Haematocrit, leukocyte and platelet counts and the severity of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Previous studies have shown that severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is secondary to circulatory dysfunction due to the simultaneous occurrence of increased vascular permeability and marked arteriolar vasodilation which lead to an intense homeostatic stimulation of the renin-aldosterone and sympathetic nervous systems and antidiuretic hormone (ADH). In the present report, we have investigated the correlation between changes in haematocrit concentration, and white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts and the severity of OHSS, as assessed by these markers of effective intra-arterial blood volume, in a series of 50 patients. In comparison with recovery values (4-5 weeks after hospital discharge), OHSS patients showed arterial hypotension, tachycardia, oliguria, very high plasma concentrations of renin, aldosterone, norepinephrine and ADH, and increased mean haematocrit values and WBC and platelet counts. The haematocrit concentration values were directly related to the plasma concentrations of vasoactive substances (plasma renin activity, aldosterone, norepinephrine and ADH) during OHSS (P < 0.001). In contrast, no correlation was evident between WBC or platelet counts and neurohormonal measurements during the syndrome. It is concluded that haematocrit, but not WBC or platelet counts, can act as a biological marker of the severity of OHSS as indicated by plasma measurement of volume-dependent endogenous vasoactive substances.     

Neonatal nucleated red blood cell and lymphocyte counts in fetal brain injury

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Flexible die materials have been introduced to facilitate the fabrication of indirect provisional or definitive restorations in 1 appointment. PURPOSE: This study compared the surface detail reproduction of 7 potential flexible die materials when used in combination with 7 elastomeric impression materials. METHODS: Surface detail reproduction of 17 impression material/flexible die material systems was compared with a control system containing an elastomeric impression material and a Type IV dental stone. Test dies of each system were prepared in a random order with the American Dental Association apparatus for testing detail reproduction, compatibility, and dimensional stability. RESULTS: One flexible die system had better surface detail reproduction than the control stone die, other systems had similar or worse reproduction. Surface detail reproduction was adversely affected when a separator was required between the impression and flexible die material. CONCLUSIONS: Impregum F die material with Extrude Light impression material produced better surface detail reproduction than the control dies. Impregum F impressions were incompatible with Blu-Mousse, Impregum F, or Imprint die materials. Polyvinyl siloxane impressions were incompatible with polyvinyl siloxane dies unless a separator was used. When a separator was used, the surface detail reproduction was not as good as the control die system or the Extrude Light impression material/Impregum F die material combination.     

Intrauterine spontaneous depression of fetal skull: a case report and review of literature

Intrauterine depression of fetal skull, with or without fracture, unassociated with any known trauma during pregnancy or delivery, is extremely rare in Western countries though not so rare in Africa among African women. Usually fetal skull depression is caused by forceps or digital pressure of the obstetrician during manual rotation. Forty such cases are reported in the literature-nine in Western countries and the remaining 31 over a period of three years at Harare Hospital Maternity Centre, Salisbury, Rhodesia, Africa. There, an incidence of one in 4,000 deliveries was observed among the African women but none in 6,000 deliveries of European women during the same period at a nearby hospital. The presentation of this paper is made in view of the rarity of intrauterine spontaneous fetal skull depression in Western countries and the not so infrequent occurrence in African and possibly other developing countries and because of the persistent controversy about the treatment of this condition.     

Seroprevalence to bovine immunodeficiency virus and lack of association with leukocyte counts in Italian dairy cattle

We report herein on the first serological detection of antibodies to bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) in Italy. According to criteria of a stratified-random sampling of dairy cattle reared in the Parma area (a province in the Po Valley, Northern Italy), sera from 3166 cows belonging to 272 herds were collected. In addition, sera of 138 bulls from eight artificial-insemination (AI) centres were sampled. Seventy-eight cows (2.5%) from 16 herds (5.8%) and seven bulls (5.1%) from two AI centres were positive for BIV-R29 antibodies in the IFA-test. IFA-positive sera assayed by Western blot had reaction to different viral proteins: 81 out of 85 sera showed antibody to p26 (considered the BIV major internal core protein); four sera reacted to other viral proteins but not to p26. Peripheral blood leukocytes of 60 seropositive and 60 seronegative animals, belonging to eight BIV-infected herds, were enumerated to assess any effect of BIV infection on white-blood cells. No significant differences were detected between the two groups. These data indicate that BIV infection is present in Italian dairy cattle--but the role of BIV in inducing disease remains unclear.     

Spontaneous rise of fetal platelet counts despite increasing anti-HPA-5b antibodies

A 47-year-old woman with seronegative polyarthritis, diarrhea, and photosensitivity dermatitis was found to have Crohn's disease and pellagra. The presence of high values of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid in the urine began the exhaustive investigations and finally enterotomy. No mass lesion was found. Argyrophilic cells were not increased in areas of inflamed intestinal mucosa or the normal mucosa. The disagreement between biochemical and histologic findings was attributed to sampling error. Antiinflammatory treatment for Crohn's disease was given and the gastrointestinal and articular symptoms improved, excretion of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid returned to normal and there was no relapse of pellagra. Pellagra as a complication of Crohn's disease has been described in 4 cases; malnutrition and intestinal malabsorption were the proposed mechanisms for the niacin deficiency and pellagra of those patients. In the current case, the pathogenesis of pellagra may be accounted to wastage of tryptophan by an increased pool of intestinal argyrophilic cells, suggested by increased urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid.     

Modulation of peripheral leukocyte counts and bone marrow function in mice by oral administration of interleukin-2

Interferons alpha, beta, and gamma have been shown to exert systemic effects following their oral administration to mice. It was of importance to determine whether oral administration of another biologic response modifier, interleukin-2 (IL-2), could also exert systemic effects in mice. Two systemic effects, peripheral WBC suppression and bone marrow suppression, were evaluated. Oral administration of IL-2 was found to suppress the peripheral WBC count in a dose-dependent manner. Oral administration of IL-2 was also found to suppress the bone marrow proliferative activity. The levels of suppression of both peripheral WBC and myelopoietic progenitor cell numbers observed with orally administered IL-2 were comparable to those seen with subcutaneously administered IL-2. The results demonstrate that orally administered IL-2 can exert systemic effects. Further, the results raise the possibility that oral administration of IL-2 may have therapeutic potential.     

Maternal stress and affect influence fetal neurobehavioral development.

The authors investigated the association between maternal psychological and fetal neurobehavioral functioning. Data were provided by 52 maternal-fetal pairs at 24, 30, and 36 weeks gestation. The relations between maternal measures and fetal heart rate, variability, and motor activity were statistically modeled. Fetuses of women who were more affectively intense, appraised their lives as more stressful, and reported more frequent pregnancy-specific hassles were more active across gestation. Fetuses of women who perceived their pregnancy to be more intensely and frequently uplifting and had positive emotional valence toward pregnancy were less active. Associations with fetal heart-rate measures were detected at 36 weeks gestation. These data provide evidence for proximal effects of maternal psychological functioning on fetal neurobehavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alterations in cord blood leukocyte subsets of patients with severe hemolytic disease after intrauterine transfusion therapy

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare, at delivery, the cord blood mononuclear cells of infants with severe hemolytic disease who received intrauterine transfusion (IUT) therapy with the cord blood mononuclear cells of healthy nonimmunized control neonates. STUDY DESIGN: The expression of leukocyte markers on CBMNC of 14 IUT-treated and 18 control neonates was analyzed by means of a panel of well-defined monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Patients with severe hemolytic disease requiring IUT treatment displayed significant altered expression of some leukocyte markers when compared with control subjects. The circulating CD34+ progenitor cells were significantly increased in comparison with cord blood of nonimmunized neonates. IUT-treated patients also showed a statistically significant decrease in natural killer (NK) cell associated markers (CD16, CD57, and CD69), which correlated with a lower expression of CD56. In these patients an increased expression of CD3/CD45RO and CD3/CD5 was also noted. Although these latter alterations were statistically significant in a single-parameter analysis, the significance disappeared after multi-parameter analysis because of a loss of statistical power. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with nonimmunized healthy newborn infants, patients who underwent IUT also exhibited a down-regulation of NK cells and NK cell associated markers, as well as increased numbers of CD34+ progenitor cells.     

Transient complete remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation induced by donor leukocyte transfusions

We report the case of a young patient with refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapse, after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, who was treated by donor leukocyte infusions. We observed potent adoptive immunotherapy which produced a cytologic complete remission and total chimeric state. This was of short duration and the patient died of severe graft-versus-host disease. We present a short summary of the literature concerning acute lymphoblastic leukemia and donor leukocyte infusions.     

Relationship between decidual leukocyte infiltration and spontaneous abortion in a murine model of early fetal resorption

The cardiovascular effects of KRN2391, N-cyano-N'-(2-nitroxyethyl)-3-pyridine carboximidamide monomethanesulfonate, were compared with those of cromakalim and nitroglycerin in anesthetized dogs. KRN2391 (3-30 micrograms/kg, i.v.), cromakalim (3-30 micrograms/kg, i.v.) and nitroglycerin (1-10 micrograms/kg, i.v.) produced a dose-related decrease of the mean blood pressure with concomitant increase in heart rate. The increase in heart rate caused by cromakalim was lower than that caused by KRN2391 and nitroglycerin. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was decreased by all doses of KRN2391 and nitroglycerin. Cromakalim at 3 and 10 micrograms/kg decreased this end-diastolic pressure but increased it at 30 micrograms/kg. Left ventricular dP/dt was increased by KRN2391 and nitroglycerin but was decreased by cromakalim. KRN2391 and cromakalim produced a dose-dependent increase in aortic and coronary blood flow. Nitroglycerin showed biphasic changes in aortic and coronary blood flow, i.e., an initial increase followed by a decrease. At equipotent hypotensive doses, the increase in coronary blood flow induced by KRN2391 was greater than that by cromakalim and nitroglycerin, and total peripheral and coronary vascular resistances were decreased by KRN2391 and cromakalim. Nitroglycerin showed biphasic changes in total peripheral and coronary vascular resistances, i.e., these resistance showed an initial decrease followed by an increase. The relative decrease of coronary vascular resistance compared to the total peripheral vascular resistance was greater for KRN2391 than for cromakalim and nitroglycerin. The changes in hemodynamic parameters caused by KRN2391 were inhibited by pretreatment with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg, i.v.). These results suggest that the hemodynamic profile of KRN2391 is closer to that of cromakalim than to that of nitroglycerin, but that the selectivity for the coronary vascular bed is higher for KRN2391 than for cromakalim. In addition, it is considered that, compared with KRN2391 and nitroglycerin, cromakalim has a low selectivity for the vasculature vs the myocardium.     

Feeding mice palm carotene prevents DNA damage in bone marrow and reduction of peripheral leukocyte counts, and enhances survival following X-ray irradiation

This study examined the effects of palm carotene feeding on DNA damage of bone marrow, recovery of peripheral leukocyte counts, and the survival of mice that received whole-body X-ray irradiation. The palm carotene was composed of alpha- and beta-carotene in a ratio of 1:3. Mice were fed either a basal diet or a carotene diet (50 mg carotene/100 g diet) for 2 weeks, then irradiated. The carotene diet was prepared by the dietary protocol that markedly enhanced the accumulation of carotene in tissues (J. Nutr. 125, 3081, 1995). DNA damage in bone marrow was evaluated by micronucleus assay using peripheral blood. When mice received X-ray (1.5 Gy), marked DNA damage in bone marrow and reduction of peripheral leukocyte count were observed. These changes were significantly attenuated in mice fed the carotene diet. In addition, X-ray (6.5 Gy)-induced survival of mice fed the carotene diet was higher than those fed the basal diet. In mice fed the carotene diet, alpha- and beta-carotene were detected in bone marrow and liver, and concentration of vitamin A in liver was about four times higher compared with that in mice fed the basal diet. These findings suggest that feeding mice palm carotene prevents radiation-induced damages by way of its antioxidant activity and/or vitamin A activity.     

Reduced egg counts in mixed infections with Oestrus ovis and Haemonchus contortus: influence of eosinophils?

In all, 2 groups of lambs were infected either with Oestrus ovis first-instar larvae or with 10,000 third-stage larvae (L3) of Haemonchus contortus. Another group of lambs was infected with both parasites. Fecal nematode egg counts, plasma pepsinogen concentrations, specific O. ovis enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibodies, and blood eosinophil counts were monitored and compared to with the values recorded for a control group of uninfected lambs. There was no significant difference between the burden of H. contortus found in mixed and single infections. However, the nematode egg production was significantly depressed in mixed infections. O. ovis affects the population of H. contortus at least by decreasing the parasite egg output. This effect may be mediated through the increase in eosinophil production stimulated by the presence of O. ovis.     

Ultrastructure of fetal pars-tuberalis-specific secretory cells under the influence of propylthiouracil and thyroxine

Using Southern blot analysis of panels of human podent somatic cell hybrids and chromosomal in situ hybridization, we have been able to assign human spermidine synthase DNA sequences to 1p36 (SRM) and 3p14-->q21 (SRML2). Present data suggest that the former chromosomal site harbors the functional gene and the latter site only a pseudogene.     

Intracellular and surface expression of the HIV-1 coreceptor CXCR4/fusin on various leukocyte subsets: rapid internalization and recycling upon activation

We describe the expression and regulation of the HIV-1 coreceptor CXCR4/fusin. Using anti-CXCR4 mAb, we demonstrate that this chemokine receptor is highly expressed on neutrophils, monocytes, B cells, and naive T cells among peripheral blood cells. In secondary lymphoid organs CXCR4 was found to be expressed on B cells. However, individual variations with regard to surface expression could be observed on T cells. Expression of the receptor is not confined to the cell surface, as large amounts of intracellular stores can be found on various leukocytes. Upon activation with phorbol esters the amount of cell surface-expressed CXCR4 on lymphocytes increases twofold within 30 s before it is completely down-regulated within the next 2 min. Incubation of leukocytes with stroma derived factor-1alpha, the natural ligand for CXCR4, induces down-regulation of up to 60% of surface-expressed receptors in a pertussis toxin-insensitive manner. Interestingly, receptor cross-linking caused by incubation of cells with anti-CXCR4 mAb triggers receptor trafficking, in that the receptor is rapidly internalized and recycled to the cell surface. Therefore, receptor internalization and recycling may regulate the functional interaction of the receptor with envelope proteins during an initial step of HIV-1 infection.