Treatment of refractory congestive heart failure and normokalemic hypochloremic alkalosis with acetazolamide and spironolactone.

Combination therapy with a loop diuretic and an aldosterone antagonist can produce normokalemic hypochloremic alkalosis, a complication not previously documented in the literature. This report describes 74 patients who had severe congestive heart failure treated with a combination of furosemide and spironolactone in whom this complication developed. Acetazolamide corrected the metabolic abnormality. The combination of furosemide and spironolactone with intermittent courses of acetazolamide was very effective in the treatment of severe congestive heart failure complicated by normokalemic hypochloremic alkalosis.     

Transport of methylamine by Pseudomonas sp. MA.

Pseudomonas sp. MA grows on methylamines as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. The transport of methylamine into the organism was investigated. It was found that this organism possesses an inducible transport system for methylamine having the following physical parameters: pH optimum, 7.2; temperature optimum, 30 to 35 degrees C; Km, 1 to 30 mM; Vmax, 90 to 120 nmol/min per mg (dry weight) of cells. Methylamine uptake was curtailed by azide, cyanide, and carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone; osmotic shock treatment reduced the uptake by 50%. The uptake was not effectively inhibited by ammonium ion, amino acids, or amides, but was competitively inhibited by short-chain alkylamines. Cells grown on succinate-ammonium chloride did not possess the transport system, but it could be induced in such cells by methylamine in 20 h. Cells grown with methylamine as a sole nitrogen, but not carbon, source transported methylamine at a reduced rate.     

Cyclic AMP formation of isolated human corpora lutea in response to HCG - interference by PGF2 alpha.

Human corpora lutea of defined ages were excised at operation, cut into pieces and incubated in the presence of HCG, PGF2 alpha and PGE2 alone or in combination. Following incubation cAMP formation in tissue and medium was determined. HCG-stimulated tissue cAMP content was most pronounced at a corpus luteum age of 7-10 days after ovulation. This stimulation was antagonized by PGF2 alpha in corpora lutea older than 6 days. PGE2 stimulated cAMP formation per se and this effect was more pronounced when HCG and PGE2 were combined. A possible role for PGF2 alpha as a luteolytic substance in the human is suggested.     

Conformation of methylated sequences in HeLa cell 18-S ribosomal RNA: nuclease S1 as a probe

18-S rRNA from HeLa cells was digested with nuclease S1. Under the conditions employed 15% of the total nucleotides and some 50% of the methylated nucleotides were released as low-molecular-weight products. The material which was precipitable by 70% ethanol after nuclease S1 digestion was subjected to further digestion by combined T1 plus pancreatic ribonucleases or by T1 ribonuclease alone, and fingerprints were prepared. It was found that the four sites which are modified late during ribosome maturation, and which contain base modifications, were all accessible to nuclease S1. By contrast fewer than one-half of the sites which are modified early during ribosome maturation, and which contain 2'-O-methyl groups, were accessible to nuclease S1; the remainder were protected, presumably by secondary or tertiary interactions within 18-S rRNA.     

Heterogeneous staining of rat hepatocyte nuclei by HBFP technique

Synopsis The non-enzymatic histochemical technique Haematoxylin-Basic Fuchsinpicric acid (HBFP) was studied in fresh-frozen and Carnoy-fixed, paraffin-embedded rat liver sections. The hepatocyte nuclei fell into two populations and showed either a crimson red or purple staining in frozen as well as paraffin sections. The heterogeneous staining of the rat heptocyte nuclei was also present when the tissue sections were stained by Methyl Green-Pyronin stain. The differing nuclear staining was present in the isolated nuclei also. The HBFP technique, therefore, appears potentially useful when applied to liver and other tissues as well.     

The subcellular distribution and partial characterization of cholinesterase activities of canine platelets.

The multiple cholinesterase activities in canine platelets have been investigated. Platelets were homogenized by rapid decompression under nitrogen, glass tube/Teflon pestle, and glycerol lysis techniques. Rapid decompression under nitrogen technique was found to be the most efficient and gentle method for cell disruption. Homogenates were subfractionated using sodium diatrizoate density gradients. Marker enzyme assays and pulse labeling experiments with 5-hydroxyl[14C] tryptamine and [125I] thrombin on prepared subcellular fractions confirmed that the soluble, plasma membrane and the granule-1 fractions were all in reasonably pure form. Furthermore, labeling of the plasma membrane with [125I] thrombin is cited as the first successful attempt at attaining significantly bound marker for this structure. Cholinesterase activity distributions measured in these fractions indicated that about 30% of the activity was present in the plasma membrane, 50% in granule-1 and 5% in soluble fractions. Kinetic data of cholinesterase activities obtained from intact platelets, plasma membrane preparations and platelet release supernatants indicated that they are strikingly similar.     

Preliminary observations on plant-rock type relationships in the Shiraz-Dashte Arjan area,South-West Iran

Summary In the Dashte-Arjan area near Shiraz, rock formations appear to control the distribution of various plant species. The Fars formation (Miocene) and the Asmari-Jahrom formation (Eocene-Oligocen) sediments are characterized by distinet plant species and life forms. Among the characteristic calciphytes of Asmari-Jahrom limestones are Astragalus acutus, Amygdalus lyciodes, Cerasus microcarpa, and Fraxinus rotundifolia. The Fars formation limestones are characterized by Astragulus gossypinus, Acantholimon flexuosum, Noaea mucronata and Phlomis bruguieri, Except for Glycrrhiza glabra, white and red marls seem to have similar species, such as Alhagi maurorum and Carthamus oxyacantha. Gypsum of Fars formation has Berberis integerrima and Rosa beggeriana. Various life forms have been distinguished and were found to be confined to different rock types as well.Nomenclature of species is given in table 1.We are greately indebted to Dr. P.H. Davis and Prof. G. Pontecorvo F.R.S. for critically reading this paper and making some invaluable suggestions. We are grateful to the University Research Grant Commission for providing us a grant for this work. We are also indebted to the Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, Pahlavi University, Shiraz, Iran for providing us with a vehicle during this work.     

The influence of season and stage of development of plant on Endogone mycorrhiza of field-grown wheat.

A quantitative and qualitative survey of the indigenous Endogone population in wheat field soil and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza in wheat roots as influenced by season and by the stage of development of the wheat plant was made. The number of Endogone spores in wheat field soil remained relatively unchanged in winter until January during the period of maximum root growth. The extent of formation of arbuscules was influenced by the stage of development of the wheat plants.