Effect of diazoxide on renal handling of sodium in the rat.

1. To assess whether diazoxide-induced sodium retention is due to a direct renal action of the durg, independent of its systemic haemodynamic effects, diazoxide was infused directly into one renal artery of hydropenic rats. During the infusion period there was a small fall in mean systemic arterial blood pressure. There were no significant changes in the clearances of inulin or p-aminohippurate by either kidney. 2. Absolute and fractional excretion of sodium were unchanged on the non-infused side. On the side of infusion, there was a significant increase in absolute and in fractional sodium excretion. 3.Thus natriuresis rather than sodium retention seems to be the direct renal effect of diazoxide and may be related to its vasodilator properties.     

Emphysema in the renal allograft

Two diabetic patients in whom emphysematous pyelonephritis developed after renal transplantation are described. Clinical recognition of this unusual and serious infection is masked by the effects of immunosuppression. Abdominal radiographic, ultrasound, and computed tomography findings are discussed. The clinical presentation includes urinary tract infection, sepsis, and acute tubular malfunction of the allograft in insulin-dependent diabetics.     

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase activities in blood and liver of chicks and their dependency on biotin status.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase activities from whole blood and, in some of the experiments, from liver were found to be lower in biotin-deficient chicks compared with controls. In vitro stimulation of liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity by biotin appeared to be a better index for the evaluation of the biotin status than measuring the enzyme activity alone.