Early biochemical changes produced by malathion on toad embryos

The exposure of newly fertilized amphibian embryos to malathion (44 mg/L) produces 67% mortality on the fifth day of exposure. Clinical signs of intoxication are evident on the fourth day. A variety of biochemical parameters, such as enzyme activity, lipid and protein content, was examined in control and malathion-treated embryos. The activity of acetyl, butyrylcholinesterase and aliesterase are quickly inhibited. An interference with cellular protein synthesis and redistribution is possible. A slight increase in total phospholipids is evident after 24 hr of exposure.     

Biodistribution of radioactive epidermal growth factor in normal and tumor bearing mice

The biodistribution of iodinated epidermal growth factor in normal and tumor bearing mice was analyzed. The uptake of epidermal growth factor was high in the liver, skin and submaxillary gland, which all have detected receptors for the growth factor. Organs, such as lung, heart, spleen, intestine, bone and central nervous system, which lack the receptor, did not retain the growth factor. In tumor bearing mice, the growth factor accumulated in receptor positive tumors, but to a lesser extent than in the liver. This finding will probably prevent the use of epidermal growth factor as a carrier for radionuclides for a therapeutic purpose.     

Angle-dependent backscatter from the arterial wall

The anisotropic nature of intra-arterial echographic images is reported, and the source of this anisotropy is investigated using postmortem human iliac arteries. A 27 MHz transducer, mounted on an ultrasonic microscope, is used to quantify the angular dependence of the backscatter power versus the angle of incidence, and these results are correlated with histological findings. Besides the observed differences in the acoustic response of morphologically different tissues, significant variations in backscatter power are found in both media and internal elastic lamina due to variations in the angle of incidence. This angle dependence is caused by the dominant orientation of fibers in tissue layers and by the shape and size various scattering particles. The results indicate that long microscopic structures with one main orientation are responsible for the backscattered signal and that the angular-dependent response is related to the histologically determined orientation of these fibers. These results may have an impact on the assessment of intra-arterial echographic images.     

Toxicity of prolonged exposure to ethanol and gasoline autoengine exhaust gases

A comparative chronic inhalation exposure study was performed to investigate the potential health effects of gasoline and ethanol engine exhaust fumes. Test atmospheres of gasoline and ethanol exhaust were given to Wistar rats and Balb C mice housed in inhalation chambers for a period of 5 weeks. Gas concentration and physical parameters were continually monitored during the exposure period. Several biological parameters were assessed after the exposure including pulmonary function, mutagenicity, and hematological, biochemical, and morphological examinations. The results demonstrated that the chronic toxicity of the gasoline-fueled engine is significantly higher than that of the ethanol engine.     

Two amino-acid substitutions in the myelin protein zero gene of a case of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease associated with light-near dissociation.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease caused by mutations of the myelin protein zero gene demonstrates considerable phenotypical variability. We describe a 45-year-old female with a peripheral neuropathy with demyelinating and axonal features, pes cavus and pupillary light-near dissociation. She was heterozygous for two mutations in the myelin protein zero gene (His81Tyr and Val113Phe), both present on the same allele. Our patient shows a less severe phenotype than previously described patients with a His81Arg mutation. Multiple mutations in the myelin protein zero gene, as well as Charcot-Marie-Tooth with pupillary abnormalities have previously been described in rare instances. However, concurrent occurrence of both phenomena is a novel finding.     

Differential Effect of Diarrhea on FK506 Versus Cyclosporine A Trough Levels and Resultant Prevention of Allograft Rejection in Renal Transplant Recipients

Diarrhea is the most frequently reported adverse event in patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil. Twenty-six renal transplant patients on a mycophenolate mofetil-based immunosuppressive regime with persistent afebrile diarrhea were examined. Diarrhea caused a significant rise in FK-506 trough levels despite intake of stable doses, necessitating FK-506 dose reductions of 30% to obtain pre-diarrhea trough levels. In contrast, trough levels of cyclosporine A remained stable without dose adjustments. This suggests that absorption and/or metabolism is differentially altered for FK506 compared with cyclosporine A in patients with diarrhea. In nine patients mycophenolate mofetil was reduced or stopped because of persistent diarrhea without identifiable cause. This resulted in end-stage renal disease because of chronic rejection in two patients, and in acute rejection in two patients, all taking FK506 and steroids. Therefore, dose adjustments of FK506 in patients with diarrhea must be carefully monitored, especially when doses of mycophenolate mofetil are also reduced.     

Assessment of nutritional status in children with cystic fibrosis: conventional anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis. A cross-sectional study in Dutch patients

BACKGROUND: Assessment of nutritional status in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) is clinically relevant. Methods to measure nutritional status should be reliable and non-invasive, and reference values should be available. AIM: To compare weight and height measurements and measurements of specific body compartments in children with CF. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey of 58 children with CF (28 females), we compared height and weight (expressed as: weight-for-height, body mass index (BMI), height-for-age and weight-for-age) with fat mass (skinfold sum (SFS)), muscle mass (upper arm circumference (UAC)) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Results were expressed as Z-scores, using Dutch reference values. RESULTS: BMI and weight-for-height were within the normal range (mean Z-score (range): -0.13 (-1.5, 2.7) and -0.02 (-1.7, 2.8)). Weight and height corrected for age were below normal (mean Z-score (range): -0.79 (-2.4, -0.05) and -1.2 (-2.8, 1.4) (P<0.01)). Lean body mass by skinfold sum (LBM(sfs)), UAC and BIA were also significantly below reference values (mean Z-score (range): -0.9 (-2.2, 1.8), -0.95 (-2.4, 1.8) and -1.1 (-3.6, 1.0) (P<0.01)). Lean body mass (LBM) by BIA correlated with LBM(sfs). BIA systematically underestimated LBM in both CF patients and in control subjects. CONCLUSION: Nutritional status of children with CF must be evaluated, using age-corrected weight and height expressed in Z-score. LBM estimated by SFS, UAC and by BIA appear to be useful, although longitudinal studies in CF children should be performed to evaluate their clinical significance in detecting changes in nutritional status.     

Prevalence of Parkinson's disease in Cantalejo, Spain: a door-to-door survey.

We assessed the prevalence of Parkinson's disease in Cantalejo, Spain. In 1994, we screened 1,579 persons (age > or = 40 years) using a high-sensitivity method. Cases fulfilling established clinical criteria were followed for a minimum of 3 years. Prevalences were compared with those from other door-to-door surveys. We detected 27 individuals with parkinsonism, 20 of whom had Parkinson's disease. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease increased with age and, when age-adjusted to European standards, was 9.01 per 1,000 (age 40 years and over; 10.78 in men and 5.23 in women). Of the 11 men, three were in Hoehn & Yahr grades III-IV, but six of the nine women were more severely affected. Overall, we found 18 newly diagnosed cases of parkinsonism, 13 of which were Parkinson's disease, and the majority of which were in men aged 80 years or older with a mean duration of illness of 5 years. Our prevalence figures are the highest reported, apparently because of the inclusion of several very elderly men. Parkinson's disease in Cantalejo is less severe in men than in women, particularly in those newly diagnosed. Despite the low numbers, the high prevalence and sex-related pattern are unexplained but they probably relate to the high sensitivity of the screening method.