Effect of pretreatment with tricresylphosphates and phenobarbital on the metabolism and toxicity of procaine in rats

We examined the effects of pretreatment with phenobarbital and tricresylphosphates, TOCP and TCP, on the metabolism and toxicity of procaine in rats. A single administration of procaine at a dose of 250 mg/kg intraperitoneally to adult rats caused convulsion, however, phenobarbital (80 mg/kg intraperitoneally daily, 4 days) pretreatment protected against the toxicity or procaine. In contrast, pretreatment of rats with TOCP (10 mg/kg per os) or TCP (10 mg/kg per os) revealed a higher incidence of toxicity as compared to control rats. Mortality in procaine-treated rats was significantly decreased with phenobarbital-pretreatment and, conversely, increased with TOCP and TCP. Paralysis, convulsion and death were induced at the brain level of procaine of 0.303 +/- 0.025, 0.480 +/- 0.026 and 0.565 +/- 0.018 mumole/g brain wet weight, respectively. Toxic effects of procaine were, therefore, concluded to be due to the accumulation of the drug in the brain.

Hemoglobin Karatsu: beta 120 (GH 3) lysine leads to asparagine, an example of HB Riyadh in Japan

Hemoglobin Karatsu was discovered in a Japanese male during a random survey of patients. Fingerprints of aminoethylated beta chain revealed an abnormal beta Tp12B-13 spot. Further chemical analyses and comparison with the corresponding tryptic peptide from Hb Hijiyama demonstrated an identical amino acid substitution with Hb Riyadh.

Surgical treatment of large ventricular septal defect with pulmonary hypertension in the first 24 months of life

A total of 74 patients under 24 months of age with large ventricular septal defects (VSD) and pulmonary hypertension were subjected to surgical treatment from 1969 through 1975. Emergency pulmonary artery (PA) banding was performed in 13 patients during the first year of life with 1 death from postoperative respiratory failure. Primary closure of the VSD was performed in 61 patients using simple hypothermia and short-term coronary perfusion, with an operative mortality of 1.6%. There were no late deaths or neurological disturbances. Normal hemodynamic data were obtained in all 7 patients who underwent postoperative cardiac catheterization from one month to five years after the primary correction. It is concluded that primary closure of a VSD in infancy is reasonable and that PA banding is indicated only for those patients less than 6 months old with a complicated defect or in an emergency situation.

Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides forma sp. denitrificans, a denitrifying strain as a subspecies of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

From polluted water of a lagoon pond a new type of denitrifying photosynthetic purple bacteria was isolated. With respect to morphology, fine structure, photopigments, requirement for growth factors, the range of utilization of organic substrates for phototrophic growth and DNA base ratio, the denitrifying strains show the closest resemblance to Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides and were therefore described as a subspecies named R. sphaeroides forma sp. denitrificans. The new isolates grow well with nitrate anaerobically in the dark accompanying the evolution of nitrogen gas. They cannot assimilate nitrate as the nitrogen source for growth.

Effect of lyophilization and storage of liver 9,000xg supernatant fraction on the metabolism of imipramine in several species of animals

Effects of lyophilization and storage of liver 9,000xg supernatant fraction on the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes in some species of animals were studied. Imipramine metabolizing enzyme activity and the content of cytochrome P-450 were stable for, at least, one month without any loss of the activity when lyophilized liver 9,000xg supernatant fraction of some animal species, i.e., rat, mouse, guinea pig, rabbit and dog, was stored under reduced pressure in a deep freezer (-20 degrees C). There were no differences of imipramine metabolism between lyophilized liver 9,000xg supernatant fraction which was kept in a deep freezer for one month and a fresh fraction which was prepared immediately before determinations of the enzyme activity and cytochrome P-450. The data presented here indicated that the lyophilized preparation of the liver 9,000xg supernatant as well as the fresh preparation can be used for the determination of the drug metabolizing enzyme activity.

Reticulo-reticular relationship during sleep and waking

The mode of interaction between so-called sleep-waking centers during different phases of consciousness was investigated in the cat. Averaged evoked responses were recorded from different centers to electrical stimulation of a center. The results showed that most sleep-waking centers are not simply engaged in the realization of a single phase, but operate during different phases in dynamic relationship with other centers. It was suggested that the mechanism of SS would be more diffusely distributed in the brain stem that presently conceived and that in contrast to the mechanism of PS, that of SS would have more extensive interaction with the mechanisms responsible to other phases.