FORMATION OF A TERNARY COMPLEX WITH SERUM ALBUMIN: AN EXPLANATION FOR THE EFFECT OF α-MERCAPTO-β-(2-FURAN) ACRYLIC ACID ON RAT PLASMA ZINC CLEARANCE

1. Four, six and eight hours after gavage of rats with α-mercapto-β-(2-furan) acrylic acid (MFA) (25 mg/kg) serum zinc concentration was increased ten-fold over control levels and a mean molar ratio of 1 albumin:0.4 zinc:0.8 MFA was found for seventeen sera. 2. At pH 7.5 a maximum of 1 mole of MFA could be bound per mole of metal-free bovine serum albumin. 3. In the presence of zinc ion, albumin-zinc-MFA complexes formed, since for each mole of albumin-zinc complex an additional mole of MFA could be bound to albumin. Complexes up to a molar stoichiometry of 1 albumin:2 zinc:3 MFA were prepared. 4. MFA stabilized the albumin-zinc complex against dissociation. 5. Formation of similar complexes in vivo may account for the markedly delayed clearance of plasma zinc seen in rats administered β-aryl derivatives of α-mercaptoacrylic acid.     

Carcinoma of the stomach.

Seventy-five cases of stomach carcinoma were analyzed. The incidence was highest between 41 and 50 years of age. Male to female ratio was 4:1. The average duration of symptoms was one year. There was no correlation between incidence and the dietary and smoking habits of the patients. Epigastric pain was the commonest complaint followed byanorexis, vomiting and loss of weight. Anemia was the commonest finding. Epigastric mass was present in nearly 50% of cases. Pyloric obstruction was common. Upper gastrointestinal x-ray studies were rewarding. Occult blood was often found in the stools. The majority of patients were about equally distributed between blood groups A and O. Many patients had no or low acid levels but 7.5% had normal or high acid levels. At operation, the growth was commonly found near the pylorus. Diffuse involvement was infrequent. Curative surgery could be done in only 20% of cases. One-third of the patients had palliative gastrojejunostomy. The operative mortality and morbidity were high. The overall five-year survival was only 5%.     

Temperature dependent alterations in the cardiac muscarinic receptor conformation

Black widow spider venom (BWSW) elicited a prolonged tonic contraction of guinea-pig ileum which abolished the nicotine-induced contraction; however, the subsequent acetylcholine stimulation was found to be unchanged. These findings indicate a depletion of nerve terminal transmtiters caused by BWSW without a disruption of the muscle contractile mechanism. Following the BWSW-induced contraction, the stimulation to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was found to be abolished. This abolishment indicates a mediation of 5-HT-induced smooth muscle contraction in the nerve rather than the muscle.     

Surgical approach to large thalamic gliomas

Summary Fifteen cases of large thalamic gliomas were treated by laser surgery and CUSA under × 8 magnification and subsequently they were subjected to radiotherapy. More than 50% of the tumours were located in the dominant hemisphere and therefore an interhemispheric approach was carried out to avoid disturbances of speech and field defects. Nine patients had astrocytomas grade II and the remaining six had astrocytomas grades III–IV. The quality and survival has been gratifying in the less malignant gliomas. The operative technique and use of Laser and CUSA is highlighted.