A male infant with monosomy 21

A male infant with total monosomy 21 identified by Q-, G- and R-banding is described. His main symptoms are hypertonia, micrognathia, microphthalmus, imperforate anus, ambiguous external genitalia, floating and malopposed thumbs, overlying fingers, right clubfoot and growth retardation. Both parents are phenotypically as well as karotypically normal.

Synthesis of alpha-fetoprotein by rat ascites hepatoma cells

AH-66 rat ascites hepatoma cells incorporated [14C]leucine into the AFP fraction. In a cell-free system, hepatoma ribosomes were found to be active in AFP synthesis whereas the supernatant fraction from hepatoma had no specific effect on AFP production. The amount of [14C]leucine incorporated in AFP by membrane-bound polysomes was 20 to 90 times higher than that by free polysomes, suggesting that AFP is mainly synthesized on membrane-bound polysomes. DBcAMP inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells. However, the incorporation of [14C]leucine into the AFP fraction as well as into total proteins was stimulated by DBcAMP.

Production and purification of acid protease from the thermophilic fungus, Penicillium duponti K1014

A thermophilic fungus, Penicillium duponti K1014, produced an acid protease in a submerged culture. Maximum enzyme production, in a 30-liter fermentor at a preselected optimum growth temperature of 50 C, occurred after 3 days. The productivity of the enzyme was associated with changes of viscosity and pH of culture broth during the growth. The acid protease was isolated from the culture filtrates and was purified ninefold by alcohol precipitation, column chromatography on O-(diethylaminoethyl)cellulose, batchwise treatment with O-(carboxymethyl)cellulose, and by gel filtration. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on disk electrophoresis and sedimentation analysis. The sedimentation constant s(20.w), calculated at a concentration of 0.64%, was 3.98S.

Effect of ganglion-blocking agents on renin release in hypertensive patients

In 18 patients with benign essential hypertension, renin release during reduction of arterial pressure due to sodium nitroprusside infusion was measured before and after administration of ganglion-blocking agents (pentolinium or trimethaphan). In 12 patients, renin release induced by reduction in pressure was significantly reduced but not abolished by ganglion blockade. Simultaneously, ganglion blockade significantly reduced renal vascular resistance (RVR) and almost abolished a decrease in renal blood flow (RBF) due to hypotension. In 6 other patients in whom no significant renin release resulted from hypotension, ganglion blockade caused little changes in renin release, RVR or RBF. The results support the hypothesis that renal sympathetic nerve activity is a factor in variations in renin release in patients with essential hypertension.

Following ganglion blockade in the responsive patients, the significant reciprocal correlation between renal venous renin activity and sodium excretion rate shifted but still persisted, suggesting that the renin-releasing mechanism related to sodium excretion may be independent of innervation. On the other hand, the correlation between renin activity and the degree of reduction in pressure was insignificant after ganglion blockade. It is concluded that two intrarenal mechanisms, nerve-dependent and nerve-independent, are involved in renin release due to reduction in pressure.

Ganglion blockade also exerted an inhibitory effect on renin release due to hypotension in 4 normotensive subjects and 5 patients with renovascular hypertension.