Ecology of health and nutrition in Ecuadorian Amazonia (province of Napo). I. The Siona-Secoya Indians of the Aguarico River

Are presented in this study results on the Sionas-Secoyas' subsistence pattern and health and nutrition status. Sionas-Secoyas still preserved a traditional way of life despite considerable demographic and environmental changes in the province. They are entirely self sufficient. The degree to which they meet their energy requirements appeared to be low but their intakes are obviously underestimated due to an important extra-household food consumption. Protein intakes are high; consumption of foods of animal origin is important. The quality of their alimentation is reasonably good. There are no cases of undernutrition; children growth is steady despite their smallness; they have a robust physical constitution. Parasitic burden is not heavy compared with other surveys in Amazonia. Infectious diseases are not frequent too. However this very propice situation is jeopardized by the process of agricultural development and the unceasing trespassing of the reservation boundaries. State officials should pay more attention to the preservation of Sionas-Secoyas' interests and must protect them from the covetousness of outsiders.     

Neocortical layers I and II of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). II. Thalamo-cortical connections

Summary This study examines the thalamo-cortical projections to the most superficial neocortical layers in the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) after small injections of horseradish peroxidase and horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin in the somato-sensory cortex. The injections were limited to layers I, II and upper parts of layer III/IV. Retrogradely labeled cells were plotted in serial sections through the thalamus. Injections in the somato-sensory cortex gave a pattern of elongated columns of labeled cells, extending rostro-caudally in the nucleus ventralis thalami. In the neocortex, labeled fibers extended for considerable distances running horizontally in layer I. Complementary observations demonstrate the thalamic origin of certain, coarse ascending bundles observed previously in Golgi preparations of the hedgehog. It is concluded that a major cortical input to layer I originates in the hedgehog in the principal thalamic (relay) nuclei. After injections in the somato-sensory cortex, retrogradely labeled cells were also found in the nucleus ventro-medialis thalami and very few in a zone medial to the nucleus ventralis thalami corresponding to the intralaminar thalamic nuclei. The contributions of this latter system seem to be limited in comparison with other mammals.Abbreviations A hucleus amygdaloideus - Abol bulbus olfactorius accessorius - Al nucleus amygdaloideus lateralis - Am nucleus anterior medialis thalami - Av nucleus anterior ventralis thalami - Bol bulbus olfactorius - Bst nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis - Ca commissura anterior - Cc corpus callosum - Cen cortex entorhinalis - Ch Chiasma opticum - Ci capsula interna - Cp commissura posterior - Cpu nucleus caudatus putamen - Cs colliculus superior - Fmp fasciculus medialis prosencephali - Fmt fasciculus mamillothalamicus - For formatio reticularis - Fr fasciculus retroflexus - Fx columna fornicis - Gd gyrus dentatus - Gla nucleus geniculatus lateralis, pars dorsalis - Glv nucleus geniculatus lateralis, pars ventralis - Gm nucleus geniculatus medialis - Ha nucleus anterior hypothalami - Hb nucleus habenulae - Hdv nucleus dorsomedialis hypothalami - Hia hippocampus, pars anterior - Hip hippocampus - Hl nucleus lateralis hypothalami - Hvm nucleus ventromedialis hypothalami - Lm lemniscus medialis - Noa nucleus olfactorius anterior - Npm nucleus preopticus medialis - Ped crus cerebri - Pf nucleus parafascicularis - Pre pretectum - Pt nucleus paratenialis - Pv nucleus periventricularis - R nucleus reticularis thalami - Rcn regio cingularis (Brodmann) - Re nucleus reuniens - Rhi regio hippocampica (Brodmann) - Re nucleus reuniens - Rhi regio hippocampica (Brodmann) - Ro regio occipitalis (Brodmann) - Rol regio olfactoria (Brodmann) - Rpc regio precentralis (Brodmann) - Rrs regio retrosplenialis (Brodmann) - Rt regio temporalis (Brodmann) - Rti radiatio thalamica - Rt regio temporalis (Brodmann) - Rti radiatio thalamica - Rtn regio insularis (Brodmann) - S subiculum - Sf sulcus frontalis - Sm stria medullaris thalami - Sn substantia nigra - Srh sulcus rhinalis - St stria terminalis - Td tractus diagonalis (Broca) - Tl nucleus lateralis thalami - Tlp nucleus lateralis thalami, pars posterior - Tm nucleus medialis thalami - To tractus opticus - Tol tractus olfactorius lateralis - Tuo tuberculum olfactorium - Tv nucleus ventralis thalami - Tvd nucleus ventralis thalami, pars dorsalis - Tvm nucleus ventromedialis thalami - wm white matter of the cerebral cortex     

Studies on zonation in the epididymis of the guinea pig. I. Ultrastructural and biochemical analysis of the zone rich in large lipid droplets (zone II)

In the epididymis of the guinea pig, zone II exhibits striking histological features that distinguish it readily from the other six regions of the epididymis. At the light microscope level, the pseudostratified epithelium of zone II is characterized by tall principal cells that are densely packed with large, intensely staining granules or droplets ranging up to 8μ in diameter. At the electron microscope level, the principal cells exhibit numerous large lipid droplets and abundant agranular endoplasmic reticulum, which is frequently arranged in concentric whorls around one or more of the droplets. Quantitative biochemical studies comparing zone II with zones I and III show that zone II contains 2.5–3-fold more cholesterol and a significantly greater amount of cholesterol ester than the other two zones. These data indicate that the epididymal duct of the guinea pig includes a clearly defined region of epithelial cells possessing ultrastructural and biochemical characteristics consistent with steroidogenic activity. The potential significance of these observations to the epididymal physiology of the guinea pig and epididymal physiology in general is discussed.     

Immunofluorescence using dichlorotriazinylaminofluorescein (DTAF). II. Preparation, purity and stability of the compound.

Dichlorotriazinylaminofluorescein (DTAF) is quickly and easily prepared under anhydrous conditions in high yield and purity. DTAF stored desiccated at 4 degrees C for over a year undergoes about 1% hydrolysis but with no loss of its protein-labelling efficiency.     

Neocortical layers I and II of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). I. Intrinsic organization

Summary The intrinsic organization and interlaminar connections in neocortical layers I and II have been studied in adult hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) using the Golgi method. Layer I contains a dense plexus of horizontal fibers, the terminal dendritic bouquets of pyramidal cells of layer II and of underlying layers, and varieties of intrinsic neurons. Four main types of cells were found in layer I. Small horizontal cells represent most probably persisting foetal horizontal cells described for other mammals. Large horizontal cells, tufted cells, and spinous horizontal cells were also found in this layer.Layer II contains primitive pyramidal cells representing the most outstanding feature of the neocortex of the hedgehog. Most pyramidal cells in layer II have two, three or more apical dendrites, richly covered by spines predominating over the basal dendrites. These cells resemble pyramidal cells found in the piriform cortex, hippocampus and other olfactory areas. It is suggested that the presence of these neurons reflects the retention of a primitive character in neocortical evolution.Cells with intrinsic axons were found among pyramidal cells in layer II. These have smooth dendrites penetrating layer I and local axons forming extremely complex terminal arborizations around the bodies and proximal dendritic portions of pyramidal cells. They most probably effect numerous axo-somatic contacts resembling basket cells. The similarity of some axonal terminals with the chandelier type of axonal arborization is discussed. Other varieties of cells located in deep cortical layers and having ascending axons for layers I and II were also studied. It is concluded that the two first neocortical layers represent a level of important integration in this primitive mammal.     

Bioengineering: the advent of metabiology (part II).

The ability to modify or replace organs or functions and to intervene in the transmission of hereditary characteristics is a fundamental turning point in the development of living organisms and of bioengineering. The theoretical potential of metabiology--the intervention from the outside on functions, organs and sub-organs through artificial organs as well as genetic engineering-- is briefly reviewed. Specific goals are proposed and engineering capabilities needed to achieve them are assessed. The impact on engineering and bioengineering of metabiology is examined and some fundamental issues of public policy concerning metabiology and bioengineering are proposed. (Part I of this paper was published in the July-Sept. 1981 issue of the Journal of Clinical Engineering.).     

Lectins in the unicellular Tetrahymena. II. Impact of nutrition and sugar treatment on anti-lectin binding

Tetrahymena pyriformis GL cells showed partly intracytoplasmic, partly intramembraneous accumulation of lectin-like proteins in conditions of starvation, as demonstrated cytochemically by reaction with antibodies to pea, lens, bean, Datura, and snail lectin. The lectins binding to simple sugars tended to accumulate in the membrane, whereas those capable of interacting with hexosamines in the cytoplasm. While the fluorescence pattern of lectin localization was generally homogeneous in normally nourished cells, it assumed a variegated appearance in starved cells, owing to patching of the membrane, and spot-like accumulation of lectins in the cytoplasm, presumably within membranes of endocytosed vesicles. Snail lectin was an exception, since its distribution remained homogeneous also in conditions of starvation.     

Bile immunoglobulin of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos). II. Antibody response in influenza A virus infections

The capacity of the IgM-like bile immunoglobulin (IgX) of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos) to express antibody activity to H3N2 influenza A viruses, and the dependence of this activity on the co-existence of serum IgM antibodies were investigated. Ducklings infected orally and intranasally at 15-29 days of age with viruses isolated from different host species were examined for haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibodies in biles and sera 16-29 days after infection (p.i.). All biles had antibodies associated with IgX; all sera had antibodies associated only with the 7.8S IgG. Following oral infection of birds 42-days-old with influenza A/duck/HK/7/75 virus, serum HI antibodies were an initial IgM response occurring from 5-12 days p.i., followed by the appearance of 7.8S IgG antibodies. Virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies in serum were also biphasic; isotype classification was not attempted. Bile IgX developed HI and VN activity. HI antibodies reached peak titres 12 days p.i. and fell to low levels by 24 days p.i. VN antibodies also reached peak titres 12 days p.i., but thereafter persisted at quite high levels throughout the experiment. Development of high titres of antibody in bile coincided with the termination of virus excretion in faeces. These experiments confirm that bile IgX of the duck can function as antibody in response to influenza A viruses, and that its activity appears to be independent of serum IgM. Its possible relevance in determining survival of virus in the intestine is discussed.