A new direct method for the assay of human renin

Résumé Nous avons instituté une nouvelle méthode directe pour l'estimation du rénin par l'immunoélectrophorèse. Les résultats préliminaires obtenus par cette méthode indiquent que des changements importants peuvent se faire dans l'activité enzymatique du rénin dans le cas de patients ayant de l'hypertension rénale.

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We are indebted to Dr.C. Robinson of the Division of Biological Standards Medical Research Council, Mill Hill, for samples of purified human renin, and to Prof.J. R. Hobbs of the Department of Chemical Pathology, Westminster Hospital Medical School, for his support of this work.     

A new histamine metabolite,quantitatively important in chicken

Summary After i.v. injection of¹⁴C-histamine to chicken, we identified one of the histamine metabolites as N-acetylmethylhistamine in the urine. This new metabolite accounted for about 20% of the urinary or 14% of the administered radioactivity.This work was supported by the Agricultural Research Council of Norway (grant No. 14.202.01).Acknowledgment. I wish to thank J. Utne Skåre who performed all the mass-spectrographic work and A. Grande for making the colon fistula.     

A new N-glucuronide metabolite of carbamazepine

Summary An N-glucuronide metabolite of carbamazepine was identified in the bile of the isolated perfused rat liver by means of permethylation, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (Nos. N01-NS-5-2328, AM-17665) and the James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Association (No. 74-15) and a grant from the Epilepsy, Foundation of America.     

Enhancement of radioresistance in mice simultaneously exposed to dimethyl sulfoxide vapor and X-irradiation

Zusammenfassung Es wird bestätigt, dass Dimethyl-Sulfoxiddampf (DMSO) ein gutes Schutzmittel gegen eine tödliche Dosis von Radiumbestrahlung bildet und dass der Strahlenschutz erhöht ist, wenn Mäuse gleichzeitig mit dem Medikamentendampf der Bestrahlung ausgesetzt sind. Die DMSO-Wirkung ist auch beträchtlich, wenn die Medikamentendämpfe erst nach der Bestrahlung angewendet werden.     

A novel plate assay method for amoebicides

Résumé Une nouvelle méthode de culture d'amibes sur plaques d'agar (Figure 1) est avantageusement employée ici en vue de la détection rapide et facile de l'action antiamibienne directe des composés (Figures 2 et 3).     

Cryoprotection of human bone marrow committed stem cells (CFU-c) by dextran,glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide

Summary Dextran, glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), alone or in combination, were used for cryoprotection of human bone marrow cells. The viability of cryopreserved cells was assessed by culture of myelopoiesis-committed stem cells (CFU-c) in vitro. A significantly better protection against freezing injury was obtained by 9% dextran in combination with 3 or 5% DMSO, and also with 5 or 10% DMSO alone, than with either 15% glycerol or 9% dextran with 1% DMSO.Acknowledgments. This work has been supported by the grant Nr. 140.AK-79 (5) from the Swiss Cancer League.     

A new continuous optical assay for isocitrate lyase

Summary A new continuous optical assay method for isocitrate lyase is reported. This is a coupled assay which requires lactate dehydrogenase as an ancillary enzyme. The method yields linear data up to 0.12 units/ml. The assay is also suitable for crude extracts.Acknowledgment. This research was supported by grants of the Italian Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione.     

A method for the incorporation of radioactive isotopes in the sea urchin egg

Riassunto Con la iniezione di 10–20µc di Metionina-S³⁵ nella cavità celomatica di femmine adulte diParacentrotus lividus si ottiene una rapida ed efficiente incorporazione dell'isotopo nelle uova. Si discutono i vantaggi del metodo rispetto a quello attualmente in uso.

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Aided by a Grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, on leave from the Nagoya University, Japan.     

Septation and fragmentation inOedogonium mitochondria as different and independent effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment

Summary Oedogonium cardiacum Wittrock, a filamentous green alga, was treated with DMSO. The substance induced active swelling and fragmentation of mitochondria at both 5 and 7.5%. Septa were observed at 7.5% only and were not identical with the fragmentation sites. Thus it is concluded that internal partition by septa is not a prerequisite for mitochondrial fragmentation or division.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by the Österreichische Nationalbank, Jubiläumsfondsprojekt No. 1927.