The presence of free D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline in human plasma.

Twelve neutral free amino acids, i.e. serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, alanine, proline, methionine, tyrosine, valine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine, were surveyed for the presence of D-enantiomers in plasma samples from patients with renal diseases and from normal subjects. D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline were found in the patient's plasma. The highest concentrations (D/L ratio) of D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline were 0.2362, 0.2087 and 0.0986, respectively. The sum of the contents of the three D-amino acid was shown to be present in the plasma proteins.     

Effects of blood sampling, anesthesia and surgery on plasma vasopressin concentration in rats.

The influence of blood sampling, anesthesia and surgery on plasma vasopressin concentration was assessed in rats. Mean plasma concentration in conscious, chronically catheterized rats was 1.4 +/- 0.1 pg/ml (n = 6). This value remained constant over repeated plasma samplings in the same animals. On the other hand, decapitation increased the plasma vasopressin concentration to 6.0 +/- 2.4 (in pg/ml) (n = 6), inactin anesthesia to 2.9 +/- 0.6 (n = 6), anesthesia and femoral cannulation to 13.3 +/- 5.8 (n = 6) and surgery for renal micropuncture to 81.3 +/- 35.0 (n = 6). It is concluded that the level of circulating plasma vasopressin is highly dependent on the sampling technique and is closely related to the extent of surgery.     

Epilepsy in women. Oestrogen and progesterone plasma levels.

Comparison is made between numbers of fits and estrogen, progesterone plasma values during the menstrual cycle of women with epilepsy. All six cycles in women with ovulation had a significant positive correlation between estrogen/progesterone ratio and scores of fits. Three periods without ovulation all showed a significant correlation to estrogen variations.     

Auto-oxidation of hemoglobin in plasma.

The rate of auto-oxidation of human hemoglobin to methemoglobin was measured in plasma at 37 degrees C. Half-lives of hemoglobin were found to be 20 h, 12 h and 7 h at the oxygen tensions of 126, 57 and 23 mm Hg, respectively.     

Epilepsy in women. Oestrogen and progesterone plasma levels

Summary Comparison is made between numbers of fits and estrogen, progesterone plasma values during the menstrual cycle of women with epilepsy. All six cycles in women with ovulation had a significant positive correlation between estrogen/progesterone ratio and scores of fits. Three periods without ovulation all showed a significant correlation to estrogen variations.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by Gunvor och Josef Anérs stiftelse, Med. fac. University of Umeå, The Swedish Medical Research Council (Proj. No. 2148) and Karl Oskar Hansson's fund.     

Catecholamine levels in newborn human plasma in normal and abnormal conditions and in maternal plasma at delivery.

High levels of catecholamines have been found in plasma from the umbilical cord of newborn infants, suggesting a release of catecholamine from the fetus during parturition. Plasma catecholamine levels are also elevated in mothers at delivery.     

A comparison of the variability of muscle,hair, lens and plasma proteins

Résumé Trois groupes de protéines structurelles (celles de la lentille, celle des muscles, et celles du poil) furent comparés aux protéines de plasma, en utilisant l'électrophorèse en gel polyacrylamide. Les variations apparaissant chez 4 espèces de rongeurs furent examinées et on trouva que les protéines de plasma varient plus que les autres. L'importance de ces résultats dans la recherche d'une évolution possible de ces protéines est considérée.

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It is a pleasure to thank ProfessorB. C. Clarke, Mrs.R. M. Clayton and Dr.D. E. S. Truman for valuable discussions. This work was carried out during the tenure of a Research Studentship from the Medical Research Council.     

Vasoactivity of human plasma and plasma protein fractions

Zusammenfassung Blutplasma des Menschen verengt isolierte, durchströmte kleine Blutgefässe. Dieser Effekt kommt nicht durch bekannte, gefässaktive Substanzen, sondern wahrscheinlich durch ein Protein zustande. Eine ähnliche Wirkung wurde in 2 Cohn-Fraktionen von Plasma-Proteinen gefunden, welche sich im Hundeversuch gefässdrucksenkend auswirkten. Plasma-Albumin ist an sich nicht gefässaktiv, es verstärkt aber die Wirkung der andern Substanzen.

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This work was supported in part by a grant from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.     

Rapid, quantitative adipose conversion of chicken fibroblasts by high concentrations of chicken serum or plasma.

Rapid, quantitative adipose conversion of chicken fibroblasts occurs when these cells are cultured in undiluted commercial chicken serum or plasma. Fresh serum and plasma acquire this property after ageing.     

Isolation and electrophoretic identification of exogenous histone from rat blood plasma.

Histone fractions H1, (H2b+H2a) and H4 were isolated from rat blood plasma and electrophoretically identified 5 min after i.v. exogenous histone application.     

Effects of biotin deficiency on serum proteins and plasma amino acids.

In biotin-deficient rats, a decrease of total proteins, attributable to a decrease of albumin and alpha1-globulin fractions, a decrease of the pre-beta-lipoproteins and an increase of the alpha-lipoproteins, was observed, together with a rise of total amino acids. Such a situation may be related to the influence of biotin on the synthesis of RNA and proteins.     

The presence of free D-serine,D-alanine and D-proline in human plasma

Twelve neutral free amino acids, i. e., serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, alanine, proline, methionine, tyrosine, valine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine, were surveyed for the presence of D-enantiomers in plasma samples from patients with renal diseases and from normal subjects. D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline were found in the patient's plasma. The highest concentrations (D/L ratio) of D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline were 0.2362, 0.2087 and 0.0986, respectively. The sum of the contents of the three D-amino acids in a plasma sample correlated with the serum creatinine level of the subject. No D-amino acid was shown to be present in the plasma proteins.