Specific extraction of bacterial cardiolipin from sporulating Bacillus subtilis.

A method for rapid purification of bacterial cardiolipin is presented. The cardiolipin level was first increased by suspending Bacillus subtilis cells in a buffer containing an uncoupling agent. At least 90% of the phosphatidylglycerol molecules were rapidly converted into cardiolipin.

Blood viscosity after a 1-h submaximal exercise with and without drinking.

Ten healthy subjects performed two exercise sessions similar to an endurance training session for average athletes (1 cycling exercise at 85% of the maximal heart rate on a Monark cycle ergometer). In the first session, the subjects were not allowed to drink during exercise. During the second session, the same subjects performed the same exercise as during the first session but they drank a beverage volume equal to the weight loss induced by the first exercise session to verify the hypothesis that the compensation of sweat loss by drinking could attenuate the exercise-induced blood viscosity increase.

Hemorheological improvement after Daflon 500 mg treatment in diabetes.

Rheological disorders, such as blood hyperviscosity, red blood cell (RBC) hyperaggregation or hypodeformability, may be responsible for vascular complications in diabetes. As pointed out by many reports, flavonoids are known to act on RBC rheology in relation with venous thrombosis. These disorders were evaluated by viscometry in order to follow the hemorheological impact of a flavonoid (Daflon 500 mg).

Peritubular cells are the site of erythropoietin synthesis in the murine hypoxic kidney.

Erythropoietin (Epo)-producing cells were identified in the murine hypoxic kidney by in situ hybridization. Profound anemia was induced in order to greatly increase Epo production. This resulted in high levels of Epo mRNA in the kidney.

Hb Tunis [alpha 2 beta 2 124 (H2)Pro----Ser], a new beta chain variant identified by HPLC.

During a routine hematological investigation of a child from Tunis, a silent hemoglobin variant was discovered by isoelectric-focusing. This variant was not detectable by conventional electrophoretic methods, had normal stability, expression, and oxygen affinity, and did not produce any clinical symptoms. This new variant beta 124(H2)Pro----Ser was named Hb Tunis.

Hb J-Cordoba [alpha 2A beta 2(95)(FG2)Lys----Met]. A new Hb variant found in Argentina.

Hb J-Cordoba [alpha 2A beta 2(95)(FG2)Lys----Met], is one of the few hemoglobin variants discovered in Argentina. The structure and functional abnormalities are described. Hb J-Cordoba exhibits a slightly increased oxygen affinity, low cooperativity, and normal interaction with heterotropic cofactors.

The RBC morphological dependence of the RBC disaggregability.

The aim of this study was to determine the red blood cell (RBC) disaggregability dependence upon the RBC shape. The study concentrated on stored blood during bank storage and on suspensions of artificially induced echinocytes. Measurements was performed in autologous plasma of hematocrit 0.

Competitive role between fibrinogen and albumin on thixotropy of red cell suspensions.

Plasmatic proteins, namely fibrinogen and globulins, play a major role in red blood cell (RBC) aggregation which is accountable for the three-dimensional structure of blood. Consequently, blood rheological properties linked to this structure must be modified when the protein plasma content changes. This paper gives results and related comments on thixotropic properties of RBC suspensions (0.

Hemoglobin Saverne: a new variant with elongated beta chains: structural and functional properties.

A 26-year-old French woman born in Saverne (France) was found to have Heinz body hemolytic anemia. Isoelectrofocusing showed the presence of an abnormal band amounting to 35% of the total hemoglobin concentration, suggesting a beta variant. Structural analysis of the abnormal beta chain showed an elongated C-terminal segment.

Theoretical and experimental study of the time dependent flow of red blood cell suspension through narrow pores.

The Hemorheometer has been adapted to allow the recording of the flow rate during the filtration process. For newtonian fluids, the flow rate variation versus time through the pores is well approximated by Poiseuille's law. For dilute red blood cell suspensions, the same analysis can be applied by introducing the concept of "apparent filtration viscosity" which is higher than the usual viscosity measured by Couette viscometry.

Dietary restriction amplifies the metabolic disturbances of very-low-density lipoproteins in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

The effect of dietary restriction (half of the control ration) on VLDL turnover was investigated in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Rabbits on standard, cholesterol and restricted cholesterol diets were injected with homologous 125I-labelled VLDL. Accompanying the amplification of hypercholesterolemia, additional disturbances of VLDL turnover were observed when cholesterol feeding was associated with dietary restriction.

Beneficial effect of wheat germ on circulating lipoproteins and tissue lipids in rats fed a high fat, cholesterol-containing diet.

Adult male rats were fed for 7 wk either a low fat diet (3% fat) or a high fat-cholesterol diet (20% fat, 0.5% cholesterol) containing 7% wheat germ or not. Body weights and food intakes were unchanged by adding wheat germ to the control low fat or high fat diets.

Biochemical analyses of murine erythropoietin from plasma and from cloned erythroleukemia cells.

The hydrophobicity, ionic charges, degrees of glycosylation, and Western blot patterns of murine plasma erythropoietin and erythropoietin produced by clones of two murine erythroleukemic cell lines (IW32 and NN10) were compared. Erythropoietins from these different sources exhibited a number of similarities in their biochemical properties: identical retention on DEAE Affigel blue column and similar apparent molecular weights (30-36 kDa) in Western blot analysis. However, differences were also observed: heterogeneous binding to different lectin columns and varied retention on a phenyl Sepharose column.

A new case of Hb Little Rock [beta 143(H21)His----Gln], a high affinity variant. Study during pregnancy.

A new case of Hb Little Rock [beta 143(H21)His----Gln] is described. This high affinity variant (P50 = 15 mm Hg in whole cells) has a nearly normal cooperativity. The abnormal beta chain is readily detectable using urea-Triton X-100 electrophoresis.

Further characterization of Hb Henri Mondor or alpha 2 beta 2(26)(B8)Glu----Val.

A second case of Hb Henri Mondor is reported. The subject, homozygous for Hb Henri Mondor, is of Algerian origin. The electrophoretical behavior and structural characterization are given and discussed.

[Association of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis and acquired erythroblastopenia cured by cyclophosphamide].

To the best of our knowledge this is the reported first case of the successive occurrence in the same patient of chronic active hepatitis and acquired pure red cell aplasia, both probably of autoimmune origin. The diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis was based on the presence of characteristic lesions at the examination of the liver biopsy specimen, high titer of anti-smooth muscle antibodies in the serum, and remission obtained by steroid therapy. Erythroid aplasia, which appeared during the course of this treatment, was revealed by a regenerative anemia (4.

Effects of a low-energy diet associated with egg supplementation on plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein levels in normal subjects: results of a cross-over study.

1. The influence of a low-energy diet when associated with high-cholesterol intake was investigated in seventeen normal men during an 8-week cross-over study. The subjects were given a daily supplement of two whole eggs and two egg yolks (approximately 1 g cholesterol) either with their usual diet for 4 weeks or with a low-energy diet for 4 weeks.

Expression of the erythropoietin gene.

Injection of cobalt into rats resulted in erythropoietin (EPO) mRNA accumulation in the kidney. The same response was obtained upon bleeding. No EPO mRNA was detected in the spleen, salivary gland, or thymus following cobalt injection or bleeding.