Statistical analyses of Drosophila and human protein polymorphisms

By using the distribution function of allelic frequencies which was recently derived by Kimura and Ota for the model of stepwise production of neutral alleles, the observed protein polymorphisms of Drosophila and man are tested for fit to the theory of neutral protein variation. The observed and theoretical distributions of alleles agree quite well except for the excess of rare alleles in the actual distributions. In human polymorphisms, the alleles with frequencies less than 1% are more numerous than expected, whereas in Drosophila, those with frequencies less than 10% are more numerous. It is pointed out that these results support my thesis that mutational pressure rather than balancing selection is the main cause for the maintenance of protein polymorphisms.

Cystine animopeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase of choriocarcinoma cells grown in culture

Cystine animopeptidase (CAP) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) in choriocarcinoma cells grown in culture were assayed and characterized electrophoretically. The specific activity of CAP in choriocarcinoma was about 1.5-fold greater than the specific activity of term placenta. The extract of choriocarcinoma contained an enzyme which is similar to one of the pregnancy-specific serum aminopeptidases in electrophoretic mobility and in resistance to inhibition by 0.1M methionine. The CAP activity was not increased in either the cells or the medium by growing the cells in the presence of oxytocin, estrogen, progesterone, or prostaglandin F-2alpha. It was tentatively concluded that choriocarcinoma cells produce CAP and that it is not regulated by any of these hormones.

Sinus pericranii

Five cases of sinus pericranii are presented, four congenital and one traumatic. All five cases were successfully treated with extirpation and reinforcement with Gelfoam and silk thread over the skull openings. The literature on this rare symptom-complex is reviewed and a new definition of sinus pericranii proposed.

Enzymes of normal and malignant trophoblast: phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphoglucomutase, hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase

In this study we compare the specific activities and isoenzyme patterns of five enzymes--phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphoglucomutase, hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase--in term placenta with the analogous enzymes in a clone of choriocarcinoma cells grown in culture. Phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphoglucomutase, and lactate dehydrogenase specific activities of the choriocarcinoma did not differ by more than two or three times from the mean activities of the comparable enzymes in placenta; the specific activity of hexokinase in the choriocarcinoma amounted to 14 per cent of the mean value for placenta. In contrast, the mean specific activity of heat-stable alkaline phosphatase in the choriocarcinoma amounted to only 1 per cent of the mean value for placenta. By growing the cells in 5-bromodeoxyuridine, 20 mug per milliliter, we were able to increase alkaline phosphatase activity to 68 per cent of the mean value for placenta. For both extracts, phosphoglucose isomerase zymograms were similar and phosphoglucomutase zymograms were similar. The hexokinase zymogram of term placenta showed two isoenzymes which stained more intensely with 0.5 mM. glucose than with 0.1M glucose. A hexokinase isoenzyme was observed in zymograms of both extracts which stained more intensely with 0.1M glucose than with 0.5 mM glucose. Lactate dehydrogenase exhibited an extra isoenzyme in the choriocarcinoma extract. When the cells were cultivated in medium containing 5 mug per milliliter of 5-bromodeoxyuridine, the induced phosphatase in the cell line was electrophoretically similar to placental phosphatase. At higher concentrations of 5-bromodeoxyuridine, the most anodal isoenzyme was 0.5 cm. slower in mobility than the comparable placental isoenzyme.

Detrimental genes with partial selfing and effects on a neutral locus

Gene and genotypic frequencies for a deleterious mutant in mutation selection balance are derived for an infinite population undergoing partial self-fertilization. These provide formulations of mean survival and the mutational load. Obtained also are the average number of mutant genes and affected individuals stemming from a single mutant.

As a concomitant effect on frequencies at a neutral locus the mutational load is distributed disproportionately among the neutral genotypes. For partially recessive mutant genes on the 1, 1-sh, 1-sscale, the effect is to increase the frequency of the heterozygote and to decrease the frequencies of homozygotes at the neutral locus relative to the frequencies expected with complete neutrality. This apparent overdominance at the neutral locus has been shown to be connected with identity disequilibrium rather than linkage disequilibrium. It increases generally assandhdecrease, and as the proportion of self-fertilization and the degree of linkage increase. The apparent overdominance with complete linkage is generally less than double that for free recombination. For partially dominant mutant genes,h≥ ½, the effects on the frequencies of heterozygote and homozygotes at the neutral locus are reversed.

Plasma corticosterone concentrations and pituitary prolactin content in the pregnancy and their within-day fluctuations in the rat

Levels of plasma corticosterone and of pituitary prolactin were studied in the mornings (10.00–10.30 h) and evenings (17.00–18.00 h) during the last week of pregnancy in the rat. Morning levels of plasma corticosterone started to rise on day 19 and reached a peak on day 21. The concentration of corticosterone in plasma on the morning of day 21 was about 2·3 times higher than that on day 15. Both content and concentration of prolactin in the pituitary began to fall on the morning of day 19 of pregnancy and the minimum values for both content and concentration were reached on the morning of day 21. Plasma corticosterone concentration and pituitary prolactin content measured in the evening, however, remained high throughout the period examined and there were no appreciable changes in the levels at the different stages of pregnancy.

The results obtained on day 22 of pregnancy, the expected day of parturition, indicated that a surge of pituitary prolactin secretion and a temporary depression of corticosterone secretion occurred at about the time of parturition.

Closure of carotid-cavernous fistula with polyurethane foam embolus. Technical note

✓ This report describes a traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula treated by embolization with a newly developed polyurethane foam attached to 5—0 monofilament suture thread by a technique which does not necessitate either craniotomy or occlusion of the carotid artery in the neck. Carotid angiography 3 weeks after surgery showed satisfactory closure of the fistula and normal intracranial circulation from the involved carotid artery.