Electron microscopical demonstration of acid phosphatase activity in the central nervous system

Summary A modified technique is described for the demonstration of acid phosphatase activity in the central nervous system by means of electron microscopy. Enzyme activity can be demonstrated in lysosomes, pigment bodies, and the Golgi zone of cortical neurons. Glial and endothelial cells also contain acid phosphatase active lysosomes. They are located in the pericarya, and in the processes of the glial cells, respectively.The authors express their sincere appreciation to FräuleinS. Luh and FräuleinW. Komp for their assistance and help.     

Hypertension self-control with a portable feedback unit or meditation-relaxation

Thirty borderline essential hypertensives were randomly assigned to a portable constant-cuff blood pressure feedback technique or meditation-relaxation. Each technique was taught in the laboratory, then practiced twice daily at home for four weeks. Subjects mailed daily records of their progress. Seven feedback and ten meditation-relaxation subjects completed the program. Both techniques produced significant systolic and diastolic reductions within practice sessions and diastolic reductions over weeks of training. Neither technique improved reductions nor reduced initial systolic pressure levels over the four weeks. Differences between biofeedback and meditation-relaxation in within-session pressure reductions were not significant.This study was supported by NIMH grant MH27214 to Joanne L. Hager, NIMH grant MH8880-2 to Elliot Mishler, and NIMH grant MH25104 to Richard S. Surwit. The authors are grateful to the Parke-Davis Instrument Co. who provided the instrumentation for this study.     

A single-step large-scale purification of pyruvate oxidase

Pyruvate oxidase is an Escherichia coli peripheral membrane flavoprotein which catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetate and CO2. Pyruvate oxidase, like several other peripheral membrane enzymes, can be activated either by binding to lipid amphiphiles or by limited protease digestion. This paper reports a rapid and convenient method for effecting the large-scale purification of pyruvate oxidase from crude enzyme preparations using a Triton X-114 phase separation technique. It appears likely that this purification procedure can be used successfully with the family of enzymes which respond to both lipid and protease activation.