Cardiovascular risk reduction in a community setting: some comments

Four case reports are presented of patients who ate the meat of a hog inadvertently fed seed treated with fungicides containing ethyl mercury chloride. The clinical, electrophysiological, and toxicological, and in two of the patients the pathological data, showed that this organic mercury compound has a very high toxicity not only for the brain, but also for the spinal motoneurones, peripheral nerves, skeletal muscles, and myocardium.     

Superior efficacy of liposomal amphotericin B with prolonged circulation in blood in the treatment of severe candidiasis in leukopenic mice

In leukopenic mice with severe systemic candidiasis, single-dose treatment (5 mg of amphotericin B [AMB]/kg of body weight) with long-circulating polyethylene glycol-coated AMB liposomes (PEG-AMB-LIP) resulted in zero mortality and a significant reduction in the number of viable Candida albicans in the kidney, whereas 70% mortality was seen in mice treated with five daily doses of AmBisome (5 mg of AMB/kg . day). When the first of five daily doses of AmBisome was combined with a single low dose of Fungizone (0.1 mg of AMB/kg), the efficacy was equal to that of PEG-AMB-LIP.     

Astrocytes in the aged rat spinal cord fail to increase GFAP mRNA following sciatic nerve axotomy

We have expanded the original Glucocorticoid Receptor Resource (GRR) database to include several individual resources as part of a larger project called the Nuclear Receptor Resource (NRR). In addition to the GRR, the NRR currently features the Thyroid Hormone Receptor Resource, the Androgen Receptor Resource, the Mineralocorticoid Receptor Resource, the Vitamin D Receptor Resource, and the Steroid Receptor Associated Proteins Resource. The goal of the NRR project is to provide a comprehensive resource for information on the nuclear receptor superfamily, and to provide a forum for the dissemination and discussion of both published and unpublished material on these proteins. Although the individual resources are managed from different servers, all the files are integrated and can be accessed through the project's Home Page, housed at http://nrr. georgetown.edu/nrr.html. In the near future, we hope to expand the project to contain information on other nuclear receptors and to better our electronic publication system. To accomplish this, we encourage the involvement of nuclear receptor investigators in the NRR.     

Clinico-epidemiological analysis of imported malaria in Donetsk region (1979-1997)

AIM: The study of possibility of reappearance of malaria foci in the Donets region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 322 cases of imported malaria (IM) in the Donets region registered in 1979-1997 have been analysed clinically and epidemiologically. Malaria was diagnosed in immigrants from and visitors to Africa, Asia and Latin America, malaria-endemic Azerbaidjan, Tadzhikistan, Afghanistan. RESULTS: Late diagnosis of malaria occurred in immigrants and businessmen who got infected during their business trips. Causative agents of malaria imported from Azerbaijan and Asia were resistant to chemoprophylaxis with delagil and primaxine. Clinical forms of IM are described. CONCLUSION: There is a real danger of malaria reappearance in the Donetsk region as the residents are at risk of being infected from late-diagnosis foreign tourists, immigrants, refugees.