[Alcoholic hepatitis in an internal medicine service]

Twenty patients with alcoholic hepatitis are studied. It is remarked the low frequency of this disease in patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Ward. Jaundice forms were the most frequent. Clinical, humoral and histological characteristics are analyzed. World literature is reviewed bringing up-to- date this research.

[Therapeutic trial with allopurinol in progressive muscular dystrophy (author's transl)]

Authors present a therapeutic trial with allopurinol on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. On an initial stage of three months they compare the effect of this drug with a placebo, finding no significant results. Afterwards they compare at six weeks, three months and six months the effects on muscle power, chronometered physical exercise and values of CPK without obtaining significant results. The changes on urate serum, and relation urine urate/creatinine are significant at six weeks, three months and six months of treatment.

Sugar derivatives and liver mitochondria. V - Effect of 6-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranose

Using conventional polarographic and mannometric techniques for assaying oxidative phosphorylation and oxygen uptake in isolated rat liver mitochondria, it was observed a decrease in ADP:O ratio and RC coefficient as a function of treatment with 6-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranose, using succinate and alpha-ketoglutarate as substrates. The enzymes activities of different segments of the respiratory chain, indicated an inhibition of NADH-oxidase activity as a result of treatment with 6-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-fluoro-1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranose. The oxidation of NADH-linked substrates by rat liver mitochondria was depressed by the compound used, while the succinate oxidation was increased.

Sugar derivatives and liver mitochondria. II. Effect of beta-penta-O-acetyl-D-galactopyranose

beta-penta-O-acetyl-D-galactopyranose stimulated succinate oxidation in intact liver mitochondria (100%), in broken mitochondria (50%) and in EP1 particles (20%), no effect was observed on purified succinic dehydrogenase. This compound enhances the oxidation of succinate in the presence of Ca2+ and ATP; no effect appeared in the absence of calcium. beta penta-O-acetyl-D-galactopyranose prevents the reversal of Ca2+-induced swelling by EGTA. It seems that this sugar derivative would act, in some way, in the efflux of calcium from mitochondria leading to an accumulation of this bivalent ion in the mitochondria.

Sugar derivatives and liver mitochondria. I. - Effect of methyl-3,5-di-O-benzyl-2-chloro-2-deoxy-D-arabinofuranoside

Effect of fifteen sugar derivatives on oxygen uptake and oxidative phosphorylation by liver mitochondria were tested. Full details of the possible mechanism of action of methyl-3,5-di-O-benzyl-2-chloro-2-deoxy-D-arabinofuranoside (VI) was presented. This sugar derivative seems to act as inhibitor of the electron transport in the respiratory chain and as an uncoupler.

Evidence for the presence of phosphoriboisomerase and ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase in extracts of Desulfovibrio vulgaris

Cell extracts of Desulfovibrio vulgaris were found to incorporate 14CO2 into acid-stable products when ribose-5-phosphate or ribulose-1,5-diphosphate was used as a substrate. This CO2 fixation required adenosine triphosphate and produced 3-phosphoglyceric acid as one of the products. The assimilation of CO2 by pentose phosphates was unrelated to the pyruvate-CO2 exchange reaction. The pyruvate-CO2 exchange did not require adenosine triphosphate, did not produce phosphorylated compounds, and, unlike the pentose phosphate system, required an acidic protein fraction for activity.

[Right ventricle with double outlet associated to total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to innominate vein]

The clinical findings of 2 patients are studied with an association of malformations not previously reported: double outlet right ventricle and total anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the innominate vein. The following features are worth while to be underlined: 1. Both patients showed a discordance between viscero-atrial situs and direction of the apex; 2. In both cases, particularly in case 2, there existed a very unusual spacial relationship between ventricles, the right ventricle being superior with respect to the left ventricular cavity; 3. From the embryological viewpoint, this ventricular arrangement is supposed to be due to an arrest of the development of the heart in the straight tube stage, there being, however, an upwards expansion of the atrioventricular canal and common atrium; 4. An accurate diagnosis of the common or divided nature of the atrioventricular valves has been impossible in these cases; 5. These combination of lesions constitutes a challenge to cardiologists and surgeons as far as the surgical indication is concerned. In that sense, the simple anastomosis of the common pulmonary vein to the left atrium, although is not a radical cure, may be a feasible and beneficial procedure.