelling experiment. The high enzyme levels in the face of lower synthetic rates confirms that, at the new steady rate, degradation rates must be slower for large brush border proteins in pancreatic insufficiency. 5. In vitro, using purified brush borders, unfractionated pancreatic enzymes were found to remove sucrase, maltase and lactase, but not alkaline phosphatase and trehalase. The enzyme most potent in this respect was the pancreatic protease, elastase. Non-proteolytic enzymes (amylase, lipase, phospholipase A) were inactive in removing enzyme from the brush border. The addition of elastase to pancreatectomized animals in vivo restored the rapid turnover rate of large brush border proteins. 6. A model is thus proposed for the normal catabolism of some large intestinal brush border proteins. It is suggested that the surface of intestinal absorptive cells is being constantly remodelled, and that certain surface enzymes are in part removed from the membrane by the action of pancreatic proteases. A possible special role for elastase is suggested.


Sodium chloride reflection coefficient in rabbit gall bladder. By means of the Kedem-Katchalsky thermodynamic description of active transport, a relationship has been derived between the apparent reflection coefficient and the Staverman reflection coefficient for passive transport of a solute which is both actively and passively transported. The relationship between volumetric flow and its driving forces, containing the Staverman reflection coefficient, was tested for sodium chloride in rabbit gall bladder and the reflection coefficient was evaluated.


Non-pumped sodium fluxes in human red blood cells. Evidence for facilitated diffusion. Unidirectional and net Na+ fluxes modified by changes in internal Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) were studied in human red blood cells incubated in K+-free solutions containing 10-minus 4 m ouabain. An increase in [Na+]i brought about (a) a reduction in net Na+ gain, (b) no change in Na+ influx, (c) a reduction in the rate constant for Na+ effux and (d) an increase in Na+ efflux. Similar reductions in net Na+ gain were observed when the changes in [Na+]i were carried out at constant [K+]i. In addition, the rate constant for 42K+ efflux was not affected by changes in [Na+]i. The electrical membrane potential (as determined from the chloride distribution ratio) was also constnat. Furosemide (10-minus 3 M) increased the net Na+ gain in concentration reduced Na+ efflux and increased Na+ influx: the magnitude of these effects was dependent onthe intracellular Na+. The reduction in the net Na+ gain as [Na+]i increased was unaffected by depletion of cellular ATP to values below 10 mumol/1 cells, and this effect was independent of the depletion method used


[Effect of substituents on the heat of sublimation of nucleic acid nitrogenous bases]. Experimental results of the studieds of sublimation heats of some derivatives of nitrous bases of nucleic acids are presented. Effect of some substitutors on sublimation heats of purine and pyrimidine bases has been studie. The problem of the role of different intermolecular interactions in the stabilization of nitrous bases crystal structure is discussed on the basis of the data obtained.


[Application of rare-earth elements as labels in studying biologically active compounds. I. Luminescence spectra of solutions of complexes of pyridoxaldiene amino acids with europium]. The luminescence spectra of qater solutions of europium complexes with azometines formed by condensation of amino acids with pyrydoxal are investigated. The differences in luminescence spectra connected with the variations in the complexes structures are found. The possibilities of application of the europium ions luminescence for biochemical reactions investigation and for structure studies and identification of biologicaly active compounds are discussed.


[Application of rare-earth elements as labels in studying bilogically active compounds. II. Luminescence spectra and structure of europium complexes for use as shift reagents in NMR studies]. The luminescence spectra and solubility of several europium complexes are investigated. The conditions put upon the complex structure for its successful use as a shift reagent are discussed. Some water-soluble europium complexes with pyridoxaliden amino acids are shown to be fit as possible shift reagents.


[Study of different types of chlorophyll a aggregates in solutions and films by absorption and luminescence derivative spectroscopy]. The second derivative of absorption, fluorescence and fluorescence excitation spectra of chlorophyll a in concentrated solutions and films was investigated. More than 14 forms of pigment aggregates, which can be divided into two types--with narrow 8-10nm) and wide (25-40nm) low temperature (-196 degrees C) spectra bands, were found. For the most part of the aggregated forms, the position and half width of the bands, as well as the Stokes shift and relative quantum yield were determined. The comparison of the spectral characteristics points to the indentity of the aggregates and corresponding native forms of Chl. a. It is shown that the universal relationship between absorption and fluorescence bands in applicable to the aggregates of the two types and the energy of resonance interaction between monomers in the aggregates is evaluated.


[Impulse photoconductivity of solutions of chlorophyll and its analogs. II. Effect of medium polarity on the yield of ion-radicals during the photoxidation of chlorophyll a ]. The effect of the dielectric constant epsilon of the solvent on the yield delta n of ion-radicals during photooxidation of chlorophy-l a with n-benzoquinone was studied by the method of impulse photoconductivity. It was shown that in the studied range of dielectric constant valve (epsilon congruent to 5-25) delta n monotonously increased with an increase of epsilon the relationship delta n (epsilon) being of clearly pronounced S-like character with a bend in the region of epsilon congruent to 10. A half-quantitative explanation of the data obtained is presented.


[Antioxidants as cytochrome stabilizers in endoplasmic reticulum membranes of rat liver in vivo]. It has been shown that synthetic antioxidant 4-methyl-2, 6-ditrebuthylphenole (ionole) inhibits free radical oxidation of phospholipids in the membranes of endoplasmic reticulum, increases the life time of cytochrome P-448 after its induction with 20 methylcholantrene.


[Free-radical oxidation of biological membrane lipids. V. Fluorescence of fatty acids and phospholipids]. The nature of fluorescence in UV and visible apectrum region of autooxidizing unsaturated fatty acids and phospholipids was partially determined by UV-adsorption, polarography in the system of organic solvents and thin layer chromatography.


[Thermodynamics and muscle contraction. II. Consequences of the principle of maximization of the rate of entropy production]. For non-elastic irreversible mechanochemical machines of the muscular type, the above-mentioned principle (by H. Ziegler) leads to the following results. The velocity of shortening, v, decreases when the force F increases. The mechanical power of the system Fv, is active when 0 greater than v greater than vF=0 or 0 greater than F greater than Fv=0. At F=0 the rate of chemical reaction has the maximum and dQ/dF = -v greater than 0 (where Q is the rate of heat production). At v = 0 the rate of entropy production has the minimum and d/dv = F/A greater than 0 (where A is an affinity of the chemical reaction). The Onsager symmetry relation holds at v=0 only.


[Method of isolating photochemically active pigmet-proteolipid complexes from chloroplasts]. The paper deals with the chromatography isolation method of pigment-lipoprotein complexes of photosystem I and II of pea chloroplasts on the DEAE-cellulose. The componenet composition and photochemical properties of isolated complexes are compared with the data available in literature concerning similar objects. The question about the use of pigment-lipoprotein complexes as the model systems for investigating structure organization and functional characteristics of different parts of the chloroplast photosynthetic apparatus is under discussion.


[Effect of light absorbed by photosystem 1 and photosystem 2 on the fluorescence yield of green leaves]. The influence of strong active light, which mainly excited the photosystem 1 (AL I) and photosystem 2 (AL II), on the fluorescence of weak detecting light under different intensities of active light has been investigated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It is shown that an increase or decrease in fluorescence can be observed under the influence of AL 1 according to the experimental conditions.


[Effect of a constant magnetic field on biological systems]. The effect of magnetic field on biological systems is discussed. A number of existing theories are evaluated, and a conclusion is made that it is difficult to explain from the standpoint of physics, neglecting the specifies of the living cell, the effect of the constant magnetic field on biological systems at the microscopic level.


[Constant magnetic field and nerve impulse conduction]. It is shown that external magnetic field produces no ponderomotor effect on the nerve fibre along which the impulse propagates.


[Theory of syncytial tissues. III. Conic net models]. The study of the effect of dimensions and local organization of net tissue on its electrical properties can be reduced to the problem of investigating electrical properties of conic fibre at different laws of its expansion. It is shown that homogeneous n-meric synctia-nets are approximately equivalent to conic fibres with power expansion law of the order of n-1. Such an approach makes it possible to construct approximate fundamental solutions for a wide range of nets.


[Mechanical impedance of human parotid area tissues (mastoid)]. Frequency relationship of mechanical impedance of human mastoid has been recorded within the frequency range of 125-15 000 Hz. The technique of measuring mechanical impedance has been described and its error evaluated. From the results obtained equivalent parameters of the mechanical system imitating acoustic properties of human mastoid are calculated. These parameters can serve as the basis for developing the device artificial mastoid.


[Model of regulation of the proliferation rate of bone marrow stem cells]. A mathematical model of speed regulation of the reproduction of bone marrow stem cells has been constructed and investigated, Two possible regulation mechanisms of proliferative activity of stem cells have been compared: at tissue level and at subtissual units level. The comparison of calculation results and experimental data has shown that the latter regultaion mechanism of stem cells proliferation would take place.


[Aerodynamic characteristics of the human right lung bronchial tree]. A new method of studying the aerodynamical characteristics of normal right bronchial tree in 17 natural preparations is described. The authors have found that 24 to 44 per cent of the total airflow entering the right main bronchus pass through the upper lobe bronchus, 9-26 per cent through the middle lobe bronchus and 38-56 per cent through the lower lobe bronchus. The data obtained show good agreement with the volume of the corresponding lobe expressed as percentage to the total right lung volume. Bronchial tree preparations differ greatly in their carrying capacities due to their corresponding aerodynamical resistances (+50% +25%). The relationship between resistance coefficient of the bronchial tree preparations and their geometrical parameters has been found.


[Perception of color and volumetric shape of objects]. The problem of recognition of coloration of volume objects, illuminated simultaneously with bright point ans weak diffuse sources (having arbirary and previously unknown spectra) is considered. A mathematical model, in which a process of recognition of coloration is accompanied by determining orientations of surface elements relatively the point source is described. The information on orientation allows in many cases to calculate the volume shape of objects of the external world form their monocular ""retinal"" image.


[Spatial analysis of tonal superthreshold signals in dolphins]. Hearing characteristics under the conditions of spacial indetermination of overthreshold tonic signal were studied on dolphins Tursiops truncatus by the method of motordigestive conditional reflexes. High efficiency of spacial analysis on the frequencies 5, 20, 80, 100 kHz was shown. The criterium of relative loss of information in the channel was used for evaluating integral index of efficiency of dolphin spacial hearing.


An infrared probe of iro n porphyrin oxidation state and axial ligation. Carbonyl stretching frequencies of acyl groups conjugated with porphyrin rings are useful probes of the effective electronegativities of corrdinated iron atoms in iron porphyrins. Acetyl carbonyl stretching frequencies for 2,4-diacetyldeuteroporphyrin IX dimethyl ester derivatives exhibit both metal oxidation state and axial ligand effects. Infrared spectra of chloroform and pyridine solutions, corrected for solvation, showed the sequences of acetyl carbonyl stretching frequencies: dipyridine iron(II) less than mu-oxo bisiron(III) less than bromo iron(III) approximately equal to chloro iron(III) and dipyridine nickel(II) less than nickel(II). Applications of the probe to the study of hemeproteins are indicated.


[Isolation and composition of a glycoprotein from lamb gastric mucosa]. A glycoprotein is isolated from lamb gastric mucosa. It is purified first by reduction with dithiothreitol and then by chromatography on CM-Sephadex followed by gelfiltration on Sephadex G-75. Its homogeneity is investigated by disc electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, analytical ultracentrifugation and identification of the carboxy- and amino-terminal amino acids. This glycoprotein contains 56 p. cent carbohydrates, consisting of N-glycolyneuraminic acid, fucose, galactose, and hexosamines. Hexosamines and galactose are in equimolar ratio ; galactosamine and glucosamine in the ratio 1 :2. The amino acid composition shows that threonine, serine and proline account for half of the amino acid residues. The cysteine origin and function are discussed.


Ovine pancreatic lipase : purification and some properties. Lipase has been isolated from sheep pancreas. The lipoprotein complex formed in pancreas homogenates by the enzyme and endogenous lipids is split by treatment with acetone. Lipase is further purified by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The molecular weight and the amino-acid composition of ovine lipase are very similar to that of the porcine and bovine enzymes. As previously found in bovine lipase, no carbohydrate is covalently bound to the polypeptide chain which has a N-terminal residue of lysine. The study of the catalytic properties of ovine pancreatic lipase indicates that the enzyme is fully activated by colipase from various species in the presence of conjugated bile salt micellar solutions.


Abnormal hemoglobin synthesis in some leukemic patients. Hemoglobin chain synthesis during leukemic processes has been studied on patients having fetal hemoglobin. All cases showed the following abnormalities : (1) a relatively increased synthesis of the beta chain ; (2) an important increase of the free dimeric precursors pool, with, most of the time, a predominance of alpha chain. If the first point suggests an alpha-thalassemia feature, the presence of free alpha chains shows evidence for a more complex mechanism not only due to a decrease of messenger RNA. The hypothesis of a clonal disorder could neither be demonstrated nor ruled out. The observed abnormalities could be due to a defect in a alpha chain depending regulation mechanism.


[Influence of thyroid status on the electrophoretic pattern of rat liver mitochondrial proteins]. Liver mitochondria were isolated from normal and thyroidectomized rats and their protein components analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In whole mitochondria 35 protein fractions with MW ranging from 10,000 to 135,000 were characterized. In the absence of thyroid hormone secretion, the amount of a MW 54,000 fraction was always decreased. Injection of small doses of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine to the thyroidectomized animal restored the quantity of that protein fraction to normal. Isolated outer mitochondrial membranes showed the presence of 20 protein fractions. These fractions revealed no change after thyroidectomy. The mitoplast, which contained 35 fractions, exhibited a decrease of the MW 54,000 component in thyroidectomized rats. The mitoplast was separated into several fractions. Water soluble matrix proteins presented molecular weights ranging between 40,000 and 55,000. Proteins, which were slightly bound to the inner mitochondrial membrane and could be extracted by KCl, presented molecular weights between 25,000 and 45,000. Structural proteins showed a principal specific component of MW equals 23,000. Electrophoretic patterns obtained with these submitochondrial fractions were similar in normal and thyroidectomized animals. The mitoplast fraction which contained the insoluble cytochromes (a, a3, b, c1) was isolated ; its principal constituent, of MW 54,000 was significantly decreased after thyroidectomy. Thus, the lack of thyroid hormone secretion lowered the level of a protein constituent bound to the inner membrane of liver mitochondria. The synthesis of this constituent could be controlled by mitochondrial nucleic acids.


[Isoelectric focusing of rat pituitary gonadotropins]. Isoelectric focusing of rat gonadotropins has been studied using a small scale column and various pH gradients. Hormones were detected by radioimmunoassay. FSH focuses as a single peak, the pI being 2.8. It is thus slightly more acidic than the pI of FSH from other species. LH is more heterogeneous, the main activity focusing in the pH 9.0 area, whereas a second activity appears, for some samples, in the acidic part of the gradient. TSH exhibits a broad zone of activity between pH 7.0 and 10.0. The fractionation of pituitary glycoproteins using a pH 3-10 gradient followed by removal of sucrose and ampholytes through Sephadex G 50 chromatography allows the recovery with good yields of a purified rat FSH fraction devoid of LH activity as estimated by radioimmunoassay.


In vivo incorporation of cytidine-monophosphate-ciliatine into rat liver lipids. 1. In vivo this investigation was carried out in order to compare the incorporation into rat lipids of free [1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine and CMP-[1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine which is the precursor in phosphonolipid biosynthesis. 2. The incorporation of the radioactivity from CMP-[1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine took place more rapidly than that from free [1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine in both liver and kidney. The amount of radioactivity from the CMP-[1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine incorporated into total liver lipids was about 5 times higher than that incorporated into total liver lipids of rat two hrs after injecting free-[1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine. 3. The amount of [1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine incorporated into total liver lipids was 15 and 21 times higher than that incorporated into total kidney lipids of rat two and four hrs after injecting free [1,2-minus 14C]-ciliatine. 4. If the main pathway for the phosphonolipid biosynthesis is via CMP-ciliatine, the rate of phosphonolipid formation from CMP-ciliatine must therefore be higher than that from free-ciliatine. The results obtained here indicate therefore that the main pathway for phosphonolipid biosynthesis is a pathway involving CMP-ciliatine. 5. An unknow compound was detected in the water soluble fraction of the acid hydrolyzate of liver phosphonolipids. This material migrated with the N-trimethyl-derivative of ciliatine on the thin-layer chromatogram. The result shows that there is therefore a possibility of methylation of exogenous ciliatine to the phosphonate analogue of choline in the mammalian body.


Kinetic evidence of horseradish peroxidase oxidation by compound I. The kinetics of compound II formation, obtained upon mixing a highly purified horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide, was spectrophotometrically studied at three wavelengths in the absence of an added reducing agent. Our experiments confirm George's finding that more than one mole of compound II is formed per mole of hydrogen peroxide added. The new mechanism that we propose, contrary to the mechanism of George, is only valid when compound II is obtained in the absence of an added donor. Moreover, it is not inconsistent with the classical Chance mechanism of oxidation of an added donor by the system peroxidase -- hydrogen peroxide. According to this new mechanism, in the absence of an added donor, compound II formation involved two pathways. The first pathway is the monomolecular reduction of compound I by the endogenous donor, and the second pathway is the formation of two moles of compound II through the oxidoreduction reaction between one mole of peroxidase and one mole of compound I.


Study of mammalian ribosomal protein reactivity in situ. I. - Effect of 2-methoxy-5-nitrotropone on 40S and 60S subunits. Liver ribosomes and subunits were reacted with increasing concentrations of 2-methoxy-5-nitrotropone. At low reagent concentrations (0.3 mM), the molar uptake by 60S subunits was more efficient than the uptake by 40S subunits, and the amount of reagent bound to 80S ribosomes was less than that bound to both free subunits considered together. At higher reagent concentrations, the molar uptake of both subunits was equivalent. Subunits and ribosomes remained fully active when reacted with up to 0.3 mM and 1 mM of the reagent, respectively. With 2 mM of the reagent, both subunits were half inactivated, although their sedimentation characteristics were unaltered. The reactivity of each ribosomal protein was assessed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and quantitative measurement of the unmodified proteins. From these results, considered together with the uptake characteristics and the inactivation curves, a number of tentative conclusions about ribosome topography can be drawn. The over-all sensitivity of the 60S subunits to the reagent is higher than that of the 40S subunits. Both subunits undergo a conformational change when they combine to form 80S ribosomes. Proteins S18, S20, S28 and L5, L9, L11, L15, L16, L25, L29, L30, L31, L34, L37 have NH2 groups exposed in native subunits. These groups are not essential for subunit function.


The in vitro cellular synthesis of hemoglobin components in various media and its relevance to the concept of stenogenic and eurygenic states of differentiation. The increase above normal in the rate of synthesis of human fetal hemoglobin in incubated cells from adults, as observed previously, is only relative. The addition of serum to the incubation medium tends to reestablish the normal ratio of rates. In the absence of serum the decrease in rates of synthesis affects most strongly the hemoglobin component, whichever it be, that is synthesized more intensively at the cell stage under consideration. This is brought out by the comparison of the effects of different media on fetal and adult cells. The data lead to the definition of the concept of stenogenic and eurygenic states of differentiation.


[Gas-liquid chromatography of non-esterified fatty acids of the rat myocardium]. Non-esterified fatty acids in cardiac cell cultures of postnatal rat, in postnatal rat heart and in ventricle muscle of adult rat were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Among cultured heart cells, three different types were found. Type A0 appeared when arachidonic acid was lacking in tissue culture medium; it had the highest percentage in saturated fatty acids, palmitoleic and linolenic acids. Type A1 and type A2 appeared when arachidonic acid was proved to be present in culture medium. Non esterified fatty acid composition of type A1 was closely similar to that of postnatal rat heart, while type A2 ranged between that of postnatal heart and that of adult ventricular muscle.


[Biosynthesis of phorcabiline, blue-green biliary pigment of Actias selene (Lepidoptera, Attacidae)]. The blue-green bile pigments of Actias selene (Attacidae) have been investigated at different stages of its development. Coproporphyrinogen-14-C, protoporphyrin-IX3-H, and pterobilin-14-C, injected to larvae are metabolised into phorcabilin I, the main neopterobilin in this animal. It is concluded that phorcabilin I is a bile pigment of the IX gamma series and that pterobilin is its direct precursor. A method for the preparation of labelled protoporphyrin from quail egg-shell is reported.


[Introduction to Raman spectrometry].

[Introduction to Raman spectrometry]. The frequency shift observed when light is scattered by molecules is called Raman effect. Raman spectroscopy like infrared spectroscopy is a method of studying molecular vibrations. The two methods are complementary, they both give much informations about the structure of molecules and crystals, the nature of chemical bonds and intermolecular interactions. Infrared absorption is allowed if the vibration is accompanied by a variation of electric dipole moment, however Raman scattering will only be observed if a variation of molecular polarizability appears during the vibration. Symetry properties of molecules of crystals lead to the determination of the number of normal vibrational modes and their Raman or infrared activity. The discovery of Laser light source has permitted a great development of Raman instrumentation. Raman spectrometers can easily record the whole spectrum of molecular vibrations (0-4000 cm-1) of samples in solid, liquid or gazeous state. Very small quantities of material are required (several milligrams). Aqueous solutions are easily investigated. Owing to the easy exploration of the low frequency range by modern spectrometers, new areas are opened in the study of the solid state and polymeric chains. Resonance Raman effect allows the spectra of very dilute solutions to be obtained. With the development of rapid scanning systems and electro-optical spectrometers, study of transients species is now possible. Among the physical analysis methods, Raman spectroscopy is now more and more used, and this technic has already been successfully used in numerous biological and biochemical problems.


[Quasi-elastic light scattering. Application to biological problems]. The origin of the light scattered from macromolecular solutions is considered and a discussion is made around the use of laser and light beating spectroscopy to analyze the scattered field spectrum. Several experiments are reviewed where quasi elastic light scattering has been applied.


The temperature jump relaxation technique. The temperature jump relaxation technique is a convenient and general means of studying rapid reversible reactions of biological macromolecules. Recent advances in automatic data acquisition and the introduction of different optical detection systems will soon allow us to exploit the full potential of kinetic measurements near equilibrium. On the other hand, the kinetic approach can be quite limited if not accompanied by detailed structural and thermodynamic studies. Finally, we must accept the fact that one can rarely demonstrate a reaction mechanism to the exclusion of all plausible alternative models.


[Technical problems in the nuclear magnetic resonance of nucleic acids]. The application of nuclear magnetic resonance to nucleic acids is discussed here, in terms of the proposed study of their structural, conformational and dynamic aspects. Relaxation techniques, using for example paramagnetic ions as localised probes, provide information about dynamic behaviour ; high resolution spectroscopy about three-dimensional structure, using proton or carbon 13 resonance for the overall study, and phosphorus 31 resonance for the study of phosphate polyribose chain.


Application of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to proteins. The active sites of enzymes can be studied in great detail using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The determination of pKa values of active site histidine residues in bovine pancreatic ribonuclease and the characterization of the binding of peptide hormones to carrier proteins are two such examples. The study of the active site of staphylococcal nuclease is another example and is presented in detail in this paper. The structure of 3'5'-thymidine diphosphate bound in the active site of staphylococcal nuclease has been studied by measuring the relaxation rate enhancement of substrate analog nuclei by a paramagnetic metal ion. The lanthanide ion, Gd(III), was substituted for Ca(II) in the formation of the ternary complex of nuclease: Gd(III) : 3'5'-thymidine diphosphate. Measurements were made of the transverse relaxation rates of protons and the longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates of the phosphorus nuclei of bound nucleotide. Internuclear distances between the metal ion and atoms of the 3'5'-thymidine diphosphate nucleotide were determined from these data by using the Solomon-Bloembergen equation. In general, these distances corresponded closely to those determined by previous X-ray crystallography of the thymidine diphosphate complex. These internuclear distances were also used with a computer program and graphics display to solve for metal : nucleotide geometries which were consistent with the experimental data. A geometry similar to the structure of the metal : nucleotide complex bound to nuclease determined by X-ray analysis was one of the solutions to this computer modeling process. For staphylococcal nuclease the NMR and X-ray methods yield compatible high resolution information about the structure of the active site.


[Radiocrystallographic analysis of protein structures]. General description of X-ray diffraction by single crystals : Bragg's law, reciprocal lattice and Ewald's construction, structure factors. Role of resolution in protein structure determination. Fourier transform relations between structure factors and electron density maps. Phase determination using isomorphous replacement. Interpretation of electron density maps : building protein atomic models, their use in biochemistry.


Serum amino acid concentrations during pregnancy of women heterozygous for phenylketonuria. Increased concentrations  of phenylalanine were found in blood specimens from pregnant women who were heterozygous for phenylketonuria, but the concentration differences between normal controls, nonpregnant heterozygous, and pregnant heterozygous, and pregnant heterozygous women were small. Phenylalanine concentrations in cord blood were in the same range as in maternal blood at time of delivery. Phenylalanie concentrations in the carrier do not rise sufficiently during pregnancy to harm the infant in utero.


Plasma cholesterol ester formation in the neonatal lamb. Investigations have been made into the activity of the lecithin-cholesterol-acyltransferase (LCAT) enzyme in the formation of the cholesteryl esters in the plasma of the newborn lamb. Although LCAT activity is present in the plasma immediately after birth, within 24 h a large increase in the activity of the LCAT system occurs. This increase in LCAT activity during the first 24 h after birth is associated with increased concentrations of lipid substrates in the plasma. However, evidence is provided to show that severe inhibition occurs in the relative efficiency with which the LCAT mechanism operates in the plasma of the lamb immediately after birth.


Serum enzymes in the neonatal period. Diagnostic aid in muscle pathology. Normal standards were defined in term and preterm infants on precise days of the neonatal period for the following serum enzymes: creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), diphosphofructoaldolase (ALD), glutamic-oxalacetic (SGOT) transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), CPK values have reached adult standards at 10 days of life. This permits early diagnosis of muscular dystropy, especially the Duchenne form. LDH and ALD are still high at the 10th day of life. Low SGOT and SGPT levels encountered in premature infants is probably due to immaturity of enzyme synthesis in this group of children.


Salicylate saturation index in neonatal jaundice. 30 serum samples from premature and newborn infants with non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia were analyzed to prove the accuracy of determination of albumin binding capacity for bilirubin. The salicylate method of Odell was used to determine the saturation index of albumin indicated by a decrease in optical density through displaced bilirubin. Bilirubin is stoichometrically displaced from albumin by the addition of salicylate. The values of the sautration index correspond to free binding sites. Analysis of our data demonstrated that there is no direct correlation between the saturation index (SI) and total serum bilirubin/albumin concentration quotient. Methodical errors, problems in statistics and other theoretical concepts are discussed. The salicylate method is not suitable for accurate determination of albumin binding capacity for bilirubin.


Sex-differential placentation immunological interactions between male conceptus and gravida during normal pregnancy. 7,773 placentae of newborns were analyzed in order to test a hypothesis of specific immunological concepto-maternal interactions due to maleness and occurring during normal pregnancy. An association between placental weight of newborn male and the sex of conceptuses of previous pregnancies was found which supports the hypothesis. No such an association was found for female newborn. The confirmation of these results could open new avenues in the study of sex-differential survival of the conceptus throughout gestation.


Size of L-lactate transport from the fetal rat to the mother animal. U- -14-C-L-lactate injected into the fetal rat in utero during the last period of pregnancy (3 days before birth) could be detected in the maternal circulation. The label in the blood sampled from the uterine vein was present in L-lactate for 90% or more. Determination of the fetal lactate pool, estimation of the total amount of labeled L-lactate transported to the mother animal and the assumption that during the time course of label transport the ratio of integrated amount of 14-C-lactate sampled over the total amount of transported labeled lactate was constant, permitted calculation of the rate of lactate transport. Values of about 275 nmoles/min/g fetal tissue were found. In case of 40 g fetal tissue (10 fetuses 1 day before birth) about 11 mumoles lactate/min must be taken up by the mother. Reoxidation of cytoplasmic NAD+ in fetal rat cells is mainly effectuated by reduction of pyruvate into L-lactate.


The afferent vagus and regulation of breathing in response to inhaled CO2 in awake newborn lambs. Changes in steady state minute ventilation, tidal volume and frequency were determined in unanesthetized lambs before and after bilateral cervical vagotomy while breathing 3, 6, and 9% CO2 in 20% O2 balance N2. The slope of delta VE/delta PaCO2 fell from 0.068 to 0.033 while frequency response depended on intact vagi. Electrical stimulation of the cut proximal vagus (after bilateral vagotomy) restored CO2 responsiveness to control values. From these observations, it may be concluded that the afferent vagus is involved in the control of ventilation during hypercapnia and helps to modulate ventilatory frequency by inhibiting tidal volume.


Disappearance of p-aminohippurate and inulin from plasma of newborn and adult rats. The ability of newborn and adult rats to eliminate p-aminohippuric acid and inulin from plasma was determined. The pattern of development is similar to that observed in vitro using renal cortical slices. The fact that function increases to a peak and then declines over the developmental period while organ weight and histology mature progressively suggests a divergence of functional and antomical maturation. Inulin elimination, unlike PAH, increased over the ages tested, and is apparently more closely related to organ growth.


Changes in the alkaline phosphatase activity of granulocytes from the first to the sixth day of life in newborns. GAP activity was studied in 40 newborns, from the first to the sixth day of life after normal pregnancy and labor. Evaluation of GAP activity was performed in stained blood smears by the method of Kaplow. The results of this study indicate, that GAP activity on the first day of life was higher (121.0 +/- 16.7 GAP score) than on the sixth day (68.6 +/- 12.0 GAP score). The authors, discussing the possible cause of the increased alkaline phosphatase activity in granulocytes during the first day of life, cannot exclude the possibility that the GAP activity is influenced by estrogens of maternal origin.


Electrophoretic mobility of the fetal red blood cell. The electrophoretic mobilities of fetal and adult red blood cells have been examined. The mean mobility values for intact fetal and adult erythrocytes were the same, and there was no difference in mobility between the fetal and adult red blood cells treated with neuraminidase. However, a significant difference was observed after trypsin digestion. This may be due to a difference in composition between the fetal and adult red cell membranes.


Adult isoantigen and lectin reactivity of bovine fetal red cells. Evidence  is presented that fetal red cell membranes differ from membranes of their dams in isoantigenic and lectin reactivities. Evidence for nonsimultaneous development of 'adult' antigenic factors is extended. It is proposed that 'adult' phenogroups develop from replacement or displacement of factors in 'fetal' phenogroups.


Evidence of increased fatty acid transfer across the placenta during a maternal fast in rabbits. Fetal rabbits were obtained by Caesarian section from 28-day pregnant does which had been fasted for 48 h (days 26-28). Organ weights, fat contents and blood metabolite levels were compared with a group obtained in a similar manner from non-fasted does. Similar data were obtained for term fetuses (31 days) born by natural delivery. In 28-day pregnant, fasted does, blood levels of free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol were doubled compared with non-fasted controls. Fetal levels showed a similar increase. Both groups of fetuses from fasted does had increased fat stores both in the liver and adipose tissue. The overall increase in fat stores was 80-100%. It is suggested that during maternal fasting increased amounts of maternal FFA cross the placenta into the fetal circulation and are incorporated into the fetal fat stores.


Valine/glycine ratio in newborn infants. The ratio of valine/glycine was measured in the umbilical cord blood of 213 newborn infants of singleton pregnancies. The results obtained in small-for-data and preterm infants are compared with those in normal-term infants. A parallel assessment was made of the valine/glycine ratio in venous blood of the mothers of all these infants. An abnormally high rate was found in a small number of infants and also in a few mothers. There did not appear to be any association between these abnormal results and intra-uterine growth retardation.


Metabolic and hormonal consequences of exchange transfusion via the umbilical artery or vein. Twenty exchange transfusions for hyperbilirubinaemia were performed via the umbilical vein or artery in 17 term and pre-term infants. Blood preserved with acid citrate and dextrose was used and the effect of the route of transfusion on plasma glucose, free fatty acid, insulin and growth hormone (GH) concentrations was measured during the transfusion and for 3 h afterwards. Infants transfused via the umbilical vein secreted more insulin than those transfused via the artery although both groups had similar rises in plasma glucose. After transfusion, glucose disappearance was faster and minimum plasma glucose levels were lower in infants transfused via the vein. This group had a smaller fall in plasma free fatty acids during transfusion, but otherwise plasma free fatty acid levels were similar in both groups. More GH was secreted by infants transfused via the artery resulting in higher plasma levels during and after transfusion.


Growth of adipose tissue in the fetal rabbit. (1) Fetal rabbits of different gestational ages (20-29 days) were obtained by Caesarian section and term rabbits (31 days) by natural delivery. After dissection, organ weights were obtained and growth curves drawn. Brown adipose tissue was first visible at 22 days gestation and increased relatively more quickly than the body weight till day 26 after which it formed a constant percentage of the body weight. Growth of white adipose tissue followed a similar pattern, except that it was not visible until day 24. (2) The percentage triglyceride content of both types of adipose tissue increased throughout the latter part of gestation. (3) Fetuses of low birth weight had depressed fat stores in brown adipose tissue. (4) Some, but not all, of the high birth weight fetuses had relatively enlarged fat stores. (5) It is suggested that the conditions which produce fetuses of unusually low or high birth weight tend to have a greater corresponding effect on the fetal fat stores.


Effect of human chorionic gonadotropin on blood free fatty acids, glucose and on the release of free fatty acids from subcutaneous adipose tissue in various groups of newborn and adults. After administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG; 500 IU/kg intramuscularly), the blood concentration of free fatty acids increases within 30 min in 1-day-old full-term, premature and small-for-data newborns. This effect does not appear in 1-day-old newborns of diabetic mothers with insulin-dependent diabetes, in 7-day-old newborns nor in adults. Glucose concentration rises in all groups of newborns, and no effect is observed in adults. In the in vitro study, HCG increases lipolysis in newborns' adipose tissue. This effect was not observed in adults.


Activity of some enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in human subcutaneous adipose tissue in newborns, infants and adults. I. Activity of pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase (PK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was measured in human adipose tissue (AT) of newborns aged 0-2 and 2-48 h, of 3- to 5-month-old infants and of adults. AT was sampled by means of a special needle from the gluteal region without anesthesia. We observed significantly higher activity of the two pentose phosphate shunt enzymes when calculated on protein content and wet weight basis in newborns as compared to infants and adults. There were no differences for PK and LDH between newborns and adults when the values were calculated for the soluble protein. The protein concentration of the AT decreased significantly during the development.


Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in the newborn. Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) activity was studied in 50 women at delivery and in the newborn after delivery. The following findings were observed: (1) the LAP activity of newborns is lower than that of the mothers; (2) significant decrease in the LAP activity has been observed in newborns on the 4th day after delivery; (3) there are no significant differences between newborns from normal and prolonged labor; (4) immediately after delivery the LAP scores of male newborns are lower than those of females, but 4 days later these scores were reversed, and (5) 4 days after delivery, the LAP scores do correlate to the weight of the newborn.


On-line identification of sensory systems using pseudorandom binary noise perturbations. A technique of on-line identification of linear system characteristics from sensory systems with spike train or analog voltage outputs was developed and applied to the semicircular canal. A pseudorandom binary white noise input was cross-correlated with the system's output to produce estimates of linear system unit impulse responses (UIRs), which were then corrected for response errors of the input transducers. The effects of variability in the system response characteristics and sensitivity were studied by employing the technique with known linear analog circuits. First-order unit afferent responses from the guitarfish horizontal semicircular canal were cross-correlated with white noise rotational acceleration inputs to produce non-parametric UIR models. In addition, the UIRs were fitted by nonlinear regression to truncated exponential series to produce parametric models in the form of low-order linear system equations. The experimental responses to the white noise input were then compared with those predicted from the UIR models linear convolution, and the differences were expressed as a percent mean-square-error (%MSE). The average difference found from a population of 62 semicircular canal afferents was relatively low mean and standard deviation of 10.2 +/- 5.9 SD%MSE, respectively. This suggests that relatively accurate inferences can be made concerning the physiology of the semicircular canal from the linear characteristics of afferent responses.


General continuum analysis of transport through pores. I. Proof of Onsager's reciprocity postulate for uniform pore. The nonelectrolyte (Js) and volume (Jv) flux across a membrane is usually described in terms of two equations derived from the theory of irreversible thermodynamics: (see article) where delta c and delta P are the concentration and pressure difference; omega and Lp are the diffuse and hydraulic permeability; and sigma s and sigma v are the reflection coefficients. If Onsager's reciprocity postulate is assumed, it can be shown that signa s and sigma v are equal. This is an important assumption because it allows one to apply the continuum theory relationship between sigma s and the pore radius to experimental measurements of sigma v. In this paper, general continuum expressions for both the Jv (a new result) and Js equation will be derived and the equality of sigma s and sigma v proved. The proof uses only general hydrodynamic results and does not require explicit solutions for the drag coefficients or, for example, the assumption that the solute is in the center of the pore. The proof applys to arbitrarily shaped solutes and any pore whose shape is independent of axial position (uniform). In addition, new expressions for the functional dependence of omega and sigma on the pore radius are derived (including the effect of the particle lying off the pore axis). These expressions differ slightly from earlier results and are probably more accurate.


General continuum analysis of transport through pores. II. Nonuniform pores. A general continuum derivation of the nonelectrolyte (Js) and volume (Jv) flux through a pore whose cross section is a function of axial position (nonuniform) is given. In general, the flux equations cannot be reduced to the same form as for a uniform pore and it is not possible to characterize the pore kinetics by three constants as in the uniform pore case. However, it is shown that under certain conditions, the nonuniform pore equations can be approximated by the uniform pore form and can be characterized by three constants (omega, sigma, Lp). The only condition needed to reduce the Jv equation to the uniform form is that the solution be dilute. The deviation of the Js equation from the uniform form is characterized by an asymmetrical function of Jv whose maximum value is estimated. It is shown that the maximum posible fractional deviation of the Js equation from the uniform form is given by the parameter: 0:5sigmaJv/omegaRT. Since this parameter is less then 0.15 for most membrane studies, the nonuniform Js equation can usually be approximated by the uniform pore form. The general results are illustrated by explicit calculations on several models of nonuniform pores. It is shown, for example, that the "equivalent pore radius" defined in the usual way is a function of the experimental parameter that is measured and is not unique.


Effect of water on piezoelectricity in bone and collagen. Interferometric measurements of bovine bone and tendon show that the values of the piezoelectric strain constant d14 decrease with hydration from the dry values of 0.2 X 10(-14) and 2.0 X 10(-14) m/V, respectively. The decrease of piezoelectricity in tendon is exponential with a characteristic hydration of 7% by weight from which an upper limit of the average molecular weight of the responsible electric dipole moments is deduced. The piezoelectricity in bone decreases relatively slowly with hydration indicating that the electric dipoles in bone collagen are subject to a different cancelling mechanism.


A transient excited state model for sodium permeability changes in excitable membranes. In this paper we explore the properties of a mathematical model for the passive sodium permeability system of excitable membranes. This model is distinguished by the explicit inclusion of a rate constant which depends not on instantaneous voltage, but on rate of voltage change. Actually, the model is a rather modest modification of the Hodgkin-Huxley model, but displays some behaviors which the H-H model does not. Among these behaviors are a pronounced inactivation shift (for certain parameter values), a difference between inactivation time constant as measured by turning off a sodium current under sustained depolarization and as measured by double pulse experiments, skip runs under sustained current stimulation, and accommodation to slowing rising currents.


Equations for membrane transport. Experimental and theoretical tests of the frictional model. Frictional models for membrane transport are tested experimentally and theoretically for the simple case of a solution consisting of a mixture of two perfect gases and a membrane consisting of a porous graphite septum. Serious disagreement is found, which is traced to a missing viscous term. Kinetic theory is then used as a guide in formulating a corrected set of transport equations, and in giving a physical interpretation to the frictional coefficients. Sieving effects are found to be attributable to entrance effects rather than to true frictional effects within the body of the membrane. The results are shown to be compatible with nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Some correlations and predictions are made of the behavior of various transport coefficients for general solutions.


Potential energy barriers to ion transport within lipid bilayers. Studies with tetraphenylborate. Tetraphenylborate-induced current transients were studied in lipid bilayers formed from bacterial phosphatidylethanolamine in decane. This ion movement was essentially confined to the membrane in terior during the current transients. Charge movement through the interior of the membrane during the current transients was studied as a function of the applied potential. The transferred charge approached an upper limit with increasing potential, which is interpreted to be the amount of charge due to tetraphenylborate ions absorbed into the boundary regions of the bilayer. A further analysis of the charge transfer as a function of potential indicates that the movement of tetraphenylborate ions is only influenced by a certain farction of the applied potential. For bacterial phosphatidylethanolamine bilayers the effective potential is 77 +/- 4% of the applied potential. The initial conductance and the time constant of the current transients were studied as a function of the applied potential using a Nernst-Planck electrodiffusion regime. It was found that an image-force potential energy barrier gave a good prediction of the observed behavior, provided that the effective potential was used in the calculations. We could not get a satisfactory prediction of the observed behavior with an Eyring rate theory model or a trapezoidal potential energy barrier.


A model for oscillating chemical reactions. A simple theoretical model for a class of oscillating chemical reactions is investigated, which is inspired by Degn's analysis of the mechanism of Belousov-Zhabotinsky reactions. Although the model involves only one auto-catalytic path, as distinct from models presented hitherto, a limit-cycle behaviour is found for the concentrations, corresponding to a definite region in the space of controllable parameters. Characteristics of the coherent oscillations are investigated together with the behaviour in the induction period. The critical slowing-down around the onset of instability is shown to behave very much like that found in the equilibrium phase transition. The existence of an "anti-Curie" point is found as well as the Curie point, corresponding to the fact that the domain for sustained oscillation is closed in certain directions. Possible extensions of the model and ways of improving the theory are discussed.


The use of fluorescence anisotropy decay of poly d(A-T) ethidium bromide complex to estimate the unwinding angle of the double helix. We measured the fluorescence decay under polarized light, of ethidium bromide bound to the poly d(A-T) isolated from Cancer Pagurus. The decay of the whole fluorescence is a single exponential function revealing a good homogeneity of the binding sites. The anisotropy decay due to energy transfers between the ethidium bromide molecules bound to a same poly d(A-T) molecule has been analysed, with a Monte Carlo calculation. We found the dye unwinds the poly d(A-T) duplex by an angle of 17 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees. This result is in agreement with the value previously found in the case of calf thymus DNA-ethidium bromide complex, although the base compositions of the two nucleic acids are different.


The relation between osmotic flow and tracer solvent diffusion for single-file transport. It is demonstrated that a reasonably general model for single-file passage of solvent through an ultra-narrow pore implies the equality of tracer diffusion and osmotic flow. This result is not trival, but follows from the exactly compensating effects of solvent-solvent interaction on the paritioning of bulk solvent into the pore and on the diffusion rate within the pore. A previous calculation of Longuet-Higgins and Austin is seen to be valid only in the absence of interactions among solvent molecules in the pore.


Analysis of chemically reacting systems by sedimentation-diffusion equilibrium. A novel procedure to evaluate equilibrium constants from sedimentation-diffusion equilibrium data of analytical ultracentrifuge runs is proposed. It is shown that, by comparison of a reacting mixture at chemical equilibrium with a non-reacting but equally composed one, the sum of the mean concentrations of the reaction products can immediately be taken from optical absorption or from interferometric measurements. In most but not in all cases the use of stacked double-sector centerpieces is required.


Approximate solution of the differential equation for the migration of a reversibly reacting substance. A series solution is given for the differential equation describing the transport of a reversibly reacting substance in an infinite rectangular cell. The concentration dependence of the constituent transport coefficients has been approximated by polynomials. The solution converges for short time (t is less than 1 h). Several features of the leading and trailing boundary of monomer-trimer and monomer-dimer-trimer systems are discussed.


The direct analysis of sedimentation equilibrium results obtained with polymerizing systems. Theory is presented in relation to sedimentation equilibrium results obtained with polymerizing systems, which permits evaluation of the activity of the monomer as a function of total weight concentration. In contrast to established methods, the suggested procedure does not involve the solution of simultaneous equations which are sums of exponentials or the determination of weight-average molecular weights. A major advantage of the method is that it avoids errors inherent in differentiation and integration steps. An extrapolation to infinite filution is involved, but this is to a defined limit and is uncomplicated by the existence of critical points in the relevant plot. The method is capable of detecting possible volume changes inherent on polymer formation, of treating systems where activity coefficients of solute species are functions of total concentration and of describing the system in terms of relevant equilibrium constants. These points and comparisons with existing methods of analysis are illustrated with numerical examples and with results obtained with lysozyme at pH 6.7. The lysozyme results are interpretable in terms of either a non-ideal monomer-dimer system or a monomer-dimer-trimer system.


Adenosine deaminase deficiency in combined immunologic deficiency disease. Deficiency of red cell and lymphocyte adenosine deaminase (ADA) was found in children suffering from congenital combined immunologic deficiency. The parents had ADA levels intermediate between patients and controls. Complete lack of ADA activity was not found in normal subjects or in patients with a variety of other immunologic deficiency diseases.


Combined immunodeficiency disease: an inborn error of purine metabolism. The recently discovered association of adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency and combined immune deficiency (CID) has emphasized the critical role of purine salvage in the function of lymphoid tissue. Known enzymatic properties of ADA are presented. In addition, known phenotypic data and possible genetic mechanisms for the occurrence of ADA deficiency in CID are discussed. A hypothesis based on considerations of known metabolic pathways in human erythrocytes is proposed to account for the selectivity of ADA deficiency for lymphoid tissue. Finally, some inhibitors of ADA are discussed as well as some immunosuppressive agents.


The relationship of IgA and IgE deficiency. Studies of IgE deficiency and IgE levels in selective IgA deficiency and ataxia-telangiectasia are reviewed. Isolated IgE deficiency and combined IgE-IgA deficiency do not predispose individuals to recurrent respiratory tract disease. In contrast, IgA-deficient patients with normal or elevated levels of IgE frequently have recurrent respiratory infections. Although IgE deficiency and combined IgE-IgA deficiency occur frequently in ataxia-telangiectasia, these deficiences do not appear to play a primary role in the pathogenesis of sinopulmonary disease in these patients. These observations are discussed in relation to recent evidence concerning the regulation of the IgE-antibody response.


Structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract in primary immunodeficiency syndromes (IDS) and in granulocyte dysfunction. Gastrointestinal (GI) disease is frequently encountered in patients with defective defense mechanisms. The incidence of GI disease and the structure and function of the GI tract have been studied systematically in 41 patients with immunodeficiency syndromes (IDS) and in 9 patients with chronic granulomatous diesase (CGD). Giardia lamblia was a major cause of GI disease in patients with IDS. Eradication of the parasite resulted in disappearance of symptoms and malabsorption, and normalization of the villus architecture. Six of 9 patients with CGD had either GI symptoms or malabsorption or both. Typical histologic changes were found in the small intestinal and rectal mucosa of all patients biopsied.


Gluten-sensitive enteropathy.

Gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Gluten-sensitive enteropathy is a disease characterized by villous atrophy related to the ingestion of wheat protein, gluten. In the present series of studies it was shown that gluten ingestion in affected patients is promptly followed by a local immune reaction involving the production of antigluten antibodies. An in vitro model of gluten enteropathy involving the organ culture of biopsy tissue has been developed which has led to the conclusion that gluten is not directly toxic to the gastrointestional mucosa but, instead, brings about tissue damage through the activation of an endogenous mechanism, presumably the immune system. An additional insight into the pathogenesis of gluten-sensitive enteropathy is afforded by the fact that some 90% of patients carry the HL-A8 histocompatibility type. This may be a marker for the presence of an abnormal immune response gene or may determine the presence of abnormal gluten-protein receptor sites on epithelial cells. Either of these abnormalities could result in a propensity to respond immunologically to gluten, with destructive consequences.


Immunodeficiency in Hodgkin disease.

Immunodeficiency in Hodgkin disease. The immunodeficiency in Hodgkin disease is characterized by a defect in cell-mediated immunity. Recent studies have reported that delayed hypersensitivity responses (DHR) are normal in untreated patients with early disease. The present study evaluated the DHR of 218 untreated patients using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and a battery of intradermal antigens. The results confirm an immune deficiency in early stages which is not an all-or-none phenomenon and may be unmasked by using lower concentrations of antigens.


The recognition and classification of immunodeficiency diseases with bacteriophage phiChi 174. A standard antigen to assess humoral responses is needed for the immunodeficiency syndromes. Bacteriophage phiChi 174 is the best available antigen. Large, standardized batches can be prepared, stored and distributed; samples for assay can be transported by mail. We have systematically studied the immune response to this antigen in over 200 persons, including 49 immunodeficiency patients. Phage provides consistent delineation of humoral responses in primary immunodeficiency diseases.


Immunologic reconstitution in the DiGeorge syndrome by fetal thymic transplant. An infant with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism was found to have no evidence of thymus by radiologic examinations, including pneumomediastinum. Immunoglobulin concentrations were normal but there was clear evidence of inadequate cellular immunity including gradually developing lymphopenia. The infant suffered recurrent diarrhea and pneumonia, chronic rhinorrhea and moniliasis. At age 7 months fetal thymic tissue was implanted in the rectus abdominis muscle. There was immediate increase in lymphocyte counts which have remained normal on most determinations. Other aspects of immunologic function were restored and remain intact. The child, now 6 years of age, although mentally retarded, has no unusual infections. Immunologic reconstitution was thus achieved by transplant of fetal thymus.


Pleiotropic effects of the nude mutation. Mice homozygous for the autosomal mutation nude suffer from thymic dysgenesis, hairlessness and abnormal development of gonads and salivary glands. Their immunologic and reproductive defects can be overcome by grafts of whole thymus or thymic epithelium. Thymic replacement does not prevent or reverse the lack of hair growth. Skin from nude mice grafted to histocompatible or immune-suppressed phenotypically normal mice does not grow hair. Conversely, normal skin, successfully grafted to nude mice, maintains hair growth. Thus, the hairlessness of the nude mouse is not a secondary result of thymic dysgenesis; rather, it appears that thymus and skin have a single common defect.


Studies of the biologic effects of selective C4 deficiency. The role of the several pathways of complement activation in mediating a number of the biologic activities of complement has been examined in an animal model, the C4-deficient guinea pig. It has been shown that the presence of an intact classic pathway (C1, 4, 2) is requisite for damage of antibody-sensitized mammalian cell membranes and for the development of thrombocytopenia and the hypercoagulable state following in vivo endotoxin administration. Both the classic and alternate pathways participate in defense against the lethal effects of endotoxin, in opsonization and lysis of bacteria and in mediation of the events of inflammation.


Chorioretinal lesions, sea-blue histiocytes and other manifestations in familial chronic granulomatous disease. Several little-emphasized manifestations of familial chronic granulomatous disease are considered: destructive chorioretinal lesions may be as constant as the pigmented histiocytosis seen in reticuloendothelial organs and could be related to a defect in the phagocytic activity of the retinal pigment epithelium; pigmented histiocytes with the staining characteristics of sea-blue histiocytes may be present in the bone marrow; patients may present with lesions resembling eosinophilic granuloma. Also discussed are some observations related to the sequestration of bacteria within phagocytic cells and the use of continuous antimicrobial therapy.


Characteristics of the membrane defect in the hereditary stomatocytosis syndrome. Cation permeability and lipid composition have been studied in the red cells of five patients with various features of the hereditary stomatocytosis syndrome. Hemolysis was compensated in four patients, and only one patient was anemic. Cell NA+ was increased an average of 3 mueq per ml cells and cell K+ decreased 14 mueq per ml cells. Both active and passive fluxes of Na+ and K+ were increased by two to six times normal. Tritiated ouabain binding was increased an average of 2.5-fold, suggesting a proportionally greater number of cation pumps per cell. The coupling ratio of active Na+:K+ fluxes was normal (3:2). Calcium permeability was increased compatible with the degree of reticulocytosis, and cell Ca2+ content was normal. The lowered sum of Na+ plus K+ was associated with a high MCHC and low cell water. When examined in wet preparations, red cells assumed either a bowl-shaped or an irregular contour, and they appeared as target cells on dry smears. Only when cell water was increased in hypotonic media were stomatocytes seen on smear. The total lipid content of red cells was increased in four patients, although it was normal in one. The mole ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid was always normal; however, phospholipid analysis showed an increased proportion of phosphatidyl choline. The abnormal cells were osmotically resistant due to both an increased membrane surface area and a low total cation content. These patients show two hallmarks of hereditary stomatocytosis: bowlshaped red cells observed on wet preparations and a marked increase in Na+ and K+ permeability. The heterogeneity of this syndrome in our patients and in others reported with hereditary stomatocytosis appears to result from (1) variability in the increase in surface area which results from an excess of membrane lipid content, particularly phosphatidylcholine, and (2) a variability in cell water content which may be either decreased or increased as a result of changes in the sum of Na+ plus K+ ions.


Complement-sensitive red cells in aplastic anemia. In view of the clinical association of aplastic anemia (AA) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), the complement-dependent lysis of the youngest red cells of AA patients was studied. A complement-sensitive population of young red cells was found in five of six patients with AA. These cells were rapidly cleared from the circulation and were undetectable in the oldest cell fraction. Such cells were not found in normal controls or in a variety of hematologic disorders, with the exception of PNH. This study suggests that in most patients with AA, even without any clinical manifestations of PNH, there is a population of dyserythropoietic, short-lived complement-sensitive cells.


The presence of hemoglobin S and C Harlem in an individual in the United States. The first reported case of hemoglobin S and C Harlem in an individual is described. The patient, a 35-yr-old female, had numerous crises during adolescence and early adulthood, but these occurred more infrequently as she grew older. Chemical evidence is presented for the characterization of both variant hemoglobins. The clinical course of this individual with Hb S in combination with Hb C Harlem appears to be similar to that for persons with sickle cell anemia.


Erythrocyte volume distribution in normal and abnormal subjects. Size-frequency distribution curves of erythrocytes were generated with the Coulter Counter in 73 normal subjects and patients. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) determined by routine calculation and MCV determined by size-frequency distribution were similar in all normal subjects and in patients with a single population of erythrocytes. Some patients with iron-deficiency anemia, folate deficiency, and vitamin B12 deficiency had two discrete erythrocyte populations. Some patients with microcytic anemia were shown to have a population of normocytes in addition to the predominant microcytic population. Reticulocytes and normocytes were identified in two patients recovering from macrocytic anemia. Transfused blood was identified as a separate population in a patient with microcytic anemia. In cases with two erythrocyte populations, the MCV of the principal population, as determined from size-distribution curves, differed from the MCV of the entire erythrocyte pool, as was determined by routine methods. Analysis of sequential erythrocyte size distributions in patients under treatment demonstrated the dynamics of erythrocyte subpopulations. Anisocytosis was quantified and shown to be associated frequently with hospitalized patients.


[Collection of hematopoietic stem cells from canine peripheral blood and their ability to regenerate hematopoiesis]. A procedure is presented for the collection of a large number of hemopoietic stem cells from the peripheral blood of dogs by means of a single leukapheresis using the NCI-IBM Blood Cell Separator. In the course of a leukapheresis of about 285 min duration a mean of 23 x 10-9 leukocytes is collected from the blood. The hemopoietic stem cells among such separated leukocytes initiate repopulation of bone marrow within 10 days after whole body X-irradiation with 1200 R. The cell numbers in a defined histological section of femoral bone marrow are evaluated 9 to 10 days after irradiation and subsequent autologous transfusion of 6.72 x 10-9 separated mononuclear leukocytes. The results indicate that the bone marrow cell numbers of transfused dogs are significantly greater than in dogs given only 1200 R and reach a level of approximately 49% of the normal value. Possible ways of increasing the yield of hemopoietic stem cells from the peripheral blood will be considered.


[May the Schilling test be already repeated the next day using intrinsic factor?]. The effect of previous administration of a dose of 1000 mu-g vitamin B12 on the Schilling test was examined in 18 patients, repeating the test 24 hrs later. On the first day 57-Co was administered, while on the second day 58-Co labeled vitamin B12 was given. The counting error was less than 2.0% at the 95% confidence level. A decrease in urinary excretion of vitamin B12 of 28.7 plus or minus 22.2% (x plus or minus SD) was found. The mean difference between the two subsequent Schilling test series was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). The excretion data of the first and the second test correlate well (r = 0.86; p less than 0.01; y = 0.66 x + 1.09). Thus the repeated Schilling test with intrinsic factor must not be performed the next day.


[Polymorphism of human erythrocyte esterase D. Phenotype distribution and gene frequencies in Berlin (West)]. Esterase D phenotypes were determined in a population sample of Berlin (West) by means of high voltage agarosegel electrophoresis. The gene frequencies were calculated with 0.8835 for Es D-1 and 0.1165 for Es D-2. This is consistent with other results obtained in German populations.


Acetylcholinesterase inactivation in young and old human red blood cells. A comparison is made of the effects of certain enzyme-inactivating agents on the acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) of young and old human erythrocytes. Normal red cells and ACHE-deficient red cells are separated in accordance with their density and then exposed to trypsin, cephalothin and tannic acid. The ACHE activity of young and old cells is affected to the same extent, indicating that inactivation is independent of cullular age and the initial enzyme activity.


[The effext of papain, neuraminidase and AET on the behavior of lymphocytes in cytotoxicity tests]. The influence of papain, neuraminidase and AET to lymphocytes is reported. All three substances strengthen the lymphocytotoxic reaction in low concentrations or by short incubation time and lower it in higher concentrations or longer incubation since. Membrane changes by these three substances are reversible under defined conditions.


[Frequency of Lewis blood groups and ABH and Lewis substance secretion in Schleswig-Holstein]. According to the hypothesis of Ceppellini and Morgan the Lewis blood groups are formed by the secondary attachment of the Lewis substances to the red blood cells and this process is genetically controlled by the genes of the ABH und Lewis(a)-substance secretion (SE, se, L and 1). The correctness of this hypothesis is demonstrated by determination of the Lewis blood groups and the ABH and Lewis secretor status with different suitable antisera and by estimation of the gene frequencies Se, se, L and 1 in a sample of 382 blood donors from Schleswig-Holstein and by determination of the same groups in 73 pairs of parents with 156 children. There are no significant differences between observation and expectation in the sample as well as in the family investigation and there are no critical pairs of parents having children with "impossible" Lewis blood group. The results suggest to make more use of the Lewis blood groups.


[Continuous capillary blood collection by means of cooling of the wound]. By cooling of a capillary wound to 5 degrees C it is possible to obtain blood continuously without anticoagulants. Thus it is possible to measure blood constituents (like bilirubin, glucose, gases, cellular elements etc.) over longer periods of time in patients for whom indwelling venous catheters are not feasible.


Reutilization of DNA catabolites in granulocytopoiesis. Different DNA labelling procedures for the proliferating granulocyte precursor compartments of rat bone marrow were evaluated by studying the appearance of labelled granulocytes in the blood stream by means of autoradiography. 3-H-thymidine was administered by single injection and continuous infusion. 125-I-Iododeoxyuridine, a DNA precursor showing a neglegible extent of reutilization, was studied in comparison. Labelling patterns of blood neurtrophils were identical after single injection and continuous infusion of 3-H-thymidine, while a different pattern was observed after use of a single injection of 125-I-Iododeoxyuridine. The results provide evidence that reutilization of label is an important event to be considered when kinetics of granulocytopoiesis are studied after application of 3-H-thymidine and indicate that reutilization occurs at the level of thymidinemonophosphate in this cell system.


Toxicity of paired mixtures of candidate forest insecticides to rainbow trout. The toxicities of Zectran, Dylox, Volaton, Guthion, pyrethrum extract, and the synthetic pyrethroids SBP-1382, and RU-11679 were determined individually and in paired mixtures against rainbow trout. The carbamate Zectran was the least toxic, and the synthetic pyrethroids were the most toxic. Nine of the mixtures produced less than additive toxicity (antagonism), nine produced additive toxicity, and two produced greater than additive toxicity (synergism). None of the mixture toxicities deviated markedly from additive,and only two pairs of mixtures would pose a greater toxicological hazard to fish than the respective individual chemicals.


Determination of air movement in stored grain as a factor in dynamic dispersion and distribution patterns of gaseous pesticides (fumigants). The new research reported herein was motivated by variations in distribution-persistence patterns of fumigant residues (BERCK, 1974). The current developmental program is still underway. In the meantime, measurement of picoliter amounts of SF6 in air by GC equipped with a Ni63 EC detector has been proven useful over an airflow range of 10(-4) to 50 mph, representing a factor of 500,000 in differences in air velocity. Diverse applications have been outlined herein. This is the first case on record where measurement of unassisted airflow in the interstitial air of stored grain has been successfully executed, and which enabled determination of airflow speeds in the range of 0.5 to 7.5  times 10(-4) mph (=3 to 45 inches per hour).


Effects of methylmercury on approach and avoidance behavior of mallard ducklings. Mallard ducks were fed a control diet or a diet containing 0.5 or 3 ppm mercury (as methylmercury dicyandiamide) based on the dry feed. These mercury diets are approximately equivalent to 0.1 and 0.6 ppm mercury in a natural succulent diet. I measured for the ducklings the approach behavior in response to a tape-recorded maternal call and the avoidance of a frightening stimulus. There were no significant differences among controls and ducklings from mercury-treated parents in the percentage of ducklings that approached the tape-recorded call. Control ducklings, however, moved back and forth toward the call more than ducklings from mercury-treated parents and also spent more time in the end of the runway near the loudspeaker than ducklings whose parents were fed a diet containing 0.5 ppm mercury. Compared to control ducklings, ducklings from parents fed a diet containing 0.5 or 3 ppm mercruy were hyper-responsive in the test of avoidance of a frightening stimulus. Mallard eggs collected in the wild have been found to contain levels of mercury exceeding the 1 ppm (wet-weight) found in the eggs of hens fed a diet containing 0.5 ppm, but there are no reports of mallard eggs collected in the wild that were found to contain as much mercury (6 to 9 ppm) as eggs from hens fed a diet containing 3 ppm mercury. On a dry-weight basis, the concentration of mercury in the eggs was about 6 times as great as that in the feed for ducks fed the 0.5 ppm mercury diet and about 6 to 9 times as great for ducks fed the 3 ppm mercury diet.


Effects of the insecticide Zectran (Mexacarbate) on several algae. Field samples of freshwater algae were examined to determine the effect of the insecticide Zectran on photosynthesis rate. Concentrations of Zectran between 10 and 10(3) parts per billion (ppb) affected neither O2 production nor NaH14CO3 uptake in any of the seven genera tested. However, Zectran at a concentration of 10(4) ppb after 1 hour effected a reduction in photosynthesis of Chroococcus, Oedogonium and in a mixed sample composed of Zygnema,Mougeotia and Spirogyra. Mougeotia, Spirogyra and Schizogonium were not affected by exposure to 10(4) ppb Zectran after 1 hour, but O2 production was significantly reduced after 24 hours of exposure to this same concentration.