The biosynthesis of 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one by the horse fetal gonad.

Horse fetal gonadal tissue was incubated with 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-pregnadien-20-one and 5,7-cholestadien-3 beta-ol and it was shown that both substrates were converted to 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one. These findings support the proposal that in this tissue there is a 5,7-diene pathway producing 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one, the putative precursor of equilin in the placenta.

Steroid biosynthesis by a sesterterpene pathway in the rat adrenal gland in vitro.

Rat adrenal gland preparations were incubated with radioactive cholesterol and 23,24-dinor-5-cholen-3 beta-ol. Steroids were isolated, purified by thin-layer and high performance liquid chromatography and crystallised to constant specific activity. It was found that the rat adrenal gland can utilise 23,24-dinor-5-cholen-3 beta-ol to produce corticosterone.

Enzyme variation in T. brucei ssp. II. Evidence for T. b. rhodesiense being a set of variants of T. b. brucei.

A collection of stocks of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense isolated in Kenya have been examined for electrophoretic variation in 20 enzymes. The results obtained have been analysed in order to determine whether these trypanosomes are diploid and undergo mating and to determine the genetic distance between T. b.

A neurological basis for visual discomfort.

Certain patterns of stripes are judged to be unpleasant to look at. They induce illusions of colour, shape and motion that are sometimes perceived predominantly to one side of fixation. People who suffer frequent headaches tend to report more illusions, and if the pain consistently occurs on the same side of the head the illusions tend to be lateralized.

Serum pancreatic isoamylase estimation by the inhibitor method as a diagnostic test for chronic pancreatitis.

The diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis is often difficult to establish and may involve invasive diagnostic procedures. Serum pancreatic isoamylase has been estimated by the inhibitor method in controls and in 38 patients with known chronic pancreatitis in order to evaluate its use as a diagnostic test. The mean pancreatic isoamylase in those with chronic pancreatitis (68 +/- 77 IU/l) was significantly lower (p less than 0.

Enzyme variation in Trypanosoma brucei spp. I. Evidence for the sub-speciation of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.

Three groups of stocks of Trypanosoma brucei ssp, defined by the criteria of host, human serum resistance and place of isolation as T. b. gambiense, T.

Evidence for an inherited predisposition to alcoholic pancreatitis. A controlled HLA typing study.

To investigate the role of heredity in alcoholic pancreatitis, an HLA typing study has been performed. Patients with alcoholic pancreatitis exhibited an increased frequency of HLA Bw 39 when compared with the general population [13.6% vs 3.

The effect of counselling on physical disability and social recovery after mastectomy.

A controlled trial was conducted to determine if a specialist nurse improved the physical and social recovery of patients after mastectomy and helped them adapt to the breast loss. Seventy five patients were counselled by the nurse who also monitored their progress after discharge while 77 patients received the care normally given by the surgical unit. Twelve to eighteen months after surgery those helped by the nurse showed a greater social recovery, return to work, adaptation to breast loss and satisfaction with their breast prostheses.

Identification of 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-pregnadien-20-one and 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one as endogenous steroids in the fetal horse gonad.

The 5,7-dienes, 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-pregnadien-20-one and 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one were extracted from fetal horse gonads and purified by solvent partition, thin-layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. The isolated steroids were identified by comparison with the synthetic steroids using ultraviolet and mass spectroscopy and by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The identification of these compounds as endogenous steroids, together with the data on their biosynthesis reported previously, support the proposal that in the fetal horse gonad there is a 5,7-diene pathway biosynthesizing 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one, which is the proposed precursor for equilin in the placenta.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of monoalkylcarbamic and thiocarbamic esters of 3-mercapto-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide and of its Bz-derivatives.

A new series of monoalkylcarbamic esters of 3-mercapto-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide (I) and of its 6-chloro- and 5,7-dichloroderivatives [compounds (II leads to XVI)] and a series of monoalkylthiocarbamic esters of (I) [compounds (XVII leads to XIX)] were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial activity. All the substances studied have been found to possess an inhibiting action on one or more strains of mycetes of the genus Candida and on some strains of Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the genus Staphylococcus. Moreover, some compounds have shown a bacteriostatic effect on a strain belonging to the genus Streptococcus.

Sexual processes in the kinetoplastida.

The commonly held view that the kinetoplastida, and in particular trypanosomes, are asexual is largely derived from the principle that an organism is asexual until proved sexual. If the basis for this view is examined in detail, it largely arises from the lack of morphologically distinguishable gametes, the difficulties encountered in visualizing chromosomes and a few experiments, using drug-resistant stocks, in which no recombination between stocks could be demonstrated. While it is clear that these organisms are able to reproduce asexually, the existence of a sexual cycle was, until recently, an entirely open question.

Biosynthesis of 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-pregnadien-20-one by the horse fetal gonad.

The production of equilin and the other ring B-unsaturated estrogens by the pregnant mare is anomalous in that they are biosynthesised by a cholesterol-independent pathway. Fetal horse gonads were incubated with tritiated sodium acetate and radiochemically pure 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-pregnadien-20-one and 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one were isolated. A fetal gonad--placental system is proposed for equilin production, 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-pregnadien-20-one being a precursor for 3 beta-hydroxy-5,7-androstadien-17-one in the fetal gonad and the latter being the precursor of equilin in the placenta.

Antigens of the erythrocytes stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum detected by monoclonal antibodies.

A range of 22 mouse anti-P. falciparum monoclonal antibodies have been characterized by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. On the basis of these studies, 5 groups of antibodies and 6 classes of antigen were defined.

Cost of counselling women who undergo mastectomy.

The psychiatric morbidity associated with mastectomy and brest cancer was substantially reduced by a specialist nurse who counselled women before and after surgery and monitored their progress. A controlled study was, therefore, carried out to determine what this cost. National Health Service costs were almost wholly covered by savings made because counselled subjects who developed psychiatric problems were recognised and treated much earlier than control patients.

Spermatogenesis in the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and changes during sexual regression.

In the testes of sexually active grey squirrels 8 stages of spermatogenesis were recognized each with a characteristic association of germ cells. The low numbers of spermatozoa in squirrel testes are the result of fewer spermatogonial divisions compared with those of most other mammals as well as a low efficiency of spermatogenesis, with only 42% of the germ cells becoming spermatozoa. A period of testicular regression which may be prolonged follows the breeding season in June/July.

Effect of protamine on plasma ionized calcium in the dog.

The anaesthetized, heparinized health adult dogs were infused with protamine sulphate 3 mg X kg-1 and plasma ionized calcium was measured. A significant (p less than 0.01) decrease in ionized calcium occurred which preceded the maximal reduction in cardiac output and systemic arterial pressure.

Progesterone concentrations in peripheral plasma of non-pregnant and pregnant grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis).

Plasma concentrations of progesterone in non-pregnant female grey squirrels were never greater than 3.2 nmol/l and no significant differences were found between levels in anoestrous, pro-oestrous and oestrous animals. During pregnancy, plasma concentrations of progesterone increased significantly and reached a maximum level of 318 nmol/l at around day 35 of the 44 day period of gestation.

Analysis of protein variation in Plasmodium falciparum by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

The proteins of cultured isolates of Plasmodium falciparum have been labelled with [35S]methionine and then examined for variation between isolates by the two dimensional gel electrophoresis system of O'Farrell. A large number (ca. 100) of proteins have been characterised in terms of their isoelectric point and molecular weight, and thirty five proteins have been compared in all isolates.

Effect of counselling on the psychiatric morbidity associated with mastectomy.

A controlled trial was conducted to determine whether counselling by a specialist nurse prevented the psychiatric morbidity associated with mastectomy and breast cancer. Seventy-five patients were counselled by the nurse and monitored during follow-up, while 77 patients received only the care normally given by the surgical unit. Counselling failed to prevent morbidity, but the nurse's regular monitoring of the women's progress led her to recognise and refer 76% of those who needed psychiatric help.

Anesthetics as teratogens: nitrous oxide is fetotoxic, xenon is not.

Exposure of pregnant rats to the anesthetic nitrous oxide on the ninth day of gestation causes fetal resorption, skeletal anomalies, and macroscopic lesions including encephalocele, anophthalmia, microphthalmia, and gastroschisis. The inert gas xenon, which has anesthetic properties similar to those of nitrous oxide, does not cause teratogenic effects under the same experimental conditions.

Plasma levels and cardiovascular effect of nitroglycerin in pregnant sheep.

The cardiovascular effects and blood levels of intravenous nitroglycerin in mother and foetus were studied in normotensive and hypertensive ewes. Although nitroglycerin produced a reduction in uterine blood flow following a decrease in blood pressure, there was little if any incidence of adverse effects in the foetus. Nitroglycerin was detected in all but two samples of foetal arterial blood but the foetal/maternal artery ratio was only 0.