[The role of arterial wall proteoglycan in arteriosclerosis (author's transl)].

Arteriosclerosis is the consequence of numerous factors which may be studied by inspecting; the composition of blood (cholesterol) and haemostasis, as well as, modifications in the composition and structure of aging arterial-wall tissue. Arterial-tunica cells synthesise in particular, elastin and proteoglycan (mucopolysaccharide-protein complexes) which account for the artery's mechanical and elastic properties. We have shown by biochemical separation and characterization that proteoglycan synthesis is considerably modified in aging arterial tissue.

[Ophthalmological anaesthesia in old age; 120 cases (author's transl)].

AMong 149 old ophthalmological patients over 70 years old, 29 patients did not undergo a general anaesthesia. The other 120 patients underwent 148 operations under general anaesthesia. The anaesthetic techniques came from neuroleptanalgesia.

Changes in glycoproteins of liver plasma membranes from rats treated with D-galactosamine.

D-Galactosamine administration to rats (400 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection induced biochemical alterations in liver plasma membranes. Alterations were studied 4, 16 and 24 h after D-galactosamine injection. Plasma membrane 5'-mononucleotidase activity decreased to 40% of control values.

Surface changes during development and involution of the cement gland of Xenopus laevis.

The cement gland was studied from stage 17, when the anlage is established, to stage 49, shortly before its disappearance. At early stages, the apical membrane is covered by small microvilli that are more abundant than in the surrounding epiblast cells. Vesicular protrusions along the cell boundaries are also more numerous in the gland cells.

Biosynthesis of labelled anti-müllerian hormone by fetal testes: evidence for the glycoprotein nature of the hormone and for its disulfide-bonded structure.

Tritiated fucose incorporated into proteins released by fetal calf tests into incubation medium proved to be a marker for anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) once non-specific glycoproteins had been eliminated by partial purification. When partially purified incubation medium from fetal calf teste s was fractionated by gel filtration, sucrose density gradient sedimentation or preparative electrofocusing, a single radioactive protein peak co-purified with anti-müllerian activity. Partially purified medium from bull testes--which are devoid of anti-müllerian activity--has a much lower fucose content than that derived from fetal testes.

Involvement of glycoconjugates in insulin-receptor interactions. Studies in liver plasma membranes of control and diabetic mice.

The involvement of glycoconjugates in the insulin-receptor interactions in mouse liver is tested by digestions of membranes with various enzymes. Trypsin decreased the binding of [125I]insulin to liver membranes. After digestion with beta-galactosidase no ""high affinity'' receptor sites could be detected.

[Amoebae in swimming-pools: microbiological and epidemiological aspects (author's transl)].

An inquiry was held to determine the occurrence and quantitative importance of "Limax" amoebae in 8 swimming-pools of the North of France. The influence of water flow system, filters and water disinfectants was studied. The connections with the bacterial flora growing at 37 degrees C and the presence of strains able to grow at 41 degrees were analyzed.

Isolation of glycosaminoglycans from lymphocytes in chronic lymphoic leukemia.

Glycosaminoglycans were isolated from type B chronic lymphoid leukemia lymphocytes. Their studies showed chondroitin sulfate A (C) and under-sulfated chondroitin sulfate, no heparan sulfate was found. These results were confirmed with 12 other chronic lymphoid leukemia patients.

Heterotopic gastric mucosa in the epiglottis and rectum.

A case of gastric heteropia of the glossoepiglottic region in a 13-day-old girl is described. In addition to fundic-type mucosa, all main parts of the gastric wall were present. An additional case of gastric heteropia in the rectum was found in a 14-year-old boy.

Lysosomal N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase activities from arterial wall. Variations with aging.

Properties of two hydrolases: beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase were studied in lysosomal fractions of media-intima from arterial wall. These enzymatic activities change significantly with aging. In the arterial wall, the decrease in activities of beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase between young and old rats was highly significant while there no notable change in the activities of acid phosphatase.

[Chronic ethanol intoxication in mice by the pulmonary route. Its use in the study of tryptophan penetration into the brain].

Pulmonary ethanol absorption produces homogeneous intoxicated mices within a week. Intoxication is evidenced in the increase of plasmatic, hepatic and cerebral gamma-glutamyl-transferases. An increase of blood-brain-barrier permeability for tryptophan is not observed as in acute intoxication.

[Activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase of sheep cerebral cortex with respect to amino acids and glutathione].

gamma-glutamyl Transferase fron Sheep brain cortex capillaries was studied from the point of view of transport of aminoacids across blood brain barrier. Excess substrate inhibition was competitive and observed both with donor (glutathione) and various acceptors (methionine, alanine, tryptophan) but not with arginine. Excess glutathione inhibition of transfer reaction is concomitant with an increase of total reaction (transfer + hydrolysis + autotranspeptidation).