Hb F-Xin-Su or A gamma I73(E17)Asp----His: a new slow-moving fetal hemoglobin variant

A slow-moving gamma chain variant was discovered in the cord blood of an infant born to parents of the Han nationality from Jiangsu. The variant, which migrated electrophoretically at alkaline pH between Hb A and Hb D, was characterized by an Asp----His substitution at gamma 73, while residues gamma 75 and gamma 136 were occupied by Ile and Ala, respectively. As the A gamma T-chain was also present, this baby has two types of abnormal gamma-chain. The variant was named Hb F-Xin-Su.

Thirty one years of herpes zoster in a rural practice

The principal finding in this study of 151 cases of herpes zoster in a rural practice was the predominance of patients who had a lesion on the right side. This supports the proposition that the site of occurrence may be determined by repeated trauma. The decline in the frequency of attacks in older men was significant. Studying these cases and published reports has elucidated some of the problems of the occurrence and distribution of herpes zoster in the body, which still await definition. Others may be encouraged to carry these studies further.

Some genetic consequences of skewed fecundity distributions in plants

Most plant populations show a "skewedrd distribution of fecundity amongst their members, in contrast to the poisson distribution assumed by most population genetical theory. We examine by simulation the consequences of skewed fecundity for plant evolution when combined with sieve selection. In comparison with poisson-based theory, plant populations are likely to show a faster response to selection, especially when the favoured allele is at a low frequency. Selection against a deleterious immigrant allele will also be more effective, reducing its equilibrium frequency in a population. In the special case of heterozygote disadvantage traits will evolve that could not under poisson theory. However, random variation is also higher, giving a 10-plant population an effective population size of about 6.4 under poisson theory. The conclusions are not qualitatively changed by different assumptions on the exact shape of the fecundity distribution, or on heritability, or on reproduction by the smallest plants of the population.

Rapid cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the separation and quantitation of hemoglobins S, C, and O Arab in cord blood samples

A rapid method for separating and quantitating hemoglobin (Hb) variants in cord blood samples using cation high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The procedure is a modification of a previously published method, and uses a weak cation-exchange Brownlee-3CM column and Bis-Tris-KCN-Na acetate developers. A chromatogram can be completed in 10 minutes. The slow-moving variants, Hbs S, C, and O Arab, can be completely separated from each other and are identified by their elution times relative to Hb A. Hb E elutes as a shoulder on the descending side of Hb A, which is characteristic for this variant in this procedure. Differentiation between heterozygous, homozygous, and Hb X-beta+-thalassemia conditions is easily made.

Right ventricular failure and ascites in broiler chickens caused by phosphorus-deficient diets

Phosphorus-deficient diets fed to broiler chicks from day 1 to day 21 induced rickets. Some chicks were stunted, but most grew well, though they had increased respiratory rates, high arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure, and low oxygen partial pressure and were polycythemic. Most of the broilers that died showed signs of pulmocardiovascular abnormalities, some died from hypoxia, and some died from right ventricular failure with or without ascites. Many broilers had mild to marked right ventricular hypertrophy and dilation with or without ascites when examined at 21 days. It is suggested that right ventricular hypertrophy and dilation was a response to pulmonary arterial hypertension caused by chronic hypoxia, which resulted from inability to breathe normally because of poor rib strength and infolding. When right ventricular failure occurred, it was secondary to right ventricular hypertrophy and dilation.

Hb J-Antakya or alpha 2 beta (2)65(E9)Lys----Met in a Turkish family and Hb complutense or alpha 2 beta (2)127(H5)Gln----Glu in a Spanish family; correction of a previously published identification

Almost 10 years ago we reported in this journal the characterization of Hb Hacettepe or alpha 2 beta (2)127(H5)Gln----Glu. Unfortunately, we have to conclude that the original characterization of this Turkish variant was in error. The corrected data are presented in this short communication. The variant (alpha 2 beta (2)65(E9)Lys----Met) was (re)named Hb J-Antakya, after the city where the family resides. An abnormal Hb, observed in a Spanish family and named Hb Complutense, had the beta 127 Gln----Glu substitution, erroneously assigned to the Turkish variant.

Hb Bicêtre or alpha 2 beta(2)63(E7)His----Pro in a white male: clinical observations over a period of 25 years

A description is given of clinical observations over a period of 25 years for a 26-year-old white male with a heterozygosity for the beta-chain variant, Hb Bicêtre, in which beta 63His is replaced by Pro. The variant was identified through analysis of tryptic peptides from a digest of the beta X-chain isolated by PCMB precipitation and purified by chromatography. Similarity between the clinical histories of the first (French) heterozygote and our patient was most striking, including improvement after splenectomy.

HB Chicago or alpha (2)136 (H19) Leu----Met beta 2 and a -G gamma-G gamma-globin gene arrangement in a black family

Hb Chicago is a newly discovered hemoglobin variant which was present in a Black newborn baby and her father. The leucine residue at alpha 136, which normally participates in the contact with the heme group, is replaced by a methionine residue. The two heterozygotes were clinically well with normal hematological data. Isolation of the alpha X and alpha A chains by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography and hydrolysis of these chains with dilute formic acid at 110 degrees C for 24 hours, followed by separation of the resulting peptides by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, greatly facilitated the final identification of the abnormality. The baby and both parents had a -G gamma-G gamma-globin gene arrangement on one chromosome (normal: -G gamma-A gamma-) which explains the high G gamma values in the Hb F of these three persons.

The identification of five rare beta-chain abnormal hemoglobins by high performance liquid chromatographic procedures

The detection, quantitation, and characterization of five relatively rare beta chain abnormal hemoglobins mainly by high performance liquid chromatographic procedures are described. The variants involved are Hb City of Hope (beta 69 Gly----Ser), Hb Austin (beta 40 Arg----Ser), Hb Leiden (beta 6 or 7 Glu----0), Hb Louisville (beta 42 Phe----Leu), and Hb Presbyterian (beta 108 Asn----Lys). Some clinical and hematological data are also included.

Haemoglobin Presbyterian [beta 108 (G 10) Asn----Lys] in a Spanish family

Clinical, haematological and biochemical aspects of a new family with heterozygous haemoglobin Presbyterian [beta 108 (G 10) Asn----Lys] are described. It could be readily separated by isoelectric focusing, DEAE-cellulose chromatography and by cation exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The characterization of this mildly unstable haemoglobin was made by reverse-phase HPLC. This is the fourth family with Hb Presbyterian so far described.