Activity of lysosomal hydrolases in plasma at term and post partum.

The activity and isoenzyme pattern in plasma of beta-hexosaminidase (abbreviated Hex) and four other lysosomal hydrolases (alpha-fucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, alpha-hexosaminidase, alpha-mannosidase) were studied in 50 women at term and in 10 women at various intervals during the first 6 days after parturition. All hydrolases had elevated activity at term, compared with controls. After parturition the activity of alpha-mannosidase returned to the normal level within 2 days and that of Hex, beta-glucuronidase, and alpha-hexosaminidase within 6 days; alpha-fucosidase having a slightly elevated activity even at the end of this period.

Neurogenic and myogenic responses in isolated smooth muscle of the bovine teat.

Strips of bovine teat smooth muscle were studied. Their innervation was investigated with analytical pharmacology on field stimulated preparations. The content of noradrenaline in the teat wall and the sphincter region was determined.

Pattern of serum beta-hexosaminidase in liver cirrhosis.

The activity of the primarily lysosomal hydrolase, beta-hexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.

Uptake of beta-hexosaminidase by nonparenchymal liver cells and peritoneal macrophages.

The uptake of beta-hexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.

Isoenzyme pattern of serum beta-hexosaminidase in liver disease, alcohol intoxication, and pregnancy.

The isoenzyme distribution of serum beta-hexosaminidase was studied in 11 pregnant women, 18 patients with cirrhosis of the liver, 14 patients with cholestasis, and 9 chronic alcoholics with acute ethanol intoxication. Serum beta-hexosaminidase activity was elevated in sera from all groups. The results of isoenzyme separation by isoelectric focusing demonstrated that the isoenzyme pattern in the different patient groups was similar to pregnancy with a preferential increase of isoenzyme forms with pI's between 5.

Plasma and urinary beta-hexosaminidase in juvenile diabetes mellitus.

The activity of beta-hexosaminidase (E C 3.2.1.

A possible explanation for the occurrence of increased beta-hexosaminidase activity in pregnancy serum.

The activities of the lysosomal enzymes beta-hexosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, and beta-galactosidase were confirmed to be elevated in serum from pregnant women. The increased activity of beta-hexosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase showed the same changes in the isoenzyme pattern as found in serum from patients with some liver affections. In the light of recent findings, the increased activity of beta-hexosaminidase (and some other lysosomal enzymes) in pregnancy and liver disease might depend upon the non-parenchymal liver cells not being able properly to clear these enzymes from the blood.

beta-Hexosaminidase level in serum from patients with viral hepatitis as a measure of reticuloendothelial function.

The lysosomal enzyme beta-hexosaminidase was elevated in different forms of hepatitis. The enzyme level was correlated to the aminotransferases in the acute stage of hepatitis A and B. In hepatitis B there was also a correlation to ALP and bilirubin.

beta-Hexosaminidase in serum from patients with cirrhosis and cholestasis.

THe enzyme activity level of beta-hexosaminidase (beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, EC 3.2.1.

Exposure to organic solvents. A cross-sectional epidemiologic investigation on occupationally exposed care and industrial spray painters with special reference to the nervous system.

In the present epidemiologic study 80 car or industrial spray painters with long-term low level exposure to organic solvents were examined and compared with two matched reference groups of nonexposed industrial workers (80 persons in each group). The aim of the study was to investigate the possible effects of the solvent exposure on health. The investigation included psychiatric interviews, psychometric tests, neurological, neurophysiological and ophthalmologic examinations, and computed tomography of the brain.

Beta-hexosaminidase, leucine aminopeptidase, cystidyl aminopeptidase, hepatic enzymes and bilirubin in serum of chronic alcoholics with acute ethanol intoxication.

beta-Hexosaminidase, leucine aminopeptidase, cystidyl aminopeptidase and routine liver parameters are studied in serum of chronic alcoholics with acute ethanol intoxication. The frequencies of pathological serum levels of the routine measurements made are in relatively good agreement with earlier reports. Serum leucine aminopeptidase and cystidyl aminopeptidase did now show any significant aberration in alcoholic liver disease.

Rhythmic changes in estriol excretion during pregnancy.

Different biologic rhythms with effect on one and the same parameter may cause a complicated signal pattern in which no regularity can be visually identified. In this study an autocorrelation function approach, well established in the interpretation of electroencephalograms, was shown to be applicable also in the interpretation of processes with few points of observation. This technique, used on the excretion of estriol in urine, reveals several rhythms with wavelengths between 6 and 72 hours.

Acid hydrolases in serum from patients with lysosomal disorders.

The activity of acid hydrolases was studied in serum from patients with mucolipidosis (II and III) and other lysosomal disorders. In mucolipidosis II and III all hydrolases examined except alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase and acid phosphatase were greatly increased. High values for beta-galactosidase were seen in mucopolysaccharidosis types I and II, Gaucher's disease, juvenile amaurotic idiocy and metachromatic leucodystrophy.

Long-term exposure to jet fuel. II. A cross-sectional epidemiologic investigation on occupationally exposed industrial workers with special reference to the nervous system.

Thirty jet fuel exposed workers selected according to exposure criteria and thirty nonexposed controls from a jet motor factory were examined, with special reference to the nervous system, by occupational hygiene physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and neurophysiologists. The controls and the exposed subjects were matched with respect to age, employment duration, and education. Among the exposed subjects the mean exposure duration was 17 years, and 300 mg/m3 was calculated as a rough time-weighted average exposure level.

Visible and non-visible EEG changes demonstrated by spectral parameter analysis.

A change of the heart rate in patients with complete AV-block and externally controllable cardiac pace-makers was earlier shown to influence cerebral function, as measured by psychological tests. To determine whether this influence manifests itself in the EEG, 9 patients aged 43-83 years were examined, all having complete AV-block and externally controllable pace-makers. Their EEGs were recorded at different heart rates between 40 and 100/min at rest and during a mental arithmatic test.

An EEG simulator-a means of objective clinical interpretation of EEG.

In 1969 Zetterberg presented a method for describing the spectral properties of an EEG signal, starting from the assumption that the signal is essentially stationary during the analysis epoch. The method involves determination of the parameters for a model consisting of a lenear filter with the ability to produce a signal with the same spectral properties as the EEG signal. Zetterberg and Ahlin described in 1975 an analogue simulator based on this model theory.

Visual evaluation and computer analysis of the EEG--a comparison.

Spectral parameter analysis (SPA) of the EEG provides a description of the distribution of spectral power in the EEG signal in the form of a rational spectrum with not more than 8 parameters. The spectrum is divided into 1-3 components described by frequency and power parameters: bandwidth (delta), peak frequency (f) and power (G). These spectral parameters are determined with the aid of a computer.