Successful zidovudine therapy for HIV-related severe thrombocytopenia. Report of a sustained remission

Five patients, two homosexuals and three drug abusers, with HIV-related severe thrombocytopenia, four of whom had also bleeding episodes, experienced a full remission of thrombocytopenia after 1,200 mg/day zidovudine treatment. None of the patients had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex. Platelet counts began an upward trend at the end of the 3rd week and reached values higher than 140 x 10(9)/l towards the end of the 8th week of treatment. Patient's platelets remained stable after more than 4 months of active treatment. This is the first report of zidovudine-induced long-term remission of HIV-associated severe thrombocytopenia.

[Carbon tetrachloride poisoning: a report of 3 cases]

Carbon tetrachloride is a toxic solvent easily obtained in our country. 3 cases of poisoning by accidental inhalation at place of work. The main clinical manifestations were acute renal failure and toxic hepatopathy. All patients, had a good evolution with dialysis therapy after a few weeks. We comment on some possible additional therapies to be used in treating patients with severe poisoning due to carbon tetrachloride.

[Clinical study of tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients]

We have reviewed the clinical histories of 1,815 immunocompromised patients seen in "La Paz Hospital" over a period of 6 years, in order to study the incidence and clinical forms of tuberculosis (TB) in this group of patients. We have distributed the patients into three groups: Group A: 1,372 patients with neoplasia, Group B: 173 patients under immunosuppressor treatment, and Group C: 270 intravenous drug abusers (IVDA). 53 patients developed TB (2.9%): Of these, 31 belonged to group A (2.25%), 14 to group B (5.78%) and 8 to group C (2.96%), resulting in an incidence 50 to 100 times greater than the calculated for the Spanish general population (0.05%). There is a greater incidence of extrapulmonary and atypical forms in IVDA and patients under immunosuppressor treatment. Patients with neoplasia do not present differences in these aspects with regard to immunocompetent patients. If the TB is diagnosed and treated on time it is a potentially curable disease and the immunosuppressed state does not condition a worse response to treatment.

[Characterization of the nutritional potential of tepari bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) grown in Mexico]

The chemical, physical, antiphysiological and biological quality of the protein of three varieties (white, brown and black) of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) were studied. Its proximate composition was determined, as well as water absorption, hardness of the seed, tannin content, trypsin inhibitors and lectins. Beans were also submitted to differential scanning calorimetry of the starch. The biological quality of its proteins was also established, based on the protein efficiency ratio (PER) and protein apparent digestibility. It was found that the protein content of the bean was high (25%). The white variety had the highest water absorption and the lowest hardness of the seed when compared with the other varieties (p less than 0.05). The black variety had a lower starch gelatinization energy and a higher cooking time than the white and brown varieties. The tannin content of the three varieties was low, particularly in the white one. The trypsin inhibitor and lectin content were relatively high in the raw beans, but disappeared almost totally during cooking. The biological quality of the tepari proteins was higher than that of the common bean cultivated under the same conditions, More evidently so in the white bean (PER = 1.48 as compared to 1.23 in pinto bean). It can be concluded that the tepary bean is a potentially good protein source and has also a great potential ad donor of genes for the obtention of better bean varieties from the culinary, nutritional and toxicological points of view.

Chorea in systemic lupus erythematosus: association with antiphospholipid antibodies

Chorea is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this report the clinical features of two cases of chorea associated with SLE are presented. Of special interest were the raised titres of antiphospholipid antibodies in both cases. The possible pathogenic role of these antibodies is briefly discussed.

[Relation between familial income, expenditure and food consumption in marginal urban zones of Sonora, Mexico]

This research project in urban marginal areas of the City of Hermosillo in Sonora, Mexico, analyzes certain socioeconomic factors taking into consideration the relationship between household income, expense and consumption of food. The study is based on information collected in a 24-hour recall survey carried out for all members of the family, frequency of consumption of foods, and a socioeconomic questionnaire. Expense and consumption of foods was divided into five different income groups and into three classes of foods: basic foods, fresh meat and high-protein foods. The results of the research study show a direct relationship between household income level and expense and consumption of the foods. The income-elasticity of the demand of basic foods was lower than that estimated for high-protein foods, and there was a marked tendency to increase consumption of high-protein foods as family income increased. More than 50% of the calories and proteins were obtained from the basic foods group, even though a large percentage of family food expense was destined for high-protein foods. The study concludes that more research is needed at a macroeconomic level to understand the basic underlying causes of the nutritional problems.

[Elaboration, by linear programming, of new products from cereals and legumes]

The differing contents of essential amino acids in cereals and legumes bring about an overall increase in protein quality when these foods are consumed together. This study describes a least cost formulation method for preparing products based on cereals and legumes using linear programming. The mixture was formulated under different constraints; from a nutritional standpoint, a given amino acid pattern, and another one on a technological feasibility constraint, which depends on the type of product to be elaborated. From the formulation based on wheat, chick-pea, sorghum, and soybean flours, three products were developed: bread, tortillas and cookies; from these, bread was selected for further evaluation. The product was chemically evaluated by proximate analysis composition, and amino acids were determined by HPLC. Biological evaluation was performed by the PER and RPV methods, obtaining a PER of 1.69 for the developed bread product, and of 0.68 for the control bread. The RPV for the developed product was 64.31% of lactoalbumin and 23% for the control bread, which represents an increase of 41%. The sensory evaluation results did not indicate significant differences in taste, texture, color or overall acceptability of the developed bread product as compared to the control.

Energy utilization in laying hens. III. Effect of dietary protein level at 21 and 32 C

White Leghorn pullets housed at either 21 or 32 C were used to investigate the effects of dietary protein level on energy utilization. Protein levels of 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20% were employed in this study with three feeding levels of each (two restricted levels and ad lib.). All diets were isocaloric, and the duration of the study was 21 days. Maintenance metabolizable energy (ME) was estimated as 134 and 121 kcal/kg physiological body weight (BW.75) at 21 and 32 C, respectively. Fasting heat production/BW.75 was 21% higher at the lower temperature (89 vs. 70 kcal). Estimates of energetic efficiencies at 21 C varied from 60.9% for the 12% protein diet to 72.4% for the 18% protein diets. At 32 C, similar diets showed lower energetic efficiencies for ME conversion to net energy (50.6% for the 12% protein diet and 70.6% at 20% protein) due to lower feed intakes. Egg weights were significantly higher at the lower environmental temperature, and at each temperature they were increased with the feeding of the higher protein diets. The average feed efficiency (g egg/g feed) was significantly better at the higher environmental temperature (.46 vs. .53). Calculations of heat increment (HI) plus activity from a parabolic regression developed in relation to protein intakes showed higher (HI plus activity) values with either low or high protein intakes. Thus, the feeding of dietary protein levels which result in intakes commensurate with needs should result in maximum energetic efficiencies and dietary net energy.

Energy utilization by laying hens. I. Energetic efficiencies of maintenance and production

The energetic efficiency of metabolizable energy conversion to net energy for maintenance and/or production was determined in laying hens. The techniques employed indicated that maintenance and production had essentially the same efficiencies (.619 and .628, respectively). Fasting heat production was 69.28 kcal/Wkg75 (physiological body weight) and the maintenance requirement was 111.1 kcal/Wkg75. Limiting metabolizable energy intake in laying hens reduced both egg weight and hen-day production. Regression equations predicted a reduction of 1.53 g in egg weight and a reduction of 2.5% in egg production for each 10 kcal metabolizable energy reduction in intake. This paper reports techniques which may be employed for energetic efficiency evaluations of feedstuffs, mixed diets, and energy utilization by laying hens in short term studies.