Age‐related changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) and in plasma levels of adrenocortical steroids were studied in 140 normotensive men and 128 normotensive women. All were free of disease, and their ages ranged from 20 to 86 years. PRA decreased gradually with age in both men and women, and was slightly lower in women than in men. In the older subjects, the responses of PRA to the administration of furosemide or to dietary sodium restriction plus the upright position for blood sampling were significantly less than in the younger subjects. Apparently the suppression of PRA with age is due either to dysfunction of the juxtaglomerular cells induced by aging, or to reduction in the number of functioning nephrons. The plasma level of aldosterone was also reduced with age, but the levels of desoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, and cortisol were not significantly affected. The suppression of aldosterone seemed to be chiefly dependent upon the suppression of renin activity. However, the possibility remains that disturbed function of the glomerular cells with aging also is related to the suppression of aldosterone, since the response of aldosterone to dietary sodium restriction (upright position for blood sampling), to angiotensin II, and to potassium were greatly reduced.

To elucidate the control mechanism of aldosterone production in primary aldosteronism, in vivo and in vitro studies were done in 7 patients with aldosterone-producing adenomas. In the in vivo study, plasma aldosterone was stimulated more significantly by synthetic ACTH than by angiotensin II or furosemide. Diurnal variations of plasma aldosterone, which were studied in 4 patients, were similar to those seen in normal controls. In agreement with the results in the in vivo study, the in vitro study also revealed ACTH stimulated aldosterone and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) from the adenoma more markedly than angiotensin II or III. There was no adenoma which was more sensitive to angiotensin II or III than to ACTH. From these results it is considered that changes in plasma aldosterone induced by the exogenous administration of angiotensin II or ACTH in patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma are mainly based on changes in aldosterone production in the adenoma. Furthermore, in patients with an aldosterone-producing adenoma in whom diurnal variations of plasma aldosterone similar to those in normal subjects are observed, responses of aldosterone to angiotensin II are supposed to be less than those to ACTH.

The role of the renin-angiotensin system in the control of aldosterone and other mineralocorticoids was studied in 9 hyperkalemic patients with chronic renal failure showing mild azotemia (group I) and 6 normokalemic patients with chronic renal failure showing creatinine clearance similar to that in group I (group II). In group I, the plasma renin activity (PRA) was significantly low and plasma aldosterone (PAC) and 18-hydroxycortisterone (18-OH-B) were also significantly reduced. In group II, PRA was normal or slightly increased, and PAC and 18-OH-B were also normal or slightly increased. Both the PAC and 18-OH-B in group I were stimulated by ACTH and angiotensin II, although the responses were less than those in group II. In 2 patients of group I where PRA moved into the normal range after administration of furosemide, the plasma 18-OH-B and PAC also reached the lower limit of normal. These results suggest that suppression of the renin-angiotensin system is probably related to functional disturbance in the conversion from B to 18-OH-B and/or 18-OH-B to aldosterone in most abnormally hyperkalemic patients with chronic renal failure.

Effects of estradiol hemisuccinate and diethylstilbestrol diphosphate on the cardiovascular system in male rats were examined in vivo and in vitro.

To study the inter-and infrafamilial phylogenetic relationships in the order Caryophyllales sensu lato (s.l.), ϳ930 base pairs of the matK plastid gene have been sequenced and analyzed for 127 taxa. In addition, these sequences have been combined with the rbcL plastid gene for 53 taxa and with the rbcL and atpB plastid genes as well as the nuclear 18S rDNA for 26 taxa to provide increased support for deeper branches. The red pigments of Corbichonia, Lophiocarpus, and Sarcobatus have been tested and shown to belong to the betacyanin class of compounds. Most taxa of the order are clearly grouped into two main clades (i.e., ''core'' and ''noncore'' Caryophyllales) which are, in turn, divided into well-defined subunits. Phytolaccaceae and Molluginaceae are polyphyletic, and Portulacaceae are paraphyletic, whereas Agdestidaceae, Barbeuiaceae, Petiveriaceae, and Sarcobataceae should be given familial recognition. Two additional lineages are potentially appropriate to be elevated to the family level in the future: the genera Lophiocarpus and Corbichonia form a well-supported clade on the basis of molecular and chemical evidence, and Limeum appears to be separated from other Molluginaceae based on both molecular and ultrastructural data.