Growth depression and tissue reaction to the consumption of excess dietary methionine and S-methyl-L-cysteine

Similar depressions in growth were observed when rats consumed a 10% casein basal diet containing equal quantities of either methionine or S-methyl-L-cysteine. Supplemental glycine or serine partially alleviated the growth depression caused by the high levels of methionine but were ineffective in alleviating the growth depression caused by high levels of S-methylcysteine. Histological examination of five organs of rats fed the basal, high methionine or high S-methylcysteine diet for 6, 13 or 20 days revealed that only the spleens were affected in that there was erythrocyte engorgement and an accumulation of hemosiderin. The intensity of iron staining in spleens decreased from the second to the third week. The similarity in the depression of growth and splenic damage observed in rats consuming high levels of methionine or S-methylcysteine is consistent with an earlier suggestion that metabolism of the methionine or S-methylcysteine is consistent with an earlier suggestion that metabolism of the methyl group is in some way involved in the toxicity of methionine.     

Automation in the hematology laboratory

In the routine laboratory for hematology conflicting results may be obtained for the red blood cell parameters with the Coulter Counter Model S. These parameters2) are: mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). When the values of the MCHC are above 36 g/dl something must be wrong with the blood sample of the patient. One of the reasons can be agglutination e.g. by cold agglutinins. The blood sample should be reanalysed before and after heating for 1 hour at 37 degrees C. If the values change: cold agglutinins are present; if no change occurs paraproteins, or other disturbing factors, such as bilirubin or high leucocyte levels, will be found. MCH values may also be high in some cases e.g. if the red blood cells are coated with antibodies (Coombs test positive) or after ingestion of medicines like Azathioprine. These examples show that it is possible in some cases to correlate immunological findings with the red blood cell parameters. In addition to the results with the Coulter Counter Model S, some observations on the Hemalog (Technicon) are also presented.     

An agar medium for direct enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus: pork plasma medium for S. aureus (PPSA)

A selective agar medium (pork plasma medium for S. aureus (PPSA)) enables the direct enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci. This medium is based on the Baird-Parker agar without egg yolk and is supplemented with pig plasma. Colonies of Staphylococcus aureus are surrounded by a halo of precipitated fibrin. When foods such as dairy products contain large numbers of egg yolk-negative strains of S. aureus, the PPSA agar has the advantage over egg yolk containing media such as Baird-Parker agar that fewer suspect colonies have to be confirmed.     

Platelet coagulant activities and serum lipids in transient cerebral ischemia

To determine whether platelets play a part in the pathogenesis of transient cerebrovascular ischemia, we studied 22 patients with transient ischemia, 18 control patients and 38 normal subjects. Platelet aggregation and [14C]-serotonin release by ADP, epinephrine and collagen were normal in all patients, as were plasma coagulation assays, except for shortened partial thromboplastin times in the patients with transient ischemia. Platelet coagulant activities concerned with initiation and early stages of intrinsic coagulation were increased two to three times in 12 patients with transient ischemic attacks with normal serum lipids and normal in the 10 others with Type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. These results indicate an association between platelet coagulant hyperactivity and transient ischemic attacks in a group of patients with normal serum lipids.     

Standing-gradient osmotic flow. Examination of its validity using an analytical method

The development of pathological lesions in the organs of rabbits was examined at intervals from 1 h to 4 days after aerosol infection with Francisella tularensis. The earliest change, accumulation of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in ulmonary alveolar ducts, occurred at 19 h. From the 2nd day multiple foci of necrosis and PMN infiltration were present in large airways and alveoli throughout the lungs and progressively increased in size. Pulmonary arteritis was a prominent feature of the infection. Areas of necrosis were present in the nasal mucosa, pharynz and trachea, and pyogranolomatous lesions consistently developed in the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes.     

Plasma concentrations of unconjugated estrone, estradiol-17beta and estriol, and HCS throughout pregnancy in diabetics and gestational diabetics

Plasma unconjugated estrone (E1), estradiol-17beta (E2) and estriol (E3), and HCS were measured in the same plasma samples collected throughout pregnancy in 19 gestational diabetics (GD) and 21 diabetics (D). When compared to the results obtained in 22 normal subjects, plasma levels of E1 and E2 were significantly elevated in D in the second half of gestation. The results were intermediate although closer to the normals, in GD. E3 values were not different from the normals in both D and GD. HCS values were lower than normal in early pregnancy in both D and GD. In late pregnancy HCS levels were not different from normal in either D or GD, although some individual values were much above the upper limit in some diabetic patients. The hormonal ratios in D and GD parallel those in normals, although E3/E2 and HCS/E2 were lower in D. These results are discussed with respect to the different behaviour of E2 and E3, taking into account the difference in their respective biosynthetic pathways. Besides a possible quantitative modification of the placental function in D, the results could tentatively be explained by a qualitative change in the fetal estrogen precursors to placental aromatization, in favour of the 16 non-hydroxylated compound. However, maternal modifications in precursor production or in estrogen metabolism can be an alternative hypothesis. Finally, the present work does not support the hypothetical estrogen deficiency in diabetic pregnancy. Estrogen treatment appears to have no objective justification.     

Operative correction of pectus excavatum: an evolving perspective

Volatile free fatty acids (VFA) in blood increased approximately twofold in dogs subjected to total hepatectomy. The average total plasma VFA preoperatively was 1,585 mug percent and shortly before death, postoperatively, was 2,798 mug percent. The corresponding red cell concentrations were essentially the same. Acetic acid was 81 percent of the total VFA, propionic acid 7 percent, isobutyric acid 4 percent, butyric acid one percent, and isovaleric acid 5 percent. There was little or no isovalerate in red cells. The increments in the individual fatty acids after hepatectomy were highly variable, but the average increase with time was almost linear. The increase in VFA probably reflects an increased utilization of the branched-chain aminoacids by extrahepatic tissues.