Isopropanol and isopropanol deaths-ten years' experience

A population of persons who were found, at death, to have significant levels of isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) in their blood is described. The role of isopropanol in causing death is reviewed in 57 fatal cases. The contribution of acetone, the major metabolite of isopropanol, to death is assessed. Results indicate that mixed alcohol poisoning with ethanol and isopropanol suggests decreased production of acetone. Modalities for antemortem and postmortem detection of isopropanol are presented.

Tritium (3H) radiolabeling of protein A and antibody to high specific activity: application to cell surface antigen radioimmunoassays

Staphylococcal protein A and several different immunoglobulins have been radiolabeled to high specific activities (greater than 10(6) cpm/microgram) by reductive methylation with tritiated (3H) sodium borohydride. The proteins retain excellent functional and antigenic properties. The utility of these reagents in a variety of assays for cell surface antigens is illustrated. The results indicate that this radiolabeling procedure may become the method of choice for many cell surface and solution immunoassays.

Dissecting aneurysms of the basilar artery in 2 patients

An uncommon consequence of intracranial vascular disease is the intramural dissection of blood or "dissecting aneurysm". A 69-year-old man with chronic subarachnoid hemorrhage from a posterior fossa mass lesion and a 30-year-old man with migraine and a brain stem stroke illustrate the diverse etiologic, clinical, radiographic, and pathologic characteristics of this unusual lesion.

Impairment of hepatic drug metabolism in alcoholics

1 The effects of chronic ethanol intake on the elimination kinetics of antipyrine were determined in nineteen male alcoholic subjects with comparison made to fourteen male volunteers. 2 Half-lives were longer and clearance values less in the alcoholic group. 3 Significant rank correlations were found between half-life and clearance when compared with various biochemical parameters of liver function measured in the plasma of the alcoholics. 4 These results show that a significant proportion of the alcoholics studied had impaired hepatic drug metabolizing capacity and that the activity of hepatic microsomal enzymes may be related to the extent of ethanol induced liver damage in these subjects.

Peripheral couplings in human skeletal muscle

The importance of peripheral couplings in muscle function has been uncertain because of the failure to demonstrate them in human skeletal muscle. This study has utilized ruthenium red staining to demonstrate peripheral couplings in human skeletal muscle biopsies. This finding supports the belief that the peripheral coupling is a basic component of striated muscle.

Anti-p-Azobenzenearsonate Antibody of Restricted Heterogeneity

Anti-idiotype antisera were obtained by immunizing allotype-matched rabbits with anti-p-azobenzenearsonate antibody (anti-ars) from an individual rabbit after each of four courses of immunization. These sera were used to study the relationship between anti-ars produced over a span of 33 months. Antibodies of limited heterogeneity produced 21 months apart had very similar idiotypes. Components with related idiotypes were also demonstrated to be present in the more heterogeneous earlier and later antibodies.