Effects of a placental hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin on normal and malignant cells

Studies were made on the effects of human chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS) on normal and malignant cells and tissues in Swiss mice. HCS was found to produce a significant increase in the fresh weight of normal liver, kidney, spleen, testis, ovary and uterus. Total cell counts of leukocytes and erythrocytes were elevated. The percentage of granulocytes in blood was found to be increased and the percentage of lymphocytes was decreased following HCS treatment. HCS stimulated the growth of ascitic Ehrlich's carcinoma and Sarcoma 180, and nucleic acid synthesis by these tumor cells. A depression in the mitogen induced blastogenesis of lymphocytes was also noted following HCS treatment.

A comparative study of ectopic production of human chorionic gonadotropin and human chorionic somatotropin by carcinoma of the uterine cervix

A comparative study was made on the ectopic production of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and chorionic somatotropin (hCS) by carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Incidence of hCG in the sera of cancer patients was much higher than hCS. hCS has a better prospect in early detection of cancer cervix than hCG. All hCS-producing tumors and the majority of hCG-producing ones were histologically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. The source of hCG and hCS were found to be the tumor cells. A fall or disappearance of detectable hCG and hCS was noted following surgery or radiotherapy.

Ectopic production of placental hormones (human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen) in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Serum hCG and hPL levels were assayed simultaneously in patients with cervical carcinoma and were compared with those of a miscellaneous group of malignant conditions. It is apparent from the results that hCG secretion is of a much wider occurrence as compared to hPL. There seems to be a definite relationship between the clinical staging and ectopic hCG and hPL production. While hCG secretion is predominant in the later stages, hPL is produced in the earlier stage. It therefore seems that hPL might prove to be helpful in early diagnosis of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Metabolic effect of intermittent exposure to altitude stress on rats and guinea pigs

Growing rats during intermittent exposure to altitude stress of 5486.4 m, lost weight; the loss during a 2-week period was 50% compared to controls. When the stress was withdrawn the rats began to gain weight normally. The activities of proteolytic enzymes (pepsin and trypsin) were found to be significantly increased under the influence of stress. In thyroxine-injected guinea pigs (16 micrograms/kg) the activities are more pronounced.

Trypsin inhibitor of Streptomyces griseus grown in a carbon nutrition medium

Streptomyces griseus grown in beef extractpeptone medium produces trypsin inhibitors which are both peptide and protein in nature. When the strain was grown in carbon nutrition medium, only one trypsin inhibitor was obtained. Similar elution patterns of this inhibitor and the TI-3a inhibitor obtained from the beef extract-peptone medium on Sephadex G-15 and ion-exchange columns and also the RF values indicate that the inhibitors from both the sources are the same. So, TI-3a is not the breakdown product of the protein inhibitor of S. griseus.

Complete inversion of the urinary bladder through a vesicovaginal fistula

This is the case of an Indian woman who was hospitalized after a diagnosis of chronic inversion of the uterus with a vesicovaginal fistula. She suffered from urinary incontinence for 40 years, the condition having developed following a difficult labor. Ultimately, she proved to have a complete inversion of the bladder through a vesicovaginal fistula.

Immunity and allergy--a report of skin-testing (for allergic diatheses) in Nigeria

The importance of Allergy in the causation of several important diseases e.g. Asthma, is well known (Voohorst 1962; Voorhorst, Spieska-Beezeman and Spieska 1964-). In this article, the value of finding out the causative allergen by a detailed case-history and later by a skin-testing against the most probable allergens (as suggested by the case-history)--is stressed. The major allergens responsible for the Allergic immunopathies in Nigeria--as found by testing in 50 cases are mentioned. It is hoped that more hospitals will be stimulated to perform skin-testing in view of the encouraging results and responses to de-sensitization so far obtained in different centres practising this procedure.

Gold-nickel alloys in dental prostheses

A gold-nickel master alloy was prepared by arc melting in an inert atmosphere and from it, mechanical test specimens and dental prostheses were made by centrifugal casting. The cast alloy had a yield strength of about 7,400 kg/cm2, with an elongation of 12%. The alloy was clinically tested in the form of partial dentures and crown and bridge materials. For the 32-month period these prostheses have been in use, no tissue reaction, tarnish, or corrosion had been observed.

Fiber composite alloys: preparation by controlled dissociation of metallic solid solutions

Fiber-reinforced alloys have been prepared by the controlled dissociation of gold-nickel and aluminum-zinc solid solutions. To cause the dissociation, the alloys were taken from a one-phase field to a two-phase field by lowering the temperature. The new two-phase structure was in each case formed by diffusion controlled processes, and under certain conditions one of the new equilibrium phases appeared in the form of fibers, a few tenths of a micron in diameter, embedded in a matrix of the other. The precipitated phase first appeared in the form of spherical particles, but these aligned and then coalesced to form the fibers.