Immunohistochemical study of a large molecular fragment of thyroglobulin in parafollicular cells

Thyroglobulin-like immunoreactivity of the parafollicular cells was studied by an immunoperoxidase bridge technique using antisera against dog thyroglobulin fragments. 1. The dog parafollicular cells were specifically stained by anti-peak I (27S and larger components fraction) antiserum absorbed with peak II (19S fraction). By this method, they were easily distinguishable from the non-reactive follicular cells and colloid droplets. More sensitive staining of the parafollicular cells was possible with anti-peak I' (larger components fraction) antiserum. The staining reactions indicated that the antigenic material responsible for immunoreactivity of the parafollicular cells was due to larger molecular components of thyroglobulin corresponding to 32S, 37S or greater than 37S, and was not due to either the 19S thyroglobulin or to the 27S iodoprotein. 2. A conspicuous decrease of the immunoreactive material in the parafollicular cells occurred in the dog after both chronically induced hypercalcemia and antithyroid drug treatment. This coincided with movement of secretory granules containing calcitonin as shown by staining with silver impregnation, HCl-basic dye, and lead-hematoxylin. 3. The antisera against larger molecular components of dog thyroglobulin showed a high degree of cross-reactivity to the parafollicular cells of most of the mammalian species investigated; rats, rabbits, hamsters, mice, cats, lions, goats, cows, and human.     

Insuppressibility of plasma glucagon by orally or intravenously administered glucose in diabetes mellitus

In order to study the response of pancreatic alpha cells to the change blood glucose, plasma pancreatic glucagon levels were measured after glucose loading given orally (50g) or intravenously (25g) in twenty-two normal controls and eighty untreated diabetics. Basal plasma pancreatic glucagon levels did not differ significantly in the two groups. However, oral or intravenous glucose administration caused a decrease in plasma pancreatic glucagon in normal subjects but not in diabetics. In "moderate" or "severe" diabetics, plasma pancreatic glucagon tended to increase paradoxically following oral glucose loading. To evaluate the sensitivity of pancreatic alpha cells to glucose, we calculated the index, -sigma delta IRG/sigma delta BS, after oral glucose loading. It was 1.96 +/- 0.57 in normal subjects, and significantly higher than in "mild" (0.11 +/- 0.05), "moderate" (-0.002 +/- 0.06) and "severe" (-0.09 +/- 0.07) diabetics. These results demonstrate the insensitivity of alpha cells to hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus as compared with normal subjects.     

Population changes and ranging behaviour of wild Japanese monkeys at Mt. Kawaradake in Kyushu,Japan

Population changes and home range utilization of the wild Japanese monkey at Mt. Kawaradake have been studied since 1972. Age compositions of this troop were obtained over a seven-year period. Troop size decreased from over 100 to 40 individuals as a result of a capture in 1974. The capture affected directly and indirectly the troop's range and population dynamics. The troop reduced its range size from 4.7 km² to 2.67 km² and changed its utilization pattern in relation to the decrease in size. After the capture, the troop used one particular area intensively, whereas the rhythmic nomadic pattern had been observed as before. This may have been caused by the decrease in the overall food requirement of the troop. The birth rate increased significantly after the capture. However, troop size did not increase because of the low recruitment rate for adult females and the high mortality of juveniles.     

Chemical identity of tryptensin with angiotensin.

Tryptensin, a vasopressor substance generated from human plasma protein fraction IV-4 by trypsin, has been isolated and the amino acid composition analysed. The procedures used for the isolation were: (a) adsorption of the formed tryptensin on Dowex 50W (X2; NH4+ form); (b) gel filtration through Sephadex G-25; (c) cation-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose; (d) anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose; (e) re-chromatography on CM-cellulose; (f) gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-2; (g) partition chromatography on high-pressure liquid chromatography. The homogeneity of the isolated tryptensin was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography and thin-layer electrophoresis. The amino acid analysis of the hydrolysate suggested the following proportional composition: Asp, 1; Val, 1; Ile, 1; Tyr, 1; Phe, 1; His, 1; Arg, 1; Pro, 1. This composition is identical with that of human angiotensin.     

Pathological and microbiological studies on calf pneumonia occurring in mass rearing facilities

Pathological and microbiological studies were conducted on lesions in the lungs of 194 calves from mass rearing facilities. Macroscopically, the lesions were classified into six forms: nonlesion, atelectasis, mild pneumonia, moderate pneumonia, advanced pneumonia, and advanced pneumonia accompanied with abscess. Histopathological examination revealed bronchopneumonia in most of the calves. Lesions more advanced than moderate pneumonia were complicated with desquamation, severe exudation, and necrosis. Bacteriologically, Pasteurella sp. was isolated often in combination with Staphylococcus sp. from about a half of the atelectatic cases. With the development of pneumonic lesions, Pasteurella sp. was isolated at a high frequency in combination with Haemophilus sp., Streptococcus sp., and Corynebacterium sp. Prominent necrosis was more often seen in cases with Pasteurella haemolytica isolated than in cases with only Pasteurella multocida isolated. Mycoplasma sp. and Ureaplasma sp. were isolated from distinctly pneumonic lesions. Advanced pneumonic lesions were observed in many calves over 30 days of age. The importance of environmental and managerial improvement was also emphasized, since calf pneumonia tended to break out in facilities under unsatisfactory conditions in the present work.     

Habituation in suspension-cultured soybean cells to thiamine and its precursors

When thiamine concentration in subculture medium was rapidlylowered to nil, soybean cells in suspension became necroticand stopped growing entirely. When it was gradually lowered,cell growth was vigorous until the concentration was reducedto 7.8?10^–3 mg/liter. The cells at this level of thiamineceased growing for a time, but prolonged culture in the samemedium resulted in the appearance of fresh white cells whichcould be easily distinguished from the old brown, necrotic cellsin the aggregates. These new cell lines could be subculturedwith further reduction in the thiamine supply, growing as largeraggregates of about 4 mm in diameter. New cell lines were similarly obtained by prolonged culturesin media containing a thiamine precursor; three lines appearedto be habituated to the pyrimidine moiety and one to the thiazolemoiety. The latter cell line could be subcultured without thiamineand its precursors for at least eight passages. These habituatedcells were characterized by the increase of the dry to freshweight ratio and by their growth in large aggregates. ¹Present address: Section of Phytochemical Research, Eisai Co.,Ltd., Kawashima, Gifu 483, Japan. (Received December 15, 1978; )     

Effects of 2 water-soluble contrast media, meglumine iothalamate (Conray) and meglumine iocarmate (Dimer-X), on the electric activity of identifiable giant neurons of the African giant snail (Achatina fulica Ferussac)]

The influences of two water soluble contrast media, meglumine iothalamate and meglumine iocarmate, on the neuronal excitability and on the neuronal sensitivity to putative transmitters were examined in comparison with those of sucrose using two identifiable giant neurones of Achatina fulica Férussac (the TAN and the PON). A relatively low increase of osmotic pressure of the extracellular fluid, produced by the application of contrast media, reversed the Cl- dependent inhibition caused by a putative transmitter. The same increase of this osmotic pressure, however, did not influence the Cl- independent inhibition and the excitation of the neurone examined. The hyperpolarization of neuromembrane was caused by an increase of osmotic pressure of the extracellular fluid. Its relatively high increase was necessary to make spontaneous spike discharges disappear totally. All effects of the two contrast media, observed in this study, were due to the increase of osmotic pressure of the extracellular fluid ; no specific effect of the contrast media containing the iodine on the indicators used was observed.     

On the role of recA gene product in genetic recombination: an analysis by in vitro packaging of recombinant DNA molecules formed in the absence of protein synthesis.

Summary The role of the recA gene product of Escherichia coli in genetic recombination was examined in a system where recombination takes place in the absence of protein synthesis. recA200 bacteria were infected with two mutant strains of phage lambda in the presence of chloramphenicol and rifampin, and the resulting recombinant DNA molecules were measured by in vitro packaging. When recA200 bacteria grown at a temperature that is permissive for RecA phenotype were transferred to a temperature that is restrictive for RecA phenotype in the presence of the inhibitors, recombination of the infecting phages was severely blocked. This result shows that the recombination activity of the recA200 cells is inactivated by the change of temperature even in the absence of protein synthesis. The most likely explanation of this result is that the recA protein is directly involved in the recombination detected in the presence of chloramphenicol and rifampin.