Studies on nitrogen pool of animal tissues. I. Ox ocular tissues. II. Ox nervous tissues

Concentrations of ampholytes in the nitrogen pool of ox ocular tissues and nervous tissues were analyzed systematically by an automatic amino acid analyzer with a special reference to their minor components. DCEC was found in lens and also in nervous tissues. Ophthalmic acid was found in lens (highest), in retina (moderate), and in vitreous humor and spinal cord (trace). Glutathione content was extremely high in lens, and moderate in nervous tissues, retina and cornea. Carnosine content was moderate in cornea and in retina, but hemocarnosine may be rather high in nervous tissues. Anserine-like compound was found only in spinal cord, but free 1- and 3-methylhistidine were detected in most ocular tissues. Ethanolamine and &#947;-aminobutyric acid were high in retina and their concentrations were comparable to those of nervous tissues.</p

Studies on nitrogen pool of animal tissues. 3. Ox liver and bile. IV. Ox kidney and lung

The compositions of nitrogen pools of ox liver, bladder bile, kidney and lung were analyzed with an especial bearing on their minor components, and some distinctive features of these tissues were described. DCEC and CMC were found in ox liver and kidney. Liver was low in free arginine and lysine, but high in ornithine, ethanolamine, and glutathione. Glycine was only a predominant amino acid in ox bile. All amino acids were contained moderately in kidney, but glutathione content was low. The concentrations of arginine and lysine were relatively high in lung.</p

Effect of cystathionase on isovalthine

In the course of studies on the cleavage reaction of S-(isopropylcarboxymethyl) glutathione (GSIV) into isovalthine in kidney homogenate or glutathionase preparation, it has sometimes been observed that the amount of isovalthine formed is far less than that of GSIV decomposed&#185;. Furthermore, when such reaction mixture is analyzed on an automatic amino acid analyzer, prominent peak corresponding to the reasonable amount of S-(isopropy1carboxymethyl)cysteinylglycine which is an expected intermediate of the GSIV cleavage reaction cannot be found up to 400 effluent ml. Though several reasons may be considered for the explanation of the above curious phenomenon, the effect of cystathionase on isovalthine is at first examined here. But the result was negative. L- and L-Alloisovalthineused as substrate were prepared by the method of OHMORI&#178;. Homoserine and purified cystathionase in ammonium sulfate solution prepared according to the method of GREENBERGB&#179; were kindly furnished by Prof. M. Suda of Osaka University. Incubation mixture contains 0.1 ml of enzyme solution, 1.0 ml of 0.2 M borate buffer (pH 8.0) containing 2×10-&#179;M cysteine, 0.lml of 0.1 M substrate, and 0.8ml of deionized water containing 5×10-4M EDTA. The mixture was shaken at 37°C for 30 minutes in the air. The reaction was terminated by adding 2ml of 10% trichloroacetic acid and the &#945;-keto acids formed were determined by the method of FRIEDEMANN and HAUGEN4 with a following modification: toluene extract was washed once with 8 ml of 10% sodium sulfate. The results obtained are summarized in Table l. When the reaction mixtures are analyzed before or after incubation on an automatic amino acid analyzer, the amount of L- or L-Alloisovalthine is found to be unchanged. Furthermore, as indicated in Table 1, L-isovalthine showed no inhibitory effect on the homoserine cleavage by cystathionase. Since amino acid oxidases have already been reported to have no effect on isovalthine&#179;, the curious phenomenon above cited may have to be explained by other reaction mechanism such as transpeptipation reaction.</p

Metabolic fates of isovaleric acid and isovalthine in rats

1. Isovaleric acid-1-C14, -4-C14, or C14-CaC03 with or without non-isotopic isovaleric acid was orally administered to rats and the incorporation of these isotopes into liver cholesterol, fatty acid, or urinary isovalthine was examined. 2. Isopropyl group of isovaleric acid was more efficiently utilized for cholesterol synthesis than carboxyl group, and also for cholesterol synthesis than for fatty acid. These results indicate that isovaleric acid is cleaved into two fragments before it is utilized for cholesterol synthesis. 3. Carbon dioxide was used for the synthesis of liver cholesterol and of liver fatty acid. Isovaleric acid seems to enhance the incorporation of carbon dioxide into cholesterol. 4. All the experimental rats received isotopic or non-isotopic isovaleric acid excreted isovalthine, but no radioactivity was found in it. Thus, isovaleric acid residue of urinary isovalthine molecule is not derived from isovaleric acid administered, and carbon dioxide is not the carbon source of urinary isovalthine. 5. Suspicious metabolism of isovaleric acid or of carbon dioxide was discussed. 6. Isotopic isovalthine which was synthesized from (± ) &#945;-bromoisovaleric acid-4-C14 is administered to rat and it was found that the isotope did not incorporate into cholesterol or fatty acid of liver and of brain. About 15% of isotopic isovalthine was recovered in urine up to the next day after injection. The large part of isovalthine was missing.</p

Studies on nitrogen pool of animal tissues. I. Ox ocular tissues. II. Ox nervous tissues

Concentrations of ampholytes in the nitrogen pool of ox ocular tissues and nervous tissues were analyzed systematically by an automatic amino acid analyzer with a special reference to their minor components. DCEC was found in lens and also in nervous tissues. Ophthalmic acid was found in lens (highest), in retina (moderate), and in vitreous humor and spinal cord (trace). Glutathione content was extremely high in lens, and moderate in nervous tissues, retina and cornea. Carnosine content was moderate in cornea and in retina, but hemocarnosine may be rather high in nervous tissues. Anserine-like compound was found only in spinal cord, but free 1- and 3-methylhistidine were detected in most ocular tissues. Ethanolamine and &#947;-aminobutyric acid were high in retina and their concentrations were comparable to those of nervous tissues.</p

Studies on nitrogen pool of animal tissues. 3. Ox liver and bile. IV. Ox kidney and lung

The compositions of nitrogen pools of ox liver, bladder bile, kidney and lung were analyzed with an especial bearing on their minor components, and some distinctive features of these tissues were described. DCEC and CMC were found in ox liver and kidney. Liver was low in free arginine and lysine, but high in ornithine, ethanolamine, and glutathione. Glycine was only a predominant amino acid in ox bile. All amino acids were contained moderately in kidney, but glutathione content was low. The concentrations of arginine and lysine were relatively high in lung.</p

Factor Analysis Influencing Postoperative Hospital Stay and Medical Costs for Patients with Definite, Suspected, or Unmatched Diagnosis of Acute Cholecystitis according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2013

Purpose. To identify significant independent preoperative factors influencing postoperative hospital stay (PHS) and medical costs (MC) in 171 patients who underwent cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases and had definite, suspected, or unmatched acute cholecystitis (AC) diagnosis according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13). Methods. The 171 patients were classified according to the combination of diagnostic criteria including local signs of inflammation (A), systemic signs of inflammation (B), and imaging findings (C): A+ B+ C (definite diagnosis, n=84), A+ B (suspected diagnosis, n=25), (A or B) + C (n=10), A (n=41), and B (n=11). Results. The A+ B + C and (A or B) + C groups had equivalent PHS and MC, suggesting that imaging findings were essential for AC diagnosis. PHS and MC were significantly increased in the order of severity grades based on TG13. Performance status (PS), white blood cell count, and severity grade were identified as preoperative factors influencing PHS by multivariate analysis, and significant independent preoperative factors influencing MC were age, PS, preoperative biliary drainage, hospital stay before surgery, albumin, and severity grade. Conclusion. PS and severity grade significantly influenced prolonged PHS and increased MC