Blood bank inventory policies: a computer simulation

A computer model of a complete blood bank inventory system was constructed in order to determine the effects of three inventory policies on blood wastage and on work load while using inventory level to control shortages. The three policies were double crossmatching, use of older blood for patients more likely to use blood reserved for them, and use of older Rh-negative blood for compatible Rh-positive patients under limited conditions. Results of the simulation indicate that all three policies would be useful for reducing blood wastage within the constraints of increased work load, limited community supply of rarer blood types, and need of some patients for freshly drawn blood.

Biochemical correlates of cardiac hypertrophy. V. Labeling of collagen, myosin, and nuclear DNA during experimental myocardial hypertrophy in the rat

The incorporation of [2, 3- 3 H]proline into collagen hydroxyproline and into noncollagenous protein was measured during development of cardiac hypertrophy produced by surgical constriction of the ascending aorta in rats. Heart weight increased sharply during the first 4 days after aortic banding and then slowly rose to a plateau. Free intracellular proline concentration remained unaltered 2 days after banding and increased by 38% on the fifth postoperative day. Specific radioactivity of free proline 3 hours after injection of [ 3 H]proline was elevated by 40% on the second postoperative day but was unchanged on the fifth day. Incorporation of [ 3 H]proline into collagen hydroxyproline peaked sharply on the second day after aortic constriction (550% above control) in one experiment, and on the fourth day (330% above control) in another. The peak labeling of noncollagenous protein by [ 3 H]proline (100% over control) was less than that of collagen. To further evaluate the differences in synthetic response of muscle cells and interstitial cells to increased work load, incorporation of radioactive precursors into myosin, collagen, nuclear DNA, and noncollagenous protein were measured simultaneously, after aortic constriction. Collagen labeling was maximal either on day 2 or 4, depending on the degree of hypertrophy. Labeling of myosin and noncollagenous protein reached a plateau on day 4. Incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine into nuclear DNA peaked on day 7. Thus both muscle cells and connective tissue cells respond independently during cardiac hypertrophy with an increased synthesis of specific proteins.

Cardiolipin content of wild type and mutant yeasts in relation to mitochondrial function and development

The phospholipid composition of various strains of the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and several of their derived mitochondrial mutants grown under conditions designed to induce variations in the complement of mitochondrial membranes has been examined. Wild type and petite (cytoplasmic respiratory deficient) yeasts were fractionated into various subcellular fractions, which were monitored by electron microscopy and analyzed for cytochrome oxidase (in wild type) and phospholipid composition. 90% or more of the phospholipid, cardiolipin was found in the mitochondrial membranes of wild type and petite yeast. Cardiolipin content differed markedly under various growth conditions. Stationary yeast grown in glucose had better developed mitochondria and more cardiolipin than repressed log phase yeast. Aerobic yeast contained more cardiolipin than anaerobic yeast. Respiration-deficient cytoplasmic mitochondrial mutants, both suppressive and neutral, contained less cardiolipin than corresponding wild types. A chromosomal mutant lacking respiratory function had normal cardiolipin content. Log phase cells grown in galactose and lactate, which do not readily repress the development of mitochondrial membranes, contained as much cardiolipin as stationary phase cells grown in glucose. Cytoplasmic mitochondrial mutants respond to changes in the glucose concentration of the growth medium by variations in their cardiolipin content in the same way as wild type yeast does under similar growth conditions. It is concluded that cardiolipin content of yeast is correlated with, and is a good indicator of, the state of development of mitochondrial membrane.

Isolation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial formyltetrahydrofolic acid:methionyl-tRNA transformylase and the hybridization of mitochondrial fMet-tRNA with mitochondrial DNA

Formyltetrahydrofolic acid:methionyl-tRNA transformylase was isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria and used to prepare yeast mitochondrial [(3)H]formylmethionyl-tRNA. This fMet-tRNA hybridizes with mitochondrial DNA but not with yeast nuclear or E. coli DNA. Unlabeled mitochondrial, but not extramitochondrial, tRNA competes in this reaction. tRNA was eluted from the hybrid and found to contain the label almost exclusively in fMet-tRNA. Yeast cytoplasmic fMet-tRNA formylated with Escherichia coli enzyme, and E. coli fMet-tRNA, do not hybridize with mitochondrial DNA. It is concluded that yeast mitochondrial tRNA(fMet) is a gene product of the mitochondrial genome.

Mitochondrial development in liver of foetal and newborn rats

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INNER MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANE IN FOETAL AND NEONATAL RAT LIVER WAS STUDIED BY FOLLOWING THREE PARAMETERS: (1) the activity of several respiratory enzymes in homogenates and purified mitochondria, (2) the spectrophotometric determination of cytochrome content in the mitochondria and (3) the cardiolipin content in both homogenates and purified mitochondria. Respiratory-enzyme activities of homogenates of foetal liver were one-quarter to one-twentieth of those of homogenates of adult liver, and the enzyme specific activities in purified mitochondria from foetal liver were one-half to one-eighth of those in mitochondria from adult liver. The cardiolipin content of liver homogenates increased approximately twofold during the development period, but there was no significant change in the cardiolipin content of purified mitochondria. It is concluded that cell mitochondrial content approximately doubles in the immediate postnatal period. There was no evidence for an increase in the relative amount of cristae protein in mitochondria during this period to account for increases in mitochondrial enzyme specific activity, since cardiolipin and cytochrome concentrations remained unchanged and electron micrographs revealed no differences. The cause of the lower respiratory-enzyme specific activity in foetal liver mitochondria is unclear. Qualitative differences in respiratory units in foetal and mature animals are suggested.

Haem a, cytochrome c and total protein turnover in mitochondria from rat heart and liver

Haem a and cytochrome c were isotopically labelled in mitochondria from rat heart and liver after injection of delta-amino[2,3-(3)H(2)]laevulate, a specific haem precursor. [guanido-(14)C]Arginine or l-[4,5-(3)H(2)]leucine were used to label mitochondrial proteins. Half-lives were measured from biological decay in vivo and were similar (5.5-6.2 days) for haem a, cytochrome c and [(14)C]arginine-labelled proteins. Labelling of hepatic mitochondrial proteins with [(3)H(2)]leucine resulted in a prolonged apparent half-life.

Intramitochondrial localization of delta-aminolaevulate synthetase and ferrochelatase in rat liver

Intramitochondrial loci for delta-aminolaevulate synthetase and ferrochelatase, the initial and final enzymes in haem synthesis, have been found in rat liver. Two different methods of fractionation were applied to mitochondria: (a) sonication and density-gradient centrifugation; (b) treatment with digitonin and differential centrifugation. Similar results were obtained with each technique. delta-Aminolaevulate synthetase is distributed similarly to two known matrix enzymes, malate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase. Ferrochelatase is firmly bound to the the inner mitochondrial membrane. These results are considered in terms of the regulation of haem synthesis and in relation to mitochondrial biogenesis.

Biochemical correlates of cardiac hypertrophy. II. Increased rate of RNA synthesis in experimental cardiac hypertrophy in the rat

Cardiac hypertrophy was produced in rats by banding the ascending aorta. Increases in heart weight and RNA content occurred within 48 hours, indicating that hypertrophy develops rapidly. The total RNA content and the specific radioactivity of RNA labeled with 3 H-uridine were determined. The rate of RNA synthesis was estimated from these data and from the specific radioactivity of the myocardial uridine nucleotide pool. The rate of RNA synthesis in hearts of banded animals averaged four times greater than controls on the second postoperative day and about two to three times greater on the fourth to fifth postoperative days. An expansion of the myocardial uridine nucleotide pool was observed in banded rats, but the size of the myocardial adenosine nucleotide pool was not changed. No changesin base composition of 28S, 18S, or 4S RNA were observed following cardiac hypertrophy.

Biochemical correlates of cardiac hypertrophy. I. Experimental model; changes in heart weight, RNA content, and nuclear RNA polymerase activity

Cardiac hypertrophy occurred in mature rats after producing supravalvular aortic stenosis with a specially designed silver clip. For 2 weeks following this procedure, heart weight, body weight, and RNA content of the myocardium were serially determined. Heart weight and RNA content increased within 24 hours of aortic banding, reaching a maximal level in 2 days and remaining elevated during the 2 weeks of observation. Nuclei were isolated and purified from heart muscle homogenates, and changes in RNA polymerase activity following aortic banding were determined. The nearest neighbor frequency of the bases of the RNA synthesized by the polymerase from nuclear preparations was identical in both the banded animals and the sham-operated controls. Both groups could thus be compared on the basis of the enzyme assay. RNA polymerase activity in nuclei from the hearts of banded rats rose rapidly when compared with the activity in sham-operated rats; peak values were reached on the second day, the earliest detectable change being around 12 hours. The increase in RNA polymerase activity represents one of the earliest biochemical events that take place in the myocardium following aortic banding.

Mitochondrial-satellite and circular DNA filaments in yeast

Mitochondrial DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains a satellite DNA (density, 1.682) that appears to exist as open-ended filaments at least 5 microns long. DNA from intact cells contains circular filaments whose lengths vary from 0.5 to 7 microns, with a great majority at 1.95 microns. The circular DNA has a density similar to that of the major nuclear peak (1.697). When heat-denatured mitochondrial-satellite DNA is renatured, it cross-links to form a molecule that is larger than the native molecule. The formation of cross-links results in hypersharpening of the density profiles in cesium chloride and also leads to failure to pass Millipore filter paper.

Isolation of deoxyribonucleic acid from mitochondria of chick embryo heart and liver

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