Serum alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (NaGalase) is responsible for the deglycosylation of vitamin D(3)-binding protein (Gc protein). The deglycosylated Gc protein cannot be converted into major macrophage-activating factor (MAF), leading to immunosuppression. NaGalase is universally detected in a variety of cancer patients, but not in healthy individuals (Cancer Res. 56 (1997) 2827-2831). However, the diagnostic/prognostic utility of NaGalase in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix is not known. To address this issue, the serum NaGalase was quantitatively determined in 210 patients with different stages of SCC of the uterine cervix. NaGalase levels were increased with the progression of the cancer. After radiotherapy, the increased levels returned toward or to normal levels in early stages (FIGO stage I-IIB) but not in advanced stages (FIGO stage III-IV). The present study revealed that the amount of NaGalase in the patient's bloodstream reflects the tumor burden and aggressiveness of the disease. We conclude that NaGalase is an independent predictor of diagnosis/prognosis in SCC of the uterine cervix, and therefore suggest that quantitative NaGalase alteration may reflect important differences in the immunological functions of these neoplasms.

The expression of Thomsen–Friendenreich antigen (T-Ag) is associated with enhanced metastatic potential, poor prognosis and decreased survival rate in a variety of malignancies, and their detection and quantification can be used in serologic diagnosis. T-antigen expressions were measured by the enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) with peanut agglutinin (PNA) in the sera of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix from 286 patients. This study has a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 82% and a positive predictive value of 93%. Quantification of the T-antigen may provide useful biochemical indices for clinical assessment of the tumor spread and invasiveness of disease in SCC of the uterine cervix. Moreover, the ELLA assay is cheap, easy to perform and reproducible in the prognosis and diagnosis of SCC of the uterine cervix.

The proton second moment M2 and spin-lattice relaxation time T1 have been measured in ammonium tribromo stannate (NH4SnBr3) in the temperature range 77–300 K, to determine the ammonium dynamics. The continuous wave signal is strong and narrow at 77 and 300 K but has revealed an interesting intensity anomaly between 210 and 125 K. T1 shows a maximum (13 s) around 220 K. No minimum in the T1 vs 1000/T plot was observed down to 77 K. M2 and T1 results are interpreted in terms of NH+4 ion dynamics. The activation energy Ea for NH+4 ion reorientation is estimated to be 1.4 kcal mol−1.

Studies have been carried out in glasses containing Fe2O3, V2O5, and Fe2O3 + V2O5. Mossbauer studies in the ZnO-B2O3-Fe2O3 system show that iron is present as Fe3+ with tetrahedral coordination and that the isomer shift and the quadrupole splitting decrease with increase of Fe2O3 Content; similarly, the isomer shift and quadrupole splitting are also found to decrease with increasing ZnO. On the other hand, in the Na2O-ZnO-B2O3-Fe2O3 system, the isomer shift increases with Na2O or ZnO while the quadrupole splitting is fairly insensitive. Electron paramagnetic resonance in the ZnO-B2O3-Fe2O3 system shows signals at g = 4.20 and 2.0, whose intensity and linewidth show strong dependence on Fe2O3 content. In the ZnO-B2O3-V2O5 system, electron paramagnetic resonance shows that vanadium is present as the vanadyl complex, and the hyperfine coupling constants, A(parallel-to) and A(perpendicular-to) decrease with increasing V2O5 content; on the other hand, g(parallel-to) decreases and g(perpendicular-to) increases slightly, indicating an increase in tetragonal distortion. Zinc borate glasses containing Fe2O3 + V2O5 do not show the hyperfine structure of V4+ due to the interaction between Fe3+ and V4+.

The proton second moment (M 2) and spin-lattice relaxation time (T 1) have been measured in (NH4)2ZnBr4 in the range 77–300 K. The room-temperature spectrum shows a structure which disappears around 243 K. The signal is strong and narrow even at 77 K. Proton T 1 shows a maximum at 263 K, caused by spin rotation interaction and decreases with decreasing temperature till 235 K, where it shows a sudden increase. Below 235 K, again it decreases and shows a slope change around 216.5 K (reported Tc ). From 216.5 K, T 1 decreases continuously without exhibiting any minimum down to 77 K. The narrow line at 77 K, and absence of a T 1 minimum down to 77 K indicate the possibility of quantum mechanical tunnelling in this system. Motional parameters such as activation energy and pre-exponential factor have been evaluated for the reorientational motion of the NH+ 4 ion.

A procedure for the rapid isolation of mucin glycoprotein by density gradient centrifugation in cesium trifluoroacetate (CsTFA) is described. The separation of mixtures of rat tracheobronchial mucin, DNA, hyaluronic acid, and bovine serum albumin in CsTFA gradients was superior to that in cesium bromide gradients. Inclusion of guanidinium chloride or urea in the gradient had no influence on the separation obtained. The mutins isolated from sputum samples of cystic fibrosis patients by this procedure are largely free of nucleic acid, nonglycosylated proteins, and glycosaminoglycans. The results of the use of CsTFA gradient centrifugation for the isolation of mucin from extracts of bovine submaxillary gland are also presented. The CsTFA method is particularly suitable for the high yield isolation of mucin from individual samples which are available in limited quantities.

The resistivities of zinc borate glasses containing Fe2O3, V2O5, and Fe2O3 + V2O5 have been measured as a function of composition and temperature. The values of resistivity and activation energy decrease as the transition metal oxide content is increased. The conductivities of the glasses containing Fe2O3 + V2O5 are more than the sum of those of the glasses containing only Fe2O3 or V2O5 (i.e. the activation energies are less than the sum of those in the glasses containing only Fe2O3 or V2O5). The results are discussed in terms of existing theories.

Two series of glasses were prepd. with compns. xNa2O, yZnO, (100 - x - y)​B2O3 and (30 - x)​Na2O, xZnO, 70B2O3 (mol​%)​. The temp. dependence of the d.c. resistivity was detd. from room temp. to ∼700 K. In both series of glasses, a simple Arrhenius type of temp. dependence was obsd. However, the resistivity of the binary alkali glass increased steeply by 2 orders of magnitude with the addn. of even a small quantity of ZnO and remained virtually unaffected by further addn. of ZnO. No resistivity max. was obsd. (due to the mixed cation effect) at any Na​/(Na + Zn) ratio. The resistivity (≤80 kbar) decreased gradually with increasing pressure in Na2O-​B2O3 but increased with increasing pressure with the addn. of ZnO, attaining a fairly well-​defined max. and then slowly decreasing until leveling off at still higher pressures. The resistivity max. had a marked dependence on the ZnO content. These results are probably due to the B anomaly.

Two series of glasses were prepared, xNa2O, yZnO, 100 - x - yB2O3 and 30 - xNa2O, xZnO, 70B2O3 (mol%). The temperature dependence of the direct current resistivity was measured from room temperature to about 700 K and in both series of glasses we observed a simple Arrhenius type of temperature dependence. However, the resistivity of the binary alkali glass increased steeply by as much as two orders of magnitude with the addition of even a small quantity of ZnO and remained virtually unaffected by further addition of ZnO. The resistivity decreases gradually with increasing pressure in Na2O-B2O3 but increases with increasing pressure with the addition of ZnO.

Oxide glasses doped with paramagnetic transition metal oxides behave like semiconducting glasses. As part of a programme to study the effect of doping transition metal ions on the electrical conductivity in inorganic glasses, we have undertaken a study of the D. C. electrical conductivity in zinc-borate glasses doped with Fe//2O//3,V//2O//5 and Fe//2O//3 plus V//2O//5 mixed together and we report in this communication the results obtained in the systems.

The d.c. electrical conductivity of Na2O-ZnO-B2O3 glass system has been measured as a function of temperature in the range of 350–600°K. The conductivity data show that the activation energy of Na+ ions is dependent on ZnO concentration. The results have been discussed in the light of the cluster model of glasses.

Chlorine NQR in 2,6-dichloropyridine has been investigated in the temperature range 77 K to room temperature and a single resonance line has been observed throughout. Using this data, torsional frequencies of the molecule have been evaluated on the basis of both the Bayer theory and the modified Bayer theory incorporating Tatsuzaki correction.

Temperature dependence of 35Cl nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) frequencies has been studied in 3-amino-2-chloropyridine and 2-chloro-5-nitropyridine from 77 to 298 K. The data were analysed and the torsional frequencies regarding internal motions in the molecules evaluated in the above temperature range using Bayer's theory and Brown's method.

Chlorine-35 n.q.r, has been observed for the first time in 6-chloropyridin-2-ol and its temperature dependence has been studied from 77 K to room temperature. The torsional frequencies and their temperature dependences have been calculated by using Bayer's theory with and without Tatsuzaki's modification.

NQR frequencies in 3,4-dichlorophenol are investigated in the temperature range 77 K to room temperature. Two resonances have been observed throughout the temperature range, corresponding to the two chemically inequivalent chlorine sites. Using Bayer's theory and Brown's method torsional frequencies and their temperature dependence in this range are estimated.