F.B. De Jorge

BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON THE SNAIL STROPHOCHEILUS OBLONGUS MUSCULUS (BECQUAERT).

Abstract 1. 1. The sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, inorganic and total phosphorus, sulfur, copper, bicarbonate, protein, urea, uric acid, glucose, alkaline phosphatase activity and ceruloplasmin contents of the blood of the snail Strophocheilus oblongus musculus (Bequaert) were determined. 2. 2. The osmolarity of the blood was 156 mOsm and the pH was 7·64. 3. 3. In the blood there is no cholesterol or total lipids. 4. 4. The values for dialyzed blood and the penis retractor muscle are also given.

Biochemical studies on copper, copper oxidase, magnesium, sulfur, calcium and phosphorus in cancer of the breast

Abstract The authors have determined copper, copper oxidase, magnesium, inorganic sulfur, calcium and inorganic phosphorus contents in the blood serum of 23 women with carcinoma of the breast, as well as copper, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in the mammary tissues, with normal and cancerous histopathologic diagnosis. The mean values in the blood serum were: copper 228.8 μg/100 ml ± 33.7 instead of the normal value 108.1 μg/100 ml ± 9.7; inorganic sulfur 2.264 mg/100 ml ± 0.243 instead of the normal value 1.222 mg/100 ml ± 0.193; magnesium 2.186 mequiv/l ± 0.179 instead of the normal value 2.087 mequiv/l ± 0.067; copper oxidase, calcium and inorganic phosphorus concentrations fell in the normal range. The mean values in mammary tissues were: copper 761.2 μg/100 g ± 78.3 instead of the normal value 64.9 μg/100 g ± 11.1; phosphorus 50.6 mg/100 g ± 8.7 instead of the normal value 23.5 mg/100 g ± 3.3; magnesium and calcium contents within the normal values. The results suggest that the copper content increases before phosphorus in the cancerous tissue.

Biochemical studies on the giant earthworm Glossoscolex giganteus (Leuckart).

Abstract 1. 1. The sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, inorganic phosphorus, sulphur, copper, bicarbonate, protein, urea, glucose, total lipids, copper oxidase activity, total iodine and protein-bound iodine contents of the blood of the giant earthworm Glossoscolex giganteus (Leuckart) were determined. 2. 2. The osmolarity of the blood was 181 mOsm/l. and the pH was 7·43. 3. 3. No alkaline phosphatase activity was detected in the blood, the uric acid contents being very low. 4. 4. The values for inorganic constituents in septal muscles, parietal muscles with cuticle, pseudo-hearts and faeces are given.

Biochemical studies in a eunicid (polychaete) of the littoral of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract 1. 1. The sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, copper, iron, total carbon dioxide, uric acid, creatinine, urea, glucose, erythrocruoin, nitrogen, total iodine, protein-bound iodine, total lipids, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase activity, acid phosphatase activity and copper oxidase activity contents of the blood of the giant Polychaete, Eunice sp., were determined. 2. 2. The osmolarity of the blood was 997 mOsm/1 and the pH was 6·49, a very low value. The bicarbonate concentration estimated by the Henderson-Hasselbach equation was 4·70 mM/1. 3. 3. The values of the sea water, sediments, water contained in the tube, tube, cuticle, muscle and faeces are also given. 4. 4. The chemical composition of the mucus was determined.

Further biochemical studies on the snail Strophocheilus oblongus musculus Becquaert, 1948

Abstract 1. 1. The contens of water, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, copper and iron of the shell and shell lip, as well as the same elements plus sulphur, iodine and nitrogen of the mantle of the snail Strophocheilus oblongus musculus were determined. 2. 2. The chemical constitutions of the plants upon which the animals feed were determined, the results being discussed in relation to the animalss needs, especially for shell growth. 3. 3. The composition of the Strophocheilus egg is compared to that of the egg of Nothura maculosa , of similar size. 4. 4. The chemical compositions of the reproductive organs (ovotestis, hermaphroditic) duct, albumen gland, annex glandular sac, talon, spermatheca, spermatic duct, spermoviduct, penis, epiphallus and flagellum) were determined and discussed. 5. 5. The chemical constitutions of the digestive organs (salivary glands, stomach, intestine and liver), kidney, cerebroid, ganglia and mucus from the foot and pedal gland were determined.

DISORDERS OF COPPER METABOLISM IN EPILEPSY.

Except for hepatolenticular degeneration and multiple sclerosis, copper metabolism has not been duly evaluated in nervous diseases. Concerning epilepsy, almost nothing is seen in the literature, ncithcr when the most renowned textbooks (Pen f i e ld & Jasper, 1954; L e n n o x & L e n n o x , 1960; T o w e r , 1960) are reviewed, nor when a survey is made of papers on copper metabolism in various disease processes (McElroy & Glass, 1950; Scheinberg & S t e r n l k b , 1960; Ade l s t e in & Vallee, 1961). Only in some few articles on disorders of copper metabolism in multiple sclerosis ( P l u m & Hansen , 1960) and in mental discases (Hei l ineyer & Ulrich, apud K e u p , 1954; Escobar & Niet to , 1957), or clse in studies on ceruloplasmin (O’ReilIy, 1961), some data regarding epilepsy arc found. On the other hand, in cases of acute or chronic copper intoxication no reference to seizures is made ( A d e l s t e i n & Val lee , 1961). In the present paper we report the results of the determination of copper and ceruloplasmin in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of epileptic patients, either in the interictal period, or immediately after the fit, and also in patients with mental diseases, before and after they were submitted to electroshock.

Comparative biochemical studies on the oligochaetes Pheretima hawayana, Glossoscolex grandis, and Rhinodrilus sp.

Abstract Data for the following chemical systems (Na, K, Cl, Mg, P, S, Cu, Ca, I, protein, erythrocruorin, ceruloplasmin, urea, glucose alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, GOT, GPT) are given for the species of earthworms.

Urea and uric acid contents in the hepatopancreas, kidney and lung of active and dormant snails, Strophocheilus and Thaumastus (Pulmonata, Mollusca)

Abstract 1. 1. The urea and uric acid contents of the hepatopancreas, lung and kidney of Strophocheilus oblongus musculus and Thaumastus achilles were determined in active and dormant snails. 2. 2. Urea increases in the hepatopancreas and lung of the two species, both in hibernation and estivation; during hibernation urea increases in the kidney of the two species, but in estivation the kidney of Strophocheilus looses urea, while Thaumastus accumulates it. 3. 3. Uric acid increases in the hepatopancreas and lung of hibernating animals of both species, while it diminishes in the kidney. During estivation the hepatopancreas of Strophocheilus accumulates uric acid, while the same organ in Thaumastus looses it; the lung of both species accumulates uric acid, while in the kidney the levels of this substance diminish in estivation. 4. 4. Specimens of Strophocheilus in estivation may lose up to 68 per cent of their soft body weight, while in hibernating animals this loss rarely exceeds 40 per cent.

Accumulation of "glycogens" in the genital region of Balanoglossus gigas Fr. Müller (Spengel, 1893) (Enteropneusta) during reproduction.

Abstract 1. 1. The glycogen contents of the proboscis, collar, branchial, genital, hepatic and intestinal regions of the mature and immature. Balanoglossus gigas were determined and compared. 2. 2. Glycogen accumulates in the hepatic region of immature animals, and in all regions, except the intestinal region, in mature animals.

Biochemical studies on the enteropneust Balanoglossus gigas (Fr. Muller, 1898)

Abstract 1. 1. The water, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, total sulphur, inorganic sulphur, copper, iron, iodine and nitrogen contents of the proboscis, collar, branchial, genital, hepatic and intestinal regions of the enteropneust Balanoglossus gigas (Fr. Muller) were determined. 2. 2. The chemical constitution of the mucus, faeces and skeleton was also determined. 3. 3. Iodine is accumulated in the dorsal side of the hepatic region, iron in the hepatic region, sulphur in the sub-region hepatic II, nitrogen in the genital and hepatic regions, chloride in the collar and branchial region, copper in the collar, phosphorus in the proboscis and hepatic region; sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium are concentrated both at the anterior and posterior end of the animal. 4. 4. The skeleton has high concentrations of calcium and copper.