Projections from the claustrum to the occipital cortex in the guinea pig

The existence of ipsilateral claustrocortical projection to the occipital area Oc 2.2 (Wree et al. 1981) was demonstrated in four guinea pigs. The neurons labelled by retrogradely transported HRP were localized in the caudal half of the claustrum dorsale (in its dorsomedial and central part); small and medium-sized oval and multipolar neurons preponderated.     

Isolation and characterization of a fatty acyl esterase from rat lung

In an effort to facilitate studies of the reaction involved in the removal of fatty acids from acyl proteins, we have synthesized an octanoic acid ester of doubly blocked serine, specifically octanoyl N-carbobenzoxy-L-serine-benzyl ester (octanoyl boc-serine), and used it as a substrate to guide the purification of an esterase from rat lung. The esterase was purified 228-fold by column chromatography on DE-52 cellulose, hydroxylapatite, octyl-Sepharose, and concanavalin A-Sepharose and by HPLC gel filtration. The final enzyme preparation ran as a single 77,000-Da band when subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and exhibited a single symmetrical peak (sedimentation coefficient, 4.5 S) when centrifuged through a sucrose density gradient (empirical Mr, 63,000). The esterase is an acidic protein, pI 4.1, and is very active against p-nitrophenyl esters comprised of C4-C14 fatty acids; the highest specific activity (26.5 mumol/min/mg) was obtained using p-nitrophenyl caprylate as substrate. The pH optimum of the lung esterase is near 8.0 and the activity on octanoyl boc-serine is maximum when 0.3% (w/v) Myrj-52 is included in the assay medium. The activity of the esterase is not dependent on calcium ions. The enzyme does not remove acyl groups from the G-protein of vesicular stomatitis virus or the proteolipid of bovine brain. The possible role of the esterase in the metabolism of acylated proteins is considered.     

Organic-solvent water pollution and low birth weight in Michigan.

This pilot study explored the association between a measure of water pollution caused by benzene or chlorinated solvents and the incidence of low birth weights for white residents of Michigan counties. A positive relationship between water pollution by these contaminants and the per cent of low-weight births (less than 2,500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds) resulted despite controls for the incidence of teenaged childbearing, infrequent prenatal care, and mean household income from wages or salaries. Water pollution showed an association with the incidence of low birth weight that was as strong as that between low birth weight and low prenatal care. While correlation cannot prove causation, the finding suggests that impure water may impair fetal growth in Michigan.     

A study of connective tissue macromolecules in skin of mice with goldthioglucose-induced obesity.

The effect of obesity on the connective tissue composition of skin was investigated in mice with goldthioglucose (GTG)-induced obesity. Four months after GTG treatment, the obese animals were sacrificed. Acid mucopolysaccharides, glycoproteins, collagen, and elastin were analyzed in the skin and compared to the controls. Total MPS in the skin from obese animals decreased, reflected mostly in hyaluronic acid. Chondroitin showed an increase over controls. The content of soluble glycoproteins varied; total carbohydrate and sialic acid of the glycoprotein tended to increase with obesity. Collagen and elastin both tended to decrease with obesity.     

Immunological studies of the relationship between the antigenic change of Ascaris oocytes and the junctional fluid of the fertilization chamber

Antigenic change on the surface of immature oocytes of Ascaris occurred during passage through the oviduct. Using immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoretic techniques we examined the possible relationship between the antigenic change of immature oocytes and the junctional fluid (JF) which is present in the fertilization chamber. From the immunodiffusion it was found that the anti-immature oocyte serum (A-I serum) had more immunoprecipitation arcs than did the anti-mature oocyte serum (A-M serum) when reacted against the junctional fluid. This indicated that A-I serum contained more immunoglobulins that reacted with junctional fluid than did the A-M serum. This result was substantiated by using immunoelectrophoretic analysis and two dimension crossed immunoelectrophoresis. Our results suggest that during the migration toward the oviduct-uterine junction the immature oocytes might shed surface proteins into the luminal fluid. Alternatively, the membrane surface of mature oocytes may be altered by the interaction with the substances present in the junctional fluid.