Aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase distribution in rat kidney.

The sorbitol pathway catalyzes the conversion of glucose to fructose via the intermediate sorbitol. It consists of aldose reductase (AR) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH). In adult (44 day) kidney zones, AR was highest in the outer medulla. In substructures AR was highest in distal convoluted tubule. The AR was greatest in newborn and 8-day zones of developing rat kidney. Acute alloxan diabetes was associated with decreased AR in small arteries, but not glomeruli. The SDH was lowest in outer medulla. It was most active in glomeruli and distal convoluted tubules. The diabetic state leads to no change of SDH in arteries but an increase in glomeruli. SDH increased with development. This study demonstrates AR and SDH in substructures of the kidney. The pathway is present in developing kidney. In diabetes the enzymatic changes would tend to decrease accumulation of sorbitol.     

Platelet count and adhesiveness on induction to high altitude by air and road

Platelet count and adhesiveness (PA) were estimated in 87 normal lowlanders at sea level. They were randomly divided in three groups. Group A was taken to 3 660 m by air, group B by rapid road ascent and group C by road after acclimatisation enroute. Estimations were repeated serially during stay at high altitude and then on return to sea level. The subjects were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups based on their score on a symptom score chart. Some subjects of the air induced group (A) developed significant symptoms and showed a significant rise in PA on days 2 and 10 of exposure. Remaining subjects of group A and all subjects of road inducted group (B and C) remained asymptomatic and showed no change in PA. No significant change in the platelet counts in any of the lowlanders was noted on exposure to high altitude. The significance of these findings is discussed.     

Assessment of observer variability in the classification of human cataracts.

An in vitro cataract classification system was developed in our laboratories and used to demonstrate a relationship between sustained aspirin intake and the apparent deceleration or retardation of human cataract formation. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the reliability of this cataract classification schema. Sets of extracted human cataractous lenses, which had been photographed in vitro, were randomly assigned to five observers. The task was to classify the lenses on the basis of nuclear and cortical involvement, as reflected in color and area changes along five groupings. Assessments were made on the basis of both intraobserver and interobserver agreement levels, corrected for chance (weighted kappa values). All five examiners evidenced levels of intraobserver agreement which ranged between "Good" and "Fair" and "Excellent" (.46-.83). Each of the five observers was ranked on the basis of his agreement levels with the remaining four observers. The results followed a predictable pattern such that the more experienced the observer in classifying cataracts, the more consistent his rankings vis-à-vis the remaining four evaluators. These results are discussed in the general context of observer variability studies in the field of medicine.     

Induction of estrus in anestrous cows treated with 'Fertivet'

The effectiveness of 'Fertivet' (180 mg. Cisclomiphene Citrate and 120 mg. Transclomiphene citrate mixture) in the induction of estrus and fertility was tested on sixteen anestrous cows. Of all the animals treated 14 (97.5%) expressed estrus and 8 (57.1%) conceived. Among the three breeds of cows treated, 5 out of 5 Brown Swiss, 4 out of 5 Jersey cross breeds and 5 out of 6 Sahiwal (Zebu) cows expressed estrus. These results indicate the usefulness of 'Fertivet' in the induction of fertile estrus in cows.     

Effect of boron on the pollen vitality and yield of rice plants (Oryza sativa L. var. Jaya)

Summary Rice plants were grown in sand cultures with nutrient solution including boron at 0, 1, 2.5 and 5 ppm concentrations.In general, supply of boron improved the pollen vitality of rice flowers. It was stimulating up to 2.5 ppm concentration in the nutrient solution, beyond which (i.e., at 5 ppm) inhibitory effects appeared. The availability of boron also increased the yield of rice grains in the same order.Stimulating effects of boron may be linked with greater availability of sugars, increased enzymatic activity and respiration which favoured better growth of pollen. Inhibitory effects of stronger concentration of boron (5 ppm) may be related with physiological depression and injury to protoplasm itself.     

Fruit dimorphism inPhaseolus sublobatus (Fabaceae) and its evolutionary significance

Populations of the annualPhaseolus sublobatus from different ecogeographical zones are genetically differentiated. In twelve populations from the western ghats (Maharashtra range) chasmogamous flowers are arranged in peduncled capitate racemes borne in leaf axils of higher nodes. One population (Poona Race S₄) has additional inflorescences, also with chasmogamous flowers, on the main axis between the cotyledonary node and the ground. When the pods of these flowers ripen, the inflorescence gradually coils and, eventually, gets bury the fruits in the soil. This phenomenon is not known in any other plant.—The seed-coat patterns as revealed by SEM, and germination behaviour of both aerial and subterranean seeds are similar, and both types of seeds lack dormancy.—Heavy seed predation selection pressure is probably the principal cause for the evolution of fruit dimorphism inP. sublobatus. The origin of geocarpy in relation to fruit dimorphism and seed predation is discussed.     

Studies on glutamic-oxalacetic (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic (GPT) transaminases of swine kidney worm Stephanurus dentatus (Diesing, 1839). I. Assay and general properties.

Biochemical studies on the two transaminases GOT and GPT of swine kidney worm Stephanurus dentatus have been made. GOT has been found much more active than GPT. Enzyme activities are based on the formation of oxaloacetate (GOT) or pyruvate (GPT) from aspartic acid and alanine respectively with oxoglutarate. A linear relationship is observed between the enzyme concentration and activity. GOT shows a maximum activity at pH 8.0 and Michaelis constant 9 X 10(-3) M for male and 2.9 X 10(-3) M for female. GPT has an optimum pH of 7.5 and a Michaelis constant 19 X 10(-3) M for male and 8 X 10(-3) M for female. The optimum temperature for both GOT and GPT was 60 degrees C.     

Characterization of shrinkage cracks in medium black clay soil of madhya pradesh

Summary In a field experiment, the pattern and size of shrinkage cracks were studied under three vegetative covers of wheat crop, grass and cultivated fallow. Both the pattern and size of cracking varied widely. Under wheat crop, the major cracks developed parallel to the rows particularly midway between the two rows of plants. The cracks were few in number and simple in nature. And so was the case under grass where the major cracks developed either in between or around the grass tussocks. However, under cultivated fallow development of too many cracks forming an intricate network showed no definite pattern of cracking. In a soil other than the cultivated fallow, the pattern of cracking appeared to be a function of positioning of the plants rather than of the soil itself.As far as the size of cracks is concerned, the widest and deepest cracks developed under wheat crop and narrowest and shallowest under cultivated fallow. Under grass, the width and depth of the cracks was observed to be intermediate between the two extremes of wheat and cultivated fallow. The size of cracks seemed to depend on the magnitude of water loss from the soil. re]19760713