Changes in Na and K ions in mouse liver following in vivo exposure to ultrasound.

Mouse liver was exposed in vivo to a continuous and unfocussed ultrasound of 875 KHz at 5, 10 or 15 W/cm2 for 300 sec spread over five days and excised on day 0, 1, 5 and 10 for studying the changes in Na+ and K+ reserves and Na-K-ATPase activity. At 5 and 10 W intensities the change in ionic concentrations and Na-K-ATPase activity were almost in linear. At 15 W intensity the loss of both the ions and suppression of Na-K-ATPase indicated the damage of hepatic tissue caused by high intensity ultrasound. By day 10, all the animals of three exposures showed a normal ionic concentration with an optimum Na-K-ATPase activity in liver indicating the recovery process. The results indicate that ultrasound induces permeability changes in a glandular tissue exposed in vivo.

Changes in protein metabolism in hemolymph and fat body of the silkworm, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) in response to organophosphorus insecticides toxicity.

Changes in protein metabolism were studied in hemolymph and fat body of 5th instar silkworm Bombyx mori exposed to lethal and sublethal doses of fenitrothion and ethion. The total protein content indicated a depletion followed by a concomitant increase in accumulation of free amino acids. Concurrently, the activity of protease in both of the tissues was also increased. A sharp enhancement in the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase paralleled the elevation of glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the tissues studied. All these changes clearly documented the induction of severe proteolysis and transamination of amino acids.