A cannabinoid with cardiovascular activity but no overt behavioral effects

Abnormal-delta8-tetrahydrocannabinol (ABN-delta8-THC) failed to elicit central nervous system and cardiovascular effects in laboratory animals. Abnormal-cannabidiol (ABN-CBD) was also devoid of overt behavioral effects but produced marked hypotension with only slight bradycardia in anesthesized dogs.     

Mixed meal tolerance test and reactive hypoglycemia

Twenty-six patients with symptoms suggestive of postprandial hypoglycemia were investigated by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). During the OGTT, symptomatic hypoglycemia occurred in 10 (38.5%). Nine of these 10 sugjects were given mixed meal tolerance tests (MMTT) and symptomatic hypoglycemia failed to occur in any case. During the OGTT the nadir glucose was significantly lower than that during MMTT (44.1 +/- 1.5 vs. 77.3 +/- 4.8 mg/dl +/- SEM, respectively; p less than 0.0005). Serum insulin during MMTT peaked significantly earlier than during OGTT (46.7 +/- 7.3 vs. 86.7 +/- 11.7 minutes (SEM, respectively; p less than 0.0125). The early secretion of insulin during MMTT may explain the lack of symptomatic hypoglycemia in these patients. We conclude that reactive hypoglycemia, when tested by a more natural stimulus (such as mixed meal) rather than by OGTT, is uncommon.     

Present prognosis in neonatal meningitis

A retrospective study of neonatal meningitis for a period of 6 years (1970 to 1975) is described. It was found that though the survival rate had increased since the introduction of the aminoglycosides, it was at the expense of major neurological sequelae in the survivors. It is suggested that breast feeding of all infants in the first few days of life will reduce the incidence of neonatatl meningitis. It is recommended that pooled human breast milk should not be heat-sterilized as this destroys anti-Escherichia coli immunoglobulin A.     

Coagglutination test: a simple and rapid immunodiagnostic test for parvovirus infection in dogs

Pheochromocytoma is rarely observed during pregnancy and not easily diagnosed, especially since the clinical manifestations may mimic common gravid hypertension. The maternal and fetal prognosis depends on early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management preparing for tumor resection. Appropriate laboratory tests easily provide the positive diagnosis, if they are ordered. The tumor is localized by ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By prescribing an alpha-blocker, it is possible to prepare the resection as a function of term, before or after delivery. This strategy allows a reduction in maternal and fetal mortality which is high if the pheochromocytoma goes undiagnosed.     

The 32- and 14-kilodalton subunits of replication protein A are responsible for species-specific interactions with single-stranded DNA

Replication protein A (RPA) is a multisubunit single-stranded DNA-binding (ssDNA) protein that is required for cellular DNA metabolism. RPA homologues have been identified in all eukaryotes examined. All homologues are heterotrimeric complexes with subunits of approximately 70, approximately 32, and approximately 14 kDa. While RPA homologues are evolutionarily conserved, they are not functionally equivalent. To gain a better understanding of the functional differences between RPA homologues, we analyzed the DNA-binding parameters of RPA from human cells and the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (hRPA and scRPA, respectively). Both yeast and human RPA bind ssDNA with high affinity and low cooperativity. However, scRPA has a larger occluded binding site (45 nucleotides versus 34 nucleotides) and a higher affinity for oligothymidine than hRPA. Mutant forms of hRPA and scRPA containing the high-affinity DNA-binding domain from the 70-kDa subunit had nearly identical DNA binding properties. In contrast, subcomplexes of the 32- and 14-kDa subunits from both yeast and human RPA had weak ssDNA binding activity. However, the binding constants for the yeast and human subcomplexes were 3 and greater than 6 orders of magnitude lower than those for the RPA heterotrimer, respectively. We conclude that differences in the activity of the 32- and 14-kDa subunits of RPA are responsible for variations in the ssDNA-binding properties of scRPA and hRPA. These data also indicate that hRPA and scRPA have different modes of binding to ssDNA, which may contribute to the functional disparities between the two proteins.     

Wound botulism

Wound botulism is a rare infectious and toxicologic complication of trauma and i.v. drug abuse. Only 39 cases have been reported in detail in the English literature. This case report describes a patient with wound botulism who presented to four medical facilities before receiving definitive diagnosis and treatment. Although his history and physical examination were consistent with wound botulism, diagnosis and therapy were delayed because this rare disease was not considered initially in the differential diagnosis. Wound botulism should be considered in trauma patients and i.v. drug abusers who present with cranial nerve palsies and descending paresis.