Abraham M. Frumin

Nucleated Red Blood Cells in Congestive Heart Failure

Five patients with congestive heart failure who had peripheral nucleated red cells are reported and the literature is reviewed. We believe that bone marrow anoxia is the cause for the premature or abnormal release of nucleated red cells in congestive heart failure. The presence of nucleated red cells in the peripheral blood of patients with congestive heart failure is suggestive of a poor prognosis.

Hemagglutination by fava bean extract inhibited by simple sugars.

Hemagglutination by extract of fava bean was inhibited by 5-percent d-glucose, d-fructose, or maltose, but not by 5-percent d-galactose or lactose. Failure to inhibit seems to reflect the presence of a hydroxyl group at the carbon No. 4 position. Hemagglutination was enhanced by dextran of high molecular weight, but not by dextran of low molecular weight. The finding supports the hypothesis that large molecular size explains the enhancement by gum acacia of hemagglutination by fava bean.

STRUCTURAL CONFIGURATION OF SUGARS AND THEIR ABILITY TO INHIBIT FAVA BEAN HEMAGGLUTINATION

The ability of plant hemagglutinins (lectins) to agglutinate human erythrocytes has been known for many years. Some plant lectins (for example, the lima bean lectin) agglutinate only red cells of blood group A. Others, such as the fava bean, agglutinate all human erythrocytes regardless of their blood group.1 It has been reported elsewhere that hemagglutination by saline extracts of the fava bean was inhibited by glucose, fructose, and maltose.z The following observations concern the effects of other sugars upon fava bean hemagglutination. The significance of these results will be discussed.

Changing Activity of Erythrocyte Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase and Tolerances to Glucose and Tolbutamide in Growing Sheep.∗

Summary Erythrocyte glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, glucose concentration, and tolerances to glucose and tolbutamide were measured in 6 adult sheep and 4 lambs growing from 1 to 150 days. The young lambs had G6PD activity and tolerances like normal man. The adult sheep had low G6PD activities and tolerances like diabetic man. Erythrocyte G6PD and glucose diminished gradually in growing lambs to approximate adult values by 60-100 days. The changes in the tolerances tests can be explained by a progressive development of insulin resistance, previously demonstrated in growing lambs.

Erythrocytosis associated with uterine myomas

Abstract 1. The seventh case of erythrocytosis with uterine myoma is described and compared with those previously reported. 2. Studies in the pathogenesis of erythrocytosis with uterine myoma are suggested.

Hemolytic disease of the newborn due to both anti-Rh (D) and anti-Kell (K) antibodies.

Abstract 1. 1. Hemolytic disease of the newborn due to both anti-Rh and anti-Kell antibodies is described. 2. 2. The importance of an indirect Coombs test employing donor blood, mothers serum, and Coombs reagent before instituting exchange transfusions in hemolytic anemia of the newborn is emphasized.