Anencephaly in trisomy 18 associated with elevated alpha-1-fetoprotein in amniotic fluid

Summary Elevated levels of alpha-1-fetoprotein (AFP) were found in the amniotic fluid of a 36-year-old woman in the 15th week of gestation. Because of this and the results of repeated ultrasonography, abortion was induced. An anencephalic fetus with trisomy 18 was delivered. The possible correlation among neural-tube defects, chromosomal abnormalities, and level of AFP is discussed.     

Differences in regional capillary distribution and myocyte sizes in normal and hypertrophic rat hearts.

Data are reported which show significant regional capillary differences in left ventricular endocardium and epicardium of normal rats and of rats with hyperthyroid-induced cardiac hypertrophy. The epicardial region of control rats has 38% more capillaries than the endocardial region. Control endocardial myocytes are 62% larger in cross-sectional area than epicardial myocytes. Hypertrophic hearts exhibit regional differences in capillary density similar to those in the normal hearts, but there is an overall reduction of 12 and 17.5% in capillary density in both regions. The average cross-sectional area of myocytes increases 34.5% in the epicardium and 22.5% in the endocardium.     

The granin (chromogranin/secretogranin) family

The chromogranins/secretogranins, referred to in abbreviated form as granins, are a family of acidic secretory proteins that are found in the secretory granules of a wide variety of endocrine cells and neurons, being stored together with many different peptide hormones and neuropeptides. The recent elucidation of their primary structure has provided insights into possible functions of these proteins. Moreover, the granins have been successfully used as markers for normal and neoplastic endocrine and neuronal cells, as well as model proteins to understand the sorting mechanism involved in the formation of secretory granules.     

Localized increases in ovarian vascular permeability and leucocyte accumulation after induced ovulation in rabbits.

Colloidal carbon was injected i.v. in mature virgin rabbits at different times after induction of ovulation by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG, 100 iu) or mating. Before induction of ovulation, slight carbon leakage was observed in the inner vascular ring of the theca interna of antral follicles, but blood vessels in the other ovarian compartments were unstained. Between 4 and 10.5 h after hCG-treatment or mating, vascular leakage was most marked in the blood vessels of the interstitial gland and in the theca interna of antral follicles. Just before ovulation, carbon particles were observed between granulosa cells and some carbon was seeping into the follicular fluid of preruptured follicles. Vascular leakage was also observed over the follicle dome before rupture as well as at the dorsomedial junction between the mesovarium and the ovary. The blood vessels stained with carbon were 7-70 microns diameter, representing capillaries and postcapillary venules. About 6 h after hCG injection, an increased number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes migrated from the vessels of these ovarian compartments into the surrounding interstitial tissue. The number of leucocytes seen in the follicular wall and ovarian medulla increased markedly towards ovulation. During early corpus luteum formation, the number of leucocytes decreased markedly. The localized vascular changes seen after mating and hCG stimulation were similar to an inflammatory reaction and could form the basis for the formation of peritoneal exudate after ovulation in rabbits and periovulatory ascitic accumulation seen in the peritoneal cavity of women during the menstrual cycle.     

Interaction of phenolsulphonphthalein dyes with rabbit plasma and rabbit serum albumin.

Interaction of various substituted phenolsulphonphthalein dyes to rabbit plasma and rabbit serum albumin has been studied by ultrafiltration, equilibrium dialysis and spectrophotometry. The results obtained by ultrafiltration and equilibrium dialysis showed that the degree of binding of these dyes to protein increases in the following order: Phenol red less than bromophenol blue less than bromocresol green less than bromothymol blue. Analysis of binding results revealed that five molecules of bromothymol blue bound very strongly to a molecule of rabbit albumin, whereas only two and three molecules of bromophenol blue and bromocresol green strongly interact with the protein, respectively. It is suggested that strong binding of these substances to protein may be related to the hydrophobicity of these compounds. Finally, an attempt has been made to evaluate the possibility, whether the spectral changes occurred during interaction of dyes to albumin can be utilized for the determination of binding of these ligands to proteins.     

Glycine hydrazide as a bifunctional reagent for the synthesis of antigens with steroids as the immunodeterminant groups (author's transl)]

The suitability of glycine hydrazide as a link between steroids and carrier proteins in the synthesis of antigens was examined. Testosterone was used as hapten; bovine serum albumin as carrier protein. The reaction described here of testosterone with glycine hydrazide to form testosterone glycylhydrazone acetate took place under milk conditions and the yield was nearly quantitative. Rabbits immunized with the new antigen developed specific antibodies against testosterone.     

Complete and Defective Bacteriophages of Classical Vibrio cholerae: Relationship to the Kappa Type Bacteriophage

The Classical Vibrio cholerae strain NIH 41 contains two temperate bacteriophages, designated VcA-1 and VcA-2, that are distinguished by immunity, plaque morphology, induction kinetics, and particle morphology. Both phage are serologically related to phage Kappa. However, only phage VcA-2 has the Kappa type host range and immunity. The induction kinetics and immunity patterns of Classical vibrios suggest that these strains may contain defective phage related to the phages isolated from NIH 41. Classical strain 569B releases phage-tail structures upon induction that are morphologically and serologically related to both phages VcA-1 and VcA-2. The possible reason for the defectiveness of these phages in 569B is discussed. It is concluded that complete or defective bacteriophages of the Kappa type morphology and serology are extremely prevalent in V. cholerae, regardless of biotype.     

X-Ray Crystal Structure of a Highly Functionalized Thiophene as a New Backbone Amide Linker for Solid-phase Peptide Synthesis. Relationship between Crystal Structure and Reactivity

The development of new linkers (handles) for solid-phase synthesis provides new chemical opportunities for peptide synthesis. To understand the chemical properties of a recently developed backbone amide linker from a structural perspective, the crystal structure of S-((5-formyl-3,4-ethylenedioxy)thiophene-2-yl)-3-thiopropionic acid (T-BAL2) was studied. Specifically, we wished to address whether this highly substituted thiophene retained planarity in the aromatic ring as well as between the aromatic ring and the aldehyde carbonyl. Furthermore, we sought an explanation for the relatively low reactivity in reductive aminations of the thienylaldehyde with amines in solution and on solid phase. Based on the crystal structure of T-BAL2, the thienyl-C (aldehyde) and C–O (aldehyde) bond lengths were applied as measures for the electron-deficiency (electrophilicity) of the aldehyde and compared to similar bond lengths found in previously reported formylated homo- and hetero-aromatic systems, which show significantly higher reactivity towards imine formation. The bond lengths found in the present structure are in accordance with normal C–C single bond and C–O double bond lengths. The high similarity in aldehyde bond lengths in the present system and in the reported systems indicates similar electron distribution in these systems. The lower reactivity of the present system may therefore not be attributed to electronic factors.