Measurement of Free Intracellular Calcium in the Brain by 19F-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

We report the first measurement of the free intracellular calcium level in an actively metabolising intact cerebral tissue preparation. To this end, we applied the recently developed 19F-nuclear magnetic resonance calcium chelator, 5,5'-F2-1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (5FBAPTA), in superfused cerebral cortical slices to give values for the intracellular Ca2+ concentration of 350 and 480 nM, at external calcium concentrations of 1.2 and 2.4 mM, respectively. Under both conditions, the intracellular Ca2+ concentration was increased by depolarisation using a high external K+ concentration. Interleaved 31P spectra showed that the presence of the 5FBAPTA had a deleterious effect on the metabolic state of the tissue with an external Ca2+ concentration of 1.2 mM, but normal viability was maintained using 2.4 mM.     

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Activity in Osmotically Shocked Rat Brain Mitochondria: Stimulation by Oxaloacetate

Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity (PDHC) measured by CO2 release isotopic assay has generally been much lower than activity measured by the spectrophotometric arylamine acetyltransferase assay (ArAT). Decarboxylation of [1-14C]pyruvate was measured in osmotically shocked rat brain cortical mitochondria. Activity is dependent on the concentration of the substrate pyruvate. Activity of 74.6 units +/- 12.3 SD (n = 22) was observed at 4 mM pyruvate (1 unit = 1 nmol pyruvate decarboxylated/min/mg protein). Activity was dependent on added NAD, CoA, and thiamine pyrophosphate, implying increased mitochondrial permeability after osmotic shock. Freeze/thaw with sonication of the mitochondrial preparation reduced PDHC activity to 11.5 units +/- 3.0 SD (n = 4). Oxaloacetate produced a marked stimulation of activity. The optimal assay contained 3 mM oxaloacetate, and without oxaloacetate activity fell to 15.4 units +/- 9.9 SD (n = 8). These studies highlight the importance of optimal substrate concentrations in the CO2 release isotopic PDHC method. Higher PDHC activity is found with intact mitochondria and thus activity values should be interpreted in the light of the presence or absence of intact mitochondria in individual preparations.     

Role of angiotensin II in renal hemodynamic functions during the initial stages of acute ureteral obstruction

This investigation examines the role of Angiotensin II in renal hemodynamic functions during acute unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in a dog model. An electro magnetic flow probe was utilized to assess renal blood flow while the arteriovenous extraction technique of technetium 99m DTPA was utilized for the assessment of changes in filtration fraction and glomerular filtration rate. The effects of Angiotensin II receptor blockade on renal hemodynamic functions during acute UUO was evaluated in six dogs and compared to acute ureteral obstruction without receptor blockade in seven dogs. Angiotensin II blockade with (Sar1, Thr8)-Angiotensin II during UUO led to a striking increase in renal blood flow that was significantly different in comparison to normalized values from UUO alone (+delta 63 +/- 17 vs. +delta 22 +/- 6% at 30 min; p less than 0.05). There were, however, no significant differences in the magnitude of the decrease in filtration fraction and glomerular filtration rate in comparison to UUO alone. This investigation demonstrates that Angiotensin II has an inhibitory effect on the initial increase in renal blood flow with acute UUO. The possibility of successful pharmacologic intervention in the setting of UUO can be examined using animal models similar to the one described here. Pharmacologic treatment in the setting of acute UUO in patients might permit better preservation of renal function.     

Ammonia Production and Assimilation in Glutamate Synthase Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

Ammonia production and assimilation¹ were examined in photorespiratory mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana L. lacking ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GluS) activity. Although photosynthesis was rapidly inhibited in these mutants in normal air, NH₄⁺ continued to accumulate. The accumulation of NH₄⁺ was also seen after an initial lag of 30 minutes in 2% O₂, 350 microliters per liter of CO₂ and after 90 minutes in 2% O₂, 900 microliters per liter of CO₂. The accumulation of NH₄⁺ in normal air and low O₂ was also associated with an increase in the total pool of amino acid-N and glutamine, and a decrease in the pools of glutamate, aspartate, alanine, and serine. Upon return to dark conditions, or to 21% O₂, 1% CO₂ in the light, the NH₄⁺ which had accumulated in the leaves was reassimilated into amino acids. The addition of methionine sulfoximine (MSO) resulted in higher accumulations of NH₄⁺ in glutamate synthase mutants and prevented the reassimilation of NH₄⁺ upon return to the dark. The addition of MSO also resulted in the accumulation of NH₄⁺ in glutamate synthase mutants in the light and in 21% O₂, 1% CO₂. These results indicate that glutamine synthetase is essential for the reassimilation of photorespiratory NH₄⁺ and for primary N assimilation in the leaves and strongly suggest that glutamate dehydrogenase plays only a minimal role in the assimilation of ammonia. Levels of NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (NADH-GluS) appear to be sufficient to account for the assimilation of NH₄⁺ by a GS/NADH-GluS cycle.     

Platelet-activating factor antagonists increase vascular reactivity in perfused rat lungs

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) administered to the pulmonary circulation in low dose (nanogram) has vasodilatory properties. Therefore, we investigated whether endogenous PAF plays a role in the control of tone in the pulmonary circulation. The PAF receptor antagonists, SRI 63-441 (2.6 X 10(-4) M) and L659,989 (1 X 10(-5) M), were the major investigative tools. In isolated perfused rat lungs, both agents caused a persistent increase in base-line perfusion pressure (Ppa), potentiated angiotensin II (ANG II) vasoconstriction, and potentiated hypoxic vasoconstriction (HPV). This potentiation of ANG II and HPV was found to be independent of circulating blood elements. Vasodilation in the presence of PAF blockade was also impaired. The combination of cyclooxygenase inhibition and PAF receptor blockade had an additive effect on ANG II vasoconstriction but did not cause more potentiation of HPV than achieved with PAF antagonism alone. In vivo, SRI 63-441 (10 mg/kg) caused only a transient increase in base-line Ppa without altering ANG II and hypoxic vasoconstriction. These findings support a vasodilatory role for endogenous PAF in the pulmonary circulation.     

Identification of cytokinins in young wheat spikes (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese spring)

Cytokinins in young wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese spring) spikes (2–15 mm) were isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography. High-performance liquid chromatography-radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that major cytokinins present weretrans-zeatin, ribosyl-trans-zeatin, ribosyldihydrozeatintrans-zeatin-9-glucoside, and the glucosides oftrans-zeatin, ribosyl-trans-zeatin, andtrans-zeatin-9-glucoside. Dihydrozeatin,iso-pentenyladenosine, andiso-pentenyladenine were also present but at lower concentrations.Mention of a trade name, proprietary product, or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable. R. C. Durley's present address is Biological Sciences, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri 63167.     

Gastric exocrine “failure” in critically ill patients: incidence and associated features

Following the observation that many critically ill patients cannot maintain their gastric juice pH below 4 without treatment a study was performed to measure the gastric juice pH in such patients and relate it to other clinical data. The case notes of 64 patients who had been admitted to the intensive care unit and taken part in two trials of ranitidine treatment were reviewed. During those trials gastric juice was aspirated hourly and the pH and volume measured. In this study the values recorded during a six hour untreated control phase were used. Data on age, diagnosis, treatment, outcome, episodes of hypoxia, episodes of hypotension, and use of inotropic drugs were also reviewed. Full data were available for 61 patients: 27 had a mean baseline pH of >5 during the control phase and 34 a mean baseline pH of <5. Significantly more of those with a high pH suffered hypotension (21/27 v 13/34) and received inotropic drugs (16/27 v 8/34).These findings suggest that hypotension in critically ill patients adversely affects gastric exocrine function; prophylaxis with drugs that can improve gastric mucosal blood flow may be more effective than with antacids.     

Scales and costs of habitat selection in heterogeneous landscapes

Summary Two scales of habitat selection are likely to influence patterns of animal density in heterogeneous landscapes. At one scale, habitat selection is determined by the differential use of foraging locations within a home range. At a larger scale, habitat selection is determined by dispersal and the ability to relocate the home range. The limits of both scales must be known for accurate assessments of habitat selection and its role in effecting spatial patterns in abundance. Isodars, which specify the relationships between population density in two habitats such that the expected reproductive success of an individual is the same in both, allow us to distinguish the two scales of habitat selection because each scale has different costs. In a two-habitat environment, the cost of rejecting one of the habitats within a home range can be expressed as a devaluation of the other, because, for example, fine-grained foragers must travel through both. At the dispersal scale, the cost of accepting a new home range in a different habitat has the opposite effect of inflating the value of the original habitat to compensate for lost evolutionary potential associated with relocating the home range. These costs produce isodars at the foraging scale with a lower intercept and slope than those at the dispersal scale.Empirical data on deer mice occupying prairie and badland habitats in southern Alberta confirm the ability of isodar analysis to differentiate between foraging and dispersal scales. The data suggest a foraging range of approximately 60 m, and an effective dispersal distance near 140 m. The relatively short dispersal distance implies that recent theories may have over-emphasized the role of habitat selection on local population dynamics. But the exchange of individuals between habitats sharing irregular borders may be substantial. Dispersal distance may thus give a false impression of the inability of habitat selection to help regulate population density.     

Environmental networks,compensating life histories and habitat selection by white-footed mice

Summary Analysis of 6 years' data on a population of free-living white-footed mice documents both phenotypic and environmental control of litter size. Litter size was positively correlated with maternal body size. Maternal size depended upon both seasonal and annual variation. Paradoxically, the proportion of small versus large litters varied among habitats independently of the effects of body size. The result is an influence of habitat on life history that yields patterns of reproduction and survival opposite to the predictions of demographic theory. The habitat producing the largest litters had a relatively high ratio of adult/juvenile survival. Litter size was small in the habitat where the adult/juvenile survival ratio was smallest. All of these anomalous patterns can be explained through density-dependent habitat selection by female white-footed mice. Life-history studies that ignore habitat and habitat selection may find spurious correlations among traits that result in serious misinterpretations about life history and its evolution.