Lipid peroxidation and changes in cytochrome c oxidase and xanthine oxidase activity in organophosphorus anticholinesterase induced myopathy

The data gained from clinical studies in the past years have indicated that the thrombolytic therapy (TL) has favourable effect on patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is aimed at reperfusion in the ischaemic area, a decrease in the extent of infarction site and a decrease in mortality. TL administered within the initial hours after the onset of AMI leads to better results than when administered after several hours. Currently, TL is not limited by age. The patients who were given streptokinase (SK) or anistreplase (APSAC) prior to more than 4 days, if necessary, urokinase or alteplase (rt-PA) should be given. There are differences in the opinions as to the optimal selection of thrombolytic drugs. However, all currently used drugs lead to a significant decrease in mortality due to AMI. The preferential use of accelerated administration of rt-PA in contrast to SK is justified in younger patients with extensive AMI of the anterior wall, in whom the therapy has begun within 4 hours since its onset. The occurrence of severe bleeding indicates that TL should be halted and coagulation factors should be replaced by freshly frozen plasma or fibrinogen concentrate, if necessary, transfusion of full blood should take place. If the severe bleeding occurs shortly after the administration of SK, the persisting plasminaemia can be arranged by antifibrinolytic drugs. An improvement in TL results can be achieved by adjuvant antithrombotic therapy. At the same time, in addition to acetylsalicylic acid, the patient treated with rt-PA should be given heparin. Heparin administration is not necessary in patients treated with SK or APSAC. However, heparin is indicated in patients at risk due to systemic embolization in congestive heart disease, extensive infarction or atrial fibrillation. (Tab. 1, Ref. 28.)     

Patients with absolutely immotile spermatozoa and intracytoplasmic sperm injection

The microinjection of completely immotile spermatozoa may impair the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Eleven couples underwent an initial ICSI cycle with 100% immotile freshly ejaculated spermatozoa. Two-pronuclear fertilization ensued in 18 of 145 (12.4%) successfully injected oocytes. None of these cycles resulted in a pregnancy. Nine couples underwent ICSI in subsequent cycles (n = 16). Ejaculated spermatozoa were injected in 15 cycles and testicular spermatozoa in one cycle. In 10 of the 15 cycles, motile spermatozoa were available at the time of injection. Motile testicular spermatozoa could also be injected. In the subsequent cycles, 91 of 176 (51.7%) successfully injected oocytes fertilized normally and four patients became pregnant. In the subsequent cycles where again immotile spermatozoa had to be injected no pregnancies occurred. In four subsequent cycles embryo cryopreservation was carried out. After replacement of two frozen-thawed embryos one additional pregnancy was obtained. In all, five healthy infants were born. It has been ascertained that motile spermatozoa can be detected either in repeated ejaculates or after testicular biopsy. The causes of total asthenozoospermia are variable and the problem is a sporadic rather than a permanent condition.     

Recovery of postischemic contractile function is depressed by antegrade warm continuous blood cardioplegia

Drug-abusing (n = 25) and nonusing (n = 55) pregnant women from a publicly supported prenatal clinic were tested for level of social support and of pregnancy anxiety during the last half of pregnancy. Differences found between the groups were fewer than expected. Drug abusers did not differ from nonusers in overall level of social support or in Appraisal, Belonging, or Tangible subscales. Abusers were found to report lower levels of self esteem; lower self esteem was predicted by drug abuse, having more children and lower socioeconomic status. Drug abusers did not differ from nonusers in their overall feelings of pregnancy anxiety, but they did indicate higher fears for themselves and for the baby, and there was a tendency for higher depression and withdrawal.     

Diversity of cDNAs encoding phospholipase A2 from Agkistrodon halys pallas venom, and its expression in E. coli

As a step toward understanding the structure and function of phospholipase A2(PLA2), we isolated several novel cDNAs encoding Agkistrodon halys Pallas PLA2 isoenzymes including B-PLA2, Asn49-PLA2, A-PLA2, A'-PLA2 and BA1-PLA2 by polymerase chain reaction with oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the N- and C-terminus of these enzymes. The amino acid sequences of A-PLA2 deduced from cDNA are consistent with that isolated from venom except for four residues. Asn49-PLA2 and B-PLA2 are highly similar (> 95%), but the critical residue Asp49 in the active centre of B-PLA2 is replaced by Asn49 in Asn49-PLA2. The N-terminal residues (1-24) of BA1-PLA2 shows high similarity to that of B-PLA2 which has strong ability to hemolyze erythrocytes, while its C-terminal residues (72-125) are the same as that of A-PLA2 which can inhibit platelet aggregation. The successful cloning of these isoenzymes not only provide excellent native material to study the structure-function relationship of PLA2s, but also to disclose the genesis of structural diversity of PLA2s, namely DNA modification and gene rearrangement. The cloned cDNA for A-PLA2 has been expressed in E. coli. By Q-Sepharose column chromatography, denaturation-renaturation and FPLC, we obtained the active recombinant protein with the initiator Met. This is the first report of the production of an active recombinant PLA2 with the initiator Met.     

Synthesis of adenine derivatives and their activities against herpes virus in vitro

A series of 9-(N4-substituted acetaldehyde thiosemicarbazone) adenines were synthesized and evaluated for antiherpes virus activity. Compounds 4a-l were prepared by condensation of 9-(acetaldehyde) adenine(6) and the corresponding N4-substituted thiosemicarbazides (10). The antiviral effects of all compounds 4a-l were tested in vitro in primary rabbit kidney cell cultures infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-herpes zoster virus (VZV), and in primary human embryo cell cultures infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 4e and 4f for HSV-1 and VZV were 20, 40, 20 and 20 micrograms.ml-1, respectively, and other compounds were 200 micrograms.ml-1. For HSV-2, the MIC of all tested compounds were 300 micrograms.ml-1. We also evaluated the antiherpetic effect of 4e (and 4f) by combination with acyclovir (ACV) in the ratio of 1:1 in vitro. The MIC of the combined compounds were 2 micrograms.ml-1 for 4e and 6 micrograms.ml-1 for 4f, while their minimum cytotoxicities (MCC) in the cell were markedly reduced compared with the individual compounds.     

Quantitative lactate-specific MR imaging and 1H spectroscopy of skeletal muscle at macroscopic and microscopic resolutions using a zero-quantum/double-quantum coherence filter and SLIM/GSLIM localization

Quantitative lactate imaging and spectroscopy were performed on phantoms and on electrically stimulated, excised frog skeletal muscle at macroscopic and microscopic resolutions. Lactate selectivity was achieved by use of a zero-quantum/double-quantum coherence (ZQC/DQC) lactate filter, which suppressed all signals besides lactate, including water and lipid, to below noise level. Three-dimensional lactate data sets were acquired in 1-3 h; one of these spatial dimensions was frequency-encoded and the other two were phase-encoded. High-resolution images were reconstructed using the spectral localization by imaging (SLIM) and generalized SLIM (GSLIM) techniques. Lactate quantitation was achieved by employing an external lactate concentration standard and was verified by comparison to quantitative STEAM-localized and nonlocalized spectra that used total creatine as an internal concentration reference. Additionally, quantitatively accurate behavior of the SLIM and GSLIM techniques as applied to data sets of low signal-to-noise ratio and to macroscopically heterogeneous objects was verified using simulations and real muscle lactate data sets with known heterogeneity.     

Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty in mitral restenosis after previous surgical commissurotomy

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the safety profile, mitral valve outcome and follow-up functional status after percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV) in patients with mitral restenosis post-surgical commissurotomy. METHODS: Sixteen patients with symptomatic mitral restenosis after previous surgical commissurotomy underwent valvuloplasty using the Inoue balloon stepwise dilatation method. Echocardiography was performed before and after the procedure to evaluate the mitral valve area. RESULTS: All procedures were successfully completed without cardiac perforation, thromboembolism, resultant severe mitral regurgitation or death. The mitral valve area improved from 0.9 +/- 0.2 to 1.6 +/- 0.3 (p = 0.0001), accompanied by a significant immediate reduction in the left atrial pressure and transmitral gradient. Compared with PBMV in patients without past mitral surgery, patients with mitral restenosis undergoing PBMV experienced less valve area improvement but the difference was not significant (p = 0.137). Optimal valve enlargement resulting in mild mitral stenosis was achieved in 12 of the 16 patients. Midterm symptomatic benefit was observed in almost all patients. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the excellent success rate, low complication risk, the optimal haemodynamic results and favourable functional outcome afforded by mitral balloon valvuloplasty in patients with mitral restenosis after prior surgical commissurotomy, it is logical that balloon mitral valvuloplasty, where available, should be the initial treatment modality in this group of patients with suitable valve morphology before considering repeat mitral surgery.