Role of membrane-bound Ca in ghost permeability to Na and K

The permeability of red cell ghosts to K is determined by the amount of membrane-bound Mg which, in turn, depends on internal Mg. Contrasting with such effect, an increase in cellular Ca raises K permeability. To test whether this action is due to a competitive displacement of membrane Mg, the free Ca content of human red cell ghosts was altered by means of Ca-EGTA buffers. Net Na and K movements as well as Ca and Mg bindings were assessed after incubation in a Na-medium at 37 degrees C. Raising Ca from 3 X 10(-7) to 1 X 10(-2) M caused a large K efflux with very little Na gain. Under similar conditions, Ca binding was increased without affecting membrane-bound Mg. Both Ca binding and K loss were markedly diminished by either adding ATP to the hemolytic medium or increasing internal Mg at a fixed Ca concentration. A Scatchard analysis showed three Ca binding sites, two of them having high affinity. It is concluded that Ca action does not arise from a displacement of membrane-bound Mg but from binding to different sites in the membrane. Presumably, high affinity sites are involved in the control of K permeability.     

Affection for patients as a factor in therapists' outcome judgements

This study was concerned with psychotherapists' evaluations of the outcome of therapy. Staff and resident psychiatrists employed in 23-item questionnaire to rate the seccess of psychotherapy with 85 of their inpatients. These were patients for whom psychotherapy constituted a significant part of the treatment that they received in the hospital. The therapists' responses to the questionnaire items were intercorrelated. The results indicated that a major aspect of a psychotherapist's judgment of the success of treatment-as these judgments usually are employed in current psychotherapy research-is the therapist's affective reaction to the patient, Better-liked patients were viewed as having improved more. However, when the therapists' responses were subjected to factor analysis, independent Improvement and Affection factors emerged. It is suggested that when therapists' ratings of success are used in psychotherapy research they should be treated or refined statistically to minimize potential confounding with their affection for patients.     

Bilateral pulmonary hilar lymphadenopathy. An unusual manifestation of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

The significance of glucagon for the alterations in carbohydrate and fat metabolism during swimming has been evaluated. Fed, male rats were used. Blood was drawn by cardiac puncture for glucose analysis and either rabbit-antiglucagonserum (A-rats) or normal rabbitserum (N-rats) injected. Twenty-nine rats were then forced to swim (S-rats) with a tail weight for 60 min, while 16 rats were resting controls (C-rats). Subsequently blood was drawn and samples of liver and muscle tissue collected. In SN-rats glucagon concentrations increased from 152 +/- 18 (S.E.) pg/ml (CN-rats) to 332 +/- 61 (P less than 0.05), while liver glycogen decreased (P less than 0.001) and blood glucose increased (P less than 0.05). In SA-rats, however, the changes in liver glycogen and blood glucose were halved indicating that increased glucagon secretion enhances hepatic glycogen depletion during prolonged exercise. NEFA rose in SA-rats (P less than 0.005) as well as in SN-rats (P less than 0.05). Glycerol concentrations, however, only increased in SA-rats (P less than 0.05) indicating a shift towards lipid combustion in antibody treated rats. Muscle glycogen and plasma insulin diminished and blood lactate increased uniformly in exercised rats.     

Infection of the urinary tract after anti-reflux surgery

Two hundred twenty-three children who underwent anti-reflux surgery were evaluated. Pyelonephritic scarring was more apt to occur with greater degrees of reflux. Postoperative infection was principally confined to the bladder and occurred primarily in females. The beneficial effect of anti-reflux surgery is discussed.     

Seroepidemiologic investigations of human hepatitis caused by A, B, and a possible third virus

The results of magnet implantation in the upper and lower eyelids of 29 patients suffering from Keratopathia due to lagophthalmos due to facial palsy as well as the surgical techniques involved are described. Contrary to a lateral tarsorrhaphy - still popular today - this method does not alter the form or the size of the palpebral fissure nor does it hinder the visual field. It is technically simple to perform and easily reversible should nerve function recover. The subjective results were also good.     

Effective use of nisin to control Bacillus and Clostridium spoilage of a pasteurized mashed potato product

Heat-resistant spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium can survive and grow in cooked potato products. This situation represents both a public health problem and an economic problem. The natural food preservative nisin is used in heat-treated foods to prevent the growth of such bacteria. A cocktail of Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium tyrobutyricum spores was inoculated into cooked mashed potatoes, which were vacuum packed, pasteurized, and incubated at 8 and 25 degrees C. The shelf life of the mashed potatoes at 25 degrees C was extended by at least 58 days with the addition 6.25 microg of nisin per g. At 8 degrees C, in control samples not containing nisin, the natural contaminant Bacillus grew, but the inoculated Clostridium strains did not until the temperature was raised to 20 degrees C after 39 days. No bacterial growth occurred in nisin-containing samples. The shelf life of the mashed potatoes was extended by at least 30 days with 6.25 microg of nisin per g. In trials involving a cocktail of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis strains, 6.25 microg of nisin per g extended the shelf life of mashed potato samples that were not vacuum packed by at least 27 days at 8 degrees C. At 25 degrees C, 25 microg of nisin per g extended shelf life by a similar period. Shelf life extension was also observed at lower nisin levels. Microbiological analysis of the mashed potato ingredients showed that a high spore level was associated with the onion powder. It is emphasized that the preservative and the ingredients must be well mixed to ensure good nisin efficacy. Nisin remained at effective levels after pasteurization, and good retention was observed throughout the shelf life of the mashed potatoes.