Non-surgical treatment of jejunogastric intussusception

Three cases of retrograde jejunogastric intussusception who were managed endoscopically are described. The diagnosis was made by means of endoscopy in one case and contrast radiology of the stomach in the other two. Endoscopic management consisted of reduction of the intussusception, followed by placement of a feeding tube deep in the intussuscepting segment. The patients responded very well and surgery could be avoided in all of them.

Genotoxicity evaluation of the tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline and imipramine using human lymphocyte cultures

Two tricyclic antidepressants, amitriptyline and imipramine, were evaluated for their in vitro cytogenetic effects in human lymphocyte cultures. Peripheral blood cultures from three normal healthy donors were set up for 72 hr for each of the drugs. The drugs were added at the start (72-hr exposure), 24 hr (48-hr exposure), and 48 hr (24-hr exposure) after initiation of the cultures. The concentrations evaluated at each exposure time were 50, 250, 1,000, and 10,000 ng/ml for amitriptyline and 25, 500, and 5,000 ng/ml for imipramine. The first two concentrations correspond to the plasma levels of the respective drugs after therapeutic doses. All treatments for a donor were given at the same time. Untreated cultures served as controls for the baseline frequency of the parameters assayed. The parameters assayed were chromosome aberrations, mitotic index, and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs). Amitriptyline was found to be nongenotoxic at plasma levels by all the parameters assayed. However, frequencies of chromosome aberrations and SCEs were significantly increased at concentrations 4 and 40 times the plasma level (1,000 and 10,000 ng/ml) although the actual increases was small. The mitotic index was not affected at any concentration. Through imipramine showed a significant increase in chromosome damage at the upper plasma level and at concentrations higher than that, SCE frequency was significantly increased only at concentration higher than the plasma level (5,000 ng/ml), the actual increase being small for both these parameters. The mitotic index was not affected at any concentration. These results suggest that amitriptyline may be a slightly safer drug than imipramine from a genetic point of view.

Effect of some anthelmintics on malate dehydrogenase activity and mortality in two avian nematodes Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinae

Cambendazole and tiabendazole at 10(-4) M concentrations caused mortality in both the parasites after 10 min and 20 min, respectively. H. gallinae was killed by 10(-4) M haloxon but A. galli remained alive even after 60 min exposure. The effect of these drugs was found to be irreversible since no resumption of activity was observed when the parasites were returned to normal saline solution. The ratio of oxaloacetate reduction to malate oxidation in the homogenates of A. galli and H. gallinae was 4.38:1 and 3.17:1 respectively. Cambendazole at 10(-3) M inhibited the enzymic activity in both directions by 100% in both A. galli and H. gallinae. 10(-3) M tiabendazole, however, inhibited the malate oxidation by 82.8 and 60.8% and oxaloacetate reduction by 76.6 and 92% in A. galli and H. gallinae, respectively. Haloxon had little effect on malate dehydrogenase activity of any of the parasite. Assay of malate dehydrogenase, following the in vitro drug treatment cambendazole and tiabendazole, exhibited moderate inhibition of the activity in both the parasites.

Semen analysis in alcohol dependence syndrome

Analysis of seminal fluid samples from 20 ADS cases is reported for the first time. A significant decrease in the total volume of complete semen sample and sperm concentration was observed. Percentage of morphologically abnormal sperms was higher in samples from ADS cases than controls, though no linear correlation was observed with amount and duration of alcohol consumption. Analysis of blood samples from five ADS cases, using radio immunoassay techniques showed low testosterone values. LH, FSH and Prolactin values were within normal range. The study shows that alcohol consumption fo a considerable period, affects spermatogenesis, spermiogenesis and causes oligozoospermia. The effect probably are reversible.

Cytogenetic effects of psychotropic drug haloperidol on human lymphocytes

Haloperidol is used for long-term therapy of psychiatric disorders. The cytogenetic effect of this drug was studied on human chromosomes in lymphocyte cultures in vitro and in vivo. There was no increase in the chromosomal aberration frequency in vitro with haloperidol at concentrations equivalent to plasma level and slightly higher than plasma level. However, a significant increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations was seen in patients on therapeutic doses of haloperidol as compared to the two types of controls: 1. Psychiatric patients before starting the drug therapy and 2. normal healthy individuals from the general population. The most frequently observed aberrations were chromatid gaps and breaks. Our study indicates that haloperidol is not clastogenic in vitro at plasma concentration but significantly clastogenic in vivo.

Effect of photon statistics on phase conjugation by four-wave mixing

The effects of fluctuation associated with chaotic fields on degenerate four-wave mixing are studied. The chaotic field phase conjugates more efficiently than the single-mode coherent light for both weak and strong fields, the reflectivity being enhanced by a factor of 2 in the former case. The fluctuations are also shown to have a significant effect on reflectivity as a function of detuning.

Clastogenic effect of the psychotropic drug thioridazine on human chromosomes in vivo

Thioridazine (Mellaril), a psychotropic drug belonging to the phenothiazine group of drugs, was evaluated for its in vivo clastogenic effect on human chromosomes in lymphocyte cultures. Lymphocyte cultures were set up with peripheral blood samples of psychiatric patients (diagnosis: schizophrenia, mania, manic depressive psychosis, acute psychotic episode) who were on therapeutic doses of thioridazine for over 4 weeks. Two sets of controls were used: (1) newly diagnosed psychiatric cases (same type as above) who were not yet under therapy and (2) healthy individuals from the general population. The chromosomal aberration frequency was found to be significantly increased in the patients exposed to this drug as compared to the two sets of controls. The results point to a clastogenic and mutagenic potential of thioridazine and warrent a more careful consideration of its use in medicine.

The effect of five fasciolicides on malate dehydrogenase activity and mortality of Fasciola gigantica, Fasciolopsis buski and Paramphistomum explanatum

The effect of oxyclozanide, hexachlorophene, nitroxynil, rafoxanide and diamphenethide on malate dehydrogenase activity of homogenates of Fasciola gigantica, Fasciolopsis buski and Paramphistomum explanatum was investigated. The ratio of oxaloacetate reduction to malate oxidation in homogenates of Fasciola gigantica, Fasciolopsis buski and P. explanatum was 4.5:1, 3.6:1 and 5.2:1 respectively. Oxyclozanide and rafoxanide at 10(-3) M inhibited enzyme activity by 100% in homogenates from all three species while hexachlorophene at 10(-3) M also caused 100% inhibition in homogenates from Fasciola gagantica and P. explanatum but only 65% of malate oxidation in Fasciolopsis buski homogenates. Nitroxynil at 10(-3) M produced 60% inhibition in F. buski homogenates yet had little effect at this concentration on preparations from the other species. Little inhibition was seen with diamphenethide, even at high concentrations. Rapid death of Fasicola gigantica and P. explanatum resulted in vitro when 10(-3) M oxyclozanide, hexachlorophene, nitroxynil or rafoxanide, were added to the incubation medium. Fasciolopsis buski was killed by 10(-3) M oxyclozanide but at this concentration the remaining compounds only caused reduced activity. Assay of malate dehydrogenase following drug treatment in vitro failed to show any appreciable reduction in enzyme activity in Fasciola gigantica and P. explanatum but oxyclozanide and hexachlorophene produced inhibition in Fasciolopsis buski. The mode of action of these compounds is discussed.

Role of vagus during exercise in thermal panting

In dogs anaesthetised with pentobarbitone sodium raising the body temperature from 37 degrees C during mild exercise increased the rate of respiration and pulmonary ventilation but decreased the tidal volume. Cold blocking the vagi during the exercise resulted in decrease in respiration rate and minute ventilation, but increase in tidal volume. At 40 degrees C body temperature vagal block was not effective in decreasing the respiration rate and minute ventilation, which may be due to stimulation of lung irritant receptors through hyperthermia.

Role of vagus in thermal panting

In dogs anaesthetised with pentobarbitone sodium, raising the body temperature from 37 degrees C to 42 degrees C increased the rate of respiration and pulmonary ventilation but decreased the tidal volume. A similar change though of a lower magnitude, was observed in these parameters after cold blocking the vagi. At 40 degrees C body temperature, however, the vagal block was not effective in reducing the rate. The significance of hyperthermic panting mechanism dominating the Hering-Breuer mechanism at 40 degrees C has been discussed. It has been postulated that the vagi carry temperature dependent afferents that have effect opposite to the Hering-Breuer reflex. At 42 degrees C when respiratory failure usually sets in the temperature regulating function of respiration is the last to be lost.