Early pregnancy factor is an immunosuppressive contaminant of commercial preparations of human chorionic gonadotrophin.

Early pregnancy factor (EPF) is a pregnancy associated substance detected in human serum and urine throughout the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. It has also been detected in several commercial preparations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). The various molecular weight forms of EPF which occur in human pregnancy serum, urine and commercial hCG preparations have been partially characterized and found to be similar to each other but distinct from hCG.

Actin in human spermatozoa.

An actin-like material was extracted from human spermatozoa. The material comigrated with actin on sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and showed specific affinity for myosin. Purified anti-actin antibodies were used to localize actin to the posterior region of the sperm head and to the connecting piece, midpiece and mainpiece of the tail.

The reversible binding of glycolytic enzymes in ovine skeletal muscle in response to tetanic stimulation.

The extent of binding of glycolytic enzymes to the particulate fraction of homogenates was measured in sheep hind muscles after electrical stimulation. As compared to the control muscles, stimulation led to significant increases in the amount of phosphofructokinase, aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase bound to the particulate fraction. The binding of other glycolytic enzymes was not significantly altered.

Effect of electrical stimulation post mortem of bovine muscle on the binding of glycolytic enzymes. Functional and structural implications.

The extent of binding of glycolytic enzymes to the particulate fraction of homogenates was measured in bovine psoas muscle before and after electrical stimulation. In association with an accelerated glycolytic rate on stimulation, there was a significant increase in the binding of certain glycolytic enzymes, the most notable of which were phosphofructokinase, aldolase, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase. From the known association of glycolytic enzymes with the I-band of muscle it is proposed that electrical stimulation of anaerobic muscle increases enzyme binding to actin filaments.

Interaction of aldolase with actin-containing filaments. Structural studies.

Electron micrographs of the paracrystals formed when fructose bisphosphate aldolase (EC 4.1.2.

Binding of aldolase to actin-containing filaments. Evidence of interaction with the regulatory proteins of skeletal muscle.

The interactions of aldolase with regulatory proteins of rabbit skeletal muscle were investigated by moving-boundary electrophoresis. A salt-dependent interaction of troponin, tropomyosin and the tropomyosin-troponin complex with aldolase was detected, the tropomyosin-troponin complex displaying a greater affinity for the enzyme than did either regulatory protein alone. The results indicate that aldolase possesses multiple binding sites (three or more) for these muscle proteins.

Changes associated with glycolytic-enzyme binding in the equatorial X-ray-diffraction pattern of glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle.

The binding of fructose biphosphate aldolase to the thin filaments of glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle produces a significant change in its low-angle X-ray-diffraction pattern. The intensity of the (11) reflection relative to that of the (10) reflection increases by 26 +/- 3% (mean +/- S.E.

The incidence of thiabendazole resistance in field populations of Haemonchus contortus on the northern tablelands of New South Wales.

A survey was undertaken to assess the incidence of thiabendazole resistance in field populations of H. contortus in sheep flocks on 40 farms distributed throughout the sheep grazing area of the northern tablelands of New South Wales. Treatment with thiabendazole at 66 mg/kg reduced H.

Syntheses, analgetic activity, and physical dependence capacity of 5-phenyl-6,7-benzomorphan derivatives.

The synthesis, analgetic activity, and physical dependence capacity of a large number of 5-phenyl-6,7-benzomorphan derivatives are described. Observations made during the Stevens' rearrangement of 1-benzyl-1-methyl-delta 3-piperidinium salt derivatives (V) under various conditions are discussed. The absolute configuration of the 9-demethyl series and the 2'-deoxy series is established by comparison of their ORD and CD spectra with those of 49, whose absolute configuration was previously established by X-ray crystallography.

Congenital hypothyroidism and IQ increase: a quarter century follow-up.

Ten patients with a history of congenital hypothyroidism were recalled for IQ evaluation 16 to 26 years after an original IQ test at age 5 to 6. From childhood through adulthood, the IQ (Wechsler) increased (mean full scale IQ increase = 21; range = -5 to 43 points). Serial testing in three instances showed the timing of the increase to be sudden and unpredictable.

A series of hexahydro[1,4]oxazino[3,4-a]isoquinolines as potential neuroleptics.

The synthesis and stereochemistry of trans-N,N-diethyl-9,10-dimethoxy-1,3,4,6,7,11b-hexahydro[1,4]oxazino[3,4-a]isoquinoline-3-carboxamide hydrochloride (16) and a series of analogues are described. 16 and its (+) isomer had neuroleptic properties in the Sidman avoidance test in gerbils. A few closely related amides of the trans series were active but cis amides were inactive as neuroleptics.

Conformation of 2,9-dimethyl-3'-hydroxy-5-phenyl-6,7-genzomorphan and its relation to other analgetics and enkephalin.

X-ray crystallographic data for 2,9-dimethyl-3'-hydroxy-5-phenyl-6,7-benzomorphan (I) as its p-bromobenzoyl ester are presented. The structure of I is compared with that of morphine, meperidine, alpha-allylprodine, methadone, and moramide as well as with a proposed structure of the enkephalins. A quantitative relationship is found between in vitro opiate receptor binding potency and in vivo analgesia for analgesics of diverse structure, including I.

Detection and separation of two serum factors responsible for depression of lymphocyte activity in pregnancy.

Studies using the rosette inhibition test have demonstrated a depression of lymphocyte activity in pregnant mice which occurs as early as 6 hr after fertilization and persists until just before delivery. This depression of lymphocyte activity is induced by two serum factors, the relative contributions of which vary with the time of gestation. The first, a high molecular weight early pregnancy factor, appears within hours of fertilization and then slowly declines in activity as gestation proceeds.

Multiple myeloma and monoclonal IgA with anti-actin reactivity.

Serum containing a monoclonal IgA protein from a patient with multiple myeloma gave intense immunofluorescent staining of smooth muscle fibres and the striations of skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle and thymic myoid cells. It also gave a weaker reaction with hepatocytes in a 'polygonal' pattern, and with renal glomeruli in a diffuse pattern. In culture fibroblasts, the serum stained long, parallel cytoplasmic filaments.

An electron microscope study of the interaction between fructose diphosphate aldolase and actin-containing filaments.

The interaction of fructose diphosphate aldolase with F-actin, F-actin-tropomyosin, and F-actin-tropomyosin-troponin has been studied by using negative staining. In the absence of troponin, minor aggregates of aldolase and the F-actin filaments are formed. A well-ordered lattice structure is only formed in the case of the fully reconstituted filament when the filament-to-filament spacing is 18nm, and the cross-bridge spacing is 38.

Modification of the kinetic parameters of aldolase on binding to the actin-containing filaments of skeletal muscle.

The kinetic parameters of fructose bisphosphate aldolase (EC 4.1.2.