Aldosterone secretion during high sodium cerebrospinal fluid perfusion of the brain ventricles

Conscious sheep with permanent indwelling cannulae in the lateral ventricles and the cisterna magna were Na depleted and then perfused for 9 h with an artificial CSF solution. There were 3 experimental groups: Group I (n=5) received perfusion with aritifical CSF containing NA 170 MEq./1, Group II (n=7) received perfusion with artificial CSF containing Na 145 mEq./1, Group III (n=7) received no perfusion. In Group I the blood aldosterone level fell from 26.4 +/- 7.4 to 8.6 +/- 2.3 ng/100 ml by 9 h after perfusion. There was no significant change in plasma [Na] or [K], blood angiotensin II or plasma renin concentration. Blood cortisol and corticosterone levels rose. There was also a fall in post-perfusion. Group III showed no significant change in blood aldosterone concentration. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that the fall in aldosterone levels during 170 mEq./l Na perfusion could not be accounted for by changes, either alone or together, of ACTH as evidenced by alteration in blood cortisol or corticosterone, or by change of plasma [Na], [K] or renin concentrations. This data supports the hypothesis of an additional factor which may be of CNS origin being involved in the control of aldosterone secretion.     

Reversible binding of chlorpromazine to brain tubulin

Isolated lamb hearts perfused at 13degrees C. with acellular perfusates developed progressive intersitital edema and a rise in vascular resistance. They did not exhbit any electrical or mechanical activity. In contrast, hearts perfused with whole fresh blood remained well preserved, had no edema or change in vascular resistance, and contracted vigorously while being perfused at 10degrees and 13degrees C. This study was designed to determine which particular component(s) of whole blood contributed to improved cardiac preservation. Isolated lamb hearts were perfused for 18 hours at 13degrees C. with plasma containing platelets and some or no red blood cells. Continuously fresh plasma was obtained from a donor animal by means of a flow-through centrifuge. Hearts perfused at 13degrees C. with fresh plasma of either low or high platelet count contracted during the initial 2 to 4 hours of the perfusion only and were as poorly preserved as hearts perfused with acellular microfiltered plasma. A hematocrit value of 2 to 5 per cent in the plasma perfusate resulted in the hearts being preserved almost as well as with fresh whole blood; they showed a forceful cardiac activity at 13degrees C., there was no edema, the vascular resistance was stable, and after rewarming they had good ventricular function. The improvement in cardiac preservation brought about by addition of a minimal amount of red blood cells suggests a specific effect of erythrocytes on the cardiac microcirculation.     

Increasing polyunsaturation of milk fats by feeding formaldehyde protected sunflower-soybean supplement

A practical means of protecting fats of a feed concentrate containing high polyunsaturated fatty acids is described. A ground mixture of 30% soybeans and 70% sunflower seeds was treated with 1% formaldehyde to protect the unsaturated lipids from microbial hydrogenation in the rumen. This was fed as a supplement to two Holstein cows in amounts that were doubled weekly. These ranged from 524 to 8384 g/day and provided successively increasing intakes of 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 g of linoleic acid daily. Percent milk fat increased by more than one, and linoleic acid (C18:2) of milk fat increased from 2.5 to 20% with compensatory declines in myristic (C14:0) and palmitic (C16:0) acids. Cholesterol and vitamin E of plasma both doubled at the highest supplementation. Milk yield, solids-not-fat, protein and milk cholesterol were unaltered. Fat in feces doubled from about 3 to 6%. Daily linoleic acid content of feces increased from 25 g to 120 g, indicating a dietary loss of 7 to 10% of this polyunsaturated acid. These cheaper feed ingredients elevated the polyunsaturated fats in milk as effectively as the expensive purified casein and safflower oil supplements in previous experiments.     

Energetics of triosephosphate isomerase: deuterium isotope effects in the enzyme-catalyzed reaction

The effect of isotopic substitution of the specifically labilized hydrogen in the substrates of triosephosphate isomerase on the steady-state rates of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction has been examined. The k cat value for the enzyme-catalyzed transformation of [1(R)-2H] dihydroxyacetone phosphate is 2.9 times smaller than that for the 1(R)-1H compound. Because of the rapid loss of 2H to solvent from the enzyme-enediol complex, this factor represents the full kinetic isotope effect of the proton abstraction step. The values of k cat and of Km for D-[2-2H]glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate are indistinguishable from those of the 2-1H material. This arises from the rapid loss of 2H from the enzyme-enediol intermediate, which results in 1H rather than 2H transfer in the rate-limiting step. The steady-state kinetic results reported in this paper qualitatively confirm and quantitatively extend the results from the previous papers on the variation of the free energy along the reaction path.     

Morphological and physiological characteristics of Gemmiger formicilis isolated from chicken ceca

Morphological and physiological studies were made on chicken cecal isolates of the strictly anaerobic bacterial species Gemmiger formicilis. Structural features (phase-contrast and electron microscopy) of these microorganisms indicate they (i) are highly pleomorphic, (ii) possess a trilaminar cell wall like gram-negative bacteria, (iii) exhibit an unusual growth process characterized by polar swelling (resembling budding bacteria), and (iv) grow into elongated cells when exposed to a subinhibitory concentration of penicillin. The morphological data presented suggest that this species has a rod-shaped structure. These bacteria ferment a variety of sugars to produce formic, butyric, and lactic acids. There appear to be two groups of Gemmiger, one producing primarily lactate and the other producing formate as major fermentation metabolites. Growth of six strains in a basal medium, consisting of Trypticase, minerals, carbohydrate, Na2CO3 buffer, and cysteine as reducing agent, was stimulated by rumen fluid and yeast extract. Volatile fatty acids partially replaced the requirement for rumen fluid with some strains. Single deletions of vitamins (from a defined vitamin mixture) indicated that pantothenate, riboflavin, and thiamine were highly stimulatory to growth of the organism in a medium containing rumen fluid and Trypticase as source of vitamins. Other vitamin requirements were not studied.     

Plasma progestins, estradiol, and luteinizing hormone following prostaglandin F2 alpha injection

Dairy animals, ranging from days 8 to 13 of the estrous cycle, were fitted with indwelling jugular catheters 1 day prior to either intramuscular injection of prostaglandin F2alpha free acid (30 mg, n=4) or intrauterine deposition of prostaglandin F2alpha free acid (10 mg, n = 3). Blood samples were collected at 6, 4, 2, and 0 h prior to administration of prostaglandin F2alpha and at 1, 3, and every 2 h thereafter until ovulation. Progestins, estradiol, and luteinizing hormone in plasma were measured by radioimmunoassay. Hormonal changes and interrelationships within animals were evaluated by least squares analyses. Decreases in progestins of plasma within 24 h indicated prostaglandin F2alpha induced luteolysis in six of the seven animals. Estradiol increased linearly from time of injection to 52 h postinjection. Intervals from administration of prostaglandin to onset of estrus, peak of luteinizing hormone, and ovulation were 74.9 +/- 21, 78.8 +/- 21, and 99.5 +/- 19 h.