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The acid deoxyribonucleases in homogenates of human gastric mucosa and cervix uteri were purified extensively by a procedure including DEAE-cellulose and phosphocellulose chromatographies, gel filtration, and isoelectric focusing. The enzymes in the two preparations had similar properties. The active protein was resolved into at least two forms with different isoelectric points, as judged by the formation of acid-soluble fragments. The major component of the activity had an isoelectric point at pH 7.02, and the minor component at pH 6.86. However, other properties of these two forms were similar. The final preparations of the gastric and uterine acid DNases were free of other types of DNase (DNases I, III, and IV), acid and alkaline phosphatases, acid and basic RNases, and nonspecific phosphodiesterase. Both enzymes had a molecular weight of approximately 38,000, as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and showed maximum activity at pH 5.2 to 5.5 in 33 mm acetate buffer. They did not require divalent cations for activity, and hydrolyzed native, double-stranded DNA about 10 to 20 times faster than heat-denatured DNA. They did not act on RNA or calcium bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate, indicating that they did not contain intrinsic phosphodiesterase activity. The products formed from native DNA were 3'-phosphoryl- and 5'-hydroxyl-terminated oligonucleotides. The average chain length of the limit digests with these enzymes was approximately 10 and the predominant species were longer than hexanucleotides.

慢性の肝性脳症に対するLactuloseの治療効果をFradiomycinを標準薬としてcrossover方式による二重盲検法により検討した.対象症例は22例で,脳波,精神神経症状,手指振戦,書字及び描図能力,血中アンモニア値および数唱能力試験について,それぞれの改善度および総合改善度について両者の優劣およびMc-Nemarの検定を行なった.総合改善度の優劣比較ではFradiomycinに対して7勝8敗5引分でほぼ互角の成績であった.各検定項目ごとの検定では両者に有意差は認められなかった.なお,脳波,精神神経症状,高アンモニア血症に対するLactuloseの改善率は約60%であり,最も改善率の悪いのは数唱能力で約35%に改善がみられたに過ぎなかった.副作用として下痢が2例にみられたが,1例はLactulose, 1例はSorbitolによるものと考えられた.以上の成績から,肝性脳症に対し,LactuloseはFradiomycinとほぼ同じ効果を示すことを認めた.

肝硬変症を主とする慢性肝疾患患者14例にWAIS成人知能検査,記号追跡試験(Trail Making Test)を施行し,その成績と意識障害既往,脳波異常,肝機能検査成績との関係をみた.肝疾患患者群はWAIS動作性検査成績で低下を示した.意識障害既往,脳波異常,肝機能代償不全などを有する群では,それらのない群に比べて,WAISとくに動作性検査での低下がみられた.記号追跡試験においては,Part I 73, Part II 169, Part I+II 242に線を引くと,上述のそれぞれの2群をよく弁別できた.慢性肝疾患患者のうち,とくに脳波異常,肝機能不全のあるものは,psychometryの成績からいえば,脳機能不全の準備状態にあるということができる.

A laboratory measurement of the attenuation constant of sound waves travelling through rock was carried out. The so-called free vibration method was employed for this purpose. The travelling and oscillating longitudinal sound waves were excited in a long boring-core specimen of rock by means of an impact of small steel ball tied at one end of the specimen which was horizontally suspended by strings. The fundamental frequency of the oscillating waves was decided by the length of the bar. Observation was also enacted of the damped free oscillation of the sound waves.The reasonable attenuation constants and Q values have been obtained from several rock specimens. The Q's which have been directly calculated from the attenuation constants are substantially independent of frequency, but the Q of the Kuzuu (in Tochigi Prefecture) limestone is evidently dependent on the wave frequency.

Serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GT) has been separated into two or three fractions by agar gel electrophoresis. Changes in serum level and isoenzyme pattern have been investigated in hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. More or less significant rises in serum GT levels have been observed but marked elevation seems to be related to the presence of jaundice. In enzymograms, augmentation of the GT-I fraction was found in most cases of non-malignant disease while that of the GT-II fraction occurred in all malignant lesions involving the hepatobiliary and/or pancreatic areas, regardless of the presence or absence of jaundice. Hence, a decreased GT-I/GT-II ratio seems to be related to the presence of malignancy in these areas.