The biochemical and clinical aspects of the participation of granulocytes and their proteinases in a vascular wall lesion

Some components of plasma and granulocyte proteolytic system, granulocyte activation degree were evaluated in 15 patients with nonspecific aortic arteritis (NAA) and 12 hereditary hypercholesterolemia (HHC) patients. Catepsin G activity in blood plasma of NAA and HHC patients was higher than in donors 8-9 and 6-fold, respectively (p < 0.001). Granulocyte collagenase activity, spontaneous NBT test values in them were higher than in donors 6 and 4-fold (p < 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively), 2-fold (p < 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). The data obtained confirm the suggestion on the presence of an inflammatory component not only in pathogenesis of NAA, but also in HHC causation.     

Identification of amidated forms of GLP-1 in rat tissues using a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay

This study has determined long-term continuation rates of clients who attended clinics of the New Zealand Association of Natural Family Planning and became autonomous users. It has also identified factors which might influence the continuation of NFP use. A total of 509 female subjects, 452 of them with their male partners, were enrolled in the study at the beginning of clinic teaching. Once autonomous they were sent questionnaires at 6-monthly intervals for a period of 24 months. Time out was allowed for pregnancy. The number of female subjects entering the 2-year follow-up phase of the study was 406 (79.8%). Of these 164 completed 2 years of use with 102 (20% of study entrants) using NFP and 62 (12.2%) using fertility awareness in combination with a barrier method. Subjects for whom NFP was their first family planning method, who were Catholic or who gave religion as their reason for choosing NFP were more likely to continue long-term use. The majority of subjects (> 90%) were highly satisfied with NFP use, with the most common reasons for satisfaction being self-awareness, freedom from drugs, naturalness and effectiveness. The difficulties reported related to abstinence and cycle interpretation.     

Lack of association between falciparum malaria parasitemia and acute diarrhea in Nigerian children

It is widely believed that malaria causes diarrhea. Yet, national and international diarrheal diseases control programs are silent about the overlap between these two major public health problems that coexist in most tropical countries. To test the hypothesis that malaria is associated with diarrhea and to define the role of malaria in morbidity due to diarrhea, 522 children 6-60 months of age presenting with acute diarrhea to the Children's Emergency Ward of the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria were routinely screened by means of thin and thick blood films for malaria parasitemia. Controls, without diarrhea, were studied in parallel. Detailed clinical features were recorded for every patient. Sixty-eight (13%) of the 522 diarrhea patients screened had malaria parasitemia. Among the controls (who had similar distributions of admission temperature, hemoglobin types, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and prior treatment with antimalarial drugs), parasitemia was not significantly different, occurring in 56 (17.9%) of 313. In the dry season, however, a significantly higher prevalence of parasitemia was observed among the control group (15.5%) than in the diarrhea group (7.0%) (P = 0.004). Parasitemia was significantly more common in the dehydrated diarrhea patients than their well-hydrated counterparts (25% of 56 versus 11% of 466; P < 0.005). There were no significant differences in admission temperature, the presence of vomiting, or the home use of oral rehydration fluids between the dehydrated and the well-hydrated subsets of diarrhea patients. Consideration of parasite densities did not alter any of the foregoing relationships. These data contradict the widely held view that diarrhea is a symptom of malaria or that malaria causes diarrhea. They do, however, provide support for examining blood smears at least in dehydrated children with diarrhea in malaria-endemic areas and giving immediate antimalarial therapy to those who have malaria parasitemia.     

Characteristics and mechanisms of the interhemisphere synchronization in the rat motor cortex

Synchronised activity of the callosal cells was studied in the rat motor cortex. Cross-correlation analysis revealed narrow symmetrical peaks (less than 20 ms) and intermediate ones (30-80 ms). Common neuron(s) located in one hemisphere reciprocally connected callosal cells can play the role of a "common input" that synchronises discharges of the cells in both hemispheres. The narrow and intermediate peaks seem to be mediated by mono- and polysynaptic connections, resp.     

Cardiac function in total anomalous pulmonary venous return before and after surgery

Cardiac performance was evaluated in 12 infants with isolated total anomalous pulmonary venous return. Four had significant pulmonary venous obstruction and severe pulmonary hypertension (group A). Eight had no obvious venous obstruction, and the pulmonary pressures were lower (group B). In all subjects, right ventricular end-diastolic volume was increased (197% of predicted normal) and its ejection fraction was normal. Left ventricular volume was, generally speaking, still in the normal range (87% of predicted normal); however, its ejection fraction was reduced (0.57 vs normal of 0.73) and left ventricular output was low (3.08 L/min/m2 vs normal of 3.98). Left atrial volume was consistently small (53% of predicted normal) with an appendage of normal size. The infants in group A had smaller chamber volumes/m2 BSA than those in group B. Left atrial function was abnormal, characterized by reduced reservoir function and a greater role as "conduit" from right atrium to left ventricle. Left atrial size was not found to be critical in the surgical repair of TAPVR. Cardiac function is restored to normal following surgery.     

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in a routine health examination of long-term unemployed

A representative sample of 310 long-term unemployed in Norway was followed for 2 years with clinical examinations and the AUDIT questionnaire. 30% of the men and 8% of the women scored over the cut-off point for an alcohol use disorder. This gives a probable prevalence of 16%. The test predicted return to employment in this sample. The AUDIT answers were also used as a basis for dividing into three groups: 'normal', 'hazardous' and 'harmful'. At 2 year follow-up, 27% had changed group, 32 respondents to the worse and 24 to the better. This 'unstable' group was characterized by weaker social network and more frequent drinking. The AUDIT was judged as a useful instrument both in a routine health examination and as an epidemiological tool.     

Tropical splenomegaly: surgical aspects

At the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, in a 22-month period from January 1975 to September 1976, nine splenectomies were electively performed for unruptured spleens. The diagnoses were either tropical splenomegaly syndrome (when no obvious cause was found to be responsible for, or associated with, the splenomegaly) or splenic abscess in various stages of formation. The weights of the spleens removed ranged from 160 g in a 15-year-old girl to 5080 g in a 39-year-old male. One death due to uncontrollable bleeding from the splenic bed occurred. Histology of the spleens after removal showed lymphosarcoma in one, non-specific changes in another, and thickened fibrous capsule, perisplenitis, haemorrhagic infarcts, pockets of chocolate-coloured fluid and inflammatory processes in various stages in the other seven. In the tropics, enlarged spleens with no obvious cause or associated condition are often best treated by splenectomy for histological diagnosis, definitive treatment and the prevention of rupture caused by minor trauma. There are, as yet, no convincing data which show that splenectomy in the tropics causes a significant diminution of immunity to malaria (or other diseases) and it does not, therefore, predispose to the development of cerebral malaria.