Chiroptical and stoichiometric evidence of a specific,primary dimerisation process in alginate gelation

The stoichiometry of calcium-ion chelation to alginate chains has been investigated by circular dichroism (c.d.), and by equilibrium dialysis in the presence of various concentrations of sodium chloride. C.d. intensity in the carboxylate π → π * spectral region increases linearly with calcium-ion concentration up to a level equivalent to half the total poly-L-guluronate stoichiometric requirement, and thereafter shows little further change. Similarly, the level of bound calcium resistant to displacement by swamping concentrations of sodium ions is equivalent to half the stoichiometric requirement of poly-L-guluronate chain-sequences alone. In terms of the previously developed “egg-box” model of co-operative junction-zone formation in alginate gelation, these results are interpreted as showing that the primary mechanism of interchain association is by dimerisation of poly-L-guluronate chain-segments in a regular, buckled, two-fold conformation related to that characterized for the free acid in the solid state, with tight interchain chelation of calcium to the carboxylate groups on the interior faces of the dimer (i.e., half the carboxylate residues of the participating chain-sequences). This interpretation is entirely consistent with previous evidence from electron microscopy, and offers a simple rationalisation of experimental results from competitive-ion binding studies.     

Myocardial Revascularization in High-Risk Coronary Patients

It is recognized that postoperative mortality, infarction and the need for inotropic support are increased following myocardial revascularization in highrisk patients. Operations were carried out in 57 such patients in whom one or more of the following factors were present: ventricular dysfunction—ejection fraction less than 0.4 (17), unstable (8) or preinfarction angina (29), evolving infarction (8), recent infarction (less than two weeks before) (5) and refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmia (4). Combined risk factors were present in nine patients. The following principles were utilized to minimize ischemic injury: (1) avoidance of prebypass hypertension and hypotension, (2) avoidance of extreme hemodilution, (3) avoidance of ventricular fibrillation, (4) maintenance of beating empty heart, when possible, (5) the limiting of ischemic periods to less than 12 minutes (hypothermia 32°C) and (6) repaying myocardial oxygen debt with total (vented) bypass, when necessary. The following results were obtained: inotropic support was required in five patients (9 percent), “new” postoperative infarction occurred in five patients (9 percent) and one patient died (2 percent). These results are comparable to those reported in good-risk patients, and indicate that optimal myocardial protection will allow safe revascularization in a high-risk patient.     

Improved histological localization of GABA-transaminase activity in rat cerebellar cortex after aldehyde fixation

Summary A method for the chemical fixation of the enzyme GABA-transaminase in nervous tissue is described. It is shown that after perfusion with a formaldehyde/glutaraldehyde fixative, activity of the enzyme in cerebellar cortex is demonstrable whilst cellular morphology is preserved. Results from the improved technique have shown new sites of GABA-transaminase activity in cerebellar cortex. In view of these results a special function for glial cells in this area of brain has been suggested.