Brain evolution in Old World monkeys.

Sulcal patterns of 14 genera of Old World monkeys were analyzed from 107 endocasts. Colobines and cercopithecines differ in patterns of cerebral convolutions, and functional and evolutionary hypotheses are here proposed regarding those differences. The cercopithecine pattern seems to be the more derived since it suggests relative expansion of prefrontal, and inferior temporal integration cortices as compared to the colobine pattern.     

Zur Chemie des Sputums

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Studies of fibronectin synthesized by cultured chick hepatocytes

We have adapted a chick embryo liver cell system for studying the synthesis of proteins secreted by hepatocytes. In primary liver cell cultures maintained for several days in arginine-deficient medium containing ornithine (0.7 mM) and carbamyl phosphate (1 mM), only hepatocytes demonstrated normal morphological and biosynthetic characteristics, indicating that they possessed a functional ornithine cycle as a source of arginine production. Non-parenchymal liver cells, such as fibroblasts, which lack the ornithine cycle were excluded. Hepatocytes in arginine-deficient or arginine-containing medium synthesized fibronectin (Fn) over several days at a constant rate of 3 micrograms +/- 1 microgram/mg cell protein per day, with fibronectin representing approximately 3% of the total secreted hepatocyte proteins during any culture period after the first 24 h. Pulse-chase experiments indicated that Fn synthesis and secretion was relatively rapid (t1/2 = 45 min) and represented approximately 95% of the intracellularly labelled Fn. This Fn is secreted predominantly as a 450 kD dimer with a subunit size that is indistinguishable from the plasma form as assessed by one-dimensional electrophoretic analysis. Continuous exposure of hepatocytes to insulin caused a moderate decrease (26%) in Fn synthesis, whereas there was no effect of short-term exposure. In contrast, dexamethasone stimulated Fn production 2-3-fold, consistent with its known ability to stimulate hepatocyte production of acute phase proteins. Under these conditions, electrophoretic analyses showed that an increased quantity of intact hepatocyte Fn was produced having the same molecular size of plasma Fn.     

Energy-dependent receptor activities of Escherichia coli K-12: mutated TonB proteins alter FhuA receptor activities to phages T5, T1, ⊘80 and to colicin M

Abstract The activity of the FhuA receptor in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli is dependent on the TonB, ExbB and ExbD proteins which are anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane. Only infection by phage T5 occurs independently of TonB, ExbB and ExbD. In this paper we describe mutated FhuA proteins which displayed either an increased or decreased FhuA activity to phage T5 when combined with mutated TonB proteins. These results suggest conformational changes in FhuA by TonB which are recognized by phage T5. Similar results were obtained with colicin M and the phages T1 and ⊘80. It is proposed that the FhuA mutant proteins assume conformations which are either improved or impaired by the TonB derivatives. For the direct interaction of FhuA with TonB regions which are located outside the TonB box of FhuA and the region around residue 160 of TonB are important.     

Advanced computer graphics technology reveals cortical asymmetry in endocasts of rhesus monkeys

Lengths of cortical sulci were measured on ten endocranial casts (endocasts) from skulls of rhesus monkeys, using advanced computer technology that permits analysis and imaging of surface morphology in three dimensions. Sulcal lengths were compared in left and right hemispheres and, contrary to earlier reports, the length of the left Sylvian fissure was found to be significantly longer than its right counterpart, as is the case for chimpanzees and humans. This asymmetry in humans is thought to be associated with asymmetrical representation of language functions in the left hemisphere and, although this report is the first to demonstrate a significantly longer left Sylvian fissure in rhesus monkeys, our results are in keeping with psychophysical evidence that suggests that Macaca is left hemisphere dominant for perception of meaningful vocalizations. We attribute the difference between our findings and previous reports to the sensitivity of the new computer technology used to collect data from endocasts.     

Nonspecific and selective stimulation of the immune system in the treatment of carcinoma in humans.

The experience of the Toronto General Hospital in the use of nonspecific stimulation of the immune system with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for the treatment of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, malignant melanoma and breast cancer is described. The results are presented in terms of survival curves. The use of BCG administered intraperitoneally in a randomized study of patients with gastric, pancreatic and colorectal cancer proved of no benefit. On the other hand, when BCG was given orally in a randomized study of patients with resectable cancer of the colon and in nonrandomized consecutive studies of patients with malignant melanoma and stage IV carcinoma of the breast survival was increased. In a group of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer selective stimulation of the immune system with NED 137 produced a significant increase in survival when compared with the survival of historical controls (the patients given BCG intraperitoneally along with 5-fluorouracil for gastrointestinal cancer). The results of these studies suggest the need for a more rational approach in manipulating the immune response that would combine chemotherapy with selective stimulation of the immune system.     

Validation of density–elasticity relationships for finite element modeling of human pelvic bone by modal analysis

In total hip arthroplasty and particularly in revision surgery, computer assisted pre-operative prediction of the best possible anchorage strategy for implant fixation would be a great help to the surgeon. Computer simulation relies on validated numerical models. In the current study, three density–elasticity relationships (No. 1–3) from the literature for inhomogeneous material parameter assignment from CT data in automated finite element (FE) modeling of long bones were evaluated for their suitability for FE modeling of human pelvic bone. Numerical modal analysis was conducted on 10 FE models of hemipelvic bone specimens and compared to the gold standard provided by experimental modal analysis results from a previous in-vitro study on the same specimens. Overall, calculated resonance frequencies came out lower than measured values. Magnitude of mean relative deviation of numerical resonance frequencies with regard to measured values is lowest for the density–elasticity relationship No. 3 (−15.9%) and considerably higher for both density–elasticity relationships No. 1 (−41.1%) and No. 2 (−45.0%). Mean MAC values over all specimens amount to 77.8% (No. 1), 78.5% (No. 2), and 83.0% (No. 3). MAC results show, that mode shapes are only slightly influenced by material distribution. Calculated resonance frequencies are generally lower than measured values, which indicates, that numerical models lack stiffness. Even when using the best suited (No. 3) out of three investigated density–elasticity relationships, in FE modeling of pelvic bone a considerable underestimation of model stiffness has to be taken into account.