Immunohistochemical localization of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase (ammonia) in adult rat liver; evidence for a heterogeneous distribution.

Different fixation media have been compared in order to find one that preserves the histological structure of rat liver and allows unambiguous immunohistochemical detection of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase (ammonia). Fixation of rat liver in a mixture of methanol, acetone, and water yields the most intense immunohistochemical staining. Using a specific antiserum raised against rat liver carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase, less than 1% of the enzyme protein is extractable after this fixation procedure, and the histological structure is similar to that after fixation in Bouin's fixative.

The histone H5 variant in Xenopus laevis.

The presumptive histone H5 of Xenopus laevis has been characterized by SDS and acid-urea-Triton polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and compared with chicken histone H5. Chicken H5 has a lower electrophoretic mobility compared to that of Xenopus H5 in both gel systems. It is shown, using a polyclonal antiserum against chicken H5, that the Xenopus histone H5 is immunologically related to chicken histone H5.

Perinatal development of the lung in rat and spiny mouse: its relation to altricial and precocial timing of birth.

Rat and spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) are closely related murinoid species that represent altricial (rat) and precocial (spiny mouse) modes of development. The late intrauterine developmental stages of the spiny mouse therefore seem comparable to the early extrauterine developmental stages of the rat. To elucidate the question to what extent the development of the lung is related to the developmental timing of birth, we have studied some enzymes involved in the de novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine.

Diagnosis of coronary embolism: a review.

Coronary embolism is an uncommon but distinct clinical entity. It can be diagnosed clinically, and should be suspected when acute myocardial infarction occurs in association with an underlying condition which predisposes to embolism. The most common are valvular heart disease, a prosthetic heart valve, infective endocarditis, cardiomyopathy with mural thrombus and arrhythmia.

Control of the changes in rat-liver carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) protein levels during ontogenesis: evidence for a perinatal change in immunoreactivity of the enzyme.

To analyze the changes in rat-liver carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (Cpase) protein levels during ontogenesis, these levels were determined by means of two independent methods, i.e. radioimmunoassay and densitometric assay.

Carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) of rat and axolotl liver: determination of immunological cross-reactivity without purification of the axolotl enzyme.

A method has been developed to establish the degree of cross-reactivity of an antiserum raised against purified carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) from adult rat liver, toward a homologous enzyme from another species without purification of the latter enzyme. For that purpose the ratio between enzyme activity and enzyme protein, i.e.

The assessment and selection of patients for heterotopic heart transplantation.

In the 2-year period 1979-1980, 34 patients were assessed at Groote Schuur Hospital as candidates for heterotopic heart transplantation. Ischaemic heart disease was the most common underlying cause (19 patients), with cardiomyopathy (9), rheumatic heart disease (2), failed transplants (3), and endomyocardial fibrosis (1) as the other causes of myocardial disease. Five patients were not accepted into the transplant programme, 2 declined after being accepted, and in 3 the initial decision of acceptance was later reversed.

Coronary embolism in valvular heart disease.

Coronary embolism is considered to be rare but recent evidence suggests that it may be underdiagnosed, and implicated in acute myocardial infarction associated with angiographically normal coronary arteries. Twenty-six patients were studied. In six, coronary embolism was a primary cause of death confirmed at autopsy.

Myocardial sarcoidosis. A case report.

A 63-year-old man with sarcoidosis developed recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias, intermittent heart block and congestive cardiac failure. Transvenous endomyocardial biopsy demonstrated sarcoid infiltration of the myocardium. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias were abolished with amiodarone and prednisone.

The importance of ergonovine maleate provocation in the diagnosis of coronary artery spasm. A case report.

Ergonovine maleate produced transient vasospastic occlusion of the entire left anterior descending coronary artery in a young woman with atypical angina pectoris and normal coronary arteries. Electrocardiographic evidence of extensive anterior subendocardial ischaemia persisted for days after an episode of spontaneous pain, suggesting that the patient was at risk of developing completed infarction due to coronary spasm.

Echocardiography in combined discrete and hypertrophic subaortic stenosis.

A 10-year-old boy with discrete subaortic stenosis had coexisting abnormal systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve, demonstrated by echocardiography, a sign normally taken as indicating the presence of idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. Surgical removal of a fibromuscular diaphragm abolished the echocardiographic signs of discrete subaortic stenosis but abnormal systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve persisted. A severe low cardiac output state complicated immediate recovery after removal of the left ventricle outflow obstruction, and was overcome only with considerable difficulty.

Myocardial ultrastructure and the development of atrioventricular block in Kearns-Sayre syndrome.

A right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy specimen from a 30-year-old male with chromic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, retinal pigmentation and complete atrioventricular block (Kearns-Sayre syndrome) was examined in the electron microscope. There was a proliferation of mitochondria between the myofibrils and beneath the sarcolemma. Many of the mitochondria showed morphologic abnormalities not previously described in this condition.

Long-term survival after orthotopic and heterotopic cardiac transplantation.

Five long-term survivors of heart transplantation were reinvestigated. Two patients had undergone orthotopic heart transplantation over 11 and 9 years earlier and constitute two of the world's longest-surviving patients after this procedure. Three patients had undergone heterotopic heart transplantation (one left heart bypass alone and two biventricular bypass) four to six years earlier.

Radioimmunochemical determination of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) content of adult rat liver.

1. Rabbit antiserum was raised against purified carbamoyl-phosphate synthase (ammonia) from rat liver. 2.

Echophonocardiography in diagnosis of mitral paravalvular regurgitation with Björk-Shiley prosthetic valve.

The echophonocardiographic features in three patients with a mitral Björk-Shiley prosthesis and paravalvular regurgitation are presented. The characteristic features are an early diastolic humping of the Björk-Shiley disc echo, associated with normal rather than paradoxical septal motion, and a reduced A2-MVO interval. The diagnosis was confirmed at operation in one patient, at cardiac catheterisation and operation in the second, and at necropsy in the third.

Myocardial infarction and marijuana.

Myocardial infarction in the virtual absence of risk factors occurred in a 25-year old man shortly after smoking a cigarette containing marijuana. Subsequent coronary arteriography was normal.

Histones of Xenopus laevis erythrocytes. Purification and characterization of the lysine-rich fractions.

Lysine-rich histones have been isolated from the terminally differentiated erythrocytes of Xenopus laevis. Three major proteins have been separated by ion-exchange chromatography. These proteins have been characterized by electrophoresis, amino acid analysis and immunochemical techniques.

Spontaneous mid-oesophageal rupture.

The clinical presentation and management of spontaneous rupture of the middle third of the oesophagus is described in two patients. Early presentation and treatment in one case led to uncomplicated recovery. In the other patient late presentation and diagnosis resulted in delayed surgical intervention with an unsuccessful outcome.