Radioimmunoassay for serum and urinary lysozyme

We describe a radioimmunoassay for lysozyme (EC 3.2.1.17, mucopeptide N-acetylmuramohydrolase) in plasma and urine. It involves use of an antibody, raised in rabbits, to lysozyme from urine from a patient with monocytic leukemia. This antiserum, diluted 4000-fold, is incubated with radiolabeled lysozyme for 2 h and antibody-bound lysozyme is separated from free lysozyme with dextran-coated charcoal. Validation of the assay included precision and parallelism studies with serum and urine samples from patients with monocytic leukemia and analgesic nephropathy. Results of the radioimmunoassay and those obtained with a Micrococcus lysodeikticus lytic assay correlated well (r = 0.94). Sensitivity of the assay was 3.5 micrograms/L for both serum and urine. The main advantages of the assay are its good precision and reproducibility and its high sensitivity.

[Afferent and efferent connections between the hypothalamus and raphe. Study using the technic of retrograde transport of peroxidases]

Projections between rat lateral hypothalamus and dorsal and medial raphe nuclei were studied. Horse radish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into each of these structures and retrogradely labeled neurons were identified. Following HRP injections into lateral hypothalamus (LH) labeled neurons were found into medial and cortical amygdaloid nuclei (AME, ACO), into dorsal thalamic nucleus (MD), in the hippocampal gyrus (HPC) and into medial raphe nucleus (MR). Following HRP injections into medial (MR) and dorsal (DR) raphe nuclei, labeled neurons were found in medial, lateral and posterior hypothalamus. A functional circuit was supposed between midbrain raphe and hypothalamus.

Transient increase of fetal haemoglobin in kala-azar

Haemoglobin F (HbF) levels were significantly increased in 40 children with kala-azar in comparison with controls (3.36 +/- 2.32 versus 0.90 +/- 1.8; P < 0.01). The HbF was heterogeneously distributed among the red blood cells. The glycine residue of peptides gamma CN3 were within the normal umbilical cord blood range, and the haemoglobin synthesis in vitro was balanced. After recovery from kala-azar the HbF fell within the normal range. These results suggest that increased production of HbF is associated with accelerated erythropoiesis due to temporary marrow stress.

[Afferent connections in the ventromedial hypothalamus of rats demonstrated by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase]

Projections into rat ventromedial hypothalamus were studied with retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Following injection of HRP into ventromedial hypothalamus, labeled neurons were found in cortical and medial amygdaloid nuclei, ipsilateral mediodorsalis thalamus (MD), dorsal raphe nucleus, and contralateral sensorimotor cortex. Futhermore, labeled axons that connect directly amygdala with hypothalamus (DAH) also were found.

[Behavioral effects of medial-dorsal thalamic, mediobasal hypothalamic and amygdaloid lesions in the rat]

Experiments were carried out to examine the effects of restricted brain lesions on activity, emotionality and aggressiveness of rats. The open-field activity test, the number of defecations test and the interspecific aggressiveness test were, respectively, employed. Lesions were placed on medial thalamus (MD), ventromedial (VM) or arcuate (ARH) hypothalamic nuclei, medial (AME) or intercalate (ICL) amygdaloid nuclei. No aggressiveness was detected in the rats under experiment, independently of the type of lesion. The open-field activity test given significant differences between control rats and animals with VM, ARH, AME or ICL lesion. Remarkable changes in the emotionality were found only between sham-operated controls and MD lesioned rats. It was concluded that hypothalamus and amygdala lesioned nuclei play a role in the neural mediation of activity, while medial thalamus influences the mediation of emotional response.

Ampicillin-associated colitis. Case report

A case of ampicillin-associated colitis is described. The authors stress the importance of emergency colonoscopy for the correct diagnosis and treatment of severe diarrhea and hemorrhage occurring during treatment with antibiotics.

[Treatment with transcutaneous electric stimulation in chronic pain. Long-term study of 100 cases]

The Authors report the experience about 100 cases of patients affected by chronical pain syndromes where the medical treatment has been uneffective. After a follow-up of 2 years about, only in 14% of the patients treated by S.E.N.T., the benefit has been clear and prolonged.

Artificial excretion of weakly bound middle molecules by hemoanadiafiltration

The concept of a subtractive therapeutic intervention in several diseases (shock, acute liver, failure, poisoning) to remove toxic middle molecules (MM) has led to the devising of a particular ultrafiltration system (anadiafiltration) to clear weakly bound MM. Clinical hemoanadiafiltration (HADF) with a polyacrylonitrile filter and in vitro experiments with a series of marker substances, have shown HADF efficacy in clearing MM, irrespective of their molecular weight, with protein binding K between 50 and 150.

Sickle cell disease in Sicily

The chemical and physical properties of haemoglobin S derived from homozygotes for this haemoglobin in Sicily were examined, as well as some erythrocytic characteristics. Sicilian Hb S was identical to that found in USA black patients in electrophoretic mobility on both starch and citrate agar media, solubility, mechanical precipitation rate of oxyhaemoglobins, and minimum gelling concentration, as well as by peptide mapping and amino-acid analysis of all beta-chain peptides. Taken together with the presence in Sicily of African blood group markers and certain historical considerations, it seems clear that the source of Hb S in Sicily is Africa. While the clinical severity in nine Sicilian children did not seem remarkably different from the disease in the USA, the most severe and fatal complications were not seen. Mean Hb F Was 10.5% and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) values were higher in Sicilian homozygotes than in black USA counterparts (21.79 mumol/g Hb vs 15.16). Red cell AT values were also slightly higher in Sicilian patients. The presence of concomitant thalassaemia was excluded by both family studies and globin chain synthetic ratios. In conclusion, haemoglobin S in Sicilian homozygotes is identical to Hb S found in USA blacks. Although the severity of the disease seems quite similar in both groups of patients, other erythrocytic properties were found to be different. Whether these factors influence severity remains to be elucidated.

K cell activity in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of childhood

Lymphocyte subpopulations were studied in 28 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at different stages of the disease. T and B lymphocytes, present in low percentages at diagnosis, increased towards during remission in most patients. All patients off therapy had normal values of T and B lymphocytes. K cell activity, which was increased during remission in several patients, was normal in all patients off therapy. Further prospective studies will establish whether determination of K cell activity is an indicator of the stage of the disease.

Cardiotoxicity from orphenadrine intoxication in humans

Eight cases of Orphenadrine intoxication were treated in the Resuscitation Centre of Rome's University Medical School. All these cases arrived in coma, after taking an overdose of Orphenadrine in an attempt at suicide. The clinical signs and therapy are reported in detail; the cardiovascular side-effects, in particular those involving arrhythmias are dangerous and life threatening. From the clinical data it is believed that these changes in rhythm are mostly due to the autonomic nervous system (A.N.S.). In fact all the 8 patients survived, without treatment never having been treated with cardiokinetic or antiarrhythmic drugs, but a few were given Diazepam as well as respiratory assistance, cardiovascular assistance, and forced diuresis.