Lipid-bound sugars in malignant human breast tumors

Microsomal preparations from malignant human breast tumors catalyzed the transfer of mannose and glucose from GDP-[14C]-Man and UDP-[14C]-Glc into lipid-linked sugars and glycoprotein-like substances. As judged by several criteria the obtained lipid-linked monosaccharides behaved as dolichyl phosphate mannose and dolichyl phosphate glucose whereas lipid-linked oligosaccharides behaved as polyprenyl diphosphate derivatives. The optimum conditions for mannosyl- and glucosyl-transfer reactions and the effect of dolichyl phosphate, detergent and EDTA on incubation mixture were described.     

High resolution studies on the pattern of induced exchanges in the human karyotype

The pattern of breakage and exchange induced by X-irradiation of human lymphocytes at G₁ has been analysed in PHA transformed cultures at X₁ metaphase in cells treated with trypsin. All the events observed occurred in interband segments. Moreover, as far as the autosomes were concerned, these events appear to be at random in relation to trypsin interband length but give some indication of non-randomness when total chromosome length is considered. The X and Y chromosomes, on the other hand, show far fewer breaks than would be expected whichever criterion is adopted, and in particular appear to be isolated from the autosomes with respect to the occurrence of exchange events. — The analysis of specific break points in relation to trypsin banding sequences, makes it clear that conclusions regarding chromosome rearrangements based solely on conventional preparations may be misleading.     

Chemical and physiological changes in fungi during autolysis

A comparative study was done on some of the chemical changes occurring during autolysis of cultures ofAspergillus flavus in both physiologically acid and alkaline media. The mycelium ofA. flavus lost during autolysis 44 % of its maximum dry weight in the physiologically alkaline medium, whereas this loss was apparently nil in the physiologically acid medium. Nitrogen containing compounds seemed not to be affected by autolysis either in the physiologically acid or alkaline media. The disappearance of P-containing compounds in mycelium ofA. flavus autolysed in both conditions (NO ₃ ^– and NH ₄ ⁺ as N source) amounted to 64 % in the alkaline autolysis and to nearly 77 % in the acid autolysis. The results we have obtained for the acid autolysis strongly suggest that very little activity is shown by autolytic enzymes in the interval 10–133 days of incubation, when measuring autolysis by the loss in mycelial dry weight.

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Zusammenfassung Eine vergleichende Untersuchung war unternommen an einigen der chemischen Veränderungen, die während der Autolyse der Kulturen vonAspergillus flavus in physiologischen sauren und alkalischen Medien vorkommen. Die Myzelien vonA. flavus haben während der Autolyse 44 % ihres größten Trockengewichtes in physiologisch alkalischem Medium verloren, während dieser Verlust in physiologisch saurem Medium anscheinend Null gewesen ist. Stickstoff enthaltende Substanzen erschienen während der Autolyse weder in physiologisch saueren noch in alkalischen Medien beeinflußt zu sein. Das Verschwinden von P-enthaltenden Substanzen in Myzelien vonA. flavus in Autolyse unter beiden Bedingungen (NO ₃ ^– und NH ₄ ⁺ als Stickstoffquelle) erreichte 64 % in alkalischer Autolyse und beinahe 77 % in der saueren Autolyse. Die Ergebnisse, die wir in der saueren Autolyse erhalten haben legen es sehr nahe, daß autolytische Enzyme eine sehr geringe Aktivität in der Zeitspanne von 10–133 Tagen der Inkubazion zeigen, wenn die Autolyse an dem Verlust des mycelialen Trockengewichtes gemessen wird.

     

THE ETIOLOGY OF SCHIZOPHRENIA—A Review

The causes and the nature of the psychiatric disorder labeled schizophrenia remain vexingly obscure. Perhaps as an expression of a still extant body-mind controversy, most of the experiments and statements made toward an elucidation of the problem follow one or the other of two opposing postulations: (a) That its origin is genetico-organic; (b) that it is environmental. In a review of the outstanding “facts” for either argument, it is notable that they presuppose not only a difference in theoretical frameworks, but two radically distinct outlooks. This is reflected in therapy, a field in which organicists and environmentalists stand even further apart; the organicist, relying heavily on electroshock and drugs, hopes to counteract a hypothetical body malfunction, and the environmentalist, through psychotherapy, attempts to make it possible for the patient to disentangle his own conflicting feelings and reaction patterns.Between the two an eclectic position seems hardly tenable. For, in spite of voluminous research and speculation, it has not been possible to build a bridge between the two camps and integrate different outlooks which, at times, have brought psychiatry almost to the point of schism.