Late toxic effects of long-term exposure to lindane in peripheral blood cells in rabbits. II. Erythrocyte changes.

After lindane administration in daily doses of 0.1 LD50 for one month (total dose 2.0 LD50) changes in the erythrocytes were found persisting for up to 4 months after withdrawal of the pesticide. A significant increase in the number of echinocytes, a greater per cent of reticulocytes, significantly raised level of denatured haemoglobin, and an increased number of erythrocytes of higher sensitivity to oxidating factors in relation to control group was observed.     

Antihypertensive therapy with co-dergocrine mesilate/nifedipine in comparison with nifedipine in type II diabetes

In a randomized cross-over study the antihypertensive effects of nifedipine and the combination of co-dergocrine and nifedipine (Pontuc) respectively as well as the influence of both preparations on the glucose metabolism was tested in 22 hypertensive patients with diabetes type II over a period of 4 weeks. During treatment with the combination a significantly more pronounced blood pressure reduction was achieved compared to monotherapy with nifedipine, whereas the heart rate was significantly increased only by nifedipine. Both drugs--nifedipine and co-dergocrine/nifedipine--did not change the concentrations of glucose in the blood or urine or of HbA1.     

Endoscopic cleaning and disinfection procedures for preventing iatrogenic spread of human immunodeficiency virus

With estimates as high as 1.8 million individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States, the majority asymptomatic, it is crucial that all physicians routinely use adequate disinfection procedures for medical instruments. The protosigmoidoscopic disinfection procedures used by US family physicians were evaluated for adequacy in inactivating HIV. Sixty-seven percent of 1,585 randomly selected American Academy of Family Physicians members completed a mail survey regarding these procedures. Comparing procedures used with those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control or documented to inactivate HIV, 32.4 percent were judged to be appropriate procedures; 54.4 percent of the procedures were not tested or recommended; and 13.2 percent used appropriate solutions but at inadequate concentrations or exposure times. Therefore, a substantial proportion of US family physicians performing endoscopic procedures use disinfection procedures that may not inactivate HIV. The ever-increasing prevalence of HIV demands that standardized adequate disinfection procedures be implemented by all physicians to prevent the potential nosocomial spread of HIV.     

Protease and plasminogen activator activity in human bladder carcinoma

The ability of human bladder tissue extracts to cleave 14C-labelled globin in the absence and in the presence of plasminogen was assayed to quantify non-specific protease and plasminogen activator (PA) activity, respectively. In normal human bladder tissue the non-specific protease activity was approximately 2-fold higher than in tissue samples obtained from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCC). In contrast, PA activity was almost 4-fold higher in TCC than in normal transition cell epithelium. Acid-treated urine from 19 patients with TCC of the bladder exhibited significantly higher levels of plasminogen activator activity than similarly treated urine from controls. These results indicate that malignant transformation of the bladder epithelial tissue results in elevated levels of PA in the tissue and in urine. Further studies are needed to assess the potential of PA determination in the management of bladder cancer patients.     

Stress protection by external fixation of the rabbit tibia

Osteopenia of the tibia and femur caused by an external fixator in the tibia was studied in 14 rabbits. Eight rabbits were treated with a complete unilateral external fixator in one tibia, whereas the other tibia served as control. The other 6 animals had one leg operated on with inserting of all the pins but without the frame. This technique was chosen to compare osteopenia caused by stress protection and the effect of the pins. After 6 weeks, we found a 7 percent reduction in the bone mineral content in the tibial diaphyseal segment between the pins of the external fixator and no bone loss in the tibia that were operated on with only pins. In the femurs, there was a smaller decrease in the bone mineral content: respectively 3.2 percent (complete frame) and 2.9 percent (only pins). On all the operated on tibiae, there was an increase in the bone mineral content around the pins both proximally and distally.