Acidification in proximal tubule of the isolated rat kidney, perfused in vitro, was studied by stopped-flow microperfusion techniques, using Sb microelectrodes to measure luminal pH. The kidney was perfused with mammalian Ringer's solution at pH 7.4 buffered by 20 mmol/l phosphate and containing 7.5 g/100 ml bovine albumin, equilibrated with air. Final urine pH was 6.88 +/- 0.5. Steady-state pH in proximal segments was 6.81 +/- 0.03 (n = 80), and acidification half-time (t/2) 7.25 +/- 0.33 (80) s, giving a net secretory H+ ion flux of 0.51 +/- 0.05 nmol . cm-2 . s-1. This flux was about 70% of "in vivo" (blood perfused kidneys). During luminal perfusion with solutions at pH 6.2, back-flux of H+ was 0.82 +/- 0.08 nmol . cm-2 . s-1, with an alkalinization t/2 of 6.33 +/- 0.34 (34) s. The difference between acidification and alkalization t/2 was not significant. This is compatible with a pump-leak system of H+ transport. This is compatible with a pump-leak system of H+ transport. The back flux of H from the lumen was markedly reduced in low Na+ perfused kidneys in the presence of 10(-4) mol/l amiloride in the lumen, indicating that this process is mediated by the luminal Na/H exchanger. Observations in the presence of high K levels suggest that it may have also a charged component. 10(-4) mol/l acetazolamide added to the kidney perfusate reduced acidification to 0.5% of control, and 10(-6) mol/l SITS to 25% of control. Thus, despite the low pCO2 (0.1-0.4 kPa, or 1-3 mm Hg), the CO2/HCO-3 buffer system still plays an important role in tubular acidification in this preparation.

Time for AdmissionT he recent telecast of the 0. J.Simpson trial has brought to the forefront the importance of forensic identification in legal proceedings, especially in criminal cases. Forensic science has become a key element in proving a defendant's guilt or innocence. In the 0. J. Simpson trial, the question was not one of the admissibility of the expert testimony regarding the existing DNA testing procedure and the resulting conclusions but rather what weight the jury would give these results.The Federal Rules of Evidence, which are standardized and binding on all U.S. District Courts, are applied to offers of evidence, including testimony, to ensure that juries hear and ultimately consider only admissible material and relevant evi- Recent changes in the Federal Rules of Evidence affect the admissibility of scientific evidence in court

No abstract

The effect of temperature on proximal tubular acidification was studied in isolated rat kidney, perfused with 20 mM phosphate Ringer's containing 7.5 g/100 ml bovine albumin, equilibrated with air. Tubular pH was measured with Sb microelectrodes during stopped-flow microperfusion. The temperature of the kidney was varied between 10 and 46 degrees C. At 10 degrees C the proximal tubule was still able to maintain pH gradients of about 0.7 pH units. However, half-times (t/2) of both acidification and alkalinization were markedly increased, from 6-7 s at 37 degrees C to 27-30 s at 10 degrees C. In consequence, net H+-ion flux into the tubule was reduced to 26% of that at 37 degrees C. In this system, in the absence of exogenous HCO-3 and CO2, t/2 of acidification and alkalinization were very similar at 37 degrees C and below. Above 37 degrees C alkalinization t/2 fell markedly to 1.43 +/- 0.09 (11) s at 46 degrees C, while acidification t/2 stayed at about 7 s. H+-ion back-fluxes increased progressively from 10-46 degrees C, while secretory JH reached a maximal value at 37 degrees C and fell at higher temperatures. Apparent activation energies calculated from rate coefficients were 8.48 kcal . mol-1 for acidification, and 9.30 for alkalinization, and those calculated from JH were 6.30 and 9.55 respectively. These data indicate that both H-ion secretion and back-flux are carrier-mediated, probably flowing through the Na/H exchanger in the luminal membrane, since their activation energies are of the same order of magnitude and markedly higher than those for protons in solution.