The association of neurofibromatosis and hyperparathyroidism

Two patients with coexisting neurofibromatosis and hyperparathyroidism are described, bringing the total number of such cases in the world literature to seven. Other more classic examples of the association of tumorous conditions of neuroectodermal and entodermal origin are discussed to support the suggestion that the association of these two diseases may be another variant of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2b). It may be clinically profitable to investigate all patients with either disease in order to uncover their coexistence.

Effect of free fatty acid anion on the in vitro binding of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate to cytoplasmic proteins from rat liver

The influence of oleate ion, a free fatty acid anion, on the binding characteristics of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) with the cytoplasmic proteins (Y and Z) from rat liver has been examined using fluorescence spectroscopy. ANS binds strongly with both ligandin (Y) and Z protein at a single binding site with dissociation constants of 0.6 and 1.4 micron respectively. Increasing concentrations of oleate ion decreased the ANS binding with either protein by competing with the ANS binding site. Relative binding constant of oleate ion for the hepatic ligandin or Z protein was about 2 micron as determined from the competitive inhibition of ANS binding. These results suggest that variations in the hepatic cytoplasmic free fatty acid concentration may be important in regulating the capacity of Y and Z proteins to transport other organic anions.

Stable and transmissible dicentric chromosome with terminal centromeres in ascites cell of mouse sarcoma 180

The occurrence of a stable and transmissible dicentric chromosome with 2 terminal centromers has been reported in the ascites form of mouse sarcoma 180 cells which is chromosomally hypotetraploid. The number of such dicentrics is 2 in all endoreduplicated cells. The probable mode of anaphase separation of the dicentric has been discussed.

Studies on the crystalline form of phenytoin

Two crystalline forms of phenytoin were isolated and characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and differential thermal analysis. The dissolution behavior of the two forms was determined in water. The crystals of needle shape (form II) were found to exhibit slower dissolution rate than the other crystal form (form I).

Robertsonian fusion leading to the formation of stable dicentric chromosome in an ascites cell line of the mouse

The dicentric nature of a marker metacentric chromosome originated by robertsonian fusion has been established in the ascites cells of mouse sarcoma 180. C-banding analysis has revealed that the metacentric is actually a dicentric with 2 closely situated C-positive heterochromatic zones. The nature of the centromeres and the NF value of the cell indicate that this meta-dicentric marker has originated by breakage and fusion within each of the short arms of 2 acrocentric chromosomes.

Pentazocine suppositories for post-operative pain: intramuscular pentazocine injections versus suppositories in a controlled trial in 588 patients

A between-patient comparison of the analgesic effect of pentazocine 50 mg by suppository and 30--45 mg by intramuscular injection was made in 558 postoperative patients, 54% within 24 hours of operation. The suppositories proved acceptable overall, even though effectiveness was less at half an hour after administration (particularly in those patients with severe initial pain) and there was greater need for further analgesia at one hour. The cost of treatment with suppositories is less than with injections. After the suppositories there were half as many patients asleep at one hour than after injections, and fewer possible side-effects (7 compared to 24).

Spontaneour Robertsonian fusion leading to karyotype variation in the house mouse - first report form Asia

The occurrence of spontaneous Robertsonian fusion leading to 2n=39 chromosomes (NF=40) in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) has been reported for the first time from Asia. 3 phenotypically normal female mice collected from 2 distantly located populations of India (Tripura and Calcutta) show centric fusion in somatic chromosomes between pairs 2 and 16, and 8 and 14 respectively. C-banding analysis revealed that the (sub)metacentric has been originated by fusion between the broken/eroded centromeres of 2 telocentric chromosomes.

The influence of fasting on the disposition of warfarin in rats

A study was undertaken to investigate the influence of fasting on the disposition of warfarin in rats. Fasting consisted of withholding solid food, but not water, immediately following warfarin (3 or 10 mg/kg s.c.) administration until sacrifice at different time intervals (3, 6, 12, 24 and 30 hours). Control animals were fed ad libitum. Total and unbound warfarin concentrations were measured in plasma and liver supernatant as well as unchanged warfarin and its metabolites in urine. The disposition of unbound warfarin was found to be markedly affected by fasting, especially at the 3 mg/kg dose: the disappearance rate of unbound warfarin from plasma was accelerated in fasted animals in contrast to that of total warfarin. In addition, unbound warfarin was cleared from plasma at a more rapid rate than total warfarin in both control and fasted animals. At the 10 mg/kg dose, the disposition of total and unbound warfarin was little affected by fasting. The concentration of unbound warfarin in the liver supernatant of fasted rats given warfarin, 3 mg/kg, was significantly increased at 6 and 24 hours of fasting. Plasma free fatty acids were significantly elevated starting at 6 hours, but no such difference was noticed with liver homogenate, except at 24 hours. The 24-hour urinary excretion of unchanged warfarin was higher in fasted rats, but fasting failed to produce any change in the excretion of warfarin metabolites. The results of the present investigation indicate that short periods of fasting influence the disposition of unbound warfarin without apparently modifying its biotransformation and further show the importance of plasma protein binding on the pharmacokinetics of warfarin.

The influence of fasting and stress on the response of rats to warfarin

A study was undertaken to investigate the influence of fasting (24 hours), epinephrine (four 0.25 mg/kg s.c. doses at hourly intervals), adrenocorticotropin (two 40 I.U. s.c. doses at 2-hour intervals) and immobilization stress (4 hours) on the response of rats to some coumarin or indanedione anticoagulants. The anticoagulants were always administered first and were followed immediately or within the next hour by the appropriate challenge. Fasting produced a significant enhancement of the antiprothrombin response to warfarin (0.5 mg/kg i.v. or 0.75-3.0 mg/kg s.c.), bishydroxycoumarin (7.5 mg/kg i.p. or 10 mg/kg s.c.) and phenindione (40 mg/kg p.o). Epinephrine and immobilization stress, but not adrenocorticotropin, similarly prolonged the prothrombin time after warfarin (0.75-3.0 mg/kg s.c.). When used in the absence of anticoagulants, all challenges had no effect on the prothrombin time. In addition, fasting did not affect the response of anticoagulated animals to vitamin K. Plasma free fatty acids were significantly increased by the various challenges. The binding constant of warfarin to undiluted plasma proteins were decreased from the control value by a factor of 1.7 and 2.0 as a result of immobilization stress and fasting, respectively. Fasting per se increased the amount of bound endogenous free fatty acids per mole of protein; the latter parameter was further increased in the presence of warfarin. The present data show that fasting and stress enhance the anticoagulant response to warfarin and suggest that this might be due to an interference of endogenous free fatty acids with binding of warfarin to plasma proteins.

Growth of bacteriophages MS2 and T7 on streptomycin-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli

Streptomycin-resistant mutants of an Hfr strain of Escherichia coli K were examined for their ability to support the growth of male-specific ribonucleic acid phage MS2 and female-specific deoxyribonucleic acid phage T7. Normally, the Hfr strain allows propagation of MS2 and is lysed by it (efficiency of plating equal to 1), whereas the same strain restricts propagation of T7 and is not lysed by it (efficiency of plating smaller than 10-7). Twenty-four isolates out of 26 independently obtained streptomycin-resistant mutants are partially or completely derestricted for propagation of T7; efficiency of plating of T7 in such strains ranges from 10-3-1. Depending on their response to plating of MS2 and T7, the streptomycin-resistant mutants can be divided into four classes. The mutants in all four classes continue to be "male" in conjugation with F- strains. Genetic analysis is presented to show that restriction of MS2, derestriction of T7, and resistance to streptomycin are the pleiotropic effects of a single mutation at the strA locus.

Protein synthesis in vitro in a system from plant mitochondria

A mitochondrial system from 48h-germinating seeds of Vigna sinensis (Linn.) Savi is capable of incorporating l-[U-(14)C]valine into proteins and is practically insensitve to cycloheximide, but highly sensitive to chloramphenicol and fusidic acid, a potent inhibitor of peptide-chain elongation factor. A system consisting of mitochondrial S-100 fraction and ribosomes from the same source and other cofactors is capable of polyphenylalanine synthesis and behaves similarly with respect to these inhibitors.