[Mechanisms of hypertension in patients with terminal kidney failure on programmed hemodialysis].

The state of some mechanisms involved in AP regulation was studied in 18 patients with terminal renal failure (TRF) on programmed hemodialysis for 7-9 mos. The imbalance of extra- and intracellular sodium, potassium and water causing hypertension, was noted in TRF patients. TRF patients revealed (against a background of the normal activity of plasma renin) a high activity of carboxycathepsin resulting in the creation of conditions for enhanced kinin degradation playing a depressor role and for intense angiotensin II formation, being an important mechanism of persistent hypertension.

[Zinc content of leukocytes and serum in psoriasis patients].

The mean zinc level in leucocytes from psoriasis patients was found to be decreased by a statistically significant amount, which was not the case in serum. On the basis of data from the literature and our own observations, the role of zinc is discussed in the development of immunologic events.

First evidences of the formation of a vanadyl(IV) complex of bleomycin.

Results of visible/ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopic measurements, as well as chemical evidence are presented which support the formation of a 2:1 bleomycin-VO2+ complex. The information obtained also allows some considerations concerning the probable coordination sphere of the vanadyl ion.

A model study of the incorporation of vanadium in bone.

A study of mixed apatites of the type Ca10 (PO4)6-X( VO4 )X(OH)2 has been undertaken in order to obtain an insight into the structural consequences of the incorporation of vanadium in the inorganic phase of bone. The crystallographic analysis as well as the vibrational spectra of these "models," show that low or moderate VO43 - concentration does not produce any lattice distortion and has little effect on the strength of the P-O and O-H bonds. This study has also shown that the incorporation of VO43 - ions in the Ca10 (PO4)6(OH)2 matrix at low temperatures is only possible if the hydroxyapatite is in the amorphous state.