Human and bovine antithrombin, purified by affinity chromatography on heparin‐agarose, have been characterized with regard to chemical composition, size, shape and conformation. Both preparations were found to contain several active components of identical or similar size but different electrical charge. Amino acid and carbohydrate analyses revealed striking similarities between human and bovine antithrombin, while immunological analyses failed to demonstrate any cross‐reactivity. The molecular weights were determined by sedimentation equilibrium to be 58000 for human and 56000 for bovine antithrombin. The small molecular weight difference suggested by these values was verified by several empirical methods of molecular weight estimation. Hydrodynamic measurements indicated that the two proteins have similar molecular shapes, both of which are slightly more extended than that of typical globular proteins. The internal folding of the two polypeptide chains is also similar, as evidenced by the identity of the far‐ultraviolet circular dichroism spectra. Specifically, these analyses suggested a low α‐helix content of both proteins. In conclusion, the marked structural similarity of human and bovine antithrombin indicates that the two proteins may also exhibit extensive functional similarities in the binding of heparin and the inhibition of various coagulation factors.

Twenty-five patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) according to RDC were examined with computerized EEG before antidepressive treatment was initiated. Relationships between EEG parameters and clinical characteristics were studied. Age and pharmacological treatment were taken into account. Primary MDD was associated with an increase of delta amplitude. Retarded MDD was associated with an increase of delta and theta amplitudes and EEG variability. Recurrent unipolar MDD was related to a decrease of total alpha symmetry. Thus, subdiagnoses according to RDC were validated. The anxiety subsyndrome and to some extent vital symptoms, depressed mood, and CPRS total sum, were associated with asymmetry of the EEG pattern, whereas retardation was not. The number of former depressive episodes was positively correlated to amplitude of beta activity and negatively correlated to symmetry of EEG in the delta frequency band.

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Seventy-five outpatients with major depressive disorder (RDC) were randomly referred to treatment with a dominant serotonin (5-HT) reuptake blocker (zimeldine, 100 mg, b.i.d. n = 40) or a dominant noradrenaline (NA) reuptake blocker (maprotiline, 75 mg, b.i.d. n = 35). Seven patients on each drug were non-responders after up to 4 weeks of treatment and were after a washout week crossed over to the other drug for up to another 8 weeks of treatment. There was a significant and similar improvement after 4 weeks of treatment with the second drug. After up to 8 weeks of treatment all patients but one in each group were much improved with the second drug. The existence of two biochemical subgroups of depression is discussed.

Twenty-five patients with major depressive disorder according to RDC were examined with computerized quantitative EEG before antidepressive treatment. Normal EEGs were found in 20 patients and slight abnormality in five cases. Relationships between various EEG variables and pretreatment accumulation rate of 14C-5-HT and 3H-NA in rat synaptosomes, incubated in patients' plasma, and 5-HT in whole blood were studied. Age and current treatment with benzodiazepines were taken into account. There was an inverse relationship between alpha-1 amplitude in all derivations and beta-2 amplitude in the parieto-occipital derivation on one hand and pretreatment 14C-5-HT synaptosomal accumulation rate on the other. This result indicates that low 14C-5-HT synaptosomal accumulation rate is related to increased EEG alertness. This EEG pattern is suggested to be associated with a serotonergic subgroup of depression. The relationships between the other biochemical variables and the EEG patterns did not show any consistent pattern.

The SCI-93 demonstrated satisfactory known-group validity and test-retest reliability. The instrument appears to reflect well the severity of autonomous symptoms.

Seventy-five outpatients with major depressive disorder (RDC) were randomly referred to treatment with a dominant serotonin (5-HT) uptake inhibiting drug (zimeldine, 100 mg b.i.d.) or a dominant noradrenaline (NA) uptake inhibiting drug, (maprotiline, 75 mg b.i.d.). The total antidepressive effect was similar in the two groups for up to 4 weeks of treatment. Both drugs gave an effect on the depressive syndrome as a whole, with no preference for mood, anxiety, retardation or vital symptoms. Good response to the NA drug correlated to few prior episodes and few years since first episode, whereas the 5-HT drug had its best effect when there were several previous episodes.