Abnormal blood viscosity in Raynaud's phenomenon. The exact cause of Raynaud's phenomenon is still unknown. Since the principal feature of this condition is the precipitation of the attacks by cold, blood viscosity was measured in ten patients and in ten normal controls at 27 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The viscosity of the patients' blood was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) at 27 degrees C than that of the controls when measured at a low shear-rate (0.77 s-1). This, as well as the higher yield stress of the patients' blood, suggests that Raynaud's phenomenon may be caused by an abnormal local increase in the viscosity and yield stress of the blood in response to a fall in temperature.


Relation of D.N.A. repair processes to pathological ageing of the nervous system in xeroderma pigmentosum. The severity of neurological abnormalities in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum has been found to be related to their ability to repair ultraviolet (U.V.)-damaged D.N.A. Patients with the most severe neurological abnormalities have the least effective D.N.A. repair is shown by the decreased colony-forming ability of their U.V.-irradiated fibroblasts. These results suggest that the lack of adequate D.N.A. repair is causally related to the clinical manifestations of a human heredodegenerative nervous system disease.


Immunoreactive beta-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in cerebrospinal fluid. Immunoreactive beta-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (beta-M.S.H.) has been detected in cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.). Samples of C.S.F. obtained from 30 patients gave a mean (+/- S.E.M.) concentration of 60.1 +/- 8.0 ng/1 of beta-M.S.H. This is significantly greater than the mean (+/- S.E.M.) plasma concentration of 16.1 +/- 1.1 ng/1 for normal adults. There was no relationship to disease state and no correlation was found between C.S.F. concentration of beta-M.S.H. and C.S.F. total protein. This finding of high concentrations of beta-M.S.H. in the C.S.F. therefore appears to be physiological and suggests that immunoreactive beta-M.S.H. may have an action on the central nervous system in man.


Management of painful shoulder.

Management of painful shoulder. 55 patients with 60 shoulders painful at rest, and with limitation of all ranges of movement, were treated with multiple injections of methylprednisolone acetate into the subacromial space and glenohumeral joint cavity. Pain was abolished in 80%, two weeks after starting therapy and 95% were pain-free four weeks after the first injection. Maximum functional recovery (at least 150 degrees abduction, 80 degrees internal rotation, and 45 degrees external rotation), was achieved in 90% of patients eight weeks after starting treatment. It is suggested that the "frozen" shoulder--i.e., pain-free shoulder with severe limitation of all movement--is the end result of a neglected painful shoulder and it is essential that painful shoulders be treated as early as possible if normal function is to be preserved.


Haemodialysis and copper fever.

Haemodialysis and copper fever. A syndrome of headache, chills, sweating, nausea, and exhaustion during and after haemodialysis is described and likened to metal fume fever. A patient has been cured of this syndrome following removal of copper-containing parts from the water-path of her home dialysis system.


Abnormal polygraphic findings in near-miss sudden infant death. Sleep, respiratory, and cardiac data obtained during sleep and wakefulness by continuous 24-hour polygraphic monitoring from twelve infants who were "near misses" for the sudden-infant-death syndrome were compared with similar information obtained from seven low-risk infants. Although the sleep variables studied were of limited value in differentiating between the low and high risk patients, respiratory and cardiac abnormalities were strikingly more common in near-miss infants. High-risk infants demonstrated both obstructive and mixed stopped-breathing episodes (S.B.E.). Bradycardia was seen secondary to S.B.E. but also simultaneously with or independent of S.B.E. Sudden asystole associated with S.B.E. was seen in one case. These results suggest an autonomic-nervous-system dysfunction in high-risk infants.


Biological purpose of acne.

Biological purpose of acne. It is argued that the close endocrine control of human sebaceous glands and the likely effects of acne on selection indicate that both gland and disease have persisted because they are biologically useful. Two possibilities are proposed: sebum may provide precursor substrates for metabolism and synthesis by the epidermis of compounds of both local and systemic importance; and the adjuvent properties of corynebacteria which colonise the active sebaceous glands of acne may facilitate certain general immunological membrane.


Post-traumatic immunosuppression is due to activation of suppressor T cells. Severe immunosuppression occurs after major thermal burns, accidental injuries, and extensive surgical operations, and probably contributes substantially to patient morbidity and mortality. The mechanism of immunosuppression is unknown and attempts to explain it are contradictory. The contradictions can be resolved by assuming the activation by injury of the suppressor T-cell system, which is involved in normal immunoregulation. If this is true, then generalised, non-specific attempts to bolster the immune response in these patients may be inappropriate.


Trial of new cervical spatula.

Trial of new cervical spatula. A trial comparing the relative values of the 'Armovical' and Ayre's spatulae showed a significant improvement of the former over the latter in sampling endocervical epithelium. No such difference was found in their ability to detect epithelial atypia. However, it was confirmed that if (at each attendance of a patient) the cervix was sampled twice instead of once the incidence of atypical smears was increased.


The catatonic syndrome.

The catatonic syndrome. Catatonia is often automatically assumed to be a subtype of schizophrenia. This paper proposes that it be considered as a syndrome with various possible causes. Physicians are advised to be aware of potentially serious organic illnesses which may underlie the catatonic syndrome.


Communication as a method of medical audit. Advances in the practice of medicine over the past forty years have rendered informal communication ineffective in setting and maintaining standards of clinical care. In the past five years, four methods in communication have been introduced in the department of surgery at Guy's Hospital: problem-oriented medical records, death-and-complications meetings, unit review meetings, and a clinical information service. It is suggested that these can achieve quality control.


Staining mycobacteria with carbolfuchsin: properties of solutions prepared with different samples of basic fuchsin. Acid fast staining of mycobacteria in the form of beadings is obtained by means of a carbolfuchsin solution (Ziehl-Neelsen stain) prepared from pararosaniline or from certain kinds of basic fuchsin. After such acid-fast stains, the intensity of the bacilli's colouring was rather poor and unstable, so that some bacilli lost their acid-fast stain. In contrast, an acid-fast staining of mycobacteria in rod form results by using a carbolfuchsin prepared from rosaniline or from other basic fuchsins included new fuchsin. The spectrophotometric and thin-layer chromatographic data indicate that the main component of those basic fuchsins showing beady staining may be pararosaniline, whereas the main ingredient of basic fuchsin with staining the bacteria in rod form may be its higher homologues. Neither chloride nor acetate of the fuchsin could affect the appearance and number of stained bacilli. The commercially available "basic fuchsin" is either the chloride or acetate of pure pararosaniline or consists of variable mixtures of it with higher homologues. Consequently, only a basic fuchsin which has an absorption maximum at lambda greater than or equal to 552 nm could be employed for the acid-fast stain of mycobacteria in a stable manner. Pararosaniline included some basic fuchsins, composed mainly from pararosaniline, should not be selected for the preparation of the carbolfuchsin formula.


A study of blood lead levels in residents of the Sydney area. Blood lead analyses were undertaken of 133 adults who were healthy blood donors, by means of the carbon rod atomic absorption technique. The mean result was 12-4 mug/100 ml and only two persons had values over 30 mug/100 ml. Subjects were divided into various groups and it was found that smoking did not contribute significantly to the blood level, but the location of dwelling and employment gave a correlation with proximity to the city of Sydney. In three separated groups of urban, suburban and city inhabitants, the use of the motor-car was associated with an increase in the mean blood-level of lead.


[Fluorochroming of yeast cells with acridine yperite]. A technique is suggested for staining the nuclei of Saccharomycetes on fixed preparations with acridine-yperite. The nuclear structures in the yeast cells become easily descernable after this staining. The patterns of mitosis in this case are similar to those on the preparations stained according to the technique of Giemza-Romanovsky.


Carcinoma of the rectum at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne. Public patients admitted to a public hospital with carcinoma of the rectum were older and had more advanced lesions than those generally reported. Elderly patients were often unfit for any definitive treatment. Only half of all patients had curative resections and half of these lives five years; survival was related to stage. Palliative resection proved safe and worth while. Late diagnosis of rectal cancer among the aged and the poor demands improvement in our standards of community health care.


[Blood-C.S.F. barrier impairment in multiple sclerosis (author's transl)]. Cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.) findings of 68 patients in multiple sclerosis in relation to the length of illness are reported. Immune reactions in the C.S.F. are similar to those reported by other research workers. In the first 10 years illness an increasing blood-C.S.F. barrier impairment can be noticed. Similar C.S.F.-diagnoses, immune reaction and barrier disturbance, are also possible in acute and severe stages of multiple sclerosis. Consequently, barrier impariment during a severe reaction in the C.S.F. in multiple sclerosis can be an indicator of an increase of pathomorphological C.N.S.-changes which is possible in the first 10 years of illness.


[New aspects of shock therapy with volume expanders (author's transl)]. For successful primary treatment of hemorrhagic shock the infusion of volume expanders is a ""conditio sine qua non''. Of the original possibilities for selection, Ringer's lactated injection can no longer be recommended for the compensation of intravascular loss in the light of more recent pathophysiological knowledge. Opposite to this, gelatin, dextran, hydroxyethyl starch, and albumin solutions are available as the mainstay of an adequate volume expansion. The danger of anaphylactoid side effects is to be estimated as about equal in all 4 groups of substances. Seen from the point of view of replacement function and of rheological and pharmacological properties, the higher molecular dextrans may still be considered the method of choice for shock therapy.


[Hepatitis in dialysis wards (author's transl)]. The endemic spread of hepatitis B is a big problem of many hemodialysis wards. Dialysis patients have mild, often anicteric diseases, but the number of chronic types among them with persistent HBs Ag is particularly high. The high proportion of clinically unapparent hepatitis affections and HBs carriers favors the endemic spread of hepatitis B in dialysis wards. By reduction of the number of blood transfusions, by the use of suitable equipment, segregation of HBs Ag positive patients from negative patients and strict maintenance of hygienic rules by patients and personnel the incidence of hepatitis B can be markedly lowered. Passive immunity by means of gammaglobulin containing a high-titer of anti-HBs is possible, but as yet there is no active immunization.


X-ray-induced chromosome aberrations in mouse dictyate oocytes. I. Time and dose relationships. Structural chromosome aberrations were analyzed in superovulated metaphase-I oocytes of the mouse, Mus musculus, at various times after a single acute dose of 200 R of X-rays. The aberrations seen were of the chromatid type, i.e., chromatid interchanges, isochromatid deletions and chromatid deletions. The aberration frequency was low during the interval 24 h to 5 days between irradiation and ovulation; peak frequency was reached when irradiation was given 14 days prior to ovulation. A dose-response study was made 14 days prior to ovulation at doses of 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 R. A curve of these data indicated that a significant two-track component was present for both interchanges and deletions. Centromere staining revealed that symmetrical and asymmetrical interchanges occurred at approximately equal frequency and also that the asymmetrical equivalent of crossing-over was induced at a measurable frequency.


[Can therapeutic measures cause a hepatitis virus infection to become chronic? (author's transl)]. The question whether a hepatitis B virus infection can become chronic as a result of prophylactic or therapeutic measures is investigated. Experience with standard or hepatitis B gamma-globulin has shown no negative influence on the development of chronic hepatitis B virus infections. On the other hand it cannot be excluded that a hepatitis B virus infection may be so modified by steroid therapy, by immunosuppressive or cytostatic treatment that the disease runs a milder course and then tends to chronicity with persistence of HBs antigen.


Mapping of sister-chromatid exchanges in human chromosomes using G-banding and autoradiography. Lumphocytes were pulse-labelled with [3H] thymidine. Following G-banding, the cells were autoradiographed and 46 in their third post-labelling division selected. The locations of 611 sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE's) which had occurred in the previous two cell cycles were recorded as label discontinuities along identified chromosomes. Between particular chromosomes, SCE frequency was proportional to chromosome length. SCE frequency distributions within particular chromosomes fitted Poisson expectations. There was no over-representation of exchanges in centromeric regions, or in the C-banded regions of chromosomes 1, 9 and 16. A trend of increased frequency of SCE in darkly G-banded regions and in relatively darkly banded chromosomes was evident. The apparent excess of SCE in dark G-bands could be considered to be a consequence of the more condensed state of the DNA in these regions in the interphase nucleus relative to the DNA in pale G-band regions. Such compaction could result in an enhanced probability of SCE and a reduced probability of gross inter- or intra-change involving these regions. In contrast, the more extended interphase state of the DNA in pale G-banded regions would allow non-homologous exchange and account for the preferred location of X-ray-induced exchange events to pale G-bands.


Localization of alpha-fetoprotein in liver tissue of rats during postnatal development: comparison of the immunofluorescent and autoradiographic methods. Localization of alpha-fetoprotein has been followed in the liver of rats of the Wistar strain from birth up to 37th day of life, and its presence was detected by means of the immunofluorescent and the autoradiographic methods. The former has shown alpha-fetoprotein to be localized in hepatocytes and the number of positive hepatocytes to decline proportionally with that of alpha-fetoprotein concentration in the serum. In newborn rats almost all the hepatocytes were found to be positive. During the course of the subsequent development of the liver tissue the number of positive hepatocytes decreases and at the time of the formation of the lobular structure only certain groups of lobes remain positive. The number of positive cells, gradually diminishes from the periphery towards the vena centralis. The autoradiographic method revealed only small groups of individual cells to be alpha-fetoprotein positive, without any specific localization.


Radioimmunoassay of alpha-fetoprotein in the serum of patients with leukemia and malignant melanoma. A sensitive double antibody radioimmunoassay has been used to measure Alpha-fetoprotein in the serum of healthy subjects, pregnant women and patients with a variety of malignant diseases including leukemia and melanoma. Elevated serum Alpha-fetoprotein levels were found in 2 of 35 patients with leukemia, 2 of 10 with melanoma. All the pregnant women studied had raised levels.


Enhanced mortality in offsprings of male mice treated with 5-azacytidine prior to mating. Morphological changes in testes. 5-Azacytidine administered to male mice prior to mating resulted in their decreased fertility and in the loss of offsprings at different periods of embryonic and postnatal development. The drug interfered with mature spermatozoa and spermatids; considerable distortion of cellular associations in seminiferous epithelium has been observed. The possible interaction of 5-azacytidine with the function and/or formation of microtubule protein is discussed.


Constitutive heterochromatin in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. The study of the distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in the chromosomes of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells has revealed changes in both the amount and the spatial distribution of this class of DNA. The marker chromosomes were identified and the probable mechanism of their formation was discussed.


[Regulation mechanisms of the activity of T lymphocytes : applications to infective and tumoral pathology. II. -- BCG and immuno-stimulation (author's transl)]. The inhibition of activated T cells by products of the humoral immune response is almost abolished in mice previously infected by BCG. As a result, these mice develop very high levels of DTH in response to doses of SRBC which cause complete suppression in normal mice. This systemic effect of BCG is dose, strain and time dependent and lasts for about three weeks. Its main effect is to inhibition of T cells by the products of the humoral. BCG infected mice develop increased levels of DTH associated with augmented antibody production, in contrast to the T cell potentiating effects of CY, which depend on a diminished production of antibodies. Since BCG and CY act in different ways, their effects are additive. Very remarkable levels of DTH are achieved when they are used in combination, in normal mice. These two agents together can also restore cell mediated immunity completely, but a further antigenic stimulus is needed to reestablish DTH in mice blocked by an humoral immune response or by a long period of continuous exposure to antigen. Some clinical T cell depressions are discussed in view of the humoral suppression, and the possible use of BCG to restore some functions of the T cell activity.


[The use of new immunoglobulin preparation, enriched in IgA and IgM (IgGAM)]. The clinical results obtained with fraction IgGAM are reported. Different types of antibody deficiency syndromes have successfully been treated : 8 cases of Bruton-type agammaglobulinemia. In one of these case a tenacious Pseudomonas infection cleared off during the treatment. Two cases of non sex-linked familial agammaglobulinemia. Three cases of isolated IgM deficiency. Five cases of isolated IgA deficiency. Five cases with Soothill type IgA deficiency associated with high IgE levels. Five cases of septicemia of the new-born. Three cases with acquired agammaglobulinemia and in the premature infant (5 cases). No side-effects nor appearance of anti-IgA antibodies have been observed.


Formation and characteristics of reovirus subviral particles in interferon-treated mouse L cells. We examined the early phase of reovirus replication in interferon-treated L cells. No difference was detected in the adsorption of virus to cells, the rate and extent of conversion of parental virions to sub-viral particles (SVPs), and the protein and double-stranded RNA composition of the SVPs when comparing reovirus infection of the interferon-treated and control cells. Furthermore, when tested in vitro, SVPs isolated from interferon-treated cells (SVPINT) synthesized and methylated reo mRNAs at the same rate as SVPs isolated from control cells (SVPCON). However, the accumulated products of RNA synthesis promoted by SVPCON consisted mainly of full size reo mRNA molecules, whereas those whose synthesis was promoted by SVPINT consisted mainly of shorter products. These results indicate that premature termination of transcription and/or degradation of full size transcripts occurred in vitro with SVPINT. Other experiments revealed that a nuclease is associated with our SVPINT preparation.


Labelling of bleomycin with cobalt-57, indium-111, technetium-99m, mercury-197, lead-203, and copper-67. The radiochemical purity of the cobalt-57 complex of bleomycin could be enhanced by adjusting the pH of the final product to a value between 5 and 6. This radiopharmaceutical appeared to have better tumor visualizing properties compared to the not neutralized preparation. The clinical use of the cobalt-57 bleomycin complex is however limited by the long physical half-life of the label, causing a risk of radioactive contamination. It appeared to be possible to label bleomycin with radioactive cations (111In3+, 99mTc4+, 197Hg2+ and 67Cu2+) having suitable gamma ray energies and short half-lifes. These bleomycin complexes showed a high radio-chemical purity judged by their behaviour on thin layer chromatography, paper chromatography, and electrophoresis, but their application as tumor visualizing radiopharmaceutical turned out to be disappointing compared with cobalt-57 bleomycin.


Alpha-fetoprotein: the major high-affinity estrogen binder in rat uterine cytosols. Evidence is present that alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a serum globulin, accounts mainly, if not entirely, for the high estrogen-binding properties of uterine cytosols from immature rats. By the use of specific immunoadsorbents to AFP and by competitive assays with unlabeled steroids and pure AFP, it has been demonstrated that in hypotonic cytosols AFP is present partly as free protein with a sedimentation coefficient of about 4-5 S and partly in association with some intracellular constituent(s) to form an 8S estrogen-binding entity. The AFP leads to 8S transformation results in a loss of antigenic reactivity to antibodies against AFP and a significant change in binding specificity. This change in binding specificity is manifested by an increase in binding affinity for estradiol, estriol, diethylstillbestrol, and nafoxidine ( a non-steroidal anti-estrogen), and by a concomitant decrease in estrone binding. Both the antigenic and binding properties of native AFP are recovered after dissociation of the 8S complex in 0.4 M KC1. An AFP-mediated mechanism of early intracellular events associated with estrogen entry in target cells is suggested and discussed with regard to current views on steroid action.


Human pituitary growth hormone: restoration of full biological activity by noncovalent interaction of two fragments of the hormone. The NH2-terminal 134 amino-acid fragment of the reduced-carbamidomethylated human somatropin molecule is found to react noncovalently with the COOH-terminal 51 amino-acid fragment in solutions of pH 8.4 at 2 degrees to restore full biological activity as evidenced by the rat tibia and pigeon crop-sac assays. In addition, circular dichroism spectra of the recombinant show the conformation to be completely repaired in comparison with that of the native hormone.


Demonstration of an idiotypic antigen on a monoclonal cold agglutinin and on its isolated heavy and light chains. A potent anti-idiotype serum produced in a rabbit immunized with the isolated heavy chains of an IgM cold agglutinin "Col" was rendered specific by solid-state adsorptions. The anit-Col idiotype was shown to bind specifically to both isolated Col heavy (mu) and light (kappa) chains as well as to intact Col IgM by three methods: (i) reversal of anti-idiotype inhibition of Col cold agglutinin in an automated hemagglutination-inhibition assay system; (ii) adsorption of the anti-idiotype by affinity gels consisting of Col IgM, mu, or kappa chains covalently coupled to Sepharose 2B; (iii) binding of Col IgM and its isolated chains by an anti-idiotype affinity gel. Fragments of Col light chain lacking constant region determinants but still capable of inhibiting anti-idiotype were produced by limited pepsin digestion of the light chains. The finding of shared idiotypic determinants on isolated heavy and light chains of a monoclonal antibody suggests that these chains share a common sequence in a hypervariable region. As an extension of the gene insertion theory of Wu and Kabat, we postulate that genes coding for hypervariable regions may be available for insertion into the DNA for both heavy and light chains.


The complaint of pain.

The complaint of pain. All patients with pain must be taken seriously, and both organic and emotional factors investigated. Cultural aspects, early developmental experience, and highly personal meanings may influence the individual's perception of and reaction to pain; specific psychiatric pain states may be identified as well. Treatment is aimed at curing the underlying cause of the discomfort or allowing maximal rehabilitation in chronic conditions.


Guidelines for making health education work. The results of a number of studies which have indicated the limited effectiveness of health education efforts using the mass media are reviewed. The cause of these failures, according to the authors was the inability to apply a number of principles of effective design to the instructional materials used in the mass media. The basic slide show produced by the neighborhood health center for its own population may be more effective than a nationally televised spot announcement because locally prepared material can be sharply focused on the learner's characteristics and the specifically desired outcome behavior. The authors list 10 guidelines for the construction of effective instructional materials: define outcome measures, analyze relevant characteristics of the learner, gain and maintain the learner's attention, establish the learner's vulnerability, demonstrate the needs for action, establish the learner as an agent, establish the learner's effectiveness, provide for practice, repeat key facts, and generalize to similar situations. The principles of social reinforcement that must accompany health education instruction if behavior is to be modified are outlined. How environmental factors such as time, distance, expense, and the organization of health services hamper desired behavior outcomes is also discussed.


The 1971-72 epidemic of acute viral hepatitis in Godthaab, Greenland. Viral hepatitis has been known to occur among the Greenland population endemically as well as in smaller and larger epidemics. A large epidemic of acute hepatitis comprising around 9% of the entire population, viz. more than 4000 notified cases, swept through Greenland between October 1970 and December 1972.  996 verified cases were seen in the Godthaab district and subjected to more detailed studies. Most of the Godthaab cases were seen among children and adolescents, and no disease was observed in children less than one year of age. Out of 996 diagnosed cases 9 showed acute hepatic failure with coma. Two further cases of hepatic coma were referred for treatment from outside the district. Three of these 11 patients recovered spontaneously. Of the residual 8 cases 6 were treated with exchange transfusions and steroids. Four of these survived and recovered completely. No lasting sequelae had been registered in any of the surviving cases of the epidemic up to June 1975 (2 1/2 years after cessation of the epidemic). Prophylaxis with gamma-globulin was undertaken in a medium-sized settlement in which practically the entire population received gamma-globulin when the first case of hepatitis was diagnosed. In this settlement only 7 out of 297 inhabitants contracted hepatitis. By contrast, in a similar settlement where no gamma-globulin was given, more than 30% of the population developed icteric hepatitis. The clinical features and the prophylactic effect of gamma-globulin seem to indicate that the epidemic was caused by the hepatitis A virus. In accordance with this, transitory Australia-antigenaemia was demonstrated in the acute phase in only 2.6% of the cases, possibly inidicating a small admixture of acute hepatitis type B to the epidemic predominantly caused by hepatitis A virus.


Gatric carcinoma. A prospective study of tumour differentiation correlated to surgical procedures and survival rate. A prospective study of 100 consecutive patients operated for gastric carcinoma is presented. The resectability was 43 per cent. Primary mortality for palliaktive resections including total gastrectomy was 3.8 per cent with a 2-year survival rate of 20 per cent. The primary mortality and the 2-year survival after palliative surgical procedures including total gastrectomy justify these procedures. Based on histological qualities of the tumourcells a Differentiation Coefficient is defined. In these patients the coefficient could not be compared to the survival rate.


Ia antigens and Fc receptors.

Ia antigens and Fc receptors. The function of Fc receptors (FcR) on mouse spleen cells as detected by a sensitive rosetting system using antibody-labeled bovine erythrocytes as indicator cells was shown to be inhibited by anti-Ia antiserum. Furthermore, the Ia specificities of each I-region sublocus (I-1A, I-1B, I-C) seem to be associated with FrR, since FcR function was also inhibited when the blocking anti-Ia antiserum recognized only restricted Ia specificities. Antiserum directed against antigens coded for by the K-end of the major histocompatibility complex did not inhibit FcR function. The function of C3 receptors and Fc receptors on macrophages and Fc-receptor-positive cells in the fetal liver was not inhibited by anti-Ia antiserum. These findings are discussed in view of a possible arrangement of Fc receptors and Ia antigens on the cell membrane.


Characterization of homologous anti-alpha-fetoprotein antibodies produced in rabbits. The natural tolerance to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was broken in rabbits by immunizations with purified AFP from different species and homologous AFP chemically modified by haptenation. Some of the rabbits were boostered with rabbit AFP. The highest titers were obtained with human AFP, which shows a strong cross-reaction with rabbit AFP. The homologous antibodies were of lower avidity than heterologous (sheep) antisera. Injections with rabbit AFP did not alter the avidity or titer. All antibodies produced by injections with human AFP could be absorbed with the original immunogen, and no reactivity against determinants unique to rabbit AFP could be found. These results indicate that the antibody activity against autologous AFP is based on cross-reactivity and that the immunizations did not make the autologous AFP immunogenic. These findings may be important in view of the possible use of AFP as a target antigen in tumor immunotherapy.


Transurethral electroresection of prostatic adenoma. Early results. In 1972 and 1973 all together 186 men were operated upon with transurethral electroresection of prostatic adenoma. During the period no adenomectomies were performed by "open" methods. All the patients were operated upon by one surgeon. The early results of the operation were analysed. The operation appeared to imply only a very small strain on the patients. None of the men died during their stay in hospital. The men spent on the average 5 days in hospital after the operation. This figure includes those men in whom the adenoma removed was large, i.e. 88 cases in which the operative specimens weighed 30 to 124 g. The need of blood transfusions was small during and after the operation. Transfusions were never necessary in those cases where the operative specimens were small. In the 88 cases where specimens were large 25% required blood transfusion. Most patients had urinary incontinence for a few days to four months after the operation. They were afterwards all continent except 4 who were completely incontinent postoperatively. In all of these cases incontinence was due, at least partly, to cerebral lesions. It is claimed that with the irrigation fluid used, i.e. isotonic water solution of sorbitol and acetic acid, there is no need to limit the operation time and therefore not the size of the adenomas which can be resected. The surgeon can work quietly and without haste until the entire adenoma has been removed.


Benign obstructive prostatic enlargement. A comparison between the results of treatment by transurethral electro-resection and the results of open surgery. The results of 532 transurethral electro-resections (TUR) are compared with 67 open prostatectomies performed over a period of 9 years. The age ranges of the two patient materials were fairly similar. The incidence of associated medical diseases was rather high, 30.8%. The weight limit of the glands selected for TUR was preset at 80 g; the largest resected gland was 120 g. post electro-resection weight. The overall mortality rate for the series was 0.5%; for TUR 0.37% and for open surgery 1.5%. The per- and postoperative complications were fewer in the TUR group than in the open surgery group. The post-operative hospital stay was definitely shorter in the patients subjected to TUR.


Aorto-oesophageal fistula complicating carcinoma of the oesophagus. Review of the literature and report of a case following irradiation and cytostatic therapy. Aortic perforation complicating carcinoma of the oesophagus is extremely uncommon. In keeping with findings in the literature, the aortic wall in this case was damaged by secondary changes following irradiation and Bleomycin treatment. Extensive necrosis of normal tissues was a prominent feature and it is suggested that the action of radiation in combination with cytostatic therapy on normal tissues need further investigation.


The DNA provirus hypothesis.

The DNA provirus hypothesis. I have discussed the observations and experiments that led to the formulation and establishment of the provirus hypothesis and the DNA provirus hypothesis, which includes RNA-directed DNA synthesis for the formation of the provirus. I have also discussed some aspects of the present status of our knowledge of the mechanism of formation of the DNA provirus both to point out the work remaining to be done and to illustrate hypotheses for the origins of ribodeoxyviruses and the origins of other animal enveloped RNA viruses and of animal small DNA viruses. Finally, I have indicated that I do not believe that infectious viruses cause most human cancers, but I do believe that viruses provide models of the processes involved in the etiology of human cancer.


Serological analysis of the HL--A10 complex. In a Caucasian blood donor population largely of Polish and German origin, W25 and W26 were shown to be distinct antigens which comprise the entire specificity of HL--A10. These antigens were in linkage disequilibrium with W18 and W16 respectively. Multiparous women with antibody against HL--A10 (W25 -- W26) had husbands typing for either W25 or W26, but never both. Other sera against HL--A11 and W32 had extra antigen reactivity with W26 and W25 respectively. Serological analysis of 21 sera with W25 and W26 reactivity suggested that the broad HL--A10 complex comprises HL--A11--W26--W25--W32. The immunolgenicity and serological reactivity of the antigens in this complex may be explained with a concept of two paired amino acid substitutions at the antigenic determinant in the HL--A peptide chain.


Separation of anti-Ia (I-region associated antigens) from anti-H-2 antibodies in complex sera, by absorption on blood platelets. description of three new Ia specificities. H-2 antigens are expressed in substantial amounts of murine blood platelets (for H-2 antigenic content 1 lymphocyte approximately 50 platelets) whereas Ia antigens are probably not expressed at all (minimal Ia antigenic content more than 35 times lower than for H-2). This property of blood platelets makes them very useful for the selective absorption of anti-H-2 antibodies from complex sera and for the preparation of specific anti-Ia antibodies from such sera. In 20 sera produced against the complete H-2 complex, 12 sera contained anti-Ia antibodies beside the expected anti-H-2 antibodies. In two sera, separation of the anti-Ia antibodies was easily obtained by absorption of the anti-H--2 antibodies on platelets. The analysis of one serum (C3H.Q X B10.D2) anti-C3H [(q X d) anti-k] showed that, in addition to be expected anti-H--2.23 and anti-Ia.2 antibodies, it contained at least three other Ia antibodies, separable by absorption on lymphocytes, which recognized three antigens--Ia.17, determined by the haplotypes k, f, s, r, j; Ia.18, determined by the haplotypes k, f, s; and Ia.19 determined by the haplotypes k and r. The genes are located in the I--A and/or I--B subregions of the H--2 complex.


A methanol resorcin-fuchsin stain for elastic tissues and nuclei. The staining properties of conventional ethanol resorcin-fuchsin and of methanol resorcin-fuchsin were compared. Formula; Dissolve 0.2 g of commercial resorcin-fuschin in 70 ml of methanol or ethanol, add 30 ml of water and 1 m1 of concentrated HC1; stain sections for 4 hours. Both solutions colored elastic and pseudoelastic fibers, cartilage and some mucins. Methanol resorcin-fuchsin also colored nuclei in methacarn- (methanol-chloroform-glacial acetic acid 6:3:1) and formalin-fixed tissues; this nuclear stain withstood counterstaining with picro-dye mictures. Zenker-fixed sections showed diffuse coloration with little or no contrast between nuclei and cytoplasm. Extraction with hot trichloracetic acid abolished binding of methylene blue, but binding of methanol resorcin-fuchsin by nuclei remained unaltered or was enhanced. Experiments with solvents containing various concentrations of methanol, ethanol or isopropanol indicated that the staining patterns of resorcin-fuchsin are determined by the nature and concentration of the alcohol. Methanol resorcin-fuchsin proved useful for simultaneous visualization of elastic tissues and nuclei.


An in vivo giemsa chromosome banding technique. An in vivo chromosome banding technique has been developed. Swiss albino mice were injected with the DNA alkylating agents ethyl methanesulfonate, methyl methanesulfonate, or methyl ethanesulfonate 12, 24, 48 or 72 hours prior to cell harvesting. After harvesting, the cells were fixed with 3:1 methanol-acetic acid and slides were prepared by air drying. The slides were stained 2 1/2 minutes in 3% Giemsa in pH 6.8 Sorensen's buffer. All three alkylating agents induced chromosome bands similar to the Giemsa bands induced by other banding techniques which involve postfixation treatments.


The staining of Brunner's gland and other neutral mucins by carmine, hematoxylin and orcein in alkaline solutions. Brunner's glands and other neutral mucins may be stained red, brownish red, and violet, respectively, by carmine, hematoxylin, and orcein from appropriate alkaline solutions. Carmine and hematoxylin in concentrations of 0.2-1% are dissolved in 60-70% alcohol containing 1% potassium carbonate; orcein is used in a 0.2% alcoholic solution of sodium hydroxide. Staining times are 15 to 30 minutes. The stained sections are rinsed in 95% or absolute alcohol prior to xylene and mounting. The staining of these mucins is blocked by mild bromine oxidation. By using alcian blue 0.1% in 3% acetic acid for 5 minutes prior to the above stains, mucins may be characterized in the same preparation as acid, neutral or mixed.


A glutaraldehyde/potassium dichromate tracing method for the localization and preservation of abdominal extra-adrenal chromaffin tissues. The present work introduces a method for the localization in situ of the abdominal paraganglia. After treating retroperitoneal tissue blocks with a near-neutral glutaraldehyde/potassium dichromate solution following routine glutaraldehyde perfusion, intra- and extraadrenal chromaffin tissues develop a pronounced brown color from the interaction of glutaraldehyde/potassium dichromate with amines. In this manner, visualization of the abdominal extra-adrenal chromaffin organs is enhanced at the same time that cellular ultrastructure is preserved. Subsequent examination of the dichromate-reacted tissues with the electron microscope confirms that they represent the amine-rich paraganglia. This method offers an effective alternative to extensive sampling of plastic-embedded blocks for localizing peripheral chromaffin tissue and has been used to define the exact distribution of abdominal paraganglia in the rabbit.


Assay of androgen binding sites by exchange with methyltrienolone (R 1881). Methyltrienolone (R 1881 - 17beta-hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-estra-4,9,11-trien-3-one) binds specifically to androgen receptor in rat prostate cytosol where, unlike androstanolone, it is not metabolized. By exchanging bound endogenous hormone in rat prostate cytosol with labelled R 1881, it is possible to measure total (free anc occupied) binding sites. This assay method has also been applied to the measurement of androgen receptor sites in human benign prostatic hypertrophy where R 1881 has the added advantage of not being bound by any contaminating plasma protein (sex hormone binding protein).


The specificity of T lymphocyte responses to chemically defined antigens. A system is described that allows the definition of T cell receptor specificity with some precision. It involves immunization of guinea pigs with hapten coupled to mycobacteria. The T cells of such animals respond to many but not all carriers modified by that hapten. Such T cells recognize neither hapten nor carrier alone, but rather determinants involving both the hapten and the carrier. No evidence for hapten-specific T cells was found. A model of the antigen binding site of the T cell receptor emerged from these experiments. According to this model, the T cell receptor consists of a single site of relatively large extent involving multiple subsites which are of low and roughly equal affinity. Thus, the haptenic group is not immunodominant for T cells as it is for B cells and for anti-hapten antibody. This suggests that the antigen binding receptor on T cells differs in some fundamental way from that on B cells. It is proposed that antigen recognition by T cells is mediated by an immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region that is not paired with an immunoglobulin light chain variable region.


Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor cells specificity and characterization of concanavalin A-activated cytotoxic effector lymphocytes. The selective T cell mitogen Con A was found to induce cytotoxic effectorlymphocytes after in vivo or in vitro treatment. The effector cells exhibited immunologic specificity when tested against tumor cells, killing targets only across H-2 histocompatibility barriers. Thus, Con A caused a polyclonal T cell activation, resulting in the appearance of effector cells capable of recognizing all H-2 antigens, except those coded for by the major histocompatibility loci of the lymphocyte donor. These experiments demonstrate that Con A is capable of activating pre-existing T cells to reveal their genetically determined immunological specificity, and furthermore suggest that there is a deletion of T cell clones with specificity for self. The activated effector cells were characterized as T blasts being relatively insensitive to treatment with anti-O serum plus complement. The precursors of the Con A-activated effector cells were shown to reside primarily in the spleen, to be radio-resistant up to 400 R, and to be short-lived after adult thymectomy. Thus, the population of T cells capable of activation to cytotoxic effector lymphocytes by Con A has similar physical characteristics to the splenic subset(s) of T cells mediating both GVH and cytotoxicity responses upon alloimmunization.


[Effect of a gestagen used for the induction of synchronous estrus and fertilization of cattle]. The preparations Synchrosyn, Gestafortin, and Bovisynchron, having chlormadinonacetate as a common active ingredient, were used to induce synchronous estrus and fertilization in heifers. A total of 254 animals were involved belonging to the following breeds: Bulgarian Simmental, Bulgarian Red, Bulgarian Brown, and Black Pied. All three preparations were administered orally: Synchrosyn and Gestafortin were given with the forage at the rate of 10 mg chlormadinonacetate, and Bovisynchron was offered twice daily at an interval of 12 hours, rated 1 cu. cm each time, by means of a syringe (a daily dose of 20 mg clormadinonacetate).


[Level of viral antibodies in normal and specific swine and bovine gamma globulin preparations]. Studied were 15 series of normal bovine gamma-globulin, 5 series of normal swine gamma-globulin, 7 series of Aujeszky gamma-globulin, 6 series of specific gamma-globulin against edema disease of pigs, 4 series of specific gamma-globulin against paratyphus, 5 series of Mixoglobulin-70, and one series of swine poly-globulin. All series of gamma-globulin preparations were studied for the presence of antibodies against Mixovirus parainfluenza-3 through the hemagglutinationinhibition reaction, antibodies against adenoviruses through the precipitation reaction in agar gel, and antibodies against the virus of Aujeszky's disease through the virus-neutralization reaction in tissue cultures.


[Palliative radiation therapy of malignant tumor metastases to the bones]. The results obtained in irradiation of 106 patients with metastases of different malignant tumors in the skeleton are reported. Radiotherapy was carried out on a distance gamma-apparatus by two fractions, with a single dose of 650 or 850 rad. As a result of the therapy, pains disappeared in 32 patients, and in 60 patients these were diminished considerably. A prompt therapeutic effect of the method, its simplicity and effectiveness (an opportunity to raise the capacity of the apparatus and clinic where a patient stays) made it possible to recommend it for practical purposes of palliative irradiation.


[Arrhythmias in inflammatory heart disease (author's transl)]. A review and discussion of the incidence and clinical importance of various cardiac arrhythmias in patients with inflammatory diseases of the heart is presented in this paper.


[Cystostatic drug sensitivity testing of primary cultures of human tumours (author's transl)]. One to eight week-old primary tissue cultures of human tumours (1 rhabomysarcoma, 1 renal adenocarcinoma, 1 hymphogranuloma, 2 melanomas) and cultures of chicken embryo cells and HeLa-cells were tested for their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. The drugs tested were: vincristine, actinomycin D, adriblastine, bleomycin. The drug effect was recorded by registration of morphological changes and, in some cultures by a change in the 3-H-thymidine incorporation. The cultures showed a variable reaction to vincristine, a good response to actinomycin D and adriblastine and were uniformly resistant to bleomycin. Two cultures were pulse labelled with 3-H-thymidine to obtain some data in regard to their growth characteristics.


[Karyotypic analysis of human cell lines (CaVe and HeLa) by the method of differential staining of chromosomes]. Karyological analysis of CaVe (human stomach cancer) and HeLa cell lines was carried out by means of differential Giemsa staining. In the CaVe cells 12 marker chromosomes were revealed, seven of them similar to those found in our HeLa cell strain. Four markers in our HeLa subline and seven in CaVe cells were similar to those of HeLa sublines described in literature. The authors have arrived at the conclusion that the CaVe line isolated in 1961 was contaminated and now represents a variant of HeLa cell line.


[Lupus erythematosus visceralis in old age]. In the world literature there are only a few reports about systemic lupus erythematosus in older and old patients (from 60 years upwards). In our group of 53 patients with definitive SLE we saw 4 patients (7.5 per cent) with first symptoms after the age of sixty. Specific organic symptoms do not differ from younger patients. But in the course of the disease we can often see pleuropulmonal ans rarely organic kidney symptoms. General symptoms (fatique, languidness, loss of appetite, temperature) are the same as in younger patients. In the 4 patients all laboratory and serological results were very active. Therapy can depress the activity; remissions are rare. In older and old patients SLE should be consideral in the differential diagnosis if the degree of activity is not so clear. In all suspicions we must investigate all important phenomena, especially LE-cells and antinuclear antibodies.


[Sensitivity of m. kansasii strains to various antibiotics and chemotherapeutics in vitro and in vivo (author's transl)]. Sensitivity of 40 strains of M. kansasii (var. luciflava) to various antibiotics and chemotherapeutics in vitro and in vivo was examined. The strains showed considerable individual variability in their susceptibility in vitro, most were more resistant to isoniazid and PAS and about one half of the investigated strains to streptomycin, too, if correlated to "wild" strains of M. tuberculosis. Susceptibility to ethionamide, thiosemicarbazone (Conteben), viomycin, kanamycin and cycloserine appears to be the same as in the case of M. tuberculosis strains, but the resistance to pyrazinamide is higher. Good effect has been observed in vitro with rifampicin, ethambutol, capreomycin and phenazine derivative B 663. Oleandomycin and gentamycin are ineffectual in the dosages of drugs we used. The activity of most of these drugs was observed in experimental infections of white mice--in mono-therapy and in various combinations-provoked by different strains of M. kansasii. The main criterion of the effectivity of the treatment was the enumeration of viable mycobacterial units in the lungs of the mice in ten-days intervals; in one part of the experiments the histological examination of the various organs of the mice was performed. The drugs of the I. and II. line of antituberculotics were ineffective or showed only a slight effect. A very good effect of rifampicin, ethambutol and phenazine derivative B 663 in monotherapy and in multiply drug therapy was observed.


[Chemotherapeutic problems in surgically treated bronchial carcinomas (author's transl)]. There is a report about experiences of a combined surgical and chemotherapeutical therapy with 765 resected patients who had suffered from a bronchial neoplasms. 80 patients had been radically resected and treated with chemotherapy. From 235 palliatively resected persons 124 received cyclophosphamid- or trenimon-therapy after the operation. The 5 years-survival rate of the radically resected persons arose from 50,9 to 58,9% by chemotherapy. In view of the palliatively resected patients the results of 5 years-survival got worse by adjuvant chemotherapy alone or in combination with radiation. But the 3 years-survival results show better relations than the patients without adjuvant therapy. Bronchial stump fistula and empyema as well as other postoperative complications didn't arise by chemotherapy.


[Electron microscopic investigations on encapsulated Staphylococci (author's transl)]. Attempts were made to study the surface of encapsulated staphylococci by electron microscopy. After fixation with osmium tetroxide the encapsulated staphylococci showed a "hazy" cell-surface, possibly because of capsular components (Fig. 1). On the other hand, the nonencapsulated staphylococci exposed a "smooth" surface of the cell wall (Fig 1). Similar findings were obtained after the immuneferritintechnique (Fig 2). The staphylococcal capsules could be clearly demonstrated by the "negative contrasting" method with ferritin (Fig 3). The capsules did not significantly enlarge after reaction of the encapsulated staphylococci with their homologous antiserum.


Keratosis punctata palmaris et plantaris. A morphological study on the relation to the epidermal sweat duct unit. The palmar and plantar pits of keratosis punctata palmaris et plantaris were examined histologically in both vertical and horizontal sections. Pits were located in the crista superficialis epidermis, especially in the orifice of the sweat duct, but no iodine-starch reaction was detected in pits by perspiration testing. In the center of a pit was a parakeratotic wedge, deflecting the squamous cell layers downwards. The sweat duct was found in this parakeratotic wedge, and was occasionally obstructed.


Auto-immune atrophic gastritis in patient with dermatitis herpetiformis. Seventeen patients with dermatitis herpetiformis were tested for gastric hydrochloric acid secretion. Seven were found to be achlorhydric. Atrophic gastritis in these patients probably had an auto-immune pathogenesis, as judged by elevated serum gastrin level, high prevalence of antibodies against gastric parietal cells and antrum sparing of the gastric atrophy. This type of atrophic gastritis is considered to indicate a precursor state to pernicious anemia.


Cellular immunodeficiency in anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. By using in vitro methods of patients with anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (AED) was shown to have depressed lymphocyte function when compared with a control group. IgE levels of the AED group were elevated above those of a control group at the p=0.01 level of significance. In vivo methods utilizing the application of DNCB demonstrated, in addition, decreased delayed hypersensitivity reactions in the anhidrotic patients. Thus there appears to be some degree of cellular immune hypofunction in patients with AED, all of whom have demonstrated at some time a lichenified dermatitis clinically indistinguishable from atopic dermatitis.


Cell-mediated immunity in chronic polymorphous light eruptions. Leukocyte migration inhibition assay with irradiated skin as antigen. Homogenates of irradiated and non-irradiated skin from 16 patients with chronic polymorphous light eruptions (CPLE) were examined to detect possible light-induced antigen to cell-mediated immunity. The leukocyte migration agarose tests which were performed disclosed no evidence of migration inhibition in either type of skin. These findings do not support the theory of CPLE being a delayed hypersensitivity reaction against an antigen formed in the skin by actinic radiation.


Correlation of light and scanning electron microscopy a new method for exfoliative cytology. A method for preparing locator slides for light and scanning electron microscopy has been developed. These slides make possible correlation of light and scanning electron microscopy of individual cells. Some examples of the value of this method are given.


Chronic polymorphic light eruption. Particular wavebands and the effect of carotene therapy. Forty patients with chronic polymorphic light eruption (CPLE) were tested with the Osram High Pressure Xenon (XBO 150 W) lamp. The tests were performed with unfiltered light, with the Schott WG320 filter for wavelengths above 320 nm and with Schott filters for 310 nm and 361 nm. Abnormal reactions, i.e. lowered MED, papular response or reactions to long wave UV light were observed in almost all patients. A papular response was obtained in more than 50%. With a Schott KG1 filter, which particularly reduces the amount of infrared radiation, there was a great reduction in number of responses. The effect of carotene therapy was evaluated in 17 patients. The therapy had a beneficial effect of low significance only in the case of unfiltered light and not for any particular waveband. Some patients showed clearly an increase in tolerance to sunlight, but this was not related to the plasma level of carotene.


Patch testing, tuberculin testing and sensitization with dinitrochlorobenzene and nitrosodimethylanilini of patients with atopic dermatitis. Cell-mediated immunity was studied in patients with atopic dermatitis. 113 patients were patch tested with ten contact allergens. The frequency of positive reactions to patch testing with "common contact allergens" was found to be lower in patients with "high IgE values" than in those with IgE less than or equal to 1000 U/ml. A larger number of patients with severe dermatitis reacted negatively to PPD and were more difficult to sensitize with DNCB and NDMA as compared with the patients with mild dermatitis. The results of this investigation support the findings of earlier workers that patients with atopic dermatitis show disturbances in the cell-mediated immune system and these disturbances appear to be correlated to the degree of severity of the dermatitis.


Generalized pustular psoriasis. A report on thirteen patients. Generalized pustular psoriasis shows a fluctuating pattern, its course varying with time and from patient to patient. The prognosis and results of treatment are therefore extremely difficult to assess. The patients in this series have been followed up by us with regard to the natural course of the illness including complications and precipitating factors. Oral drug therapy has suprisingly often provoked acute pustular eruptions, and these patients have also strikingly often and rapidly developed contact allergy to topical applications. The undesirable effects of long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy have been confirmed in this series, chiefly by severe rebound phenomena, notwithstanding that such treatment has proved the only means of rapidly reversing life-threatening states. The effects of methotrexate and hydroxyurea were at times good but, not uncommonly, mediocre and occasionally even useless. Large doses of antibiotics have also failed to achieve the results described by others. On the contrary, secondary infection with beta-hemolytic streptococci has caused serious problems in several cases. Apart from careful protection from infection and precipitating factors, little can be done to influence the course of generalized pustular psoriasis, but trial with cytostatics is justified during severe bouts, pending the appearance of new lines of therapy.


Werner's syndrome and malignancy.

Werner's syndrome and malignancy. Ten per cent of all patients with Werner's syndrome develop some form of malignant disease, half of them sarcomas. A case of Werner's syndrome is reported in which the patient had a malignant fibroxanthoma of the thigh followed by a papillary cystadenocarcinoma of the ovaries. A brother with clinical signs of Werner's syndrome died of acute leukaemia.


Hereditary zinc deficiency (Adema disease) in cattle, an animal parallel to acrodermatitis enteropathica. Adema disease and acrodermatitis enteropathica, two parallel syndromes in calves of Friesian descent and in man, are described. Both are congenital zinc deficiency disorders with a lethal course if left untreated. Complete recovery follows oral zinc therapy. Symptoms and findings are set out in Table I. Diseased calves may serve as animal models for further studies on acrodermatitis enteropathica and the biological role of zinc.


Cutaneous side effects of bleomycin therapy. In a series of eight patients with malignant lesions treated with bleomycin, the morphology of the erythematous skin areas was studied in punch biopsies. The main changes were found in the squamous cells of the epidermis, varying from slight cell degeneration, to complete lysis.


Thymidine labelling of epidermal melanocytes in UV-irradiated skin. By using autoradiography and a technique of repeated 3H-thymidine injections, it was found that there is a normal turnover of epidermal melanocytes in C57BL mice, and that the numerical increase in the population of active melanocytes following repeated UV irradiation is essentially the result of cell division.


Pathogenesis and staging of scleroderma. Scleroderma is reviewed as a complex disease of vascular, connective-tissue, and inflammatory reactions. If the scleroderma syndromes related to occupational, immunologic, inflammatory, metabolic, and genetic factors are recognized, then true progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS) appears to be a disease of vascular fibrosis with secondary inflammatory phases. The primary pathology appears to be a fibromucinous change of the vascular endothelium. The vessels also demonstrate altered reactivity to cold and to serotonin. Biopsy of the skin of the inflammatory or mesenchymal scleroderma may reveal (by positive direct immunofluorescence) deposition of globulins at the basement membrane zone. Evaluation of scleroderma is discussed and a system of clinical staging of PSS is proposed which relates the organ involvement to the prognosis.


Parallel studies on collagen hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine in human skin biopsies. Studies on hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, the two amino acids characteristic of collagen and related glycoproteins, were undertaken on biopsies of pathologic and clinically normal human skin. No statistically significant differences between clinically normal skin of mamma, thorax, axilla, femur, hip and sacral area were found. A decreased collagen content was seen in chronic pemphigus (bullous pemphigoid), amyloidosis, scleromyxedema and the edge of a leg ulcer. Determination of both amino acids is considered necessary to characterize alterations of collagen.


Cytolytic degeneration of keratinocytes adjacent to Langerhans cells in pityriasis rosea (Gibert). Unique cytolytic degeneration of keratinocytes adjacent to Langerhans cells was observed in five cases of pityriasis rosea (Gilbert). In the cytolytic area, the normal keratinocyte structures were absent except for free ribosomes. In addition, a similar cytolytic part of a keratinocyte was enveloped by the elongated dendrites of the Langerhans cell and was detected within its cytoplasm. The significance of these findings is discussed with respect to anticytoplasmic antibodies in the sera of patients with pityriasis rosea.


Characterization of fluorescein isothiocyanate. II. Absorption and fluorescence after conjugation to human- and rabbit-gamma-globulin and bovine serum albumin. The alteration of extinctions of both FITC isomers by coupling to bovine serum albumin, human, and rabbit-gamma-globulin were studied. The extinction coefficients of these FTC conjugates were established. The emission characteristics of the FITC isomers and their conjugates were investigated under conditions normaly used in fluorescence microscopy. FITC I was found as the most suitable marker for human- and rabbit-gamma-globulin. In contrast the fluorescence of FTC II-BSA conjugates is stronger than that of the corresponding FTC I-BSA conjugate.


Use of chellators in the electron microscopic detection of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase. Even when using modified WACHSTEIN-MEISEL procedure for the detection of mitochondrial ATP-ase it is difficult to avoid the non-specific reaction. Separation of the artefact from the precipitate of citric hydrolysis can be carried out only with difficulty. 20 mM of penicillin G amine or 40 mM of ascorbic acid in the incubation solution leads to selective localization. Ascorbic acid can also be used in the form of a 0.2 M tris and 0.05 M ascorbic acid buffer. With the use of chellators it is possible to eliminate factors which under pathological conditions greatly favour the formation of the artefact.


[Zincporphyrin pigments in the botryoid tissue of Haemopis sanguisuga L. and their localization by diaminobenzidine-H2O2 reaction (author's transl)]. From isolated botrydiosomes of Haemopis sanguisuga L. a pigment was extracted, separated by preparative paper chromatography and analysed chemically. Chromatographically the pigment was found to be composed of two fractions, which has been identified as zincporphyrin compounds, which are able to oxidize of diaminobenzidine in the presence of H2O2. As proved by ultrahistochemical method, the product of hte diaminobenzidine-H2O2 reaction is associated in the botryoid cells with the tubules foth of the endoplasmic reticulum and of botrydiosomes. The proboble functions of the zincporphyrins in the oxidizing processes are discussed.


Evidence for lysosomal matrix in the juxtaglomerular cell granules. A systematic histochemical analysis of the matrix composition of juxtaglomerular cell granules was carried out. The behaviour of kidney lysosomes under similar conditions has been examined in parallel. The tubular protein droplets produced by the i.p. administration of egg albumen were chosen as lysosome-model. Identical pattern of histochemical reactions has been demonstrated both in kidney lysosomes and juxtaglomerular granules indicating the presence of separate lipoprotein and glycoprotein components. The ammoniated silver carbonate method for lysosomes was also positive in juxtaglomerular cell granules. These results support on a non-enzymatic basis the concept that secretory granules and lysosomes are evolutionary homologues.


[The ultrastructural localization and distribution of free cholesterol (3-beta-hydroxisterol) in human cerebral tumours (author's transl)]. According to the examination of the ultrastructure of the human gliomas and the ultrastructural localization of their free cholesterol, it can be established that the main part of the free cholesterol is present in the cells in a structural fixed form and that multiplication of the free cholesterol, occurring due to cell degeneration in the vacuoles and cysts, can be brought in connection with the disintegration of these structures.


PAS reaction performed on semithin epon sections following removal of the resin by NaOH in absolute ethanol. Different results of PAS reaction performed on semithin sections of Epon-embedded tissues were obtained when the sections were exposed for various time intervals to saturated solution of NaOH in absolute ethanol, the reagent known to dissolve the resin and facilitate staining. In the untreated sections only glycogen revealed strong PAS reaction, most mucosubstances reacted weakly or not at all. After 1 to 5 min of NaOH in absolute ethanol treatment results observed were in accordance with those usually seen in paraffin sections. When, however, the time of Epon-dissolving procedure was longer than 10 min, most tissue structures demonstrated positive, largely diffuse staining. The mechanism of the observed effect and its significance for the application of PAS reaction to Epon sections are discussed.


Effects of colchicine and vinblastine on axonal transport of choline acetyltransferase in rat sciatic nerve. The effects of colchicine (0.5-10(-2) M) and vinblastine (10(-2)-10(-5) M) Upon axonal transport of choline acetyltranserase (CAT) and on nerve impulse conduction have been investigated in the rat sciatic nerve. High concentrations of colchicine (0.5 M) and vinblastine (10(-2) M) blocked completely both axonal transport of CAT and impulse conduction. 10(-3) M vinblastine did not affect impulse conduction until 20-22 h after injection, but this concentration of vinblastine did block CAT transport but not impulse conduction. 10(-2) M and 10(-1) M colchicine were without effect on impulse conduction, but did produce substantial, although incomplete, block of CAT transport. The results are discussed in relation to the possible involvement of microtubules in transport of CAT.


Purification and immunochemical characterization of alpha-fetoprotein from rat fetal serum and liver. Two alpha1-globulin bands of fetal serum with relative mobilities against bromophenol blue of 0.55 and 0.58 on 7% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reacted with a monospecific rabbit antiserum to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The former globulin band was clearly detected in the fetal liver supernatant. AFP was immunochemically purified from both the fetal serum and liver, and their electrophoretic and immunochemical properties were compared. Liver AFP purified by immunoadsorbent column yielded electrophoretic mobilities and relative amounts of the two electrophoretically distinct components identical with the purified serum AFP. The immunological reactivity of the two components of the purified preparations from serum and liver against the monospecific anti-AFP serum was also indistinguishable. After the removal of the sialic acid residues from purified serum and liver AFP by treatment with neuraminidase for 6 to 12 hr, disc electrophoretic patterns on 5% polyacrylamide gel and immunoelectrophoretic patterns of the treated AFP were found to be closely similar in both preparations. It may be possible to conclude that serum and liver AFP are structurally indistinguishable and probably identical.


Pre-beta1-lipoprotein and Lp(a) antigen in relation to triglyceride levels and insulin release following an oral glucose load in middle-aged males. A series of 30 previously investigated and presumably healthy middle-aged males have been studied, following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The insulin mean value 120 min after the start of the OGTT was found to be significantly lower in persons possessing the pre-beta1-lipoprotein (pre-beta1 +) and Lp(a) antigen, than in those who were pre-beta1-/Lp(a-). At 60 min during the OGTT, triglyceride and insulin correlated significantly in pre-beta1-/Lp(a-) individuals, but not in pre-beta1 + or Lp (a+) individuals; on the other hand, insulin correlated significantly with blood glucose at this time in the pre-beta1 + and Lp(a+) individuals, but not in the pre-beta1-/Lp(a-). These findings may reflect an important biochemical difference between the two subpopulations.


Substrate specificity of the amino acyl adenylate activation sites of gramicidin S-synthetase (GSS). An investigation was made of the intermolecular forces which determine substrate recognition and binding as well as of the topography and localized environment of the different binding sites of the substrate amino acids of gramicidin S-synthetase (GSS) using substrate derivatives as molecular probes. It is demonstrated that among the aminoacyl adenylate binding sites of the heavy component of GSS the activation site of L-ornithine is distinguished by a relatively high substrate variability. The active centres of GSS are less restrictive for the activation of substrate analogues modified at the carboxyl group than for derivatives substituted at the alpha-amino group.


RNA-metabolism in Streptomyces hydrogenans. Effect of 20beta-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase inducing dienediol on RNA-content and RNA-profile. For the isolation of RNA and polysomes, logarithmically growing cells were disrupted by grinding with kieselgur. Other methods failed to produce undergraded m-RNA as shown by 10-50% sucrose gradient-centrifugation and electrophoresis in 2% mixed agarose-acrylamide gel columns. RNA was extracted by a modified phenol method or in presence of DEP. After the application of dienediol, the amount of acid precipitable RNA decreased by 20 to 50% in 20 min. Incorportation of precursors into RNA was much slower immediately after induction but increased during the next two hours. Three hours after induction there was no difference in the RNA-content of induced and control cultures. Degradation of stable as well as of unstable RNA was observed. Simultaneous addition of the inducer and rifamycin inhibited the production of 20beta-STDH suggesting the synthesis of special m-RNA. The effects of some other antibiotics have also been studied. The existence of a specific m-RNA in the induced system was established from differences in the 3H/14C quotients of gel fractions in the region between light r-RNA and t-RNA.


Debate on congenital heart disease. Con: early total repair is not always preferable to palliative surgery in congenital heart disease. While early one-stage repair of congenital heart lesions can now be done with low operative mortality, there are reasons to believe that sometimes a palliative procedure, followed later by complete repair, has some advantages. Some of the drawbacks to early repair such as presumably be abolished as better valves are produced, and better understanding of cardiopulmonary bypass may reduce operative myocardial damage. However, problems related to the very small size of some outflow tracts and pulmonary arteries may not be so easily overcome.


Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase and its modification in sporulating and phage-infected bacteria. Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase holoenzyme consists of the subunits beta', beta, sigma, alpha, delta, and omega. In sporulating bacteria and in bacteria  infected with phages SP01 and SP82, this enzyme undergoes changes in subunit composition and transcriptional specificity that could play a regulatory role in gene transcription. Sporulating bacteria may contain a specific component that inhibits the activity of the sigma subunit of polymerase probably by interfering with the binding of sigma-polypeptide to core enzyme. The hypothetical inhibitor may be metabolically unstable, since its activity is rapidly depleted from sporulating cells in the presence of chloramphenicol. Inhibition of sigma-polypeptide activity may restrict the transcription of phage DNA an infected sporulating cells. Although lacking the sigma-subunit, RNA polymerase purified from sporulating cells contains sporulation-specific subunits of 85,000 and 27,000 daltons. In SP01-infected bacteria, the sigma-subunit is replaced by phage-induced subunits. Purified enzyme containing the protein product of SP01 regulatory gene 28 directs the transcription of phage middle genes in vitro, while enzyme containing phage-induced polypeptides V and VI preferentially copies late genes. Accurate transcription of middle and late genes in vitro requires the host delta-subunit of polymerase (or high ionic strength) but not sigma-subunit. Phage PBS2 induces an entirely new multisubunit RNA polymerase that specifically transcribes PBS2 DNA in vitro. This enzyme is synthesized de novo after infection and does not arise by modification of the B. subtilis holoenzyme.


Variations in the susceptiblility of field and laboratory populations of Culex tarsalis to experimental infection with western equine encephalomyelitis virus. Four field populations and four laboratory colonies of Culex tarsalis from California were evaluated for their susceptibility to infection with western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) virus by intrathoracic inoculation and by feeding on pledgets soaked with a virus-blood-sucrose mixture. All mosquito strains were uniformly susceptible to infection by intrathoracic inoculation, but 50% infective doses for field and colonized strains varied as much as 1000- to 1500-fold, respectively, by pledget feeding. Moreover, dose-response curves obtained by pledget feeding revealed that some field and laboratory strains of C. tarsalis were quite heterogeneous for susceptibility since some individual females could be infected after ingestion of small concentrations of virus and others could not 0e infected by increasing the concentration of virus by 1000- to 10,000-fold. Variability in viral susceptibility of different mosquito strains could not be correlated with differences in autogeny rates or organophosphorus insecticede resistance.


Lupus erythematosus latex tests compared with the immunofluorescence method for antinuclear factor. Two commercially available lupus erythematosus (LE) latex tests were compared against positive antinuclear antibody (ANF) sera of known titers. The Lederle SLE Latex Test Kit was found to be more specific and relatively more sensitive, particulary with high ANF titers, than the Hyland LE Test Kit. The latex test is a rapid, simple method which, when positive, can be suggestive of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or other collagen disease. However, at present this test cannot replace the immunofluorescence method for detecting ANF. Where there is any clinical suggestion of SLE or a related condition, all negative results should be tested by immunofluorescence methods.


Indomethacin and the corneal immune response. To study the effect of treating rabbits with a locally administered noncorticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug, we gave 26 rabbits unilateral subconjunctival injections of 15 mg of indomethacin suspension daily for 16 days, starting one day before the intracorneal injection of the same eye with bovine gamma globulin. We graded the eyes clinically and killed groups of rabbits on postimmunization days 6, 9, 12, and 15. We determined the number of antibody-forming cells in the homolateral cervical lymph nodes, corneas, and uveal tracts and tested the sera, aqueous humor, and vitreous humor for antibodies. Indomethacin-treated eyes showed significantly less inflammatory response, and an insignificantly greater number of antibody-forming cells, than the controls.


The syndrome of autism: a critical review. The authors review the clinical features and behavioral characteristics of autism; differential diagnosis of the syndrome; clinical, neurophysiological, and biochemical research; and its medical management and treatment. They conclude that autism is a behaviorally defined, specific syndrome that is manifested at birth or shortly thereafter. Its symptoms are expressive of an underlying neuropathophysiological process that affects developmental rate; modulation of perception; language, cognitive, and intellectual development; and the ability to relate. The long-term prognosis is guarded; almost all patients manifest severe symptomatology throughout their lives. Further basic research into the neuropathophysiological process underlying the syndrome is necessary in order to reach the ultimate goal of developing etiologically specific treatment programs.


Management of surgical problems in patients on methadone maintenance. One hundred patients on methadone maintenance admitted to our surgical service were analyzed. The average duration of prior narcotics abuse was ten years and was followed by an average of 2.2 years of methadone maintenance treatment. Sixty-three patients were admitted on an emergency basis, half of these for trauma. Sixty-two patients underwent operative procedures. There were four deaths, none directly related to methadone use. Five patients were admitted for intestinal obstruction secondary to methadone ingestion. This disease entity results from fecal impaction which is induced by methadone's spastic effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Evidence of chronic liver disease was present in half the patients. The associated medical illnesses presented no problems with anesthesia. WHILE METHADONE MAINTENANCE WAS CONTINUED IN THE ACCUSTOMED DOSAGE, POSTOPERATIVE ANALGESIA WAS ACCOMPLISHED SATISFACTORILY WITH 5O TO 100 MG DOSES OF MEPERIDINE AT 3 HOUR INTERVALS, AS REQUIRED.


Impotence therapy and cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer developed in two male patients being treated with fluoxymesterone for erectile impotence. It is suggested that the current increased interest in and therapy for sexual dysfunction be accompanied by an awareness of a possible causal relationship between exogenous androgens and prostrate cancer.


[The influence of different plasma substitutes on blood clotting in isovolaemic haemodilution (author's transl)]. In a clinical study, the influence of 6 per cent Dextran 60 and 6 per cent hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on blood clotting was measured in 2 comparable groups of surgical patients. Haematocrit, platelets, thromboplastin time according to Quick, partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen level were determined before and after isovolaemic haemodilution, and subsequently during a period of 14 days. There was no significant difference between the diluents with regard to their effect on blood clotting. Changes within each group may be ascribed to the diluting effect of the plasma substitutes.


Specialized junction in the distal convoluted tubule of rat kidney. The ultrastructure and permeability of the apical junctions between epithelial cells of the distal nephron have been studied in rat kidney using a collidal lanthanum tracer and uranyl acetate staining en bloc. The apical intercellular junctions of the macula densa and juxtaglomerular segment of the early distal convoluted tubule measure up to 0.5 mu in length and about 50 A in width. Lanthanum permeates the occluding portion of these junctions in a discontinuous manner, defining a series of closely spaced and parallel lines of fusion that run in a direction perpendicular to the apical-basal axis of the tubular cells. The apical junctions of the remainder of the distal convoluted and cortical collecting tubules are impermeable bolanthanum. This distinctive apical tight junction can account for the greater permeability to ions of the early distal convoluted vs. late distal convoluted and cortical collecting tubules.


Non-specific passive desensitization XX: two important technical details. For non-specific passive desensitization to be effective two steps are necessary: (1) dialyze concentrated gamma globulin precipitated from plasma or serum by ammonium sulfate and (2) allow time for complete recovery from the initial reaction to antigen aerosols before giving the desensitizing dose of gamma globulin.


Changes in serum concentration of phagocytosis-stimulating factor in experimentally induced bovine anaplasmosis: preliminary findings. To determine whether correlation exists between serum concentration of phagocytosis-stimulating factor (PSF) and in vivo phagocytic activity, 2 splenectomized steers were inoculated with Anaplasma marginale, and their serum PSF concentrations were monitored. At the time of the anemic crisis, serum PSF concentrations were elevated five to tenfold.


[Bacterial fora of patients treated with bleomycin]. Microflora of the pharynx, nose, sputum and excrements was investigated. It was found that bleomycin therapy may induce or aggravate the shifts in microbiocenosis of the pharynx and sputum in the direction of pathogenization (increase in the number of Staph. aureus, hemolytic streptococci, enterobacteria). A tendency to elimination of bifidobacteria and appearance of Proteus in the excrements was observed. Complications associated with the treatment are rarely of infectious origin.


[L-valine transport by the actinomycete Actinomyces species 26-115, the producer of actinomycin C]. Transport of L-valine by Actinomyces species 26-115, an organism producing actinomycin C depended on L-valine concentration in the medium and temperature and required a source of intrinsic energy. Km for L-valine transport was 3.5.10(-6)--6.0.10(-6) M. It somewhat differed from experiment to experiment. The above system transported also other neutral amino acids. L-isoleucine was a competing inhibitor of L-valine transport. The transport of L-valine was stereospecific. The activity of the transport system was regulated by the intracellular content of L-valine. Probably because of this the amino acid transport depended on the culture age, so far as the level of free valine in the mycelium at various stages of development was different.


Biology of isolate immunocytes. III. Fine immunocytological characterization of lymphoplasma cells. A system for characterization of lymphoplasma cells based on ultrastructural, immunocytological and autoradiographic data is proposed. It is composed of six cell types and transitional forms. Any mouse lymphocyte can be classified within one of these forms and the lymphocytes of a lymphoid organ may be subdivided into populations of characteristic cells. The cell types are defined as follows: 1) the differentiated Ig lymphocytes which bear Ig at their surface, have a rough nuclear sap, a granular cytoplasm and often show mcrovilli at the cell surface; none of these lymphocytes incorporate thymidine and therefore this subpopulation can be considered as mature; 2) the differentiated plasmacytes have a well organized rough endoplasmic reticulum; differentiated plasmacytes are not 3H-thymidine labelled and this subpopulation is mature; 3) the differentiated T lymphocytes with theta-antigen at their cell surface contain a smooth endoplasmic reticulum, a developed Golgi apparatus and lysophagosomes; the differentiated T lymphocytes show no 3H-thymidine labelling and this subpopulation is also mature; 4) in the large lymphocytes without surface Ig nor theta-antigen, chromatin aggregate are intermingled to the nuclear sap and a large nucleolus is present; this subpopulation of lymphocytes, a number of which show usually 3H-thymidine labelling, is immature; 5) the small lymphocytes without surface Ig nor theta-antigen have a large nuclear cytoplasm ratio; like the large lymphocytes, this population is also immature, since a percentage of these cells usually incorporates thymidine; 6) small T lymphocytes are labelled by the theta-antigen marker; after antigenic stimulation some of them are found to incorporate thymidine. Transitional forms between two cell types are also observed. They are more numerous immunization. This system of cell characterization is an attempt to correlate structure with function of lymphocytes withing the T and B cell concept of experimental immunology.


Tissue-specific antigens and autoantigens in the early developing rabbit male repoductive accessory glands. A comparative study was undertaken dealing with the postnatal development of rabbit male accessory glands specific macromolecules with and without autoantigenic properties. The two types of macromolecules were investigated in male accessory glands from rabbits of different ages, fron newborn up to six months old. The results obtained by passive hemagglutination, inhibition of hemagglutination and immunodiffusion tests, show that both types of macromolecules rise to a sufficient amount to be detected at approximately 3 months of age. The possible mechanisms explaining the autoantigenicity or the lack of this property in the macromolecules under study are discussed.


Relation between skin tests, inhalation tests, and histamine release from leucocytes and IgE in house-dust mite allergy. This study was concerned with the correlation between skin test, bronchial provocation test, and histamine release from leucocytes and the serum level of total and allergen-specific IgE in patients atopic to house-dust mite allergen (Dermatophagiodes pteronyssinus) as measured by an intracutaneous skin test. It is concluded that, assuming a positive provocation test to be evidence of allergy, estimation of the allergen-specific IgE concentration in the serum will not offer any major advantages over the intradermal skin test in determining the clinical significance of house-dust mite allergy.


Induction of tolerance in adult guinea-pigs by two antigen dosage levels and by antigenic competition. The effect of prior injection of increasing doses of dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) mixed in Freund's complete (FCA) or incomplete (IFA) adjuvants on the antibody response to a subsequent challenge with an optimal immunizing dose of DNP-BSA in FCA has been examined and compared with the effect of competition with the unrelated antigen bovine gamma-globulin (BGG). An unresponsive state was induced by pretreatments with either a minimal dose of antigen, a large antigen excess or a competitive mixture in FCA. The specificity of this unresponsiveness was ascertained by the normal response of pretreated animals to the unrelated antigen arsanilic-human albumin (ARS-HSA). Prior injection of either a minimal dose (0,2 mug), an antigen excess (20 mg) of DNP-BSA or an optimal dose (20 mug) of DNP-BSA mixed with an excess of BGG, incorporated in IFA, also induced a specific tolerance to DNP-BSA. The former treatment induced a low zone tolerance whereas both later treatments induced a high zone tolerance.


Ultrastructural studies on the external surface coat of epidermal cells: alcian blue-lanthanum nitrate staining during wound healing. The external surface coat on mouse epidermal cells has been studied during epidermal wound healing in suction-induced intact subepidermal blisters. By sequentially incorporating the cationic dye Alcian blue and the electron opaque tracer lanthanum nitrate into the primary and secondary fixatives for electron microscopy (AB/LN staining), we have demonstrated a selective staining of the epidermal surface coat. At 12 and 24 h after wounding, AB/LN staining always occurred on opposing cell membranes of adjacent epidermal cells. No staining was seen along epidermal cell plasmalemmas exposed to the blister cavity or opposite the basal lamina. The full significance of this differential AB/LN staining during wound healing is not presently known. It is suggested that the presumed anionic sites that are binding the AB/LN stain may play a role in maintaining integrity during wound healing.


Biology of isolated immunocytes. II. Simultaneous detection of cell surface Ig and theta-antigen by immunoperoxidase staining at the ultrastructural level. Surface Ig and theta-antigen of lymphocytes collected on the bottom of Beem capsules were stained by an indirect immunoperoxidase technique to compare B and T cells at the ultrastructural level. To distinguish the two markers, the surface Ig was allowed to cap during the incubation with anti-Ig antiserum while the incubation with anti-theta alloantiserum was performed at 4 degrees to obtain a staining in a ring pattern. This method was applied to the study of lymphocytes from spleen, lymph nodes and thymus of normal mice. Lymphocytes forming rosettes with SRBC were also studied at different days after immunization with SRBC.


Lidocaine and His bundle extrasystoles. His bundle discharge conducted with functional right of left bundle-branch block, or blocked entirely (concealed). In this patient, discharge from the bundle of His either conducted normally, conducted with functional right or functional left bundle-branch block, or blocked entirely (concealed), depending on the preceding cycle length and the coupling interval of the premature His bundle depolarization. The presence of both functional right and left bundle-branch block may have been attributable to differences in effective and functional refractory periods between the two bundle branches. Concealed His bundle extrasystoles mimicked first-degree, and types I and II second-degree AV block, according to the interval between His bundle discharge and the subsequent P wave. Lidocaine eliminated His bundle extrasystoles that blocked entirely (concealed) or conducted with functional left bundle-branch block by improving His-Purkinje conduction and by lengthening the coupling interval of the premature His bundle extrasystole. Lidocaine had no effect on AV nodal conduction time. This patient has been known to have concealed His bundle discharge for at least three years and has not required permanent pacemaker insertion.


[Morpho-physiological research on Schizomycetes. Morphogenesis and cytoarchitecture of the microbial colony. I: B. anthracis]. The cytoarchitecture of B. anthracis can be easily studied in serial sections both at the light and at the electron microscope. The morphogenesis of the colony makes clear the peculiar structure of B. anthracis which seems essentially due to the chemical and physical characteristics of the cell envelopes and to the incomplete division of daughter cells. Other factors such as surface tension, humidity, mechanical obstacles and regressive phenomena, seem to be active, in B. anthracis, only since the third day.


Gastric control of duodenal electric activity--the function of the gastroduodenal junction. An investigation was made into the links between electric activity of antral and of duodeno-jejunal musculature in different functional conditions. The function of the gastroduodenal junction in this linking mechanism was analysed. The following observations were made: (a) in the absence of gastric stimulation, the slow electric activities of stomach and duodenum appear to be completely independent; (b) the gastroduodenal junction evidences no electric activity of its own but is affected by that of the two adjacent structures; (c) chemical stimulation of the gastric mucosa causes activation of the electric and mechanical activity of the stomach and analogous activation of duodenal musculature; this effect is mediated by the gastroduodenal junction; (d) very probably, the transmission of gastric activation to the duodenum is myogenic for it ceases after surgical transection but not after cooling or after ligature. The possible functional role of the pyloric junction in the complex gastroduodenal mechanism is discussed.


High degree of conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in the mesenteric circulation of the isolated perfused terminal ileum of the cat. Conversion of AI to AII has been studied in the mesenteric circulation of the isolated perfused cat terminal ileum. Infusion of AI through the mesenteric circulation induced a significantly potentiated response when the venous return was superfused over the rat colon and the rabbit aortic strip. Addition of converting-enzyme inhibitor, SQ 20881 to the perfusion medium competitively prevented the potentiation of AI on the assay organs without altering its direct effects. The percent conversion of AI to AII was found to be 68 in the mesenteric circulation. In contrast, infusion of AII through the mesenteric circulation has lost about 40% of its biological activity as measured on the same assay organs. SQ 20881 abolished the inactivation of AII in the mesenteric circulation. It is concluded that the mesenteric circulation of the isolated perfused cat terminal ileum is one of the major conversion areas of AI to AII. SQ 20881 prevented the conversion of AI to AII as well as abolishing the inhibition of AII passing through the mesenteric circulation.


Removal of olfactory bulbs in rats of different ages: repercussion on some metabolic constants. The object of this investigation is to study effects of bulbectomy on female rats operated on at 15 and 30 days of age (prepubescent), 50 days (pubescent) and 120 days (adult), with respect to various parameters: these comprise corporal weight, liver weight, blood sugar, liver glycogen, glucose tolerance test and serum free fatty acid. Results were as follows. Body weight: in all groups this was significantly less than in controls except for rats operated on at adult age. Liver weight: (% of body weight) decreases in all groups, but significantly only in animals operated on when 15 days old. Blood sugar: significantly lessened in rats operated on when 30 and 120 days old. Liver glycogen: lessens in rats operated on at 30 and 120 days of age, but significantly only in the former. Glucose tolerance test: the coefficient k is found to increase in rats operated on at 15, 30 and 120 days of age; there is a significant increase in the first two groups. Serum free fatty acids: no marked alterations in any of the groups.


Influence of cations, sialic acid and pH on the expansion of films of canine lung surfactant. Sialic acid (14.6 mug/mg protein) was quantitated in the non-cellular material removed from the lung of Beagle dogs by lavage. Sialic acid did not affect the dynamic surface tension properties of either the total alveolar lipid removed by lavage or of its major lipids, dipalmitoyl lecithin (DPL) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DPG). The presence of divalent cation (Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+) or a lowered pH in the subphase medium lowered the surface tension during the expansion phase of the total alveolar lipid film when it was compressed and expanded on a Wilhelmy trough. Films of DPL behaved similarly, but no pH effect was observed with DPG monolayers. The cation effect manifested itself in the same direction as the value of the individual stability constants (Zn2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Mg2+ greater than Ca2+) which suggests ionic binding of the cations to the phosphate group of the phospholipids. A physiological advantage of such an effect may lie in the conservation of the energetically favorable low surface tension state achieved during film compression with a minimum of surfactant lipid.


Particulate cytochrome c in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In Agrobacterium tumefaciens the main part of c-type cytochromes is tightly bound to the bacterial cell envelope structures. Several techniques were attempted to solubilize these cytochromes. The highest yield of cytochromes released is obtained by treatment of particle suspensions with 5% Triton X-100. Further purification confirms that the proteins are not really solubilized, but still aggregated in small heterogeneous complexes. Chromatography on a CM-cellulose column demonstrates that at least three different c-type cytochromes are present: cyt c-550, cyt c-552 and cyt c-556.


Anaerobic metabolism of the common cockle, Cardium edule. I.--The utilization of glycogen and accumulation of multiple end products. 1. Concentrations of glycogen and of key metabolites have been measured in Cardium edule during aerobic and anaerobic incubation. 2. After 15 hours of anoxia only a slight carbohydrate consumption was found in the whole animal, whereas a decrease in glycogen level seemed evident in the separated adductor muscle. 3. The main end products of the anaerobic carbohydrate breakdown are succinate and alanine which account for 40% and 30% respectively of all accumulated compounds. 4. The concentrations of L-lactate and octopine also increase after 15 hours anaerobic condition, but both are only of minor importance as end products. 5. Propionate is not detectable in the control groups, but accumulates a little during anaerobiosis. The two possible reasons for this low production have been discussed.


[Nutritional needs of adult Drosophila: influence of lecithins and of choline chloride on the fecundity, the fertility and the size of ova]. The lecithin or choline chloride deficiency, in Drosophila, results in an important decrease of the number of eggs produced, hatching and egg size. However, the ovogenesis is not completely stopped, even after 15 days. This effects seem caused by the choline deficiency. When used under the chloride form, choline has no toxic effect even at a rate as high as 3 g/litre. However, the lecithin has toxic effects for amounts up to 4 g/litre. In the adults, the optimal concentration could be about 2 g/litre for the lecithin and 300 mg/litre for the cholin chloride.