[Experiences with thermography in the surgical treatment of ischemic heart disease]

Possible use of thermography (AGA Thermovision 750) in heart surgery has been investigated in animal experiments and in human extracorporeal operations as well. In six open-chest isolated dog hearts, coronary circulation had been occluded and antero- and retrograde local cooling was employed. Following coronary occlusion, effective hypothermia was achieved retrograde via the coronary sinus. 22 patients were arranged into three groups according to the operation technique used, and the possibilities for effective cardiac cooling by cold cardioplegic solution were studied. Hearts of the six patients subjected to surgical intervention for valvular lesions (four mitral and two aortic) could be safely cooled by cold cardioplegic solution infused through the aorta or the coronary arteries. The hearts of the twelve patients with coronary artery stenosis could be cooled sufficiently by additional retrograde infusion only. Employing antero- and retrograde hypothermia, in four patients the size of the aneurysm of the left ventricle, and the area which had to be resected was determined by thermography. Thermography is considered to be a suitable non-invasive method to derive information concerning: the efficacy of cold cardioplegic solution in aortocoronary bypass grafting, quantitative changes in nutritive coronary flow, the size of left ventricular aneurysmectomy.

The detection of colorectal carcinomas with the use of CA-50 radioimmunoassay inhibition test

A radioimmunoassay was used for the detection of the human carcinoma-associated antigen CA-50 in the serum of 50 normal subjects, 16 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and 77 patients with primary and secondary colorectal carcinomas. Serum levels in all normal patients and those with benign disease were below 17 U/ml, while 40 of 77 (51%) patients with carcinoma had levels above 17 U/ml. The sensitivity of this test was 22% for Dukes' A carcinoma, 29% for Dukes' B, 59% for Dukes' C and 73% for metastatic disease. The CA-50 levels were elevated in 7 of 9 (78%) patients who developed tumour recurrence following curative surgery compared with 15 of 43 (35%) patients who are alive and tumour free (p less than 0.05). Therefore, this test may prove useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinomas.

The role of taxonomy in the control of flies pestering grazing cattle and sheep in Hungary

A reliable and stable taxonomic basis is necessary for improvements in the control of secretophagous and blood-sucking flies visiting pastured cattle because the number of these dipterous species is very high; the community differs from area to area; and a better knowledge of the biology of the species can aid the development of more effective control measures. The actual size and density of populations cannot be estimated accurately on the basis of individual flies caught from or counted on cattle or in their environs. The true densities can only be determined by rearing the flies. It would appear that no single control method can be effective against all species because of the major differences in biology between them. In this taxonomy can help. Thirty-one species of Diptera, several of veterinary importance, have been reared from sheep droppings. Sheep droppings have no autochthonous community and all species reared also occur in cattle droppings, although in different proportions.

Study of trace elements in patients on haemodialysis

The serum aluminium, zinc, copper, iron and cadmium levels were studied in patients on haemodialysis, by the atomic absorption method and spectrophotometry. The serum concentrations of zinc and copper were found to decrease with the frequency of dialysis treatments, while the serum levels of iron and aluminium increased. Referred to the time elapsed since the start of the dialysis programme, the serum concentrations of zinc decreased, while those of iron, copper and aluminium increased. Attention is drawn to published observations pointing to the hazard of aluminium intoxication and to the symptoms and consequences of copper and zinc deficiency.