The Terry Biopsy Needle

Six illustrative cases are reported to demonstrate the versatility of the Terry biopsy needle as a useful instrument for obtaining satisfactory biopsy specimens from the liver and from other tissues as well. The apparatus and method of use are described and illustrated.     

The role of selenium in thyroid hormone metabolism and effects of selenium deficiency on thyroid hormone and iodine metabolism

Selenium deficiency impairs thyroid hormone metabolism by inhibiting the synthesis and activity of the iodothyronine deiodinases, which convert thyroxine (T₄) to the more metabolically active 3,3′-5 triiodothyronine (T₃). Hepatic type I iodothyronine deiodinase, identified in partially purified cell fractions using affinity labeling with [¹²⁵I]N-bromoacetyl reverse triiodothyronine, is also labeled with⁷⁵Se by in vivo treatment of rats with⁷⁵Se-Na₂SeO₃. Thus, the type I iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase is a selenoenzyme. In rats, concurrent selenium and iodine deficiency produces greater increases in thyroid weight and plasma thyrotrophin than iodine deficiency alone. These results indicate that a concurrent selenium deficiency could be a major determinant of the severity of iodine deficiency.     

The relation of extracellular amylase,mycelium, and time,in some thermophilic and mesophilic humicola species

All four fungi studied attained approximately the same dry weight of mycelium in starch-yeast extract medium. Only about one-fourth the amount of mycelia was produced in yeast extract alone (starch omitted). However, the initial growth rate ofH. grisea var.thermoidea was greater than the other three fungi. Extracellular amylase was produced by all four fungi, butH. lanuginosa produced 8 to 12 times as much as the other three. Maximum extracellular amylase was found before autolysis with these three fungi, but after autolysis withH. lanuginosa. Extracellular amylase was detected in YE medium (lacking starch), but in very low amounts (approximately one-eighth the amount observed as when starch was present). Increasing the amount of starch in the medium increased extracellular amylase. However, when the starch concentration was kept constant, increasing the concentration of yeast extract had no effect on extracellular amylase.Contribution No. 59 from the Botany Section, The Department of Biology. Portion of a thesis presented by the senior author in partial fulfillment for the M.S. degree.