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It is necessary to examine lipid abnormalities at a macromolecular level, with emphasis on the transport lipoproteins rather than on cholesterol and triglyceride values alone. Methods for determining serum lipoproteins, which can be adapted for a small laboratory, are now available and are recommended for general clinical use. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the process of atherosclerosis has a long natural history that begins in childhood, and that it is now possible to study children for potential risk.

Summary Specimens of dead skin from various sites of the body were studied to determine the rate of passive diffusion of water under certain environmental atmospheric states. Effects of dry heat, relative humidity, radiant heat, ultraviolet irradiation, air currents and protection of skin by lipid coverings were observed. These factors influence the rate of water loss by diffusion through the skin in a predictable manner. The importance of these observations in relation to acclimatization to a tropical and subtropical environment was discussed. Since the inhibition of the transfer of water through human skin resides in the epidermis, the effects of chemical alteration of constituents of epidermis were also observed. The superficial layer of cells of the epidermis apparently inhibits water diffusion through skin by virtue of diffuse lipid or fat phase supported in a keratin-rich framework. This inhibiting material was not identified or studied in detail.

SummaryStudies on the liver involved with increasing amounts of amyloidosis and control tissues indicate that there is a marked increase in MPS content with severe amyloid infiltration. The increase of MPS was accounted for by increases in heparitin sulfate, chondroitin sulfate B, and somewhat less of chondroitin sulfates A and C. The consistent increase of heparitin sulfate in the liver of the ducks was similar to that observed in amyloidosis in humans and in experimentally induced disease. This remarkable increase of chondroitin sulfate B suggests a link to other vascular diseases and genetic connective tissue defects. The Pekin duck serves as an interesting model to study spontaneously occurring amyloidosis.

There is considerable controversy on what actually constitutes the ‘early lesion’, on whether all lesions begin in the same way and whether all develop into fibro-fatty plaques. This introduction outlines the morphology and histochemistry of lesions regarded as ‘early’ in terms of chronology and the general pathology of atherosclerosis (Movat et al., 1959; Haust, 1971a; Geer and Haust, 1972).

SUMMARY Glycoproteins from immature and immature, oestrogen-stimulated and adult rat uteri were isolated and analysed by chemical and gel electrophoretic methods. Esterase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and peroxidase activities were found. Changes in electrophoretic mobilities of certain enzyme bands in polyacrylamide gel were also observed after hydrolysis of the preparations with neuraminidase. These latter observations and chemical analyses provide additional evidence of the carbohydrate nature of the enzymes. The influence of 17β-oestradiol on immature rat uteri caused a significant increase in total protein and sialic acid per uterus compared with controls. Oestrogen treatment also resulted in an increase in the total activity of esterase and acid and alkaline phosphatases per uterus, but there was no increase in specific activities. Observations of electrophoretic patterns of glycoprotein preparations from untreated and oestrogen-stimulated, immature uteri did not show the evolution to a more adult pattern by oestrogen stimulation. These studies show that stimulation with oestrogen increases the synthesis of glycoprotein in the immature rat uterus. Factors which are involved in the more intricate control of glycoprotein biosynthesis need to be elucidated.