Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis due to thallium

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is characterized clinically by fever, pruritus and acute pustular eruption. Usually a drug is found to be the responsible agent. We present a patient who experienced an acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis due to radioactive thallium. The eruption cleared rapidly after discontinuation of the drug and systemic corticosteroid therapy.

Isocyanate-terminated urethane prepolymer as bioadhesive material: evaluation of bioadhesion and biocompatibility, in vitro and in vivo assays

Attempts have been made to evaluate the degree of bioadhesion and biocompatibility of a synthesized urethane prepolymer with specially tailored microstructure. Wetting behaviour and extent of interfacial adhesion of the prepared prepolymer towards biological substrates were examined by in vitro methods. The former was carried out by measuring the contact angle between drops of the prepolymer liquid and a biological surface, while the latter was determined from the force between the prepolymer and tissue model or mucus. The obtained results exhibited good tissue wettability and bioadhesion by the prepolymer. Preliminary evaluation of biocompatibility for the uncatalytically cured prepolymer films was performed by cytotoxicity and histotoxicity experiments. Results showed a significant growth for the adhered L929 fibroblast cells within a period of 5 days incubation. Also, no severe inflammatory tissue response towards the samples implanted in rabbit for 16 weeks was seen. These observations can support the potentiality of the designed urethane prepolymer to be applied as hemostatic agent.

In vitro studies of platelet adhesion on laser-treated polyethylene terephthalate surface

In order to improve blood compatibility, the surfaces of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were treated using CO2 pulsed and KrF excimer lasers. The physico-chemical characterization of the laser-treated PET surfaces was carried out through attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy and contact-angle measurements. The hemocompatibility of the laser-irradiated PET films was examined in vitro to evaluate their capability of inducing platelet adhesion in comparison with unmodified PET. The number of adhered platelets was determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity measurement. Platelet adhesion on the untreated PET was relatively high compared to the laser-treated samples. Laser irradiation of PET surface reduced the number of adherent platelets and prevented platelet spreading on the surface. Reduction of platelet adhesion was attributed to the change in morphology, chemical structure, and crystallinity of the PET surface due to laser irradiation with various numbers of pulses. The morphology of adhered platelets on the PET surfaces was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM observations were consistent with the results obtained from LDH activity measurement.

Oesophageal cancer among the Turkomans of northeast Iran

A Caspian Littoral Cancer Registry survey in the early 1970s established northern Iran as one of the highest oesophageal cancer incidence regions of the world. To verify this, an oesophageal cancer survey was carried out between 1995 and 1997 in the Turkoman Plain at the southeastern corner of the Caspian Sea. Oesophageal balloon cytology screening was carried out on 4192 asymptomatic adults above age 30 years in one town and three adjoining villages with a total population of 20 392 people at risk. Oesophagoscopy was performed on 183 patients with abnormal cytological findings. The discovery of two asymptomatic small squamous cell cancers and one 'carcinoma- suspect' implied a prevalence ranging from 47.7 per 100 000 to 71.5 per 100 000. During a 1-year active surveillance, 14 patients were found with clinically advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer, yielding age-standardized incidence rates of 144.09 per 100 000 for men and 48.82 per 100 000 for women. The very high frequency of oesophageal cancer reported for northern Iran 25 years ago stands confirmed. Differences in incidence rates, then and now, can be attributed to survey methods used and diagnostic criteria applied, but not to socioeconomic factors, which have remained relatively stable. Oesophageal balloon cytology is a practical method of mass screening for oesophageal cancer in Iran.

Esophageal exfoliative cytology samplers. A comparison of three types

OBJECTIVE

To compare three types of esophageal exfoliative cytology samplers in terms of patient acceptability, ease of use, final destination of the sampler tip in the gastrointestinal tract and cellular yield.

STUDY DESIGN

A controlled, single-blind, cross-over study was undertaken to compare the balloon, sponge and sponge-mesh samplers in healthy volunteers. After completing the three procedures in random order, participants were asked about their preferred method. Ease of use was defined as the technician's ability to perform the intubation successfully. Final destination of the samplers was assessed fluoroscopically. Cytopathologists determined the cellular yield of each sampler using the Bethesda System.

RESULTS

Sixty-two volunteers participated. The two encapsulated samplers were significantly preferred over the balloon (P < .0001). There was no significant difference in ease of use, final destination or cellular yield of the three techniques. All three samplers were successfully intubated on the first attempt and retrieved adequate numbers of squamous and glandular cells in > 78% of cases.

CONCLUSION

All three samplers obtained satisfactory yields of squamous and glandular cells, but the encapsulated samplers were more patient acceptable. The sponge-mesh sampler may be the least complicated sampler for field screening use. Larger-scale studies will be required to test the accuracy of these three samplers for detecting esophageal dysplasia and carcinoma.

The bioavailability of griseofulvin from microsized and ultramicrosized tablets in nonfasting volunteers

Tablets of either microsized or ultramicrosized griseofulvin (2 x 125 mg), were administered to 6 healthy volunteers of either sex just before a breakfast containing 4o g. of butter. The plasma concentration of griseofulvin were determined 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 24, and 32 h. after dosing using a spectrofluorometric method, and pharmacokinetic parameters (Cp max, t max, AUC 0 - greater than 32) were calculated. These parameters were found to be; Cp max = 0.0.681 +/- 0.1 mu/ml, t max. = 2.51 +/- 0.33 h. and AUC = 14.14 +/- 2.33 micrograms h/ml for microsized tablets and Cp max = 0.80 +/- 0.08 +/- g/ml, t max = 2.44 +/- 0.54 and AUC = 16.25 +/- 1.16 microgram h/ml for ultramicrosized tablets. Our results show that mean peak plasma level and AUC (0 - greater than 32) are only slightly higher for the ultramicrosized preparation and the time to peak plasma level is similar in two preparations. Therefore, it is concluded that coadministration of griseofulvin with food will tend to reduce the difference between the bioavailability of the two type of preparations.