Studies on the properties of cow's-milk tributyrinases and their interaction with milk proteins

1. The tributyrinases in milk are mainly associated with casein micelles. Dilution or addition of sodium chloride increases the enzyme activity, probably by dissociating the micelle-tributyrinase complexes. 2. Tributyrinase activities of milks activated by dilution and sodium chloride addition were in the range 0.2-1.7muequiv. of acid liberated/ml. of milk/min. from tributyrin emulsion at pH8.5 and 25 degrees . The enzymes have a bivalent-cation requirement for full activity and are rather unstable when separated from casein. 3. Ultracentrifugation of skim milks containing sodium chloride (0.75m) gave preparations low in casein but containing about 70% of the milk tributyrinases. The tributyrinases in such preparations appear to be bound in complexes of molecular weight about 350000. Dilution may result in dissociation to give the free enzymes. 4. Pancreatic lipase also formed complexes with casein micelles, but wheat-germ esterase, xanthine oxidase, milk alkaline phosphatase and other enzymes did not.

Diffuse parenchymal urine leak after kidney transplantation following degloving injury during donor nephrectomy

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy can result in trauma to the kidney which may affect recipient graft function. In this case, the kidney sustained a complete degloving of the capsule during extraction. The kidney was transplanted and had immediate, good renal function, but postoperative course was complicated by a large urinoma that drained through the wound. Exploration was negative for a defined urine leak, but the surface of the denuded kidney was leaking a significant amount of unconcentrated urine. The patient was successfully treated with tissue glue treatment to the kidney surface and peritoneal window.

Patterns of presentation and diagnosis of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis: ENT aspects

DESIGN

a cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred and ninety-nine patients with Wegener's granulomatosis belonging to a patient self-help group.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Mode of initial presentation; diagnosis timescales and delay; rhinologic involvement; and treatment.

RESULTS

Sixty-three per cent of patients initially presented with ENT-related symptoms. Ninety-two per cent faced a delay in their diagnosis of more than one month, a pattern which has not improved over the last few decades and which compares unfavourably with North American figures. Rhinologic and otologic symptoms are a common occurrence in up to 85 and 50 per cent of Wegener's granulomatosis patients, respectively, attracting varying degrees of targeted treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

As sinonasal and other ENT symptoms are so common at the presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis, it is clear that the otolaryngologist has an important role in its diagnosis and treatment. There are long delays in the diagnosis and possible under-treatment of the ENT symptoms of this condition, highlighting the need for greater awareness, particularly in the ENT community.

Isolated inflammatory sphenoiditis with multiple unilateral cranial nerve palsies

Isolated sphenoidits is a rare entity that often presents with vague, non-specific symptoms. We present the case of a 36-year-old Middle Eastern man, who developed headache and a painful right eye. A diagnosis of acute sphenoiditis was made. Shortly afterwards, he developed diplopia due to isolated abducent nerve involvement. Within two months, the extent of cranial nerve involvement had increased to include cranial nerves II, III, and V. Subsequently, this was treated by functional endoscopic sinus surgical drainage and biopsy. Histology revealed inflammatory changes. The patient made a dramatic recovery post-operatively, with resolution in all symptoms.

Rolled auricular cartilage grafts for dorsal augmentation rhinoplasty

We present a technique, which has not been previously described in the literature, of using rolled autogenous conchal cartilage for dorsal augmentation via an endonasal or external rhinoplasty approach. This technique gives greater dorsal height compared with the more common layering techniques. It is most appropriate in the minimally or moderately saddled nose.

General and Rhinosinusitis-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Wegener???s Granulomatosis

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to outline the pattern of sinonasal morbidity and determine its effects on the quality of life (QOL) of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG).

METHODS

The authors conducted a survey of 199 patients with WG, including two validated (QOL) instruments to assess general (SF-36) and rhinosinusitis-specific quality of life (Sinonasal Outcome Test [SNOT-22]).

RESULTS

Patients with WG who have sinonasal involvement reported significantly lower general QOL scores than their unaffected counterparts (P = .000006-0.04) for all SF-36 subsets except for emotional role. WG-related sinonasal morbidity was comparable to the high levels previously demonstrated in the general rhinosinusitis population. A total of 38.2% of all patients with WG reported a nasal symptom as their most troublesome from a list of nasal and constitutional symptoms. Twenty-three percent of all patients with WG rated nasal crusting and 17% rated epistaxis as one of their top three most troublesome symptoms even in the setting of multisystem disease. The inclusion of crusting, bleeding, and nasal deformity in the SNOT scoring significantly increased average scores of patients with WG (P = .024, paired t test).

CONCLUSIONS

Sinonasal involvement impacts significantly on the general QOL of patients with WG and is at least as significant as that of the general rhinosinusitis population. Nasal symptoms that are of particular relevance to this patient group include nasal crusting and epistaxis.

D1 dopamine receptor hyperphosphorylation in renal proximal tubules in hypertension

A defect in the coupling of the D(1) receptor (D(1)R) to its G protein/effector complex in renal proximal tubules plays a role in the pathogenesis of spontaneous hypertension. As there is no mutation of the D(1)R gene in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), we tested the hypothesis that the coupling defect is associated with constitutive desensitization/phosphorylation of the D(1)R. The following experiments were performed: (1) Cell culture and membrane preparations from rat kidneys and immortalized rat renal proximal tubule cells (RPTCs); (2) immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting; (3) cyclic adenosine 3',5' monophosphate and adenylyl cyclase assays; (4) immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy; (5) biotinylation of cell surface proteins; and (6) in vitro enzyme dephosphorylation. Basal serine-phosphorylated D(1)Rs in renal proximal tubules, brush border membranes, and membranes from immortalized RPTCs were greater in SHRs (21.0+/-1.5 density units, DU) than in normotensive rats (7.4+/-2.9 DU). The increased basal serine phosphorylation of D(1)Rs in SHRs was accompanied by decreased expression of D(1)R at the cell surface, and decreased ability of a D(1)-like receptor agonist (fenoldopam) to stimulate cyclic adenosine 3',5' monophosphate (cAMP) production. Increasing protein phosphatase 2A activity with protamine enhanced the ability of fenoldopam to stimulate cAMP accumulation (17+/-4%) and alter D(1)R cell surface expression in intact cells from SHRs. Alkaline phosphatase treatment of RPTC membranes decreased D(1)R phosphorylation and enhanced fenoldopam stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity (26+/-6%) in SHRs. Uncoupling of the D(1)R from its G protein/effector complex in renal proximal tubules in SHRs is caused, in part, by increased D(1)R serine phosphorylation.

The biosynthesis of l-rhamnose of plum-leaf polysaccharides

1. The utilization of d-[1-(14)C]- and d-[6-(14)C]-glucose in the biosynthesis of l-rhamnose units of plum-leaf polysaccharides has been studied. 2. After the precursors had been metabolized in the leaves, polysaccharide fractions were prepared therefrom and the constituent l-rhamnose was isolated and purified. 3. Both the specific activity and the distribution of (14)C along the carbon chain of l-rhamnose from two polysaccharide fractions from each experiment were determined. 4. The results indicated a close affinity between l-rhamnose and pectin, and show that biosynthesis of the 6-deoxyhexose from d-glucose occurs in the main without scission or inversion of the carbon chain. 5. A degradation scheme for l-rhamnose via l-rhamnitol was described which gives the labelling at C-1, C-2+C-3+C-4,C-5 and C-6 on a 0.3millimole scale.