1. A transfructosylase was separated from Jerusalem artichoke-tuber extracts. The partially purified enzyme was practically free from fructosans and its specific activity was increased more than sevenfold. 2. The enzyme was highly specific for terminal beta-(2-->1')-linked fructofuranosyl residues. 3. The most active donor found was 1(F)-fructosylsucrose, which had about five times the reactivity of the next higher homologues (degree of polymerization 4-6); (1-fructosyl)(2)fructose was intermediate in reactivity; sucrose was inactive. 4. Sucrose, and polymers of high degree of polymerization (>20), were the most efficient acceptors for transferred fructosyl residues of the compounds tested. 5. A variety of transferase activities appeared to be catalysed by the enzyme, namely, dismutation (;self-transfer') giving rise to a series of polymers ranging in degree of polymerization both above and below that of the original substrate, transfer to polymer giving rise to limited quantities of higher polymers, and transfer to sucrose; in the last case 1(F)-fructosylsucrose/sucrose transfer (resulting in exchange labelling of sucrosyl groups) was used to investigate the mechanism of the reaction more fully. 6. Since fructose transfer can be demonstrated in the living plant tissue, the inter-relationships of the various activities and their significance in fructosan metabolism are discussed.

Chromatography, Paper↗

PubMed1966

Darling v. Charleston Community Memorial Hospital--how to adapt to the Charleston decision.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Hospitals↗

PubMed1964

The metabolism of fructose polymers in plants. 4. Beta-fructofuranosidases of tubers of Helianthus tuberosus L.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Chromatography, Paper↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy, tolerability, and effects on quality of life of losartan, alone or with hydrochlorothiazide, versus amlodipine, alone or with hydrochlorothiazide, in patients with essential hypertension.

A randomized, double-masked, parallel-group, multicenter clinical trial was conducted to compare the efficacy, tolerability, and effects on quality of life associated with treatment regimens including the angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan, with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) added as needed, with regimens including the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker amlodipine with HCTZ added as needed. The trial included patients whose sitting diastolic blood pressure (SiDBP) measurements were between 95 and 114 mm Hg, inclusive, at placebo baseline. Patients were randomized to receive either losartan or amlodipine in a double-masked, double-dummy fashion. A 4-week placebo washout period was followed by a 12-week active treatment period. Patients in the losartan arm (n = 97) were initially given 50 mg of oral (PO) losartan once a day (QD); the medication could be titrated to 50-mg losartan/ 12.5-mg HCTZ PO QD after 4 weeks, followed by 50-mg losartan plus 25-mg HCTZ PO QD after 8 weeks as necessary. Patients in the amlodipine group (n = 93) received 5-mg amlodipine PO QD, which could be titrated to 10 mg PO QD after 4 weeks, followed by 10 mg plus 25-mg HCTZ PO QD after 8 weeks. Medication was titrated upward as necessary to achieve trough SiDBP < 90 mm Hg. Efficacy, tolerability, and quality-of-life scores were assessed after 12 weeks of therapy with each regimen. Trough SiDBP reductions after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of therapy were clinically comparable (losartan group: 7.3, 10.4, and 11.1 mm Hg, respectively; amlodipine group: 7.9, 11.2, and 11.8 mm Hg, respectively). Similar reductions in systolic blood pressure were also seen for both treatment groups. The percentage of patients reaching goal SiDBP (defined as trough SiDBP < 90 mm Hg or SiDBP > or = 90 mm Hg with a > or = 10 mm Hg drop from placebo baseline) was comparable for the two groups, with 68% of patients in the losartan group and 71% of patients in the amlodipine group reaching goal. Significantly more patients in the amlodipine group had drug-related adverse experiences (27% vs 13%). In particular, drug-related edema was more common in patients receiving the amlodipine regimen than in those receiving the losartan regimen (11% vs 1%). Patients in the amlodipine arm reported significantly more bother due to edema, regardless of whether edema was present at baseline, than did patients in the losartan arm (12% vs 2%), although overall quality of life was not different in the two treatment groups. This study demonstrates that a regimen of losartan with HCTZ added as needed, when compared with a regimen of amlodipine with HCTZ added as needed, provides comparable efficacy and superior tolerability and less bother to patients with respect to edema.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Protective effect of vitamin E in rats with acute liver injury.

We have previously shown that supplemental vitamin E has a cytoprotective effect in the liver of rats with chronic CCL4-induced liver cirrhosis. In this study, we hypothesized that vitamin E would have a protective effect in acute liver injury induced by D-galactosamine. D-Galactosamine-induced injury has been thought to be due to a synergistic direct toxic effect and presence of intestinal bacteria and/or endotoxins. D-Galactosamine was used to induce acute "hepatitis" (1.5-2.0 g/Kg body weight, ip). Rats were placed on either standard chow or the same chow supplemented with vitamin E (300 mg DL-alpha-tocopherol/Kg diet) and 6 days later were given D-galactosamine. There was significantly improved early (5-day) survival and late (14-day) survival in the vitamin E-supplemented group. The vitamin E beneficial effect was manifested also by decreased liver fat and collagen content and decreased SGPT level. Because bacterial endotoxins have been implicated as playing a role in the pathogenesis of D-galactosamine hepatitis, the same experiment was carried out using germ-free and conventional rats. There was significantly improved survival in both the germ-free and conventional vitamin E-supplemented groups both at 5 and 14 days. There was no significant difference between conventional and germ-free rats with or without vitamin E supplementation. In summary (a) vitamin E improves the early fat and collagen accumulation in the liver, decreases SGPT level, and improves survival in the D-galactosamine experimental model of acute liver injury in both conventional and germ-free rats; and (b) D-galactosamine toxicity is probably not mediated through intestinal bacteria and/or endotoxins.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Methotrexate levels, a guide to therapy?

Methotrexate (MTX) is being used with increasing frequency in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Seventy-one patients have been treated with MTX with only five ceasing treatment because of toxicity. From a study of the serum levels of this drug, we believe that 10 mg intramuscularly once per week should be an optimum method of treating arthritis. The measurement of a 24 hour serum level of MTX, which normally is less than 0.01 mumole/litre after 10 mg I.M., should aid in identifying those patients more at risk of developing toxicity.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acute progressive osteoarthropathy of large joints: report of three cases.

We report 3 cases of an acute progressive osteoarthropathy of large joints. This condition is characterized by an acute onset, severe constant pain, and a rapidly progressive course in the absence of clinical and histopathological evidence of inflammation. Prior references to this condition are lacking.

Acute Disease↗