Effects of anhydrous benzoylation on staining with a variety of protein end-group methods

Summary The effects of anhydrous benzoylation were examined in connection with the following protein end-group methods: diazosulfanilic acid — Azure A, the Sakaguchi reaction and a fluorescent variant, the phenanthrequinone fluorescent method for arginine, the Millon reaction, the Morel-Sisley reaction, the mercury orange method, the alloxan and ninhydrinShiff methods, the Dansyl-chloride fluorescent method for lysine, the dimethylaminobenz-aldehydenitrite (DMAB) method for tryptophan, and the acid fluorochrome brilliant sulfoflavin used at pH 2.8 as a stain for basic groups. With all of these methods except the DMAB method for tryptophan, selective blockage of cytoplasmic proteins and staining of nuclei was obtained. With the DMAB reaction, the results were reversed: cytoplasmic staining exceeded nuclear staining after benzoylation.     

Combination Chemotherapy using L-Asparaginase,Daunorubicin, and Cytosine Arabinoside in Adults with Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia

Cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin used in an intensive intermittent regimen have been shown to be an effective combination for the induction of complete remissions in 14 out of 23 adult patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia. This gives an overall complete remission rate of 60%. A further patient had a good partial remission. The addition of L-asparaginase to the regimen has not increased the incidence of remission and there were more side effects in the L-asparaginasetreated group. Of the 10 patients treated with L-asparaginase in addition to cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin, five achieved a complete remission. Of the 13 patients treated with cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin without L-asparaginase, nine achieved a complete remission and one a good partial remission.     

PRENATAL CARE—A Group Psychotherapeutic Approach

It has been well established that “normal” pregnancy gives rise to much anxiety whose source is variable. When not adequately dealt with, the anxiety may masquerade in the guise of physical symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, or, more often, as disquieting emotional counterparts, like irritability and depression.A study was undertaken in the outpatient obstetrical department at U.C.L.A. utilizing a group psychotherapeutic approach. The results helped the patients and offered training to staff in dealing with emotional problems of pregnancy. Patients were seen in groups of seven, twice a month for one-hour sessions. Participating in each group were an obstetrical resident, a psychiatric resident and a nurse. The subject material was not selected beforehand. Groups were similar in that the expected time of delivery of the patients was approximately the same. Results of the study suggested that the much needed emotional support may be supplied in this way with little to no additional time expenditure on the part of the physician or nurse.     

Morphology of a Virus of Blue-green Algae and Properties of Its Deoxyribonucleic Acid

The morphology of Safferman's virus of blue-green algae (phycovirus LPP-1) has been studied by electron microscopy and physicochemical methods. The virion has a short (100 to 200 A long, 150 A in diameter) forked tail, with an outer sheath, an inner core, and a capital attached to one of the vertices of a polyhedral head. The head capsid edge-to-edge distance is 600 A, based upon internal calibration of the magnification in electron micrographs by use of the line-line spacing of catalase crystals. Measurements of absorbancy and infectivity, and electron microscopy across the band of virus after zone centrifugation on a sucrose gradient, indicated that infectivity was correlated with the short-tailed particles described. The viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is linear, with a contour length of 13.2 +/- 0.5 mu, measured by the Kleinschmidt method. Its sedimentation coefficient, S(0) (20, w), is 33.4 +/- 0.7 S. These values are consistent with a molecular weight of 27 x 10(6) for the viral DNA. Based upon buoyant density in CsCl and thermal denaturation, the guanine-cytosine content of the DNA is 53%. The viral DNA was used as template for in vitro ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. This RNA annealed to 18% of the sequences in the viral DNA, 0.5% of the sequences in bacteriophage T7 DNA, and 0.25% of the sequences in Plectonema boryanum DNA, at saturating levels of RNA in the Hall-Nygaard hybridization assay. The lack of homology with T7 DNA is of interest because the two viruses are very similar morphologically. The lack of homology with host DNA suggests that this algal virus is a poor candidate for transduction.     

Renal Disease Secondary to Metabolic Disorders or Physiological Deficiency States

Significant alterations in the structure and functions of the kidney are caused by a number of metabolic disturbances and deficiencies of physiological substances. These include intercapillary glomerulosclerosis, gout, hypercalcemia, hereditary cystinuria, potassium depletion, pyrophosphates deficiency, vitamin D deficiency and liver disorders. Some of these metabolic disorders are secondary to drug ingestion.     

Comparative Evaluation of Rheumatic Activity—A Study of Relationship Between Histologic Changes and Serologic Test Results in Cardiac Surgical Patients

Atrial or ventricular myocardium from patients with surgically corrected rheumatic valvular disease was studied for rheumatic lesions in 86 cases. Histologically active Aschoff bodies were found in 20 per cent of the cases. A slight, but statistically not significant relationship was demonstrated in comparison of elevated serologic tests for rheumatic activity with the presence of Aschoff bodies.     

The Latex Serologic Test for Syphilis—A New Screening Procedure

A new macroscopic screening test for syphilis, the Latex-sts test, is extraordinarily simple. After inactivation of the patient''s serum for 30 minutes at 56°C the test is performed by mixing the patient''s serum with latex particles coated with cardiolipin and a protein fraction obtained from the non-pathogenic Reiter strain of Treponema pallidum. Two to three minutes after mixing, the result of the test is observed on a ringed serologic plate. The sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of the new test are equivalent to those of the qualitative Venereal Disease Research Laboratory tube test. The advantages of the Latex-sts are that it can be done in a short time, it is simple and it requires a minimum of laboratory equipment. The coated latex particles are stable for 12 months.     

Rapid Schedules for Koh Clearing and Alizarin Red S Staining of Fetal Rat Bone

Various schedules for staining fetal rat skeleton with alizarin red S were tested to determine a procedure that would produce a completely cleared and well-stained specimen in a short period of time. A 2 day procedure is presented which can produce specimens that are satisfactory but not completely transparent. A 7 day procedure produces cleared and stained specimens which can be well visualized with a dissecting microscope (30×). Fetal rats of 21 days gestation were fixed in 10% formalin for at least 1 wk. The specimens were skinned and eviscerated and then dehydrated in 2 changes of acetone for 12 hr (8 ml per gram body weight). The specimens were then placed in 1% KOM-alizarin red S (6 mg/liter) or 3 days, followed by 10% KOH-alizarin red S for 3 days. Finally, the specimens were placed in a mixture of benzyl alcohol, ethanol, and glycerol (1:2:2) (4 ml per gram body weight) for 12 hr, and then transferred to pure glycerol for storage.