Localisation of collagen types and fibronectin in cartilage by immunofluorescence

Collagens type I, II, III, IV, and V and the minor cartilage collagens, 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha, C-PS 1, and C-PS 2, were purified, antibodies raised, and then used in immunofluorescence studies on bovine nasal cartilage (BNC). Punctate localisation was seen with the type II antibody. However, pretreatment of sections with hyaluronidase to remove the proteoglycan resulted in diffuse staining over all the section with this antibody. Antibodies to 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha, C-PS 1, and C-PS 2 collagens gave no staining on untreated BNC sections, but after treatment with hyaluronidase all 3 antibodies showed as a diffuse 'halo' round each chondrocyte lacuna. Anti-type I, anti-type III, and anti-type IV collagen antibodies did not stain untreated or enzyme treated BNC. Type V collagen antibodies gave a bright ring in the pericellular region of the lacunae of hyaluronidase-treated BNC. This was unexpected, as we could not detect type V collagen biochemically in the same cartilage. Anti-fibronectin antibodies stained areas distant from the chondrocytes, these areas being distinct from those stained by 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha and C-PS antibodies, suggesting that fibronectin is not associated with these collagens in BNC. These results suggest that different collagen types may have different locations within the cartilage matrix, that proteoglycans may inhibit antibody association with collagen, and that fibronectin is normally not associated with all types of collagen.

Patterns of cancer in geographic and endogamous subdivisions of the Hutterite Brethren of Canada

The Hutterite Brethren comprise a religious isolate and live on communal agricultural farms (colonies) in North America. In 1976 there were approximately 15,000 Canadian Brethren living in 179 colonies of the three endogamous subdivisions, the Dariusleut, Lehrerleut, and Schmiedeleut. Dariusleut and Lehrerleut colonies are located in both Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the Schmiedeleut are in Manitoba. Brethren were identified on population-based cancer registries of the three Prairie Provinces and among death registrations in the vital statistics of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The method of ascertainment was by a search for the 15 contemporary surnames and verification by address. 89 male and 91 female Brethren were identified who had cancer during the period, 1956--1975. The numbers of observed cancers were less than expected from provincial incidence rates for males and females in each province. The largest deficits were for female Brethren in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. There is a marked deficiency of cancer of the uterine cervix among female Brethren. In males there is a significant deficit of lung cancer. The Hutterite way of life contributes to a low risk for cancers of smoking-associated sites. However, there is evidence that male Brethren in Alberta may be at relatively increased risk for stomach cancer and leukemias. The site distribution patterns of cancers among the three endogamous leut are similar.

Trazodone enhances sleep in subjective quality but not in objective duration

Nine volunteer poor sleepers, of mean age 61 years, took trazodone 150 mg nightly for 3 weeks, preceded by 2 weeks and followed by 1 week of matching blanks, in order to examine the effects of electrophysiologically-recorded and subjectively-rated sleep. The second of the initial weeks of matching blanks served as a baseline week. In the subjective ratings, sleep improved in quality on trazodone, significantly so in the first and second weeks of intake, though with significant rebound insomnia on the second withdrawal night. Trazodone halved the frequency of arousals interrupting sleep, and it reduced the time spent in stage 1 (drowsiness). It increased the duration of slow-wave sleep (stages 3 + 4), with a negative rebound following withdrawal. It reduced the time spent in REM sleep, with a rebound above baseline levels after withdrawal. Trazodone did not change total sleep duration, nor the time required to fall asleep. The effects of trazodone were sustained or became enhanced during the period of intake. They persisted for over 24 h after the last dose, and rebound effects were maximal on the second withdrawal night.

Physicochemical speciation of toxic fractions of wastewaters

A physicochemical speciation scheme in tandem with bioassays identified the toxic fractions of the wastewater from a base metal refining and fertilizer complex. The toxic fractions were the leachates from suspended solids, purgeables, and bound metals of the dissolved fraction. Most of the metals were bound to macrosolutes of Mr greater than 30,000 and exchangeable by cation- and weak anion-exchange resins. In contrast, total chromium and surfactants were bound strongly to microsolutes of Mr less than 1500, removable only by strong anion-exchange resin.

Native type II collagen-induced arthritis in the rat. III. Relationship between the cellular immune response to native type II collagen and arthritis

The relationship between cell mediated immunity to collagen and arthritis was studied with lymphocytes from arthritic and nonarthritic rats after immunisation with native bovine type II collagen. With the in-vivo radiometric ear assay arthritic rats gave a significantly higher response to native type II collagen than did nonarthritic rats. However, there was an overlap of values, and some arthritic rats gave no response to collagen even on the day of onset of arthritis. There was no difference in the response of lymphocytes from arthritic and nonarthritic rats with in-vitro transformation to native type II collagen, responses being found in both groups. All rats which developed arthritis had serum antibodies to native type II collagen, but not all responded to the tests for cell mediated immunity. These findings suggest that antibodies to collagen are more associated with the development of arthritis than is cell mediated immunity to collagen.

Estimation of mating system parameters in plant populations using the EM algorithm

An EM algorithm procedure is presented for the maximum-likelihood estimation of mating system parameters of mixed mating system models for both angiosperms and gymnosperms. One advantage of the procedure is the ability to accommodate any number of alleles in the mature population and pollen pool. Estimates of the outcrossing rate ([Formula: see text]) derived from the model are bounded strictly within the natural biological range (i.e., 0 ≦ [Formula: see text] ≦1).

The influence of polycyclic hydrocarbons on the activity of NAD(P)H-dehydrogenating enzymes in rat thymus. A biochemical and histochemical study

The action of benzo(a)pyrene, 3-methylcholanthrene and 7,12-dimethylbenzo(a)anthracene in the activity of the rat thymus D-T diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2) and the NAD(P)H cytochrome C (EC 1.6.99.3) reductases of particulate fractions were studied in intact and adrenalectomized animals. These polycyclic hydrocarbons increased severalfold the activity of the D-T diaphorase in intact and adrenalectomized animals. The activities of the particulate enzymes were not affected by the carcinogens. Dicumarol suppresses the inducing effects of benzo(a)pyrene and adrenalectomy does not influence the inducing effects of benzo(a)pyrene and 3-methylcholanthrene. The histological distribution of the enzyme NAD(P)H-nitroblue tetrazolium reductase was studied and a marked increase in its activity in lymphocytes, macrophages and epithelial cells was found after the administration of the carcinogens.

Hypnotic usage in residential homes for the elderly: a prevalence and longitudinal analysis

The usage of hypnotic drugs in 23 local authority homes for the elderly was recorded in a one-day point-prevalence survey. Residents were under the care of their own general practitioners. From a total population of 1122 residents, 382 (34.0%) received hypnotics both on the night of the survey, and on the preceding night. The proportion of residents receiving hypnotics within each home varied from 2.3% to 56.5%. No preference was shown for prescribing short half-life hypnotics. The most frequently used hypnotic was nitrazepam, which accounted for 33.2% of total usage. These data were then compared with information similarly recorded from the same local authority homes six months earlier. The pattern and prevalence of drug usage showed little variation between the two surveys.

Role of charged groups in factor XI/XIa activity

To elucidate the role of charged groups in expression of factor XI coagulant activity, the charged groups of purified human blood coagulation factor XI/XIa containing 125I-XI/XIa were derivatized: free amino groups by succinylation, guanido groups of arginine by reaction with phenylglyoxal hydrate, and free carboxyl groups by reaction with ethylenediamine. The modified proteins were tested for: 1) ability to adsorb to glass, 2) ability to be cleaved by trypsin or factor XII-high molecular weight kininogen, 3) coagulant activity. The amino group-modified factor XI had a significantly decreased ability to bind to glass; modification of arginine or carboxyl groups did not affect adsorption. Trypsin cleaved factor XI with modified free amino, guanido, or carboxyl groups. Factor XII-high molecular weight kininogen could cleave only the arginine-modified factor XI. Amino group-modified factor XI and carboxyl group-modified factor XI lost all their factor XI assay activity, whereas arginine-modified factor XI retained 50% of the original activity. Amino group-modified factor XI could not be activated by trypsin, but arginine-modified and carboxyl group-modified factor XI could be activated by trypsin to 50% of the original activity. Succinylation of the amino groups of factor XIa destroyed all its factor XIa activity. Arginine-modified and carboxyl group-modified factor XIa retained 50% of their factor XIa activity. We conclude that epsilon-amino groups are essential for adsorption; activation by factor XII-high molecular weight kininogen requires free amino and carboxyl but not guanido groups; free amino, carboxyl, and guanido groups in factor XIa all appear to be critical for interaction of factor XIa with factor IX.

Prevalence of ischaemic heart disease and associations with serum lipoproteins in subjects aged 45 to 64 years. The Speedwell study

A longitudinal study has been set up to examine the incidence of ischaemic heart disease and its associations with serum lipoproteins including high density lipoprotein cholesterol and its subfractions, certain haemostatic factors, and other "risk' factors. We report here on our pilot study findings. Cross-sectional data were available on 283 men and 68 women aged 45 to 64 representing 85% of the available population randomly selected from the lists of 16 general practitioners. Reproducibility of the measurements of total serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol was acceptable. The reproducibility of some of the other serum lipid fractions, for example high density lipoprotein cholesterol, was less good, in part because of the small range of the values found for these components. Univariate associations of physical and behavioural characteristics and serum lipoproteins of men and women, with and without ischaemic heart disease, disclosed small and statistically nonsignificant differences except for levels of blood pressure. In particular, there was no significant difference in mean levels of serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol between men with ischaemic heart disease (0.91 mmol/l) and men without it (0.94 mmol/l). In examining our data for the determinants of serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol using a linear multiple regression model, sex, serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and very low density lipoprotein triglyceride were the major factors, each individually explaining about 7% of the variance of serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, alcohol intake and obesity each explained a further 2% of the variance. The experience of the pilot study has led to modifications in the collection of blood samples and the subsequent estimation of lipid fractions.

The genetic structure of Iceland

Gene frequencies and parent-offspring migration data from nine geographic subdivisions in Iceland are analyzed. Estimated values of FST show high genetic homogeneity. Genetic maps are studied and the results are interpreted in the light of social and historical patterns. Actual road distances between subdivisions provide a slightly better indication of geographic isolation by distance than do straight-line distances. A high correlation between genetic structure predicted by migration data and the structure estimated from gene frequencies is obtained.

Native type II collagen--induced arthritis in the rat: the effect of complement depletion by cobra venom factor

Antibodies to native bovine type II collagen may be important in initiating arthritis in rats immunized with this antigen. The cross-reactivity of these antibodies with native rat type II collagen was higher in rats that developed arthritis than in those that did not. Depletion of serum C3 levels by cobra venom factor delayed the onset of arthritis until C3 levels were returning to normal; therefore, complement may be involved in initiation of the arthritis, and this arthritis may be an example of an immune complex--mediated disease.

Peroxidase and leucine-aminopeptidase in diploidMedicago species closely related to alfalfa: Multiple gene loci, multiple allelism, and linkage

The genetics of peroxidase and leucine-aminopeptidase isozymes was studied utilizing starch gel electrophoresis in the diploidsMedicago sativa L. (M. coerulea Less.) andM. falcata L. Three anodal and one cathodal sets of peroxidase isozymes identify four linked loci. In addition, two anodal sets of leucine-aminopeptidase isozymes identify two loci that may be linked. The allozymes at each of the loci segregated as expected for monomeric enzymes. However in several crosses there were deficiencies in the number of progeny in particular genotypic classes. This could result from the segregation of recessive deleterious genes linked to some of the allozyme alleles. This is the first report of multiple loci and multiple alleles determining isozymes inMedicago.

A morphologic classification and incidence of spontaneous ovarian neoplasms in three strains of mice

Ovarian tumors were reviewed and classified in 5,404 control inbred BALB/c, C57BL/6, and C3H mice. In descending order of frequency, the most common types in the C3H mice were the tubular mesothelioma (adenoma), thecoma, luteoma, granulosa cell tumor, and cystadenoma. In descending order the most common types in the BALB/c mice were the luteoma, tubular mesothelioma, granulosa cell tumor, thecoma, and cystadenoma. The tubular mesothelioma was the only ovarian tumor of significance in the C57BL/6 mice. Most of the ovarian tumors were rare before 1 year of age, but they increased with age after 1 year.

Inbreeding and the genetic control of nondisjunction

We have studied the frequency of trisomics in newly formed zygotes and the proportion of trisomics, k, coming from consanguineous marriages by assuming that recessive genes at a single locus or multiple loci are responsible for the induction of nondisjunction. For mitotic nondisjunction, the value of k increases as the magnitude of consanguinity of the parents increases, but the opposite relationship holds for meiotic nondisjunction. Therefore, it is important to distinguish mitotic and meiotic types in the genetic study of nondisjunction. This seems to be one of the simplest tests for detecting the genetic control of nondisjunction.

Native type II collagen-induced arthritis in the rat. II. Relationship between the humoral immune response to native type II collagen and arthritis

The onset of arthritis in Sprague-Dawley rats occurred between 10-13 days after intradermal injection of collagen when serum IgM and IgG antibody levels to native type II collagen had reached high levels. Although arthritis could be induced in rats immunized with 25-500 microgram native type II collagen in incomplete Freund's adjuvant, higher serum IgM and IgG antibody levels to native type II collagen occurred in arthritic rather than non-arthritic rats irrespective of the immunizing dose of collagen. Studies in 3 different rat strains showed that higher serum antibody levels to native type II collagen were found in the strain with the highest incidence of arthritis. All these findings suggest that these antibodies are one essential for the induction and/or perpetuation of native type II collagen-induced arthritis.