Sterols and steryl esters in some Brassica and Sinapis seeds

The qualitative and quantitative composition of sterols in the free form and esterified to fatty acids was studied in seed oils from Brassica napus, B. campestris, B..iuncea, B. nigra, Sinapis alba and S. aruefisis (Brassica kaber). Sitosterol, followed by campesterol, predominated in both the free and the esterified sterols. The free sterols were richer in brassicasterol (ca 10–20%) than the steryl esters (3–10%). Small amounts of δ⁵-avenasterol and δ⁷-stigmastenol were also found in the Brassica oils, often more in the esterified than in the free form. The quantity of sterols was studied only in Brassica campestris, which had ca 0.3 % in the free as well as in the esterified form. In Sinapis alba, ca 10% of the sterols in the free form and 20 % in the esterified sterols were δ⁵-avenasterol. This compared to only a few per cent in both the free and esterified sterols in the Brassica oils. Similarly, ca 2 % of cholesterol was found among the sterols of Sinapis alba but only traces in the Brassica oils. The similarity of sterol compositions among the cultivated brassicas and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis), and the specific characteristics of the sterols in white mustard (Sinapis alba) adds further weight to the suggestion that wild mustard should be treated as Brassica kaber and strengthens the generic separation of Sinapis alba.     

Effect of glucocorticoids on fetoprotein production by an established cell line from Morris hepatoma 8994

Glucocorticoids at concentrations equal to or higher than 10^?7M lead to an increase of alpha-fetoprotein production by an established cell line from Morris hepatoma 8994. These cells also secreted alpha_M-fetoprotein into the culture medium but only after addition of at least 4×10^?7M hydrocortisone or 5×10^?8M dexamethasone. The effects on both fetoproteins were observed in spite of a decrease of cell multiplication and an increase of cell detachment.     

Immune competence in breast cancer — Relationship of pretreatment immunologic tests to diagnosis and tumor stage

Summary The immune competence of a group of 276 patients with suspected breast cancer has been assessed using a spectrum of tests: the peripheral lymphocyte count, serum immunoglobulin levels, lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), Mantoux test, and dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) skin test. All tests were completed prior to any form of treatment as the initial part of an ongoing, long-term assessment which will ultimately relate immune competence to prognosis. 225 patients with breast cancer were allocated into stages based on their TNM status. The remaining 51 patients proved to have benign breast disease and made up the control group. In analysis, control patients were compared with early breast cancer patients, while the effect of advancing disease was assessed by betweenstage comparisons in the cancer group.There were no significant differences between early breast cancer and control patients or between cancer stages in peripheral lymphocyte count, serum immunoglobulin levels, lymphocyte response to PHA, or Mantoux responses. Age was found to have a crucial effect on some of these parameters and some apparent differences between the various groups lost significance after appropriate allowances were made for age.Important differences seen with the DNCB test persisted after allowing for age effects. Responses to DNCB were significantly depressed in patients with early breast cancer compared to controls. Patients with disseminated cancer showed greater depression than early breast cancer patients, but surprisingly, patients with locally advanced tumors had good responses to DNCB. Possible reasons for the paradoxical preservation of DNCB reactivity in patients with locally advanced cancer are discussed.The DNCB test is the most discriminating of the five tests of immune function studied.     

Role of pelvimetry in active management of labour.

All cases referred for pelvimetry in 1970-1 and all breech presentations referred for pelvimetry in 1972-4 were reviewed. Indications for pelvimetry fell into four main categories: high head in the antenatal clinic (47-8%); high head in labour (13-9%); breech presentation (20-9%); and previous caesarean section (14-8%). In the first two categories pelvimetry rarely if ever influenced management, and it should not be performed routinely. In breech presentation and cases of caesarean section pelvimetry seemed to be of value, but in the latter group it should be performed puerperally to avoid the known radiation hazard to the fetus. A fairly close correlation between obstetric conjugate and pelvic capacity was shown, which suggested that a 3400-g baby might pass through a pelvis of obstetric conjugate of 10 cm as a cephalic trial of labour, but would need an obstetric conjugate of 11-7 cm for safe vaginal breech delivery.