Folic acid levels in blood and seminal plasma of normo- and oligospermic patients prior and following folic acid treatment

Folic acid was estimated in blood and seminal plasma of normo- and oligospermic men. Following folic acid administration (10 mg TID for 30 days), the levels in blood and semen increased. However, sperm counts, motility and DNA content of spermatozoa were not affected.     

Disadvantages of acid precipitation of proteins during the assay of blood glucose by the enzymatic glucose oxidase-peroxidase system]

In the enzymatic procedure for blood sugar by means of glucose oxidase, acid protein precipitation of blood by perchloric acid or trichloracetic acid liberated oxidizing substances, which enhanced the coloration density in oxidizing the reduced chromogen of the reaction mixture, independently of the hydrogen peroxide generated from glucose, and would give false high values of glycemia, if additional precautions had not been taken. These substances, increasing considerably with times and temperature of blood conservation, would be of peroxide nature, and would accumulate in red blood cells during their exposure to air.     

Latent iron deficiency alters gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate metabolism in rat brain

A diet containing 18-20 mg iron/kg to young weaned rats for 8 weeks altered the metabolism of gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in the central nervous system without affecting blood hemoglobin. Subsequent rehabilitation with 390 mg iron/kg diet for 2 weeks normalized these changes.     

Latent iron deficiency alters gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate metabolism in rat brain

Summary A diet containing 18–20 mg iron/kg to young weaned rats for 8 weeks altered the metabolism of gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in the central nervous system without affecting blood hemoglobin. Subsequent rehabilitation with 390 mg iron/kg diet for 2 weeks normalized these changes.     

Identification of lymphocyte subpopulations by simultaneous E-rosette formation and unspecific acid esterase staining

Summary E-rosettes of human peripheral blood lymphocytes were stained by an unspecific acid esterase stain; 74.5% of the rosette forming cells were esterase positive, while only 30% of the non-rosette forming cells showed a reaction product.     

Identification of lymphocyte subpopulations by simultaneous E-rosette formation and unspecific acid esterase staining.

E-rosettes of human peripheral blood lymphocytes were stained by an unspecific acid esterase stain; 74.5% of the rosette forming cells were esterase positive, while only 30% of the non-rosette forming cells showed a reaction product.     

Reduction of gallstone formation by ascorbic acid in hamsters

Summary The addition of 0.5% of ascorbic acid to the lithogenic diet of golden hamsters whose body pool was labelled with 26-¹⁴C-cholesterol, lowered the formation of gallstones, the cholesterol concentration and half-life in blood plasma and in the liver, and accelerated cholesterol transformation to bile acids.     

Endogenous pyrogen formation by human blood monocytes stimulated by polyriboinosinic acid:Polyribocytidylic acid

The pyrogenic response to supernatants from human blood monocytes stimulated with polyriboinosinic acid:polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) was characteristic of a response to endogenous pyrogen in that it was brief and monophasic, and was destroyed by heating the supernatants at 70°C for 30 min. Pyrogen production was unimpaired when the incubations were carried out in the presence of cycloheximide (50 g/ml; an inhibitor of protein synthesis) or indomethacin (50 g/ml; an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis). Also, neither interferon, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor nor prostaglandin E₂ were detectable in the supernatants from the poly I:C-stimulated human monocytes.     

Serum and liver radioactivity levels in mice after intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injection of [14C]orotic acid

Summary [¹⁴C]Orotic acid was rapidly distributed in blood after, both i.p. and s.c. injection but was not completely absorbed from the peritoneal cavity until 20 min after injection. S.c. injection should be an acceptable alternative to i.p. injection although the incorporation into the liver acid soluble- and RNA-fractions was somewhat delayed after the s.c. injection.This work was supported by grants from the Carl Trygger Foundation and the Foundation of Director Albert Påhlsson.     

Effect of ethanol on amino acid penetration in to mouse brain]

The uptake of large neutral aminoacids across the blood brain of mouse is increased by previously intraperitonealy given ethanol. The uptake of small neutral, acid and basic aminoacids is not modified. Observed increase is correlated with octanol-water istribution coefficient.     

Haemoglobin Bohr effect and lactic acid content of the blood of 2 water-snakes with different degrees of aquatic adaptation.

H. modestus, a water-snake with morphological respiratory adaptation to its habitat, presents haemoglobins with a lower Bohr effect than those of L. miliaris, an aquatic snake without such respiratory adaptations. The difference in blood lactic acid content of the 2 snakes submitted to mechanical stimuli appears to be compatible with the properties of their haemoglobins.     

Effect of acetylsalicylic acid on iron absorption in the rat

Summary The in vivo administration of⁵⁹Fe to the rat accompanied by acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) enhanced significantly counts in blood, spleen, liver and femur without affecting those of the intestine. The results suggest that ASA augments iron absorption either via an inhibitory action on the synthesis of prostaglandins or by a purely chemical mechanism.This work was supported by Grant No. 6638 from CONICET (Argentina).The technical assistance of Mrs María E. Castro and Mrs Patricia Dubra is gratefully acknowledged.     

Antifertility effect of aristolic acid fromAristolochia indica (Linn) in female albino rabbits

Summary Aristolic acid experted significant antifertility effects in mature female rabbits without hampering the clinical chemical values in blood.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Dr S. C. Pakrashi and his associate Mr P.P. Ghosh Dastidar for the plant extracts. Thanks are also due to the D.G. of ICMR for granting fellowship to B. Chakrabarty.     

Haemoglobin Bohr effect and lactic acid content of the blood of 2 water-snakes with different degrees of aquatic adaptation

Summary H. modestus, a water-snake with morphological respiratory adaptation to its habitat, presents haemoglobins with a lower Bohr effect than those ofL. miliaris, an aquatic snake without such respiratory adaptations. The difference in blood lactic acid content of the 2 snakes submitted to mechanical stimuli appears to be compatible with the properties of their haemoglobins.Suported in part by FAPESP-Proc. 76/1338     

Effect of aloe lectin on deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in baby hamster kidney cells

A homogeneous glycoprotein (mol. wt 40,000) containing 34% carbohydrate was isolated from Aloe arborescens var. natalensis. At a concentration of 5 micrograms/ml, this glycoprotein was shown to stimulate deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells and to have the properties of a lectin which reacts with sheep blood cells. The chemical and physical properties of the glycoprotein (aloe lectin) are also discussed.     

A method for the determination of free neuraminic acid split from red blood cell receptors by attached Newcastle disease virus during simultaneous elution and hemolysis

Summary Determination of free neuraminic acid in chicken red blood cell (RBC) hemolysate becomes possible after deproteinization of the hemolysate by ethanol-chloroform followed by removal of the solvents by evaporation. This procedure permits the determination of in situ neuraminidase activity of virons preadsorbed on RBC receptors when the virus elution and hemolysis proceed simultaneously.     

Cartilaginous tissue and nalidixic acid]

1. Medication with nalidixic acid never produced articular lesions in adult animals. 2. In the species of immature animals, if sensitive to nalidixic acid, the articular lesions were macroscopically and microscopically identical. 3. The lesions regressed spontaneously as the basal germinative layer was never affected.     

Inhibition of growth and lactic acid synthesis inLactobacillus casei by maltol and its reversal by glutamic acid

Summary Maltol inhibited growth and lactic acid synthesis byLactobacillus casei. The inhibition was partially overcome by the addition of casein hydrolysate and yeast extract. Some amino acid mixtures were also effective, among which glutamic acid was able to reverse the inhibition completely.     

Nicotine and ascorbic acid effects on cold-restraint ulcers in rats

Summary Rats were orally administered 1-ascorbic acid, nicotine, 1-ascorbic acid and nicotine, or distilled water for 10 days. Following this treatment they were fasted for 24 h and then restrained in a cold environment for 2h. Nicotine alone produced significantly more gastric ulcers than any other treatment. 1-Ascorbic acid increased ulceration relative to controls. The combined effects of 1-ascorbic acid and nicotine resulted in reduced ulcer incidence and severity. It appears that 1-ascorbic acid and nicotine do not act synergistically to augment stress-induced gastric ulcer. Supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grant No. A 6312.     

Effect of aloe lectin on deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in baby hamster kidney cells

Summary A homogeneous glycoprotein (mol.wt 40,000) containing 34% carbohydrate was isolated fromAloe arborescens var.natalensis. At a concentration of 5 g/ml, this glycoprotein was shown to stimulate deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells and to have the properties of a lectin which reacts with sheep blood cells. The chemical and physical properties of the glycoprotein (aloe lectin) are also discussed.