Exogenous ATP-stimulated calcium uptake in isolated rat intestinal epithelial cells.

ATP in the extracellular medium is known to stimulate Ca uptake into avian intestinal epithelial cells. We have now demonstrated a similar effect of ATP in mammalian intestinal epithelial cells and have further characterized this effect. Exogenous ATP increased 45Ca uptake 2-6 fold in isolated rat small intestinal epithelial cells, with a maximal effect at 1 mM and an ED50 of 290 microM.

Single potassium channels blocked by lidocaine and quinidine in isolated turtle colon epithelial cells.

The patch-clamp technique for recording single-channel currents across cell membranes was applied to single turtle colon epithelial cells isolated with hyaluronidase. With electrodes fabricated from Corning #7052 glass, high-resistance seals were consistently formed to these cells. In on-cell patches with low K (2.

Developments in dialysis for acute renal failure.

Although the complication of acute renal failure may occur in all types of medical and surgical patients, many clinicians still treat it using the conservative methods of management first described over 30 years ago. Active management, with early dialysis and adequate nutrition, keeps the patient in the best possible condition so that sufficient time for recovery of renal function is allowed. Many refinements in dialysis technique have occurred and some of these are described below.

Serologic response to hepatitis B vaccine in children receiving multiple blood transfusions.

Three doses of the commercially available hepatitis B vaccine were administered to each of 43 anti-hepatitis B surface antigen antibody-negative children (including 32 hemophiliacs) who were regularly receiving blood product transfusions. Forty-two (98%) of them had demonstrable anti-hepatitis B surface antigen antibody in their serum, indicating that this group of patients responds favorably to the vaccine.

Effects of phenothiazines on phosphate incorporation and chloride uptake in isolated intestinal epithelial cells.

Isolated, intact epithelial cells from rat ileum synthesized a variety of radiolabeled compounds when 32Pi was added to the incubation medium. One of these, referred to as P-0.7 because of its Rf value in the thin layer chromatography system used to separate phosphorylated compounds, was found in the extracellular medium but not in extracts of cells.

Can the rapid semiquantitative estimation of serum C reactive protein be adapted for the management of bacterial infection?

Serum C reactive protein concentrations measured by a laboratory based assay were compared with the semiquantitative results obtained with a visual agglutination method (Well-cotest, CRP kit). Using this agglutination kit, diluting serum 1/10 and 1/20 gave C reactive protein results which could be of more clinical value than those obtained using the 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/16 dilutions recommended by the manufacturers. The kit was also used on the ward by junior medical staff, who showed that after minimal training reproducible serum C reactive protein results could be obtained.

Impaired growth hormone response to human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor [GRF(1-44)] in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes.

Human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor [GRF(1-44)] is the largest molecule of several peptides recently isolated from pancreatic tumours associated with acromegaly. It has been shown to stimulate the release of growth hormone in normal subjects and provides a safe and reliable tool for examining growth hormone release. A study was conducted to examine the release of growth hormone in patients with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) and Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes.

C reactive protein concentrations in neonates: determination by a latex enhanced immunoassay.

A latex enhanced immunoassay on a centrifugal fast analyser was used to compare serum C reactive protein concentrations in maternal and neonatal blood. In the neonate the C reactive protein concentration at birth was less than 1.0 mg/l; the concentration rose slightly during the first two weeks of life.

Effects of septal lesions on lordosis in female hamsters.

The ovarian hormones, estradiol and progesterone, are believed to act at specific sites in the female brain to induce sexual receptivity. Septal lesions which have been comprehensively studied in the rat, were carried out on female hamsters. Lordosis behavior was quantified as an index of female sexual receptivity.

Effects of oil and gas well-drilling fluids on the biomass and community structure of microbiota that colonize sands in running seawater.

Well-drilling fluid and a number of the known components (barite, clay, Aldacide, Surflo, and Dowicide, were tested for effects on the biomass and community structure of the microbiota that colonize marine sands exposed for eight weeks to running ambient seawater. Shading the microbiota from light depressed the microflora without a significant effect on the biomass, while well-drilling fluids layered on the surface or mixed with the sand significantly increased a component of the bacteria and the microfauna as reflected in changes in the fatty acid composition. There were some shading effects from the surface layering of well-drilling fluids as reflected in the fatty acids from the microflora when compared to the sands mixed with well-drilling fluids.

Effect of silicate grain shape, structure, and location on the biomass and community structure of colonizing marine microbiota.

Microbiota colonizing silica grains of the same size and water pore space, but with a different microtopography, showed differences in biomass and community structure after 8 weeks of exposure to running seawater. The absence of surface cracks and crevices resulted in a marked diminution of the total microbial biomass measured as lipid phosphate and total extractable palmitic acid. With increasing smoothness of the sand grain surface, examination of the community structure showed a marked decrease in procaryotes and algal microeucaryotes, with a relative increase in microeucaryotic grazers.

Tuberculin test conversion during repeated skin testing, associated with sensitivity to nontuberculous mycobacteria.

To determine whether repeating the tuberculin test after a brief interval might result in tuberculin conversion, we tested 213 healthy volunteers twice, 1 month apart, with 5 TU of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD). Three nontuberculous mycobacterial antigens (PPD-G, PPD-Y, and PPD-B) were also applied with the first tuberculin test. By widely used criteria, 14 volunteers (6.

The quality of radiographs used in the pretreatment review of dental claims.

The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of radiographs accompanying claims submitted for pretreatment review, and to determine the relative importance of radiograph quality in dental consultants' decisions regarding the necessity and appropriateness of crown services. Findings indicate that: 1) the technical quality of radiographs in the sample is adequate for most criteria; and 2) radiograph quality, number, and type of film submitted do not explain much of the variation in disagreements between the direct and indirect assessments of crown services. The most important radiograph variables influencing pretreatment review decisions appear to be the number of periapical films submitted for review, and the density/contrast of the radiographs.

Health beliefs and smoking patterns in heart patients and their wives: a longitudinal study.

Smoking patterns of 205 male patients were examined over a period of eight years after a primary myocardial infarction. Smoking data from their wives at one year after the heart attack were also examined. A marked, persistent reduction in smoking was found among the men.