Diagnosis of enteritis virus

Weanling rats were fed either a semisynthetic diet with no fat, with 28% by wt partially hydrogenated fish oil, or with 28% by wt arachis oil(control diet) for 6 or 7 1/2 months. The in vitro conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E2 by homogenates of the rat kidney medulla was measured by gaschromatography with electron capture detection. The kidney medulla of essential fatty acid deficient animals showed increased activity for the in vitro conversion of exogenous arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E2 when compared to the controls. The change of the enzymatic activity in the essential fatty acid deficient animals was reversible, as shown by refeeding. Inhibition of the prostaglandin synthetase was found at exogenous substrate concentrations higher than 50-100 muM.     

The diffusion of indium in lead films containing gold

Some results on the lateral diffusion of indium in thin lead films containing 2.5 wt.% Au are described. At room temperature the diffusion rate is high with a diffusion coefficient D of about 2.5 x 10^-12 cm² s^-1 and an activation energy of 0.26±0.1 eV. The indium concentration profile along the films is highly irregular and is characterized by a sharp peak within the diffused film area at the diffusion front. Some of the irregularities are explained by the formation of filaments of near-stoichiometric AuIn₂ and by diffusion around grains of varying size. The preferential formation of AuIn₂ is likely to be the cause of the lower diffusion rate observed in the Pb-Au films in comparison with pure lead films. It is found that hillocks are nucleated in the vicinity of the indium diffusion front, indicative of strain relaxation.     

Accidental beta radiation burns from an electron accelerator

A 61-year-old man presented to the emergency department after accidental exposure to beta radiation and low dose x radiation from an industrial linear electron accelerator. Over 40 days he developed burns on the extremities, abdomen, and face which eventually healed with topical silver sulfadiazine treatment, but suffered no acute x or gamma radiation symptoms. Beta burns and other radiation effects are discussed.     

Captopril-induced agranulocytosis: a case report

1,000 refugees living in Strasbourg have had a stoll parasitologic exam between 1986 and 1990. We have not retained results of South America and other areas of Asia subjects because of their scarce total number. Proportionally, the most numerous are the South East Asia Nationals (51.7%); followed by those from Middle East and Africa (20 and 15.5%) and more recently by those from East of Europe (5.2%). Their parasitic infestation's rate remains important (60.9%) but variable depending on their origin. Thus, people coming from Middle East and Africa are parasited mainly by protozoan, although those from South East Asia are parasited by helminths. It's interesant to notify that the prevalence of D. fragilis is ten times higher among East European people than in the common people.     

Calciumantagonistic effect of natural and synthetic estrogens--investigations on a nongenomic mechanism of direct vascular action

Cardiovascular effects of estrogens have been shown to be of great clinical importance treating patients with hormonal replacement therapy or using oral contraceptives. To test one nongenomic mechanism of direct vascular action, the calcium-antagonistic effect of natural and synthetic estrogens was investigated in cell cultures of human vascular muscle cells. 17 beta-estradiol significantly inhibited calcium influx at the concentrations of 10(-6) and 10(-7) M in resting and activated cells. Neither the natural estrogens, estrone, and estriol nor the synthetic estrogens, 17 alpha-estradiol and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol, significantly changed calcium homeostasis in these cells. The results suggest that the vasodilatory effect of 17 beta-estradiol, seen with hormone substitution in postmenopausal women, could be mediated at least partly via influence on calcium homeostasis.     

Self-administered subcutaneous human menopausal gonadotrophin for the stimulation of testicular growth and the initiation of spermatogenesis in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism

How can higher level aspects of cognition, such as figure-ground segregation, object recognition, selective focal attention and ultimately even awareness, be implemented at the level of synapses and neurons? A number of theoretical studies emerging out of the connectionist and the computational neuroscience communities are starting to address these issues using neural plausible models.     

Approaches to lung cancer treatment using the CD3 x EGP-2-directed bispecific monoclonal antibody BIS-1

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical importance of the interaction between carbamazepine (CBZ) and dextropropoxyphene in elderly patients. METHODS: All patients (n = 7263) in Gothenburg, Sweden, who were part of a drug-dispensing programme, were included in the study. Eight per cent of the patients took CBZ and 18% took dextropropoxyphene, continuously. Patients who used a combination of these drugs were compared with patients who took only CBZ or dextropropoxyphene or neither of the two drugs. These four groups of patients were matched to each other with reference to gender, age and concomitant medication, which finally resulted in 21 patients in each group. A questionnaire with 30 symptoms of well-being, including symptoms typical of adverse effects of CBZ, were answered by the patients with the help of a registered nurse. Venous blood samples were drawn from the patients for the analysis of CBZ, its metabolite CBZ 10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) and dextropropoxyphene. RESULTS: The doses of CBZ and dextropropoxyphene were lower among patients who used the combination of the two drugs than among those who only used one of the drugs. The mean level of CBZ in serum (S-CBZ) was, however, significantly higher and the level of CBZ-E in serum (S-CBZ-E) significantly lower among the patients who used the combination of CBZ and dextropropoxyphene, thus indicating an inhibition of the metabolism of CBZ. The prevalence of symptoms indicating side effects of CBZ was significantly higher in the group of patients who used both drugs. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that the combination of CBZ and dextropropoxyphene is hazardous in elderly patients and should be used with caution.     

Spinal cord emergencies: false reassurance from reflexes

Emergency physicians need to understand the potential for false reassurance in the interpretation of reflex examination data. Neurologic consultation should be sought when classic signs are lacking, but other evidence causes suspicion. Changes in teaching emphasis and acute practice are needed, since the stakes may be high and time is of the essence. We have responded to the insights gained from this study by augmenting in-service and continuing medical education teaching and by implementing guidelines to assist EPs. We have emphasized the importance of spotlighting high-risk patients, as exemplified above, and of taking advantage of neurologic or neurosurgical consultation. Where in-person consultation is less available, the use of guidelines and remote consultation should be able to help direct further examination, diagnostic formulation, and the need for imaging decisions. Given the potential for severe negative outcome if spinal emergencies are not optimally managed, we must give the teaching of these issues high priority.