Sulphinpyrazone and the platelet serotoninergic mechanism in ischaemic heart disease

A double blind study in 25 patients with ischaemic heart disease and 20 matched healthy controls examined the effect of sulphinpyrazone on the uptake of serotonin by platelets and the basal concentrations of serotonin in platelets. Uptake was measured using tritium labelled serotonin and basal concentrations estimated spectrophotofluorometrically. Serotonin uptake was significantly increased both in the patients with chronic stable angina of effort and in those with a history of myocardial infarction six months or more previously. Sulphinpyrazone reduced serotonin uptake from 94.25 (SE 8.65) to 57.86 (5.37) cpm/10(8) platelets after 24 weeks of treatment in the group with stable angina and from 137.45 (16.26) to 68.08 (8.38) cpm/10(8) platelets in the myocardial infarction group. Raised basal concentrations in the two groups were also reduced by sulphinpyrazone. Placebo had no effect on serotonin uptake or basal concentrations in either group of patients. The ability of sulphinpyrazone to inhibit uptake and reduce basal concentrations of serotonin in patients with ischaemic heart disease may be yet another mechanism through which this drug exerts its beneficial antiplatelet effect.

Macrophage spreading inhibition test as an alternate method for in vitro assessment of cell-mediated immunity against Entamoeba histolytica

During cellular immune responses sensitized lymphocytes release a number of mediators collectively known as 'lymphokines'. The assaying of macrophage spreading inhibition (MSI) factor released by sensitized lymphocytes was employed as an alternative procedure for in vitro detection of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in animals immunized with amoeba antigen preparation. The MSI test was compared with macrophage migration inhibition test. A well defined CMI was detectable in animals immunized by amoebic antigen in combination with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). Macrophage spreading was found greatly inhibited when peritoneal exudate cells from these animals were cultured in the presence of specific antigen. The optimal time for the development of typical reaction was 30 min. Incubation for a longer time resulted in macrophage clumping.

Suicide risk: evaluation and management

Inadequate assessment of the suicidal patient can have tragic consequences. Reliance should be placed on a comprehensive evaluation, including social profile, mental and physical status, suicidal ideation, intent and behavior, and current social support systems. Heightened awareness, combined with a knowledge about risk factors for suicide and intervention techniques, will help prevent these tragedies.

Enzymic clearing of lipaemic serum following total parenteral nutrition: determination of neonatal bilirubin as a model

Bilirubin determinations in the newborn infant are one of the many analytical tests that can yield misleading results when the specimen is either iatrogenically or naturally lipaemic. Incorporation of a recently reported enzymic clarification system into a commercially available test kit enables one to conveniently and accurately quantify both total and direct bilirubin within the present procedural characteristics of the Bilirubin Stat Analyser Photometer. This instrument measures the former directly with bichromatic spectrophotometry and the latter with a conventional diazo-type reaction. The proposed modification of existing reagents allows one to apply the assay to samples with as much as, and possibly more than 16 g/l of triglycerides which has been introduced into the vascular circulation as intravenous total parenteral nutrition.

Effect of sex and age on the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase in the lungs of rats

Since toxicity studies among different laboratories generally involve rats of different sex and age, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of sex, age and animal to animal variation in the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, bronchoalveolar cell lysate and lung homogenate. Correlation between numbers of bronchoalveolar cells recovered from lungs and enzyme activity in bronchoalveolar cell lysate or lung homogenate supernatant were also investigated. Male rats showed significantly (p less than 0.05) higher activities of alkaline phosphatase in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung homogenate. Animal to animal variation for lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase was higher in lungs than in serum. The number of bronchoalveolar cells recovered from lungs revealed a significant (p less than 0.01) positive correlation with the activities of both enzymes in the supernatant of cell lysates but not in the bronchoalveolar fluid. These results indicated that in an inhalation study interindividual variation in the levels of pulmonary enzymes should be considered in order to minimize the numerous possible sources of experimental error.

Sister chromatid exchange induced by metanil yellow and nitrite singly and in combination in vivo on mice

In vivo sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) induced by metanil yellow (a dye containing secondary amino group), sodium nitrite, and dye in combination with nitrite following treatment with acute doses were studied on mice. The incidence of SCEs was significantly high in both dye- and nitrite-treated series. However, a combination of half the concentrations of dye and nitrite, when used together, gave a frequency of SCE higher than that of either chemical, when given in full dose, indicating the stronger clastogenicity of the nitrosamine formed.

On-line clarification for the measurement of serum glucose in hyperlipidemic specimens

The optical aberrations due to the presence of the turbidity caused by hyperlipidemia has been eliminated in two serum glucose procedures. This has been accomplished by incorporating lipase and alpha-cyclodextrin into the two glucose reagents. The hydrolytic action of the lipase generates water soluble glycerol and insoluble fatty acids. By including the chemical scavenger alpha-cyclodextrin into the reagent the fatty acids are solubilized and thus the production of a second turbidity is avoided. Because the clearing reagents are incorporated into the glucose reagents, this is an on-line process and no additional labor is required to clear the sample-reagent mixture. Furthermore, no additional time is required as the clearing occurs in the same period of time that it takes for the indicator reactions to reach equilibrium.

Development of hepatic bilirubin glucuronidation as affected by prolonged maternal ethanol intake

Prolonged maternal ethanol intake by lactating mothers resulted in a 26% and 41% decrease in serum conjugated bilirubin of 6 and 10 day old suckling newborn rats, respectively. An increase of 20% and 36% was observed in the serum unconjugated bilirubin levels in suckling newborns from the ethanol-fed group compared to the corresponding controls. Newborns suckling on ethanol-fed dams showed a small, but significant hyperbilirubinemia compared to the controls. Acute administration of ethanol (2.5 g/kg) to newborn rats also resulted in a decrease in serum conjugated bilirubin and an increase in the levels of unconjugated and total bilirubin. Prolonged ethanol intake by adults also resulted in a decrease in conjugated bilirubin and an increase in unconjugated and total bilirubin levels compared to the corresponding controls. Bilirubin glucuronide formation in the liver was decreased by ethanol by about 30% and 37% in the suckling newborn, and adults, respectively. Newborns suckling on ethanol-fed dams, as well as the dams consuming ethanol showed an increase in hepatic (UDPG)/(UDPGA) levels. The activity of hepatic bilirubin-UDP-glucuronyl transferase either in the newborns suckling on ethanol-fed dams, or in dams consuming ethanol chronically, was not significantly different from their corresponding controls. Ethanol was found to inhibit the glucuronidation of bilirubin by decreasing the availability of UDP-glucuronic acid in the newborn and adult livers.

Teratogenic effects of lithium and ethanol in the developing fetus

Prolonged administration of either lithium (7 mg/kg body wt.) or ethanol (30% of daily caloric intake) for 10 days to pregnant rats results in several anatomical abnormalities in the fetus. Intragastric administration of lithium carbonate to pregnant rats immediately after confirmation of pregnancy resulted in high incidence of cleft palate, growth retardation, brain liquification and pulpy brain, hepatomegaly and digital abnormalities, when compared to the saline-treated controls. Furthermore, lithium administration during gestation also resulted in other less frequently observed abnormalities in the fetus, e.g., cardiomegaly, hydronephrosis, ankle-joint defects, syndactyly, defected ribs and sternum ossification defects. Chronic ethanol consumption by pregnant rats during early gestation also resulted in several anatomical abnormalities of prenatal growth retardation, resorption and still births, cleft palate, hydrocephaly and hydronephrosis. The severity and frequency of several of the fetal abnormalities were compounded when lithium and ethanol were administered simultaneously. The possible mechanisms of lithium and ethanol teratogenicity and their synergistic effects have been explained on a biochemical basis.

Effects of dyes (indigo carmine, metanil yellow, fast green FCF) and nitrite in vivo on bone marrow chromosomes of mice

Effects of 3 dyes in combination with nitrite were studied on bone marrow chromosomes of mice following prolonged oral treatment. The dyes were namely, Indigo Carmine and Metanil Yellow, both of which contain a secondary amino group, and Fast Green FCF, which has a tertiary amino group. All dyes produced aberrations but Metanil Yellow showed stronger clastogenic activity than Fast Green FCF and Indigo Carmine. Nitrite alone also induced strong clastogenic activity. A combination of dye and nitrite half the normal concentrations produced synergistic effects, which may be ascribed to the formation of nitrosamines.

Serodiagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis by enzyme immunoassay and soluble antigen fluorescent antibody tests using a saline extracted antigen

The efficacy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and soluble antigen fluorescent antibody (SAFA) tests in the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis was compared using saline extracted surface antigen of M. tuberculosis H37Ra. Of the 24 proved cases of intestinal tuberculosis ELISA detected positivity in 92% compared with 83% detected by the SAFA test. The 2 tests showed a strong correlation with each other and yielded a clear cut difference between patients and controls, although there was some degree of overlap.

Cerebral gigantism with hydronephrosis: a case report

A case of cerebral gigantism with hydronephrosis in a 20-month-old boy is described. Hydronephrosis is believed to be an additional association of the syndrome not hitherto reported.

Occurrence and aeruginocine typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in buffaloes and their environment

The occurrence and distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in buffaloes and their environment was studied. Environmental sources included milkers, milking utensils, watering troughs, animal shed floor, barn-yard soil and drains. Of the different body sites examined, the organism could only be isolated from 15% of the muzzle and 5% of the belly samples. The organism was widely prevalent in the animal environment and could be isolated from milking utensils (56.67%), watering troughs (44.00%), drains (36.37%), shed floor (4.00%), barnyard soil (3.33%), and milkers' throats (50.00%) and hands before and after milking (7.14 and 10.71%, respectively). Aeruginocine typing revealed that of the 68 strains of P. aeruginosa, 65 (95.59%) were typable. Amongst the typable strains, 21 (32.30%) were classifiable and 44 (67.69%) unclassifiable. Unclassifiable pattern 23478- was most predominant and common to animals and environmental sources. Different aeruginocine types encountered were: A(2), B(4), F(1), L(1), P(4), 1(1), 8(1), 9(1), 11(3), 12(1), 14(1) and 17(1). This is of significance as most of the types encountered have been reported from clinical specimens of animal and human origin.

Effect of sex, age, number of bronchoalveolar lavages and quantitation methods on the bronchoalveolar cell counts in rats

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of sex, age, number of bronchoalveolar lavages and method of quantitation on the number of bronchoalveolar cells in rats. Forty Long Evans rats were divided into four age-sex subgroups of ten animals each. Nine consecutive bronchoalveolar lavages were done in every rat and the number of bronchoalveolar cells/mL in lavages 1-3 (L1), 4-6 (L2) and 7-9 (L3) were determined by hemocytometer and electronic cell counts (Coulter Counter). The sex or age of the rats did not show a significant effect (p less than 0.05) in the number of bronchoalveolar cells recovered from the lungs; however, there was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) in the number of cells/mL among lavages 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9 (L1 approximately equal to L2 greater than L3). A discrepancy of approximately 8% in the counts of bronchoalveolar cells was found between the hemocytometer and the Coulter Counter; however, these two methods of cell quantitation showed a significant (p less than 0.01) positive correlation (r = 0.89). No significant (p greater than 0.05) differences were found in the percentage of fluid recovery (overall mean = 94.5%) among lavages L1, L2 and L3. It was concluded that the electronic cell counting of bronchoalveolar cells is as reliable as manual counting. Although sex or age did not significantly affect the number of cells recovered from the lung, caution should be used in the number of lavages done per rat since this variable may significantly affect the results.

The Aase-Smith syndrome

A distinct syndrome with hand abnormalities, joint contractures, cleft palate and a Dandy-Walker malformation was reported by Aase & Smith (1968). This paper reports a second example of this syndrome in a mother and daughter.

Experimental infection of rhesus monkeys with Entamoeba histolytica mimics human infection

Experimental infection of Entamoeba histolytica was successfully established in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Parasites of proven pathogenicity maintained through liver passage in hamsters were used in this study. Laparotomized monkeys were inoculated intracecally/intrahepatically with trophozoites, or by oral administration of cysts (2000 cysts/ml). The cysts were isolated from an infected human stool sample. Formation of typical amebic lesions in the inoculated tissues along with alterations in hematologic indices were studied in the infected monkeys. All the experimentally inoculated monkeys showed leukocytosis and mild neutrophilia, while the hemoglobin content and levels of blood sugar and blood urea remained unaltered during the post-infection period. Specific antiamebic antibodies were readily detectable in post-infected sera.