Percutaneous pancreatography: case report and presentation of technique. A case of traumatic pancreatitis with a radiopaque calculus producing pain by obstructing the distal pancreatic duct is presented. Preoperative ductal anatomy was defined by a percutaneous pancreatogram that established the presence of mechanical duct obstruction as the cause of pain, and the potential for operative relief of duct obstruction. A remission from pain resulted from pancreatic duct decompression by a lateral pancreaticojejunostomy. The potential value of percutaneous pancreatography is discussed.


99mTechnetium pyridoxylidene glutamate imaging in visceral heterotaxy (Ivemark's syndrome). A two and one-half year old boy with complex congenital heart disease had Howell-Jolly bodies in his blood raising the possibility of the asplenia syndrome. A 99mTc-sulfur colloid liver-spleen scan was reported normal, but the right lobe of the abnormally reversed liver was mistaken for the spleen. The diagnosis of visceral heterotaxy (Ivemark's syndrome) was established after scanning the patient with a new radiopharmaceutical, 99mTechnetium pyridoxylidene glutamate. The agent clearly demonstrated a left-sided gall bladder, and on comparison with the sulfur colloid scan it was established that asplenia was present. Radionuclide imaging with the new generation of hepatobiliary agents is a reliable method to document asplenia and is useful in studying patients with visceral heterotaxy.


Diagnosis of annular pancreas with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Two patients with annular pancreas are described. The diagnosis was established unequivocally with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography before operation. In both patients there was pancreatitis of the annular pancreas. The first patient also had congenital absence of the ventral pancreas and pancreatic insufficiency. The second patient subsequently developed gastric outlet obstruction. The literature is reviewed.


Effect of water and fat on gastric emptying of solid meals. Gastric emptying of solid egg meals tagged with 99mtechnetium sulfur colloid was studied in 10 normal subjects and in 6 patients after truncal vagotomy, antrectomy, and gastrojejunostomy (Billroth II) for peptic ulcer disease. Technetium sulfur colloid was found to bind more firmly to cooked egg whites than did the water soluble marker DTPA. Water accelerated gastric emptying in Billroth II patients to a greater degree than in normal subjects, in whom the effect of water was minimal and transient. Fat inhibited solid emptying both in normals and in Billroth II patients. These findings suggest that in humans there are jejunal receptors for fat that may inhibit gastric emptying even following truncal vagotomy.


Infant visual habituation as a function of exposure time and stimulus similarity. The course of visual response integration was examined in four-month-old infants (N = 32 boys and girls) by presenting a bull's eye pattern pair and a striped pattern pair on a single display board. On the basis of Jeffrey's serial habituation hypothesis it was predicted that in the early period of exposure the infant's scanning behavior would be limited to two like pairs, but that as attention waned to the similar pairs one or more of the less preferred stimuli would be integrated into the attending response. A measure of three consecutive looks indicated that attention confined to one similar pair decreased significantly over time, whereas the initially lower three-look sequences to two similar and one dissimilar stimuli increased significantly.


Detecting mutations expressed during early development of cultured mammalian embryos. Mammalian embryo culture systems can be used to study dominant lethal, recessive lethal, and visible mutations that are expressed between fertilization and early stages of organogenesis. The incidence of dominant lethal mutations has been determined for cultured mouse embryos by morphological observations during pre-implantation and early post-implantation growth in vitro, and the mechanisms of dominant lethal mutations have been studied cytogenetically. Recessive lethal mutations have been studied with cultured embryos, although they can be initially detected only with appropriate breeding protocols. Visible mutations that are due to deletions or single-site base alterations in the DNA can be detected in embryos by isoelectric focusing and gel-electrophoresis techniques.--The principal advantage of cultured embryos for detecting mutations and studying the mechanism of action of particular mutagens is that embryos are accessible for analysis before death with a minimum of indirect maternal effects. The primary disadvantages, which may be alleviated with improved culture conditions, are that only a limited amount of tissue is available, attrition and retardation occur, and offspring are not recovered for further breeding studies.


Minor viability mutants in Drosophila.

Minor viability mutants in Drosophila. Drosophila experiments have demonstrated that spontaneous mutants causing minor decreases in viability occur much more often than those causing drastic effects. They also have a much greater relative effect in heterozygotes, enough that the absolute heterozygous viability decrease is roughly the same for mild as for lethal mutants. On the other hand, with EMS treatment and especially with radiation, the mild mutants are less frequent relative to lethals.--I suggest that the failure to detect heterozygous effects on fitness components from multi-generation radiation experiments on mice due to the relative infrequency of mild effects and the relatively small heterozygous effect of drastic mutants. Chemicals that produce effects more like spontaneous mutations might produce quite different results in such experiments.


Comments on mutagenesis risk estimation. Several hypotheses and concepts have tended to oversimplify the problem of mutagenesis and can be misleading when used for genetic risk estimation. These include: (1) the hypothesis that radiation-induced mutation frequency depends primarily on the DNA content per haploid genome, (2) the extension of this concept to chemical mutagenesis, (3) the view that, since "DNA is DNA," mutational effects can be expected to be qualitatively similar in all organisms, (4) the REC unit, and (5) the view that mutation rates from chronic irradiation can be theoretically and accurately predicted from acute irradiation data. Therefore, direct determination of frequencies of transmitted mutations in mammals continues to be important for risk estimation, and the specific-locus method in mice is shown to be not as expensive as is commonly supposed for many of the chemical testing requirements.


Mutations of Chinese hamster somatic cells from 2-deoxygalactose sensitivity to resistance. In Chinese hamster somatic cells, the spontaneous change of phenotype from 2-deoxygalactose sensitivity to resistance was studied using fluctuation test experiments à la Luria and Delbrück (1943) for four Chinese hamster cell strains derived from V79. The results are consistent with true mutational events. The mutation rates are in the range of 1 to 3.5 X 10(-5) per cell per generation. The relationship between the 2-deoxyglactose resistance and the galactokinase markers is discussed.


Population genetics of Drosophila amylase. I. Genetic control of tissue-specific expression in D. pseudoobscura. Drosophila pseudoobscura is polymorphic for tissue-specific expression of alpha-amylase in adult midguts. This enzyme is encoded by a single locus, Amy, on the third chromosome. In this paper we show: (1) Up to about 12 days post-eclosion, the midgut activity patterns remain stable; after 12 days areas not showing activity previously begin to show activity. Thus, the genes controlling the expression of Amy are temporally acting. (2) Diet affects the quantitative, but not the qualitative, expression of Amy. (3) The expression of Amy in adult midguts is under genetic control. Selection for different frequencies of patterns is possible; realized heritabilities are 0.20 to 0.50. Partial linkage with third chromosome inversions has been demonstrated; the genes or elements controlling Amy expression are not, however, confined to the third chromosome. (4) The genetic elements controlling tissue-specific expression of amylase do not coordinately control the expression of five other "digestive-type" enzymes that were studied.--This polymorphism appears to be analogous to that studied by Abraham and Doane (1978) in D. melanogaster, wherein they have mapped regulatory genes.


Population genetics of Drosophila amylase. II. Geographic patterns in D. pseudoobscura. Morph frequencies of three related polymorphisms were determined in ten natural populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura. They are the well-known inversion polymorphism of the third chromosome and the polymorphism for alpha-amylase produced by the structural gene Amy (which resides on the third chromosome). The third polymorphism was for tissue-specific expression of Amy in adult midguts; a total of 13 different patterns of activity have been observed. The preceding paper (Powell and Lichtenfels 1979) reports evidence that the variation in Amy expression is under polygenic control. Here we show that the polymorphism for midgut patterns occurs in natural populations and is not an artifact of laboratory rearing.--From population to population, Amy allele frequencies and frequencies of inversions belonging to different phylads vary coordinately. The geographic variation in alpha-amylase midgut activity patterns is uncorrelated with that for the other two types of polymorphisms. Furthermore, no correlation was detected between activity pattern(s) and Amy genotype(s) when both were assayed in the same individual.--These results imply that whatever the evolutionary-ecological forces are that control frequencies of the structural gene variants, they are not the same factors that control the frequencies of polymorphic genetic factors responsible for the tissue-specific expression of the enzyme.


Mutation rates, population sizes and amounts of electrophoretic variation of enzyme loci in natural populations. A method is presented for estimating relative mutation rates or relative effective population sizes, under the hypothesis of adaptively neutral allelic variation. This method was applied to seven surveys of electrophoretic variation. It was observed that electrophoretic mutation rates so obtained follow the gamma distribution and, in Drosophila, are positively correlated with the molecular weights of the enzymes subunits. The variance in mutation rate is larger under the step-wise model of electrophoretic mutation than under the infinite-alleles model. Rates for the most variable loci may exceed rates for less variable loci by a factor of 500. For completely invariant loci, this factor may be as high as 4 X 10(4), an observation suggesting that these loci are subject to purifying selection. In contrast to mutation rates, effective population sizes may vary at the most by a factor of ten. These results support the hypothesis that differences in the amount of electrophoretic variability among polymorphic loci may reflect differences in the rate by which electrophoretically detectable variation is generated in population.


Maintenance of genetic variability under the pressure of neutral and deleterious mutations in a finite population. In order to assess the effect of deleterious mutations on various measures of genic variation, approximate formulas have been developed for the frequency spectrum, the mean number of alleles in a sample, and the mean homozygosity; in some particular cases, exact formulas have been obtained. The assumptions made are that two classes of mutations exist, neutral and deleterious, and that selection is strong enough to keep deleterious alleles in low frequencies, the mode of selection being either genic or recessive. The main findings are: (1) If the expected value (q) of the sum of the frequencies of deleterious alleles is about 10% or less, then the presence of deleterious alleles causes only a minor reduction in the mean number of neutral alleles in a sample, as compared to the case of q = 0. Also, the low- and intermediate-frequency parts of the frequency spectrum of neutral alleles are little affected by the presence of deleterious alleles, though the high-frequency part may be changed drastically. (2) The contribution of deleterious mutations to the expected total number of alleles in a sample can be quite large even if q is only 1 or 2%. (3) The mean homozygosity is roughly equal to (1--2q)/(1 + theta 1), where theta 1 is twice the number of new neutral mutations occurring in each generation in the total population. Thus, deleterious mutations increase the mean heterozygosity by about 2q/(1 + theta 1). The present results have been applied to study the controversial problem of how deleterious mutations may affect the testing of the neutral mutation hypothesis.


A model allowing continuous variation in electrophoretic mobility of neutral alleles. The infinite-sites model with no recombination is extended to include mutations that affect electrophoretic mobility. The model allows the effect of a single-site mutation to have a continuous effect on mobility. Formulae are obtained for the variance of electrophoretic mobility of alleles after an arbitrary lenght of time. A special case of the general model is the case of stepwise production of neutral alleles with an arbitrary number of steps.


[Genetic studies of Photobacterium mandapamensis. II. The classification of mutants with an altered luminescence intensity according to their sensitivity to exogenous aldehyde]. The collection of 157 dark and dim Photobacterium mandapamensis strains was divided into four groups using the addition of 0.2 ml of 0.15% myristis aldehyde to cell suspension. The luminescence did not change in the presence of the aldehyde in 76 mutants, it decreased in 30 mutants, it was 2--8-fold increased in 35 mutants, and it was increased more than 10-fold in 16 mutant strains. 19 strains of those having luminescence in the presence of the aldehyde have mutations in genes controlling the biosynthesis of the aldehyde factor. Among them mutants are chosen which can be used as indicators for the aldehyde presence in the medium.


[Genetic classification of riboflavin-dependent mutants of Pichia guilliermondii yeasts]. 114 riboflavinless mutants were selected from the genetic line of Pichia guilliermondii yeast. By means of accumulation test the mutants were divided into five biochemical groups. In genetic experiments seven complementation classes were found among 106 mutants. The strains of the I biochemical group, accumulating no specific products, corresponded to complementation class rib1; II group, accumulating 2,4,5-triaminopyrimidine - to the class rib2; III group, accumulating 2,6-dihydroxy-4-ribitylaminopyrimidine - to the class rib3; the mutants of the IV group, accumulating 2,6-dihydroxy-5-amino-4-ribitylaminopyrimidine, were divided into three complementation classes rib4, rib5 and rib6; the mutants of the V group, acculumating 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine, corresponded to the class rib7. Two mutants of the IV biochemical group within complementation classes rib4 and rib5 were detected could not grow in the medium with diacetyl without riboflavin. Intragenic complementation was found within classes rib6 and rib7. No linkage between mutations of different complementation classes was detected.


[Cytogenetic study of spontaneous lympholeukemia in AKR mice in the process of its transplantation to an isogeneic line of animals]. Spontaneous leucosis was cytogenetically studied in subsequent generations (from 1 to 150) of AKR mice. By means of the differential staining technique of chromosomes, large variations in chromosome numbers were found in the karyotypes of leucotic cells of different generations, and the formation of cell clones containing different marker chromosomes as well as the dominance of a hyperdiploid clone with 41-42 chromosomes was revealed. Chromosome analysis of such hyperdiploid cells of the 150th generation has indicated that the supernumerary chromosomes (in 88.0% of cases examined) belong to the smallest chromosomes of the mouse karyogramm (to the 18-19th chromosome pairs or to chromosomes smaller than those of 19th pair). Similar trisomy was also observed in hypodiploid and pseudodiploid leucosis cells. It is suggested that the cell clone with trisomy for the smallest chromosomes is specific to the spontaneous lympholeucosis in AKR mice as well as to the leucosis transplanted to isogenic mice for a number of subsequent generations. Increased rate of hyperdiploid cells was associated with a generalization of leucosis. It was concluded that the development rate and the severity of transplanted lympholeucosis in AKR mice was determined by the domination of the cell clone with trisomy for the 18-19th chromosome pairs in the population of leucotic cells.


[Possibilities of the clinical comparison of diseases with a hereditary burden in the descendant generation using the model of "parents-children" ill with schizophrenia]. A special statistic method of confrontation of diseases with aggravation hereditary in the group "parents - children" is proposed. This method can be used under clinical formalization of the diseases. It is shown on a model group parents - children (118 pairs) suffering with schizophrenia, that statistical confrontation makes possible to work out group and individual prognoses in the descending generation. It is found that invariability in the descending generation is provided by a small number of stable indices, other symptoms being variable. Statistic description of the disease symptoms in the descending generation is of interest for planning genetic interpretation.


[Cytogenetic changes in the bone marrow cells of long-term irradiated rats]. The occurrence and characteristics of the chromosome structural changes in femur bone marrow cells under continuous irradiation with the exposure rate of 50 R/day within 90 days was followed. The 25% increase in the chromosome aberration frequency was observed within 7 days of the irradiation, and then the aberration rate was constant up to the end of the irradiation (90 days).


Age dependent changes in the metabolism of 3H-thymidine and 3H-uridine in young rats. The metabolism of subcutaneously injected 3H-thymidine and 3H-uridine was studied in 5, 15 and 30-day-old rats and some age-dependent differences were found. The total availability of 3H-uridine was found to decrease when the rats became older. In the case of 3H-thymidine, however, there was only minor differences in the total availability. The catabolism of both 3H-thymidine and 3H-uridine, as measured by the appearance of 3H-water, was more efficient when the rats became older. In the case of 3H-thymidine, however, the increased catabolic capacity seems to be compensated by a decreased proliferative growth so the total availability will be constant. It was also observed that the amount of intermediate catabolic products in the blood was much larger after an injection of 3H-uridine than after 3H-thymidine.


Growth rate and feed intake of selected and nonselected broilers. The relative growth rates and feed intake patterns of selected and nonselected broiler populations were investigated in three trials. The relative growth rate of the selected populations was approximately twice the relative growth rate of the nonselected population during week 1, whereas by week 4 the rates of the selected and nonselected populations were similar. The percentage deviation between populations in feed intake was higher than the percentage deviation in body weights for week 1 in all trials. Feed intake strongly influenced the growth rate of selected and nonselected populations, especially from 3 to 8 weeks of age. The selected populations had superior feed efficiency from 0 to 4 weeks compared to the nonselected population, however, differences between populations from 4 to 8 weeks were not significant.


Availability time and tissue utilization of exogenous L-fucose in the adult newt. 3H-L-fucose can be detected in the plasma of intraperitoneally injected adult newts as early as 3 minutes, peaks around 4 hours, and persists in low levels up to 48 hours. Studies of fucose levels in the tissues examined suggest a relatively short life span for many of the fucose-containing glycoproteins.


Comparative findings on body size of children and youths living at urban centers and in rural areas. The focus of this paper is on rural-urban differences in human body size during the period between ages 8 years and 15 years. Groups of village and city residents are compared on standing height, body weight, and other somatic dimensions. Wide variation is found: from data collected during 1955--1972, urban children and youths in Costa Rica, Finland, Jamaica, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and South Africa are larger than their rural coevals by more than 3.0 cm in standing height, and 2.0 kg in body weight; while from measures taken during 1889--1910, urban children and youths in East Germany and England are smaller than their rural peers by 1.2 cm to 2.3 cm in standing height, and 0.6 kg to 0.8 kg in body weight. Intermediate differences characterize groups in Bulgaria, France, Ghana, Italy, Japan, Surinam, the Soviet Union, and the United States.


Enzyme activities and morphological appearance in functioning and excluded segments of the small intestine after shunt operation for obesity. Five patients in whom small-intestinal bypass was performed for severe obesity had a second operation 11-19 months later because of insufficient weight loss. Mucosal enzyme activities and histological appearance were investigated in biopsies from different parts of the functioning and excluded small intestine. These were compared with biopsies form corresponding sites obtained at the first operation. In addition to a prominent increase in length, circumference, and mucosal thickness in the functioning shunt, the disaccharidases and two intracellular beta-galactosidases increased in specific activity,, especially in the distal ileal part of the shunt. In the excluded segment of the small intestine different enzymes showed a different response: trehalase increased and alkaline phosphate decreased significantly. Other enzymes that were measured showed a varied pattern. The results indicated that not only the luminal content but also other, presumably hormonal, factors regulated the enzyme activities, and that different regulating factors influenced the various enzymes differently. The marked adaptive increase in mucosal surface of the functioning shunt could be one factor in explaining the weight stabilisation and, in some cases, weight increase after the initial rapid weight loss after the operation for small-intestinal bypass. The increase in specific enzyme activities would further increase the digestive capacity of the shunt.


Effects of lysine vasopressin and glypressin on the fibrinolytic system in cirrhosis. In eight patients with cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension an intravenous infusion of lysine vasopressin induced a rapid increase in the plasma level of the fibrinolytic proenzyme plasminogen activator. In contrast, triglycyl lysine vasopressin (glypressin; GVP), in a dose known to lower portal venous pressure, produced no fibrinolytic response. This lack of fibrinolytic response represents an advantage of GVP over lysine vasopressin in addition to its longer in vivo half-life and lower cardiotoxicity. Clinical trials of GVP in the treatment of bleeding oesophageal varices are needed.


In vitro metabolism of creatinine, methylamine and amino acids by intestinal contents of normal and uraemic subjects. An original method which uses in vitro anaerobic incubation at 37 degrees C followed by centrifugation, ultrafiltration, and ion exchange chromatography is described; it shows that faecal material suspended in physiological saline can destroy added creatinine. The rate of breakdown by suspensions from uraemic subjects (mean 780 mumol h-1kg-1 SEM 70) was slightly faster than in normal subjects (mean 550 mumol h-1kg-1 SEM 80). Methylamine concentration increased over eight hours as creatinine was metabolised and sarcosine appeared as an intermediate. The rates of these reactions varied within and between individuals and were inhibited by oxygen and centrifugation but not by oxytetracycline. Concentrations of free amino acids did not change significantly despite the formation of ammonia. This approach should be useful in studying the metabolic inter-relationships between intestinal contents and the host organism in health and disease.


Value of sigmoidoscopy and biopsy in detection of carcinoma and premalignant change in ulcerative colitis. Of 111 carcinomas developing in 73 patients with ulcerative colitis, 46 (41.5%) arose in the rectum where they are directly accessible to sigmoidoscopy. Fifty-eight per cent of single carcinomas developed in the rectum. The extent and frequency of rectal dysplasia was assessed by examining slides of rectal mucosa with an eyepiece micrometer. Slides from 46 patients with carcinoma and 22 patients with dysplasia but no carcinoma in whom proctectomy or proctocolectomy had been carried out were examined by this method. Thirteen of 15 patients with carcinoma of the colon (87%) and 21/22 patients (95%) with large bowel dysplasia showed evidence only of rectal dysplasia. However, there was marked variability in the proportion of dysplastic rectal mucosa even in those patients with rectal carcinoma, while in some patients dysplasia was limited to a small focus. Because of the possibility of false negative biopsies due to sampling error, multiple biopsies should be taken to detect dysplasia. Their state should be recorded and deliberately varied at subsequent visits. Careful sigmoidoscopy and multiple biopsies in this study had potential value as an aid in the detection of 85-90% of all carcinomas. In practice the figure would almost certainly be lower due to intrinsic bias (see discussion) so that, although regular sigmoidoscopy and biopsy would be of great value when colonoscopy is not available, the latter should be included in any long-term programme of carcinoma prevention.


Radio-opaque pellets as faecal markers for faecal fat estimation in malabsorption. Thirty-seven patients undergoing routine investigation for malabsorption were given radio-opaque pellets (ROP) which were compared with polyethylene glycol and chromic oxide as continuous faecal markers. Percentage recovery of all markers showed a wide range. The recovery of all markers was very similar, and radio-opaque pellet-corrected daily faecal fat correlated very closely with PEG-and chromic oxide-corrected fat results. Estimation of ROP is precise, simple, and minimises faecal handling. ROP are suitable for routine use in faecal fat studies and have advantages over markers used at present.


Correlation of salivary and gastric acid secretions in duodenal ulcer patients in tropics. Salivary flow rates on mechanical stimulation by forced spitting method and by chemical stimulation with 10% citric acid and gastric acidity using an augmented histamine test were determined in 20 adult patients suffering from duodenal ulcer and in 20 adult control subjects matched with respect to age, sex, and body weight. Salivary flow rates were found to be much higher in response to chemical than to mechanical stimulus in both the groups. Duodenal ulcer patients exhibited an unexplained exaggerated response to chemical stimulation. Salivary pH, amylase, sodium, and potassium levels showed no significant differences between the two groups. The flow rates by either method generally showed a positive correlation with body weight in both the groups. Histamine stimulated gastric acid secretion was higher in duodenal ulcer patients than in controls. Acid secretion did not appear to be related to weight and also showed no consistent correlation with the salivary flow rates. It was concluded that (1) the salivary flow was dependent on body weight in duodenal ulcer patients as well as in controls, and (2) although salivary gland hyperplasia could be postulated in duodenal ulcer patients on the basis of increased salivary flow, the latter was poorly related to maximal acid secretion and therefore, if a combination of parietal cell and salivary gland hyperplasia did exist, it should be considered as incidental.


Grey scale ultrasound in Crohn's disease. Grey scale ultrasound examination was performed in 20 patients with Crohn's disease of varying extent and severity. In 15 of the 20 patients studied, thickening of the wall of the terminal ileum and caecum, with adjoining inflammatory changes in the mesentery, produced recognisable patterns on longitudinal and transverse ultrasonographs. Grey scale ultrasound, although not providing the specificity or detail of conventional radiology, can be helpful in the assessment of ileocaecal Crohn's disease, particularly in younger patients where the radiation hazards of repeated x-ray examinations are undesirable.


Antipyrine clearance per unit volume liver: an assessment of hepatic function in chronic liver disease. Liver size has been estimated clinically and by a non-invasive ultrasound technique in 16 normal subjects, 16 patients with cirrhosis, 10 patients with chronic biliary obstruction, and three patients with primary hepatoma. Antipyrine disposition was also measured in each subject. Hepatomegaly was not clinically detectable until there was approximately a 20% increase in liver size. Additional increases in size correlated significantly with clinical estimates of hepatomegaly. Antipyrine clearance had a three-fold range in normal subjects. Its mean value was significantly reduced in each subgroup of patients with liver disease. However, 48% of patients with liver disease had values within the normal range. In normal subjects there was a significant correlation between antipyrine clearance and liver volume. Thus, intersubject variation in clearance normalised for liver volume was less than clearance alone. Antipyrine clearance normalised for liver volume in patients with liver disease was significantly lower than in normal subjects and there was no overlap with normal subjects. In conclusion, assessment of drug metabolising efficiency per unit volume of liver increased the discrimination in differentiating subjects with normal from abnormal livers.


Incidence of Crohn's disease in Cardiff between 1934-1977. The incidence of Crohn's disease in Cardiff between 1934 and 1977 has been examined using hospital diagnostic indices and supplemented in recent years by personal records from clinicians. A total of 232 cases of Crohn's disease were confirmed after all the notes had been reviewed. There has been a large increase from 0.18/cases/10(5) of the population per year in the 1930s to 4.8 cases/10(5)/year in the 1970s. The major change in incidence is thought to be real rather than apparent and involves all forms of the disease in each age group. The recognition of Crohn's disease of the colon in recent years appears to have played a minor part in the rise in incidence.


Effect of oral 1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol on calcium and phosphate malabsorption in primary biliary cirrhosis. Changes in calcium and phosphate absorption in response to treatment with small doses of oral 1,25 (OH)2D3 were studied in 10 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis by means of a combined radio-isotope technique. There was a marked improvement in the fractional rates of absorption of calcium (P less than 0.01) and phosphate (0.05 P less than 0.1) after treatment. This implies than there is no end organ unresponsiveness to the action of active Vitamin D metabolites at the intestinal level in primary biliary cirrhosis.


Collagenisation of the Disse space in alcoholic liver disease. Collagenisation of the space of Disse was systematically assessed to determine its relationship to the clinical and histological manifestations of chronic alcoholic liver disease. Ninety-four chronic alcoholics who had been submitted to biopsy were assessed by clinical manifestations of hepatic dysfunction and by a 17-parameter Combined Clinical and Laboratory Index (CCLI). Liver biopsies were scored for light (LM) and electron-microscopy (EM) abnormalities using a universal scoring system for both. Thirty-five patients with normal liver histology (LM) had an average collagen score of 0.6 +/- 0.1. Twelve cirrhotic patients and 29 with fatty liver, both groups with mild clinical manifestations, did not differ significantly. In 18 cirrhotic patients and five with fatty liver, both groups having severe clinical manifestations, the mean scores were 2.1 +/- 0.8 (P less than 0.02) and 2.5 +/- 0.6 (P less than 0.01) respectively. Collagenisation also correlated with CCLI (P less than 0.001), serum bilirubin (P less than 0.001), serum aspartate transferase (SGOT) (P less than 0.003), and clinical evidence of portal hypertension and histological changes of necrosis, inflammation, and terminal hepatic vein sclerosis. These results suggest that collagenisation of the Disse space may be important in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease.


Faecal bile acid loss and bile acid pool size during short-term treatment with ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic acid in patients with radiolucent gallstones. Twelve non-obese patients with radiolucent gallstones were fed on a standard diet. After 10 days (period A), six patients received 15 mg/kg/day of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) (group I) and the other six (group II) the same dose of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) for 15 days (period B). An intravenous injection of 20 micro Ci of 14C-UDCA and of 14C-CDCA was given on the 11th day of period B to the patients of group I and II respectively. Stools were collected at the end of period A and B and one bile sample was collected on the 12th day of period B. The faecal bile acid loss was higher during chenotherapy (36.12 mumol/kg/day) than during ursotherapy (23.94 mumol/kg/day), as was the proportion of lithocholic acid (73% vs 43%) in the faeces. Decay constant rate of faecal radioactivity was 0.365 day-1 in group I and 0.642 in group II. The results indicate that faecal bile acid excretion and turnover rate are greater during CDCA than UDCA, while UDCA increases the bile acid pool size to an even greater extent than does CDCA (150.2 vs 94.9 mumol/kg). This is probably because the former is more slowly degraded to poorly reabsorbable compounds. In fact, the bile saturation index was 0.66 in group I and 1.05 in group II, even though biliary CDCA in the latter had risen to 69.6%.


Reappraisal of the secretory potency and disappearance rate of pure human minigastrin. The secretory potency and disappearance rates of pure synthetic human non-sulphated minigastrin (HG-14-I) and pure natural human non-sulphated heptadecapeptide (HG-17-I) were compared in five dogs with gastric fistulas and Heidenhain pouches. Intravenous infusion of equimolar doses of the two gastrins produced equimolar increases over basal of serum immunoreactive gastrin and no statistically significant differences in acid output. Also HG-14-I and HG-17-I did not differ significantly in half-times for disappearance, clearance rates, calculated volumes of distribution, or mean plateau serum levels.


Biochemical changes in the jejunal mucosa of dogs with naturally occurring exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. The roles of extracellular and intracellular mechanisms in the degradation of brush border proteins have been investigated by studying the small intestinal mucosa of dogs with naturally occurring exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Peroral jejunal biopsies were homogenised and the organelles separated by isopycnic centrifugation on continuous sucrose density gradients. The distributions of marker enzymes for the principal subcellular organelles were determined in the gradients and related to the specific activities in the homogenates. There were increased activities of the brush border carbohydrases zinc-resistant alpha-glucosidase, maltase and sucrase in the pancreatic insufficient animals, but no change in lactase activity. The activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase was also higher in the affected group; the activities of two other brush border enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and leucyl-beta-naphthylamidase, however, were unaltered. These findings with an increase in the modal density of the brush border from 1.20 to 1.22 are consistent with an enhanced glycoprotein content of the microvillus membrane. There were also rises in the activities of lysosomal enzymes. N-Acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity was increased in the soluble fractions and the percentage latent enzyme activity was reduced, findings indicative of an increased fragility of the lysosomal membrane. There were no marked alterations in the activities or density gradient distributions of marker enzymes for the other organelles, stressing the specificity of the changes in the brush borders and lysosomes. These findings are compatible with the degradation of certain exposed brush border proteins by pancreatic proteases and suggest that when this is defective, intracellular degradative mechanisms may be stimulated.


Intestinal permeability in rats infected by Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Passive intestinal permeability has been investigated in rats infected by the nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, by the simultaneous administration of two probe molecules. Experiments using a closed intestinal loop show that there is a significantly increased absorption of lactulose and decreased absorption of mannitol in rats at the 10th to 11th day of infection. Experiments using serial oral administration techniques show that these changes start during the second week of the infection with a return towards normal values by the end of the third week. The results are similar to those found in human coeliac disease and add weight to previous studies which have stressed the similarity in the two disease processes.


Water-holding by dietary fibre in vitro and its relationship to faecal output in man. The in vitro water-holding properties of 17 dietary fibre preparations, mainly food materials, bulk laxatives, and gel-forming polysaccharides, have been measured. Water uptake was measured by a centrifugation technique and also by a new method using sacs of dialysis tubing containing the material, immersed in simulated gut contents. The centrifugation technique could not be applied to gel-forming polysaccharides but the methods gave broadly similar results for other materials (r=0.85). The gel-forming polysaccharides in general held more water than the food fibres. Studies of matched pairs of materials which differed only slightly in chemical composition suggested that the presence of charged groups on the molecule encouraged water uptake. In the food materials water uptake was related to uronic acid content (r=0.87). Materials ground to a smaller particle size increase their water holding but this effect was small (+28%). The hypothesis that dietary fibre increases faecal bulk by virtue of its ability to hold water was tested by comparing the in vitro water-holding capacity of eight of the fibres with the changes they had produced when fed to human volunteers under controlled conditions. Of these materials pectin had the greatest water-holding capacity (56.2 g water/g material) but produced the smallest change in faecal weight (19%), while bran had the lowest water-holding (4.2 g/g) and the largest faecal weight changes (117%). Overall an inverse relationship (r=0.88) between water-holding and faecal bulking was found, suggesting that dietary fibre does not exert its effect on faecal weight simply by retaining water in the gut.


Relationship between amylase concentration, L/S ratio and lecithin concentrations in amniotic fluid. Amylase concentration, L/S ratio and lecithin concentration were measured in 110 samples of amniotic fluid in 106 uneventful pregnancies. Amylase concentrations lower than 200 U/l corresponded significantly (p less than 0.001) to a gestational age less than the 37th week as well as to a L/S ratio lower than 2 and to lecithin concentrations lower than 3.5 mg%. Furthermore, amylase values higher than 300 U/l corresponded significantly (p less than 0.001) to a gestational age over the 37th week as to an L/S ratio over 2 and to lecithin concentrations over 3.5 mg%. On the other hand amylase concentrations ranging between 200 and 300 U/l failed to show any significant relationship neither to the age of gestation nor to the concentration of phospholipids. These findings show that the amylase test is a useful method for prediction of fetal maturity. Since the procedure of determination of the amylase concentration is very simple, cheap and rapid, the test can be used as screening method. However, when amylase concentrations are found to range between 200 and 300 U/l specific tests for assessment of fetal maturity have to be applied.


Maternal hypotension: fetal outcome in treated and untreated cases. Within the last 3 years a prospective study on 70 pregnant women suffering from hypotension was carried out. In all these patients the endocrine placental function was examined regularly by measuring the HPL and E3 level in the maternal serum (from the 16th week of pregnancy onwards). In order to get information on the uteroplacental perfusion rate, placental flow measurements using radioisotopes were carried out. Whereas the endocrine parameters revealed no abnormality, the results of the flow measurements were significantly low in more than 80%. In 30 out of the total of 70 patients no medication was given and after termination of pregnancy the fetal outcome was investigated. The neonates of this group were significantly smaller than normal, the rate of dystrophy was considerably high. The other 40 women were subjected to a drug regimen. Depending on pressure values and type of complaints they were given a crystal suspension of deoxycorticosterone trimethylacetate intramuscularly. In this group of patients the placental perfusion rate improved significantly after medication, the fetal outcome did not differ in comparison to cases with normotension. In the light of our study we suggest that a maternal blood pressure of 110/65 and below has to be treated not only because of maternal indication, but as well because of the fetus' sake.


Osteoid osteoma of the capitate bone.

Osteoid osteoma of the capitate bone. A case of osteoid osteoma of the capitate bone is presented. The osteoma was accompanied by synovial changes in the neighbouring intercarpal joint, and this characterized the clinical features. Resection of the osteoma afforded relief from symptoms.


The termination of flexor tendon sheaths. Fifty-five preserved cadaver digits were injected to show the termination of the flexor tendon sheath. The angle between the termination of the sheath and the most proximal dorsal and ventral bony points of the distal phalanx was measured. Using this concept of angles, a clinical guide to the region containing the sheath is given.


The volar carpal ligament.

The volar carpal ligament. The volar carpal ligament, or superficial part of the flexor retinaculum, is described. A triangular area is identified on the ulnar side of the flexor retinaculum.


The vascularization of the human flexor pollicis longus tendon. The vascularization of the human flexor pollicis longus tendon was outlined by the use of microangiographic techniques, applied on freshly amputated arms. At the insertion of the tendon there was regularly a very well developed vinculum brevis, often extending proximally to the middle of the base phalanx of the thumb. Proximally to the metacarpo phalangeal joint there was a mesotenon of various shape, originating from the volar-ulnar (non-friction) side of the synovial tendon sheath. There seemed to exist a non-interrupted intrinsic longitudinal vascular system in the tendon, and the vessels were located in those parts of the tendon which are not subjected to friction.


Planning treatment of the rheumatoid hand. A detailed assessment of the patient as a whole is an essential pre-requisite to the successful planning and execution of surgical treatment of the rheumatoid hand. In particular the decision whether or not to operate must emerge from a careful weighing of the severity of the patient's symptoms, signs and physical disability against the benefits which are likely to accrue from surgical treatment assessed in relation to the patient's own individual requirements. The author presents his personal reflections on the relative merits of the commonly used surgical procedures with reference to their ability to relieve pain, restore function, achieve cosmetic improvement, and prevent further damage, while at the same time carrying minimal risk of further damage to the already impaired function of the hand. Finally, the philosophy which should govern the surgeon - patient relationship during the management of a chronic progressive disease is examined. That it is absolutely essential to establish a sound rapport from early in the surgical programme is strongly emphasised. Some guidelines as to the design of the programme are also provided.


Abnormal dermatoglyphics in arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. Dermatoglyphic abnormalities have been found in patients with arthrogryposis multiple congenita. These unusual features, which appear to be pathognomonic, indicate an early prenatal pathogenesis and may aid in differential diagnosis.


Trapezio-metacarpal arthroplasty by total prosthesis. Thirty-four total trapezio-metacarpal prostheses have been fitted since 1971. Twenty-eight have had a follow-up for more than six months (up to a maximum of five years) and allow a valid assessment of the situation. The operations were undertaken for rheumatoid, osteoarthritic disease, and following trauma. The reasons were either pain, mechanical instability, or stiffness. Two out of three times results were good. The best results were obtained for pain and stability. Those where the indication was stiffness were less satisfying. There were five cases of loosening of the trapezial cup due to operative errors. The mediocre results in general are caused by incomplete treatment allowing an associated lesion to develop. Greater strictness in the indications and in carrying out of operation ought to ensure better results.


The mechanical stability of internal fixation of fractured phalanges. The rigidity of five techniques of internal fixation of fractured phalanges is tested experimentally and compared. The clinical relevance is discussed.


The neuro vascular flap in finger tip injuries. The Kutler technique to restore skin cover in finger tip injuries was modified by mobilising the lateral triangular flap completely on its neuro-vascular bundle. Resultant increased mobility permitted greater advancement of the flap to allow adequate cover of the denuded finger tip. A unilateral flap is often sufficient.


Youngest replantation with microsurgical anastomoses. A successful replantation of a finger on an infant aged twelve months and fifteen days by microsurgical repair is reported.


Rupture of the extensor pollicis longus tendon after fracture of the lower end of the radius--a clinical and microangiographic study. The pathogenesis of the late post-traumatic rupture of the extensor pollicis longus tendon has never been satisfactorily explained. In the present series of fifty-nine ruptures two were partial, making possible an exact localization of the rupture. Microangiographic studies performed on amputated arms showed that this part of the tendon was poorly vascularized. Our study confirms earlier observations that ruptures most commonly occur after undisplaced fractures. It is suggested that increased pressure within the non-ruptured tendon sheath jeopardizes the blood flow in the already poorly vascularized parts of the tendon, leading to degeneration and rupture, usually within eight weeks. An haematoma inside the sheath interfering with the production of synovial fluid, could deprive the tendon of an alternative nutrition via diffusional pathways.


Surgical repair of the boutonnière deformity of the fingers. Boutonnière is discussed. The results of twenty-seven digits operated on are presented. The operative technique used was that directed to the central tendon. The results were analysed according to the digit affected, to the type of lesion, if closed or opened, to the association with other lesions and to the time between the lesion and the surgery.


Triggering due to de Quervain's disease. Triggering of the thumb due to de Quervain's disease is a rarity. When it occurs in a boy of seven years old, it has never been reported before in the English literature.


Bilateral ulnar "thumbs".

Bilateral ulnar "thumbs". Congenital fusion of the carpal bones is fairly common and may be associated with other congenital deformities in the hand. This report deals with an unusual congenital anomaly of the little fingers associated with fusion of the triquetrum and lunate. Both little fingers were adducted and rotated giving crude resemblance to thumbs on the ulnar borders of the hands. The deformity was easily corrected by osteotomy through the base of the fifth metacarpals.


Fractures of the shafts of the phalanges of the hand. Fractures of the shafts of the phalanges are common and often disabling. Little detailed information is available as to the results of treatment, against which new methods of treatment may be compared. Thirty-nine comminuted fractures and 109 which were not comminuted were followed-up and their results are presented in detail. In both groups only about 57% obtained satisfactory results. Possible methods of improving these are discussed and the importance of accurate reduction of non comminuted fractures is emphasised.


Fractures of the phalanges of the hand in children. Fractures of the phalanges of the hand were studied in 203 children. Fingertip fractures caused disability for three weeks but usually had good results. Comminuted fractures often took the form of longitudinal splitting. Epiphyseal fractures were mostly of the Salter type 2 and metaphyseal types and usually had good results: remodelling occurred in both planes at the base of the proximal phalanx but only in the sagittal plane at the base of the middle phalanx. Epiphyseal fractures at the base of the distal phalanx often had unsatisfactory results. Fractures of the neck of phalanx showed no remodelling at all and if deformity is not corrected it is probably permanent.


Assessment of past results and current practice in the treatment of rheumatoid metacarpophalangeal joints. Five year review. A new design of prosthetic finger joint for the rheumatoid patient, and the technique for its insertion is described, which has now been in use for five years. The technique includes the soft tissue correction of the ulnar deviation. Results are reported for all the cases performed in one year giving a two year follow up, assessing flexion strength, pinch strength and the degree of recurrence of ulnar drift associated with loss of pinch strength.


Surgical correction of ulnar drift in the rheumatoid hand. A new technique for the correction of ulnar drift is described which has been used by the author in selected cases during the past 5 years. Results of this technique during a 2 year period are compared with those treated by prosthetic joint replacement alone, or a combination of the two methods.


Re-alignment procedure for ulnar drift of the metacarpophalangeal joint in rheumatoid arthritis. An operation for correcting ulnar deviation in rheumatoid arthritis, by employing local tendon transfers at an early stage in the developing deformity, is described. The pathology, clinical staging and results in 103 joints are presented.


Interpositional arthroplasty of the wrist in rheumatoid arthritis. The procedure of interpositional arthroplasty of the wrist joint in rheumatoid arthritis, using silicone sheeting, is described. The results and complications of sixty arthroplasties are presented.


The pathogenesis of the rheumatoid swan neck deformity. Disappointment with the late results of intrinsic release for the rheumatoid "intrinsic-plus" hand has led to a re-appraisal of the role of intrinsic muscle contracture in the pathogenesis of the rheumatoid swan neck deformity. In cadaveric fingers, a properly placed suture typing the lateral band to the middle slip insertion causes a swan neck deformity. It is suggested that the usual "intrinsic-plus" hand and the fixed swan neck deformity of rheumatoid arthritis is caused by adhesions between the extensor tendons on the dorsum of the proximal interphalangeal joint, rather than by intrinsic muscle contracture and/or metacarpo-phalangeal dislocation.


Perichondrial wrist arthroplasty in rheumatoid patients. A new method is proposed for reconstruction of the wrist joint in rheumatoid arthritis. Perichondrial arthroplasty done in four patients with severe deformity of the wrist from rheumatoid arthritis gave functionally improved results. In one case biopsy of the reconstructed joint showed newly formed cartilaginous tissue four months after initial surgery.


The palmar abduction-pronation osteotomy of the first metacarpal bone combined with tendon transfer for lateral thenar muscle paralysis. The authors describe a palmar abduction-pronation osteotomy of the first metacarpal bone combined with a tendon transfer for treatment of palsy of the lateral thenar muscles. The results of fourteen cases are reported.


Experience with a two-staged pedicled flexor tendon graft. A two-staged technique for flexor tendon grafting in Zone 2 is described using a silicone rubber rod which is replaced at the second stage by a somersaulted superficialis tendon graft sutured end-to-end to profundus tendon at the lumbrical level. The results are analysed.


Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Comparative study with and without epineurolysis. Three series of cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome have been studied. One series was treated a different, respected surgical team, the second series by the author by decompression alone, and the third series by additional intraneural decompression using the microscope. The authors found very little difference in the results, apart from marginally better results in the presence of thenar muscle involvement.


Transverse volar skin laceration of the finger: Sign of volar plate injury. Transverse tears of the volar skin of a finger with a hyper-extension injury is associated with frequent volar plate tears or avulsions. Recognition is essential for surgical exploration of the volar plate and supporting joint structures and, if injured, surgical repair should be carried out at the time of skin suturing.


Extensor digitorum brevis manus: a case report review. A detailed description of bilateral extensor digitorum brevis manus (EDBM) present in a female cadaver is presented. The need for clinical recognition is emphasized. Prevalence, morphological variability and theories of ontogeny are reviewed. Clinical significance and possible function are discussed. Since misdiagnosis may result from the anatomical variability and lack of clinical awareness, the need for further study is emphasized.


Procedure for evaluating clinical practice. A step-by-step procedure is needed for evaluating social work practice. This article describes such a procedure, with particular emphasis placed on practical concerns that arise in the use of evaluation techniques, and shows that clinical evaluation is compatible and consistent with most problem-solving models already in use by experienced practitioners.


Herbal medicine in the Puerto Rican community. This article focuses on one aspect of health in the Puerto Rican community in the United States--the continuing utilization of herbal medicine and folk healers in the prevention and cure of illness. In addition to providing a fundamental explanation of this system of healing, the author makes recommendations for increasing the satisfaction of Puerto Rican patients with health care services.


Sheltered-care needs of the mentally ill. The recent emphasis on housing formerly hospitalized mental patients in community-based facilities has caused the number of such facilities to proliferate. This article examines five characteristics that affect individuals' needs for sheltered care and must be considered in selecting the most appropriate type of facility.


In sickness and in health: future social work roles. Increasing specialization, rising costs, and the depersonalization of care are some of the problems affecting the delivery of health care in this country. This article discusses the impact of these and other major developments and proposes expanded tasks and functions to be performed by social workers in the future.


Interdisciplinary education for health care professionals. As the interdisciplinary approach to health care becomes more important, new approaches to interdisciplinary education for health professionals are needed. This article presents objectives for interdisciplinary learning and describes one such course designed to deal with the problem of child abuse.


Collaboration between schools of social work and university medical centers. Although the interface involving social work, medicine, and the other health professions occurs primarily in the day-to-day world of practice in hospitals and other health agencies, an equally important opportunity exists for interaction at the university level between schools of social work and schools for health professionals. This artice analyzes one school's effort to build effective interdisciplinary linkages.


Abortion counseling in a general hospital. Given the increase in the number of abortions being performed in hospitals throughout the United States and Canada, there is an obvious need for counseling programs for these patients. The authors describe one such program, and emphasize the importance of close working relationships between the counselors and their supervising staff.


Are social workers turning a deaf ear? A study of social services to the deaf. This study assessed the quality and quantity of social services received by deaf persons residing in Salt Lake County, Utah. It was found that although a majority of human service agencies in the county have had some contact with deaf clients, only those agencies that have made an effort to develop programs especially for the deaf and employ someone who is skilled in sign language could deliver services effectively to this population.


Helping to manage the emotional effects of arthritis. Arthritis is a chronic disease that has no known cause or cure. The disease is often serious and can cause excruciating pain in the joints and other parts of the body. Some people recognize the physical problems associated with arthritis, but few realize the social and emotional impact it can have on the patient and the family. In this article the author discusses how social workers and other therapists can help arthritic patients cope with the disease and live more productively despite their physical limitations.


Trends in services for pregnant adolescents. Because the rate of childbirth among adolescent girls in the United States is among the highest in the world, a pressing need exists for services for pregnant adolescents. After summarizing trends and indicating the complex problems in this area, the authors put forward recommendations for continued efforts.


Group work in a hospital waiting room.

Group work in a hospital waiting room. For students who have determination, field-work placements offer an opportunity not only to learn, but to develop innovative services. The authors give a personal account of how, as students, they initiated a program of group work in a hospital waiting room.


Mutual-help group for patients: taking steps toward change. The growing movements in behalf of consumers' rights and self-help in health care were the impetus for the formation of a hospital group program for patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. The authors use case examples and summaries to describe the steps by which these patients began to offer each other help, which in turn led to both personal and institutional change.


Social work in the small hospital.

Social work in the small hospital. The social worker who practices in a small rural hospital encounters unique problems and opportunities. The author discusses the advantages of being the only social worker on the staff and emphasizes the importance of establishing informal, cooperative relationships with the medical staff and with people and agencies in the community.


Parental group therapy in the management of a fatal childhood disease. Group work enabled parents of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy to express fears and concerns, and to increase awareness of their attitudes toward themselves, their disabled child, their normal children, and the world at large. This article discusses how the group offered parents a way of exploring processes within the family and assisting in the management of psychosocial problems created in raising a child with a progressive fatal disease.


Quantitative histochemistry of the sorbitol pathway in glomeruli and small arteries of human diabetic kidney. Recent evidence has suggested a role for the polyol pathway in pathogenesis of cell damage in diabetes Glucose may be phosphorylated to glucose-6-phosphate via hexokinase and enter glycolysis or reduced to sorbitol via aldose reductase to enter the polyol pathway. The poorly diffusible sorbitol is converted via sorbitol dehydrogenase to fructose. Hexokinase, aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities were measured in glomeruli (G) and small arteries (SA) taken from normal and diabetic human kidneys, Hexokinase in diabetic G was 1688, which was significantly decreased from normal, 3147 mmoles/kg-1/h-1. Alodse reductase was significantly elevated in diabetic G,56-6, compared to normal G,10-8 mmoles/kg-1/h-1. In contrast, sorbitol dehydrogenase was significantly depressed in diabetic G, 3-7 VERSUs 10-9 mmoles/kg-1/h-1. The enzymatic changes observed in diabetic G would facilitate accumulation of sorbitol and therefore could contribute to the progression of glomerulosclerosis. The activity of hexokinase was also significantly reduced in SA, whereas aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase were unchanged.


Modification of a quantitative laser-spectrographic method of determination of cations contained in tissue slices. A quantitative method of determination of elements in histological slices by means of laser microanalysis has been modified. The modification consists essentially in such methodological approach that allows expressing the results by figures which are directly proportional to the relative content of the element in question. The final result, i.e. the relative quantity of the element to be determined is obtained by subtracting the photometric value yielded by the spectrographic line of the Ag standard from that yielded by the spectrographic line of the element under investigation (J = JX-JAG). To avoid negative figures the Ag standard has to be prepared in such a way, as to yield the lowest possibly photometric values still lying on the straight line of the standard curve.


Comparative histochemical studies of iron absorption in three fresh water teleosts. Absorption of iron in the intestine of three different species of fishes, namely; Claris batrachus, Channa striatus and Esomus danricus has been described. These three species of fishes have different feeding habits, being omnivorus, carnivorus and herbivorus respectively. The absorption of iron has been studied at different time intervals; after three hours, six hours and nine hours. The mucosal epithelial cells, submucosal blood vessels and blood capilaries were the main site of iron absorption. A comparative account of absorption of iron of all three fishes is described and discussed.


Cytochemical study of acid phosphatase activity in the functional and degenerating spinning gland cells of Pericallia ricinii (lepidoptera). A study of the presence, distribution and activity of acid phosphatase has been carried out in the cells of the spinning gland of moth pest Pericallia ricinii in sequential larval, prepupal and pupal stages. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity at first appears in the apical and basal regions of the secretory cells of second instar larva and later in the following stages is localised in the middle region of the cells. The highest activity was found while using an incubation time from 25 to 30 minutes. Prolonged incubation resulted in artifacts. Based on the acid phosphatase activity two cell types (A and B) in the spinning gland cell layer could be distinguished. The cytochemical differences in histologically similar cells of the spinning gland of the Indian moth pest were reported for the first time. In pupal period progressive deformation could be observed in the gland cells, which is accompanied by high acid phosphatase activity, which is in contradistinction to cells with small deformations and low enzyme activity. The process of degeneration in former cells is also quicker than in the latter ones.


Influence of lead poisoning and ultrastructural changes in the body wall of Eisenia foetida (Savigny), Oligochaeta. I. Short action of different concentrations of lead and ultrastructural changes in the cells of the body wall. The effect of short term influence of different concentrations of Pb(NO3)2 in the soil on the accumulation and localization of lead in the body wall cells of the earthworm Eisenia foetida (Savigny), Oligocheta, was studied histochemically. The experimental animals displayed the presence of lead deposits in the cytoplasm and vacuols of the epithelial gland cells which also showed morphological changes indicative of their increased secretory activity. Furthermore, a considerable accumulation of lead was found in the sarcoplasm and particularly in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of the muscle cells in the body wall. The histochemical data show that the most intense accumulation of lead is found in animals kept in an environment containing 0-05 mg Pb per 1 g of the soil. At this concentration of lead noteworthy morphological changes together with deposits of this metal are found in the mitochondria. This mitochondrial changes occurred together with the above mentioned, lead induced cytological deviations. They did not appear in other groups of experimental animals.


Sex differences in adrenocortical structure and function. V. The effects of postpubertal gonadectomy and gonadal hormone replacement on nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, morphology and histochemistry of rat adrenal cortex. Studies were carried out on adult rats of Wistar strain. Six weeks after postpubertal gonadectomy some of the orchiectomized rats were injected with a single dose of testosterone cypionate and ovari-ctomized rats with estradiol cypionate (17 beta-cyclopentyloproprionate esters of testosterone or estradiol). The control rats were sham operated. Investigations were carried out 8 weeks after surgery. Absolute and relative adrenal weight is lower in the male than in the female rat. Orchiectomy increases these weights while testosterone restores them to their normal level. Ovariectomy has no effect on the weight of adrenal, estradiol, however, increases the relative weight of the gland. The adrenal cortex of the adult female is wider than in the adult male rat and in female gland sudanophobic zone is lacking. Orchiectomy leads to the broadening of the adrenal cortex and testosterone replacement has an opposite effect. Ovariectomy has no effect on the structure of adrenal cortex and estradiol replacement resulted in the narrowing of zona glomerulosa. There were no differences in the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio of zona glomerulosa cells in male and Female rats and neither gonadectomy nor gonadal hormone replacement has no effect on this parameter. The nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio of zona fasciculata cells in the male is markedly higher than in female. Orchiectomy lowers this ratio and testosterone restores it to the normal level. Neither ovariectomy nor estradiol replacement has effect on the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio of zona fasciculata cells. Similar changes as those in the zona fasciculata were observed in zona reticularis cells. Among the oxidoreductases studied, the most marked sex differences were found in alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity. In control female rats an intense reaction for this enzyme is observed in broad band of cells of the zona fasciculata interna, while in male rats only individual cells showed this reaction. In orchiectomized rats the reaction for this enzyme is similar as in control female rats and testosterone restores it to normal. Ovariectomy has no effect on localisation of reaction while after estradiol replacement reaction was more intense. Regarding the remaining oxidoreductases studied, in the adrenal cortex of rats of both sexes no marked differences were observed in localization, however, intensity of reaction depended upon applied experimental conditions. More distinct sex differences were observed in topochemistry of some hydrolases and intensity of reaction depended upon the applied experimental conditions.


Histofluorescence studies of central monoamines. Comparison of Falck, cryostat and SPG methods. The aim of the presented paper was to compare the Falck-Hillarp histofluoresce method for monoamines with its cryostat modification and the glyoxylic acid SPG method. The sensitivity and specificity of these methods and also the occurence of unspecific fluorescence is discussed.


Reactivity of the epithelial cells of the bovine oviduct in vitro on the exogenic gonadotropic and steroid hormones. Part I: The effect of gonadotropic and steroid hormones on the amount of lipids and activity of dehydrogenases. Effects of 17 beta-estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, luteinizing hormone and a combined effect of estradiol and progesterone on the epithelial cells of the bovine oviduct cultured in vitro were investigated. It was found that these cells may transform under the effect of hormones. The effect of the applied hormones on the amount of lipids and activity of the dehydrogenases delta 5 3 beta-OH-SDH and G6P-DH was evident. Cells in vitro most intensely reacted on testosterone and estradiol: these hormones caused an increase of lipids and of enzymatic activity. The cells also reacted to progesterone and the luteinizing hormone which in turn decreased both activity and accumulation of lipids in cells.


Reactivity of the epithelial cells of the bovine oviduct in vitro on the exogenic, gonadotropic and steroid hormones. Part II: The effect of gonadotropic hormones on the amount of glycogen and of acid and alkaline phosphatases. The effect of certain gonadotropic and steroid hormones on the epithelial cells of the bovine cultured in vitro was investigated. The effect of the hormones on the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases was observed. Application of hormones to the medium caused an increase of the amount of glycogen in cells. The activity of alkaline phosphatase increased mostly after application of estradiol (0.2 microgram), progesterone (2 microgram) and the luteinizing hormone (0.1 microgram), and the activity of acid phosphatase after the minimum dose of the luteinizing hormone and estradiol, and the maximum dose of progesterone. On the basis of morphological and histochemical observations, it was assumed that the epithelial cells of the bovine oviduct cultured in vitro may undergo transformations.


Vincristine induced ultrastructural alterations of cardiac and smooth muscles in mice. A morphological analysis of the effect of vincristine (VCR) on the cardiac muscle and smooth muscles of blood-vessels and alimentary canal of mice has been carried out. These animals show a high resistance to sublethal doses of VCR. The changes in the cardiac muscle involve mitochondria. The widening of the space between the intercalated discs is seen and accompanied by the occurrence of spheromembranous bodies (SMB) in it. The only alteration typical of the effect of VCR in the smooth muscles is the presence of SMB inside the mitochondria. The number and extent of changes observed increased in course of experiment.


Inheritance of sensitivity to cadmium induced testicular damage in mice. Testicular damage induced by cadmium in inbred mouse strains was evaluated on the basis of the thickness of tunica albuginea and histological images of the seminiferous tubules and the interstitial tissue. While comparing the thickness of the tunica in the untreated KP, C57 and CBA males as well as in F1 (KP x CBA) and B1 (KP x CBA) x CBA, the authors found it to be inherited in a simple Mendelian way. The thin tunica of the sensitive KP and C57 strain males became markedly thickened after injected with cadmium chloride. On the contrary, no changes were observed in the resistant CBA strain males which are characterised by a thick tunica. The results corroborate Taylor's [10] hypothesis that resistance to the damaging effect of cadmium is controlled by a single autosomal recessive gene. In addition, it is suggested that thickness of the tunica is positively correlated with the resistance to the action of cadmium.


Changes in the activity of RNA polymerase detected in situ and the intensity of 3H uridine incorporation into the nucleolus and the nucleus of interphase cells in antheridial filaments of Chara vulgaris L. Analogously as in the 32-cell stage [20], in the 4-, and 8-cell generations of antheridial filaments of Chara vulgaris, the activity of DNA dependent RNA polymerase detected in situ as well as the 3H uridine incorporation increase in the middle S phase and in the middle G2 phase, while they decrease considerably at the end of S phase and in late G2 phase. The diphasic changes occur both in the nucleolar and extranucleolar (nucleoplasmic) activity of RNA polymerase as well as in the 3H uridine incorporation. However, the maximum nucleolar activity, in both S and G2 phases, precedes the peak of nucleoplasmic activity. During the increased nucleolar activity RNA polymerase (as calculated per nucleus) shows a higher level as compared with nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase, whereas the intensity of 3H uridine incorporation into nucleous and nucleoplasm is similar. It may be supposed that the incubation environment containing Mg2+ used in vitro is more stimulating for the nucleolar RNA polymerase than for the nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase. The mean transcriptional activity of the nucleus and the activity of RNA polymerase in the 8-cell generation is about 20% lower than in the 4-cell generation, in proportion to the decrease in cell sizes.


Dry mass content in nuclei and cytoplasm during differentiation of the root cortex cells of Helianthus Annuus. Dry mass content in nuclei and cytoplasm as well as its concentration during the growth and differentiation of the root cortex cells of Helianthus annuus were investigated by means of interference microscopy. Moreover, by incubation with radioactive thymidine, the endopolyploidization at the level of 4C was found to exist in this species. It was found that during the growth and differentiation of the root cortex cells, the average dry mass content in nuclei essentially does not increase, whereas its content in cytoplasm increases significantly. At the same time the progressive decrease of dry mass concentration takes place in both nuclei and cytoplasm. This drop is connected with their growth and results from the considerable hydratation of karyoplasm and cytoplasm.


Histochemical observation of the cortical zone of oocyte of Indian wall lizard, Hemidactylus flaviviridis (Rüppel). The cortical zone of oocytes, which lies just below the follicular epithelium appears in the early stages of development, but reaches its fullest growth in vitellogenic oocytes. In the present studies it was found that the cortical zone of Hemidactylus flaviviridis consists of proteins, lipoproteins, carbohydrates, fatty yolk, RNA and little amount of DNA in mature oocytes along with mitochondria and Golgi bodies. In the early oocyte, this zone is fine granular in nature, but during the yolky stages of oocyte, it becomes filled by the vacuolar structure, which shows in it's the presence of fatty and compound yolk. The L1 and L2 types of lipid globules are also observed in the cortical zone during vitellogenic oocyte.


Spectrophotometric and cytochemical studies on azures A, B and C. The cytochemical use of azures A, B and C, propared with either N HCL and potassium metabisulphite or with sodium hydrosulphite in tissue sections were investigated. Both in situ absorption curves of nuclei stained with each of these dye-SO2 reagents as well as in vitro absorption data of acqueous solutions of the dyes are also presented. It has been pointed out that the mechanism of staining with azure A-SO2 and azure C Eosinate-SO2 is the same as that of the conventional Feulgen reaction with Schiff reagent but that of staining with azure B-SO2 is by the modified Feulgen reaction because this dye does not contain any primary amino group.


Feeding, foraging, and food sharing behavior of immature chimpanzees. Observations of chimpanzees under naturalistic conditions show that nutritional autonomy increases as young individuals mature. Substantial proportions of feeding time are spent eating food obtained through solicitation. Food sharing at SOPF occurs among mother and infant pairs most frequently; less frequently between adult males and infants or juveniles, and least frequently between adult females and immature individuals. Mothers tend to share what their offspring cannot obtain independently while others primarily share what is easiest to replace. These patterns of solicitation and distribution of food are consistent with predictions based upon benefits to individuals through kin selection and/or energetic efficiency.


Entotympanics, ontogeny and primates.

Entotympanics, ontogeny and primates. Ontogenetic investigations confirm that independent entotympanics are absent in living primates. Although cartilage occurs in the petrosal tympanic processes of some primates, the assumption that a suppressed entotympanic is thereby indicated can be adequately refuted according to embryological canons of interpretation. Problems regarding the homologies of different entotympanics, largely ignored by paleontologists and systematists, reduce or negate their taxonomic valency for all but closely related groups. Until such puzzles are resolved, the possible but doubtful existence of entotympanics in plesiadapoids and inferred pre-primate ancestors cannot buttress claims for alleged ties between primates and certain entotympanic-bearing eutherians (principally bats, colugos and tree shrews).


[Possibilities for weight reduction by means of diet]. The different dietetic measures for weight reduction are described. According to the existing overweight the therapeutic measures are classified in four steps. In the first step, with low overweight, the energy-containing drinks (soft drinks and alcoholic beverages) are avoided. If the overweight is greater an additional reduction of the energy content of meal is required. A real reduction-diet (less than 1.000 Kcal/day or 4.200 KJ/day) demands extensive knowledge of food composition and greater efforts in meal composition. The availability of formula diets is considered as a relief. During starvation (or total fasting) as the step 4 of weight reduction diet, an extreme metabolic alteration takes place, which is characterized by ketosis. The same metabolic alteration is found by a fat-protein-diet (a so-called ketogenic diet), where hypercholesterolemia and hyperuricemia are common side effects. The carbohydrate-protein weight reduction diet is poor in health risks. Furthermore the normal metabolic pattern is maintained during this kind of diet if enough carbohydrates are provided per day (i.e. 80-100 g/day).


[Therapy of gout].

[Therapy of gout]. Increasing incidence of gout and its importance as a risk factor for arteriosclerosis stimulate the practitioner to improve his knowledge about therapeutic possibilities. Therapy of gout includes (1) treatment of acute attack with colchicine and indometacin, (2) decrease of uric acid blood concentration in tophaceous gout using uricosurica, alkalinization of urin, increased diuresis, and blockade of de-novo synthesis of uric acid, and (3) maintenance therapy with allopurinol or uricosurica to avoid recurrent arthritis as well as tophi. In addition, surgical removal of larger tophi may be of benefit.


[Diabetic changes in the blood vessels of the iris. A fluorescence angiographic study]. Fluorescence angiography of the iris was performed on 135 patients with diabetes mellitus. The changes in the iris were classified as iridopathia diabetica simplex and iridopathia diabetica proliferans, corresponding to similar changes in diabetic retinopathy. Thus punctata leakage of dye, especially around the pupillary margin, was classified as iridopathia diabetica simplex, whereas additional, angiographically verified new vessel formation was described as iridopathia diabetica proliferans. 123 of 135 patients (91.1%) showed diabetic changes of the iris. Of these 85 (62.9%) had iridopathia diabetica simplex changes and 38 (28.2%) had iridopathia diabetica proliferans changes. The incidence of diabetic iris changes appeared unrelated to age but appeared to increase with duration of diabetes. A correlation between the onset of diabetic vascular changes of the iris and of the retina could not be confirmed: the diabetic changes in the iris vessels can precede those of the retina whereas, on the other hand, almost all patients with a diabetic retinopathia also show an iridopathy. Iris angiography is of clinical value because first signs of diabetic vascular damage can be seen in the iris earlier than in the retina, the iris appearing normal on slit-lamp microscopy.


[Effect of preoperative paromomycin therapy on the course of wound healing after colonic intervention. A prospective blind study]. 156 patients undersent colorectal surgery during a prospective blind study at the Städt. Krankenhaus München-Harlaching. The study showed that administration of 4,0 g Paromomycin (= Humatin) on each of the two preoperative days combined with mechanical cleansing of the intestine has a beneficial effect. Our test group showed significantly lower incidence of wound complications at the abdominal laparotomies (p less than 0,05; X2) and at the anastomoses (p less than 0,01; X2 than the control group. Anastomic leakage (major leaks) and following septical complications occurred nearly exclusively in our "Not-Humatin-group". The lethality of the entire group was 13,1% (n = 20).


[Antibiotic-induced pseudomembranous Clostridium difficile colitis. A new etiopathogenetically definable infectious disease]. Pseudomembranous colitis has been recognized as a complication of antimicrobial therapy since 1952. Most recently, evidence has been accumulated showing that a heat labile toxin is involved. Though little is known so far about the normal ecology of C. difficile and the host factors of potential importance in the development of colitis by this anaerobe, antimicrobial agent-induced suppression of the normal gut flora seems to be a major factor leading to the intestinal proliferation of resistant toxinogenic C. difficile. Factors independent of susceptibility are, however, probably responsible for cases of pseudomembranous colitis associated with penicillin, ampicillin, and other antibiotics active against C. difficile. In monitoring antibiotic therapy, the application of selective media for the isolation of C. difficile from faecal specimens and proper tools for the demonstration of toxin and the study of immunity might prove to be fruitful from both a diagnostic and therapeutic viewpoint. In established pseudomembranous colitis treatment consists of oral vancomycin (2 g/day), cholestyramine and, if necessary, intensive intravenous regimen.


[Influences of food browning on nutrition. I. Effects of alcohol extract of egg plant on growth and plasma lipid composition in the rat (author's transl)]. Browning substances are produced on incubation of minced or finely crushed egg plant in alcohol for various periods (from 3 to 12 months). Effects of chronic ingestion of the browning substances were studied on growth rate, general nutrition, and plasma lipids, especially on cholesterol and fatty acid composition in five groups of rats. Control rats (the sixth group) were fed standard diet and water ad libitum. 1. The browning substances reduced the growth rate and nutritional efficiency in the rat. 2. This inhibitory effect was more marked when rats were fed the diet containing advanced browning substances on the longest incubation of 12 months. 3. Ingestion of the browning substances of long incubation caused an elevation of the serum cholesterol level as compared with controls. 4. Analysis of serum fatty acid composition showed in general a reduction in unsaturated fatty acid and an increase in saturated fatty acid, especially in palmitic acid after ingestion of browning substances. 5. Ingestion of lyophilized powder of fresh egg plants also caused inhibition of growth rate and nutritional efficiency.


[Influences of food browning on nutrition. II. Effects of ingestion of non-dialyzable browning substances, dopamelanin and chlorogenic acid on growth and protein and lipid metabolism in rats (author's transl)]. In a previous paper, we reported an inhibitory effect on growth rate and plasma lipid composition in rats of browning substances obtained from ethanol extraction of minced egg plant. In order to know active principle(s) in browning substances, attempts were made to condense the substances and chlorogenic acid was separated. The ingestion of chlorogenic acid and other browning substances such as dopameranin and catechin were examined for their biological activity. Active principle(s) in the browning substances appeared to interfere with digestion and utilization of dietic protein. The principle resided in dialyzable fraction in enzymatically produced materials and in nondialyzable fraction in materials obtained by chemical oxidation. Ingestion of nondialyzable fraction caused an elevation of total serum cholesterol level, but little change in serum fatty acid composition.


[Studies on lysosomes in hepatic disorders (author's transl)]. Lysosome are subcellular particles in which several acid hydrolases of various specificities are localized. The role of lysosome in cellular physiology and pathology has drawn considerable recent attention by several groups of investigators. The purpose of this study was to investigate the activities of lysosomal enzymes--acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase--in hepatic disorders. 1) The serum levels of beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase were significantly elevated in patients with diseases of the hepatobiliary system. 2) N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity in urine specimens from patients with diseases of the hepatobiliary system was found to be significantly higher than in urine specimens from normal adults. 3) Male albino rats of 150 approximately 200 g body weight were used. CCl4 was injected intraperitoneally (dose 0.1 ml of CCl4 per 100 g body weight twice a week for eight weeks). The free activities of lysosomal enzyme were increased and high free/total activity ratios were found in the liver lysosomal fraction of CCl4 intoxicated rats. The results of these experiment indicated that the membranes of lysosome were more permeable to their enzymes, and the release of these enzymes were found in the experimental fatty liver by CCl4. 4) Corticosteroids and chloroquine stabilized rat liver lysosome in vitro from the labilizing influence of incubation at 37 degrees C. 5) The administration of chloroquine to CCl4 intoxicated rats did not cause any well-expressed stabilization of lysosomes. 6) When alpha-Tocopherol was administrated to CCl4 intoxicated rats, the decrease of bound activity and increase of free activity in lysosomal fraction, and increase of acid hydrolases, GOT and GPT in serum were inhibited.


[Neural mechanisms of group I fibers of neck muscles (author's transl)]. Afferent projection of upper cervical dorsal roots C2 and C3 upon spinal cord and brain stem was investigated on cats using both histological and electrophysiological methods. 1. Degenerated terminals, stained by Fink-Heimer's methods, were found in Rexed's laminae III and IV, intermediate nucleus and ventral horn of the spinal cord and nucleus cuneatus and spinal trigeminal nucleus. 2. Monosynaptic reflex responses were obtained from motor nerves innervating dorsal neck muscles by stimulating the dorsal roots in some decerebrated cats. However, this reflex responses could be unable to elicite in the spinal preparation. 3. The neurons responding exclusively to the ventral rami located in cranial parts of the nucleus and those responding to dorsal rami located in the caudal region. Neurons responding to both rami were also found.


Effect of cyproterone acetate acutely administered on the pituitary-testicular axis. The effect of cyproterone acetate (CA) on the pituitary-testicular axis was studied in 6 healthy men. A dose of 300 mg of CA was administered orally in the early morning, after 3 h blood samples were collected using a multiple sample technique. Testosterone (T) levels were decreased by CA in all subjects (p 0.01), LH in all (p less than 0.01) but one whereas 17-hydroxyprogesterone did not show any significant variation. In vitro, using an equilibrium dialysis, CA displaced T from plasma-binding proteins in males at 37 degrees C. The role of testosterone-binding globulin on the effects of CA on the pituitary-testicular axis remains to be clarified.


Stimulation of gastric mucosal protein synthesis by different molecular forms of gastrin. Protein synthesis in gastric mucosa was studied by measuring the incorporation of labeled amino acids into protein by isolated gastric mucosal ribosomes in a cell-free system. In 48-hour fasted rats, administration of the synthetic analogues pentagastrin, tetragastrin and gastrin-17 or naturally occurring molecular forms of human gastrin (G-14, G-34) markedly enhanced (23-123%) the capacity of the gastric mucosal ribosomes to synthesize endogenous mRNA-directed protein in a cell-free system. In the presence of exogenous mRNA (poly-U), the gastric mucosal ribosomes from the saline-treated controls showed a higher poly(U)-directed protein synthesis, compared to each fo the gastrin-treated groups. The protein/polyphenylalanine ratio which represents a ratio of polysomes to monosomes was found increased in ribosomes from the gastrin-treated groups.


Gel filtration studies of serum growth hormone in acromegaly following bromocriptine administration. Sera of 7 patients with active acromegaly were fractionated by Sephadex G-100 chromatography and the effects of bromocriptine on the concentrations of total growth hormone (hGH) and its different molecular forms studied. Three immunoreactive peaks were observed, corresponding to molecular weights of about 20,000 ('little hGH'), 40,000 ('big hGH'), and more than 100,000 ('big big hGH') Following bromocriptine administration, there was significantly more reduction of 'little hGH' than of 'big big hGH'. Careful interpretation of these changes is required in view of the possible influences of sample storage and handling on hGH heterogeneity. We suggest that either bromocriptine acts differentially on the release of 'little' and 'big big hGH', or that these components differ in their metabolic half-life. However, even the suppression of 'little hGH' is insufficient to explain the clinical response of the disease to bromocriptine.


The covalent structure of calf skin type III collagen. I. The amino acid sequence of the amino terminal region of the alpha 1(III) chain (position 1--222). The amino terminal 227 amino acid residues of the alpha 1(III) chain contain four CNBr peptides: alpha 1(III)CB3A (79 residues), CB3B, CB3C (6 residues each), CB7 (37 residues) and CB6 (99 residues). Fragmentation of the CNBr peptides was carried out using trypsin, chymotrypsin and the protease from Staphylococcus aureus V8. The fragments obtained were isolated by a combination of molecular sieve and ion exchange chromatography. The sequence analysis was performed according to the automated Edman degradation procedure.


The covalent structure of calf skin type III collagen. II. The amino acid sequence of the cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB1,8,10,2(Positions 223--402). The cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1-(III)CB1,8,10,2 is 180 amino acid residues in length and occupies position 223 to 402 along the alpha 1(III) chain. In order to elucidate its amino acid sequence, alpha 1(III)CB1,8,10,2 was fragmented with hydroxylamine, protease from Staphylococcus aureus V8 and trypsin. Peptides necessary for sequence analysis with the automated Edman degradation were separated using molecular and ion exchange chromatography. Edman degradation of the hydroxylamine-derived fragments resulted in the elucidation of 80% of the entire sequence. The rest was completely established by sequence analysis of some protease V8 and trypsin-derived peptides.


The covalent structure of calf skin type III collagen. III. The amino acid sequence of the cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB4 (positions 403--551). The cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB4 comprises the sequence region from position 403 to 551 of the alpha 1(III) chain. Almost the entire sequence of this region was elucidated using two hydroxylamine- and one chymotrypsin-derived fragments for automated Edman degradation. The sequence analysis of alpha 1(III)CB4 was completed with the help of trypsin and one protease V8-derived peptide. Comparison with the corresponding region of the alpha 1(I) chain revealed a striking homology between the two chains in this region which is higher than for the entire alpha chains.


The covalent structure of calf skin type III collagen. IV. The amino acid sequence of the cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB5 (positions 552--788). The cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB5 is 237 amino acid residues in length and occupies position 552--788 along the alpha 1(III) chain. For sequence analysis alpha 1(III)CB5 was fragmented with hydroxylamine, protease from Staphylococcus aureus V8, trypsin and the arginine-specific enzyme from mouse submaxillary gland. The peptides obtained were separated using molecular and ion exchange chromatography and sequenced with the automated Edman degradation procedure.


The covalent structure of calf skin type III collagen. V. The amino acid sequence of the cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB9A (position 789 to 927). The cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB9A is 139 amino acid residues in length and occupies positions 789--927 along the alpha 1(III) chain. Peptides necessary for the complete sequence analysis were obtained after fragmentation of alpha 1(III)CB9B with trypsin, protease from Staphylococcus aureus V8, hydroxylamine and chymotrypsin. They were separated mainly by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and phosphocellulose and subsequently sequenced using the automated Edman degradation procedure.


The covalent structure of calf skin type III collagen. VI. The amino acid sequence of the carboxyterminal cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB9B (position 928--1028). The C-terminal cyanogen bromide peptide alpha 1(III)CB9B is 101 amino acid residues in length and occupies position 928--1028 along the alpha 1(III) chain. For sequence analysis, alpha 1(III)CB9B was fragmented with trypsin and chymotrypsin. The peptides obtained were separated using molecular sieve and ion exchange chromatography and sequenced using the automated Edman degradation procedure.


The effect of sodium chloride on the structure of ribonucleoprotein particles from rat liver nuclei. 38S (monoparticles) and greater than 50--200S ribonucleoprotein particles (polyparticles) from rat liver nuclei were treated with increasing concentrations of sodium chloride. Treatment of 38S or greater than 50--200S particles, with 0.14, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0M NaCl resulted in a decrease of protein to RNA ratios from 8 to 3.1 for 38S particles and from 4.0 to 1.5 for greater than 20--200S particles. Correspondingly the densities in CsCl increased. Whereas the maximum of the sedimentation profile of polyparticles decreased from 90S to 50S after treatment with increasing NaCl concentrations, a discontinuous change was found in the case of monoparticles. It was shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that the proteins which were dissociated by NaCl were in the molecular weight range of 30--45 000. Four of the 5 small molecular weight RNAs in the range of 4.5 to 8S remained tightly associated even after treatment of polyparticles with 2.0M NaCl. When 38S or 70--200S nRNP particles were exposed to increasing concentrations of NaCl (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0M), the molar ellipticity at 264 nm increased progressively to about 40%. Upon NaCl treatment of polyparticles and successive removal of the dissociated proteins by centrifugation the increase in the positive CD band at 264 nm was only 15%.


An improved method for the determination of cytoplasmic 3 alpha- and 17 beta- and microsomal 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities in rat liver. This paper described a modified method for the radiometric determination of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities in rat liver. The principle advantages of this method are the improved precision and a radical reduction in the time involved in performing the assay. The procedure comprises the following steps: incubation of 14C-labelled substrate with coenzyme and cell fraction under optimized conditions; termination of the reaction by addition of organic solvent containing a defined amount of 3H-labelled reaction product; removal of precipitated protein and coenzyme by centrifugation; paper chromatographic isolation of the product; direct quantitation of 14C activity in the product zone of the paper chromatogram. The assay systems have been applied to elucidate and quantitate sex and strain differences in the activities of the above enzymes in Chbb/THOM and Sprague-Dawley rats.