Intraventricular chemotherapy in neonatal meningitis

All of 16 infants with neonatal meningitis treated during a 30-month period were found to have accompanying ventriculitis at the time of the initial ventricular puncture. Fifteen of these infants were caused by gramm-negative organisms. All infants received antibiotics systemically and intraventricularly via an implanted ventriculostomy reservoir or by direct ventricular injection. Antibiotic concentrations within the ventricular fluid were monitored during chemotherapy; the complications encountered during treatment are discussed. Fifteen infants survived the infection; of these, seven infants were normal at follow-up examinations. In our experience intraventricular chemotherapy as an adjunct to systemic administration of antibiotics has greatly reduced the mortality rate in neonatal meningitis.     

Electrocardiographic abnormalities in hypothyroidism before and after exercise

Eleven men and 50 women with severe hypothyroidism were studied. All patients had a serum PBI less than 3.0 mug/100 ml, 131I 24 hours uptake less than 13% and a a photomotogram contraction and half relaxation time of 380 msec or more. Before exercise the mean +/- SE heart rate was 68.39 +/- 3.26/min, the PR interval 17.08 +/- 0.37 csec, the QRS voltage (sum of the QRS amplitude in leads I, II and III) 16.44 +/- 0.89 mm (10mm = 1.0 mV) and the T wave amplitude 0.06 +/- 0.15 mm. A significant correlation (p less than 0.05) existed between the PBI values and the QRS voltage. Following exercise there was a significant acceleration of the heart rate (+ 23.39/min, p less than 0.001), shortening of the PR interval (-0.66 csec, p less than 0.02) and T wave elevation (+ 0.40 mm, p less than 0.001). ST segment changes were not observed in any case. Replacement treatment in 7 cases resulted in a significant change in the resting heart rate (+ 11.86/min. p less than 0.025), PR interval (-3.28 mm, p less than 0.025) and T wave height (+ 2.50 mm, p less than 0.01). These findings suggest that exercise may be used in the differentiation between hypothyroidism and coronary heart disease. The theoretical importance of these findings is also discussed. An increase in cardiac energy demands during exercise may be the cause for some of the ECG changes observed on exertion.     

Hypersensitivity to tartrazine (FD&C Yellow No. 5) and other dyes and additives present in foods and pharmaceutical products

Tartrazine (FD&C Yellow No. 5) and other allowed certified color additives may have an exacerbating effect in chronic urticaria and asthma sufferers. In the individual patient the only way to determine their relevance is to administer test doses. By altering doses, timing and substances and by interspacing controls a battery of tests has been developed. Methods of testing for sensitization to food additives and analgesics are described.     

Cyclazocine revisited

Recently synthesized compounds which have long-term mu antagonist activity and short-term kappa agonist effects prevent self-administration of cocaine and morphine in rats. Cyclazocine, a compound synthesized in 1962 and studied in animals and man in the 1960's and in the early 1970's is a mu antagonist in rats and man and is a potent kappa agonist in both species. It also prevents self-administration of cocaine and morphine in rats. Although it produces unpleasant side effects in man, subjects become tolerant to these side effects but not to the antagonistic actions of the drug after prolonged administration.     

Effect of the callipyge phenotype and cooking method on tenderness of several major lamb muscles

We conducted three experiments to determine the effects of the callipyge phenotype on the tenderness of several major lamb muscles and to determine the effect of method of cookery on the tenderness of callipyge lamb at 7 d postmortem. In Exp. 1, chops from normal (n = 23) and callipyge (n = 16) carcasses were open-hearth-broiled. Warner-Bratzler shear force values of longissimus, gluteus medius, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, adductor, and quadriceps femoris were 123, 44, 28, 26, 19, 16, and 13% greater, respectively, for callipyge (P < .05). In Exp. 2, muscles from normal (n = 18) and callipyge (n = 18) carcasses were oven-roasted. Shear force of triceps brachii was 11% greater for callipyge (P < .001); however, phenotype did not affect shear force of supraspinatus (P = .87) or psoas major (P = .64). In Exp. 3, a trained sensory panel evaluated leg roasts and open-hearth-broiled leg chops from normal (n = 60) and callipyge lamb carcasses (n = 60). Callipyge chops were less tender than normal chops (P < .05). Regardless of callipyge phenotype, muscles were more (P < .05) tender when roasted; however, the effect of method of cookery on tenderness scores was greater for callipyge muscles than for normal muscles. Callipyge roasts and normal roasts had similar tenderness (P = .58), and callipyge roasts were more tender than normal chops (P < .05). Regardless of cooking method, callipyge samples were less juicy than normal samples (P < .05). These data demonstrate that the callipyge phenotype will likely reduce consumer satisfaction due to reduced tenderness and juiciness; however, reduced tenderness in callipyge leg muscles could be prevented by ovenroasting.     

A simple technique for the long-term non-polarised and polarised culture of human fallopian tube epithelial cells

Fallopian tubes were obtained from 25 women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy. Pieces of fallopian tube mucosa were placed in culture flasks containing minimum essential medium in Earle's salts supplemented with fetal bovine serum. First passage was carried out after 7-10 days and subcultures in 4-5 days. For polarised cell culture, epithelial cells were seeded onto an extracellular matrix system. New epithelial cells were seen on day 2-3 of the primary culture and epithelial patches on day 7-10. Cells reached confluence in 4-5 days in subcultures. The cells could be subcultured for 7-11 passages with a life span of 42-60 days. Epithelial origins of the cells were confirmed by immunofluorescence staining with anti-cytokeratin antibody. Polarised cells showed a columnar pattern, microvilli on their apical surface and basally located nucleus whereas non-polarised cells were flat. It was concluded that the human fallopian tube epithelial cells can be cultured in vitro to create non-polarised and polarised cell layers by using a simple and reproducible technique and this system can be a potential model to study function of the fallopian tube.     

The CTFA Evaluation of Alternatives Program: an evaluation of in vitro alternatives to the Draize primary eye irritation test. (Phase III) surfactant-based formulations

The CTFA Evaluation of Alternatives Program is an evaluation of the relationship between data from the Draize primary eye irritation test and comparable data from a selection of promising in vitro eye irritation tests. In Phase III, data from the Draize test and 41 in vitro endpoints on 25 representative surfactant-based personal care formulations were compared. As in Phase I and Phase II, regression modelling of the relationship between maximum average Draize score (MAS) and in vitro endpoint was the primary approach adopted for evaluating in vitro assay performance. The degree of confidence in prediction of MAS for a given in vitro endpoint is quantified in terms of the relative widths of prediction intervals constructed about the fitted regression curve. Prediction intervals reflect not only the error attributed to the model but also the material-specific components of variation in both the Draize and the in vitro assays. Among the in vitro assays selected for regression modeling in Phase III, the relationship between MAS and in vitro score was relatively well defined. The prediction bounds on MAS were most narrow for materials at the lower or upper end of the effective irritation range (MAS = 0-45), where variability in MAS was smallest. This, the confidence with which the MAS of surfactant-based formulations is predicted is greatest when MAS approaches zero or when MAS approaches 45 (no comment is made on prediction of MAS > 45 since extrapolation beyond the range of observed data is not possible). No single in vitro endpoint was found to exhibit relative superiority with regard to prediction of MAS. Variability associated with Draize test outcome (e.g. in MAS values) must be considered in any future comparisons of in vivo and in vitro test results if the purpose is to predict in vivo response using in vitro data.