Eosinophils in the allergic reaction]

The presence of FDP in the urine, known to be a sensitive indicator of various kidney disorders, was studied in 14 well-trained men participating in a 70-km cross-country ski race. None of the urine samples contained FDP on the day before the race. Immediately after the race, 4 samples contained FDP. High molecular weight FDP were found in 2 of them, whereas 2 others contained low molecular weight products only. 2 days after the race, 1 of these subjects still had FDP in the urine. In addition, 2 newly FDP positives were observed. Serum FDP were slightly elevated in 2 subjects before the race, and in another subject immediately after the race. The presence of urinary FDP did not correlate either with urinary albumin or uromucoid, or with serum FDP. A drop in plasma fibrinogen immediately after the race was noted in all subjects. It is suggested that the present observations may reflect a transient hyperproteolysis (coagulation and fibrinolysis) in the glomerular circulation, including fibrin formation and dissolution, associated with a transient damage of glomerular capillaries.     

The lymph nodes of the porta hepatis

The area under the liver was dissected in 27 human autopsy specimens to search for lymph nodes in the fissures. Nodes were present in all instances. They were in the transverse fissure, posterior to the portal vein, posterior to pars transversus of the left portal vein and associated with the left hepatic artery. The size varied from 2 millimeters to 2 centimeters. Each node was histologically confirmed. Nodes were infrequent and small on the right. Nodes were not found between the portal vein, hepatic artery and bile ducts in the fissures. Nodes were found outside the fissures in the fascia between the bile duct and hepatic artery. Occlusion of the portal vein and hepatic artery could be expected before occlusion of the bile duct. Node enlargement in the transverse fissure is anticipated as a rare cause of jaundice.     

Biopterin derivatives in human body fluids and tissues

Levels of biopterin derivatives in urine, serum, milk, cerebrospinal fluid, brain, and liver have been measured with the Crithidia fasciculata assay. Normal levels in serum and urine have been given and compared with those in a number of benign and malignant proliferative disorders, phenylketonuria, kidney disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, controlled epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, and pernicious anaemia. The active component of Crithidia factor in serum was 7,8-dihydrobiopterin. Tissue, urine, and some serum samples contained two active materials, the principal one being 7,8-dihydrobiopterin; a minor constituent was probably tetrahydrobiopterin. Serum biopterin levels following methotrexate administration were raised and subsequent administration of folic acid and 5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid further increased serum levels of biopterin derivatives; this was in contrast to the total absence of response to oral folates without prior methotrexate and to 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid either with or without methotrexate being given.     

Differential quantitation of surface and subsurface bacteria of normal skin by the combined use of the cotton swab and the scrub methods

By testing adjacent sites on the hypothenar eminence of the palm, enriched with bacteria by massaging the forehead, we found that the numbers of bacteria recovered from the skin surface by a wet cotton swab in 30 s were not significantly different from the numbers obtained by a brisk scrubbing with a blunted Teflon policeman for 120 s. This was true of aerobes (gram-positive cocci) and anaerobes (propionibacteria). If the same site on the palm was swabbed two times for 15 s each time, 67 to 94% of the total recovered bacteria were obtained on the first swab. Differential localization of bacteria into surface and subsurface populations was accomplished by first swabbing a test skin site to assay the surface flora and then scrubbing the same site to test for subsurface organisms. On the palm the swab yielded more aerobes and anaerobes than did the subsequent scrub. On the forehead the scrub yielded three to eight times as many anaerobes as the preceding swab. In some tests gram-positive cocci were distributed on the forehead like propionibacteria (large excess in scrub specimen); in other tests their numbers were similar in the swab and scrub specimens or there was a large excess in the swab specimen. These results indicate that there was no substantial subsurface flora on the palm. On the forehead propionibacteria were predominantly in deeper locations in all tests; gram-positive cocci were variable: in some test sites they were largely at the surface, whereas at other sites a predominance of cocci was in subsurface locations.     

Metallothionein and its relationship to the metabolism of dietary zinc in rats

Metallothionein (MTN), a low molecular weight cytoplasmic metalloprotein has previously been implicated in the metabolism of Zn. Experiments were conducted with rats to determine the effect of feeding varying levels of dietary Zn for short periods on the increase or decrease in MTN-bound Zn. The results indicated that MTN-Zn in both liver and intestinal mucosal cytosol responded rapidly to an altered dietary Zn level and that serum Zn was directly related to the appearance of MTN. 65Zn absorption also responded rapidly to a change in dietary Zn and was inversely correlated with intestinal mucosal MTN-Zn. Hepatic 65Zn uptake appeared to be directly correlated with liver MTN-Zn. A 24 hour fast increased MTN-Zn in rats fed two different levels of Zn except in those rats that were previously treated with actinomycin D. The antibiotic, which blocks DNA-dependent RNA synthesis, appeared to block Zn uptake from blood to the liver. These findings offer support for the involvement of MTN in zinc metabolism.     

An assessment of inositol fermentation by Klebsiellae and its implication in screening media

Four patterns of inositol fermentation by different isolates of Klebsiellae are described. Inositol fermentation by some isolates may be modified by medium incorporation of acetoin and diacetyl. An inositol--hydrogen sulphide--motility medium, modified by reducing the pH value, increasing the inositol concentration, and the incorporation of acetoin, is described and evaluated as a means of detecting acid production by isolates showing different inositol fermentation patterns.     

Intergeneric transfer of genes involved in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis

Genes that seem to be involved in the initial steps of infection of a legume by Rhizobium have been transferred, by transformation, to mutant strains of Azotobacter vinelandii that are unable to fix nitrogen. These genes code for a surface antigen that binds specifically to a protein from the host plant.