Effects of monoamine uptake inhibitors given early postnatally on monoamines in the brain stem,caudate/putamen and cortex,and on dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in the caudate/putamen

Summary Rats were treated with desipramine 5mg/kg, nomifensine 10mg/kg, zimelidine 25 mg/kg or with 0.9% sodium chloride once a day during the second and third weeks after birth, and brain stem, caudate/putamen and cortical monoamines, and caudate/putamen dopamine D₁ (³[H]SCH 23390) and D₂ (³[H]spiroperidol) receptor binding were measured when rats were at two months of age. In the brain stem, the concentration of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenyl glycol was increased in nomifensine rats and the ratio of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid to 5-hydroxytryptamine was increased in zimelidine rats. In the caudate/putamen, the concentrations of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid and the ratio of homovanillic acid to dopamine were increased in desipramine rats; neither³[H]SCH 23390 nor³[H]spiroperidol binding were affected by any of the three monoamine uptake inhibiting antidepressants studied. In the cortex, the ratio of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid to 5-hydroxytryptamine was increased in desipramine and zimelidine rats. The findings suggest that desipramine but not nomifensine increases the metabolism of dopamine in the caudate/ putamen and nomifensine but not desipramine increases the metabolism of norepinephrine in the brain stem, and furthermore that the metabolism of serotonin is affected by desipramine as well as by zimelidine. It is possible that also treatment of women with these drugs during late pregnancy causes long-lasting changes in the brain of human fetus.     

Echoes from the Third World--two-dimensional echocardiography in a developing country

Cardiovascular disease is common in the developing world where lack of sophisticated diagnostic equipment may make adequate assessment of the disease impossible. Two-dimensional echocardiography has made a major contribution to the practice of cardiology in Transkei by improving diagnostic ability, aiding in the assessment of patients for surgery locally and for referral elsewhere for open-heart surgery, and in monitoring the progress of pericardial disease. It is cost-effective and appropriate technology for the developing world.     

Brain abscess in the 1980s

Brain abscess was reviewed in 24 patients admitted to University Hospital, Nottingham over a period of 3 years. Chronic ear infection was the most common predisposing factor, but in 11 patients the focus of infection remained unknown. CT scanning, carried out in all patients, was negative in one patient with clinical signs of meningitis. Polymicrobial and anaerobic infections were common. Actinomyces species were isolated in mixed culture from seven patients; in five the abscess was located in the cerebellum. Therapy was most often a combination of surgical drainage and antimicrobial therapy with beta-lactam agents and metronidazole. Evidence suggests that cefotaxime may offer a suitable alternative to chloramphenicol and benzylpenicillin in the treatment of brain abscess.     

Alpha2-HS glycoprotein phenotypes and quantitative hormone and bone measures in postmenopausal women

Summary It has been suggested that inherited traits play a role in the development of osteoporosis by providing a background for the modulation of gene expression. In this study, we examine the influence of the different alleles of alpha₂-HS glycoprotein (AHSG), a protein of the bone matrix, on quantitative estrogens, estrone and estradiol, and bone measures, bone area and density. Estrogens provide a protective effect against fractures in older women and were thus included in the analyses. Isoelectric focusing of AHSG from sera followed by immunoblotting was used to type 163 white post-menopausal women participating in a clinical trial of the effects of walking on bone loss. Plasma hormones were measured by a combination of extraction, column chromatography, and radioimmunoassay; bone measures on the dominant radius were determined with computerized tomography. Analysis of variance was done on estrogen and bone measures after controlling for the effects of age and body mass index. The two major alleles of AHSG result in three phenotypes, designated AHSG 1-1, AHSG 2-1, and AHSG 2-2. The AHSG 1-1 homozygote showed a decreased concentration of estradiol, the AHSG 2-2 homozygote showed an increased concentration, and the AHSG 2-1 heterozygote was intermediate (P=0.001). Estrone demonstrated a similar pattern in residual analysis although it did not reach statistical significance.     

Comparative characteristics of bactericidal activity of various traditional and currently available antiseptics used in surgery

Comparative study of the microbicidal activity of some traditional (hydrogen peroxide, boric acid, nitrofurazone) and currently available (Baliz-2, dioxidine, chlorhexidine bigluconate, pervomur) antiseptics against the most commonly encountered causative agents of purulent surgical infection showed 0.8%, 1.2%, and 2.4% pervomur solutions to possess the highest bactericidal and sporicidal activity. This circumstance allowed weak (0.8 and 1.2%) solutions of pervomur to be used in the clinic in 68 patients for the management of purulent postoperative complications and localized purulent infection, which improved the results of treatment significantly.     

Comparative evaluation of thermographic and radiothermometric methods of examination during mass screening of women with dyshormonal hyperplasia of the breast

The article deals with the results of prehospital appraisal of hyperplasia of the mammary glands in 364 females by means of infrared thermovision techniques and UHF-radiothermometry. The thermovision and radiothermometric signs of this pathological condition are described. Examination conducted in the course of the disease twice in 52% and 3 to 4 times in 30% of cases showed radiothermometry to be highly informative in optimization of the management of patients with mastopathy. The feature of the thermal metabolic process in cancer was revealed. The proposed radiothermometric method may be used as an auxiliary criterion for appraising the condition of the mammary tissues.     

Early postoperative rejection crises after transplantation of the kidney from the living related donors

The frequency of the development of rejection crises in the early postoperative period in 32 recipients of allogeneic kidneys from alive related donors was analysed depending on the histocompatibility according to the antigens of the HLA-AB system and the nature of the immunosuppressant therapy. The results of the analysis showed that the frequency of rejection crises was 100% when the donor and recipient were compatible in 1-2 antigens, and 40% in compatibility according to 3-4 antigens. The incidence of rejection crises was 71.4% among patients who received the standard immunosuppressant therapy (corticosteroids + azathioprine) and 36% among those given also sandimmune. Analysis of the frequency of rejection crises according to the ABO blood group system to which the donor-recipient pair occurred, showed that rejection crises occurred most frequently among patients with A (II) blood group.     

Ultrasonic vascular scanning in the diagnosis of acute arterial obstruction

In thrombosis of the aorta and major arteries (52 cases), postthrombotic occlusion (26), arterial embolism (14), the ultrasound vascular scanning++ was performed. The method permits to define the presence and location of arterial occlusion, differentiate thrombosis and embolism, atherosclerotic and autoimmune diseases of the vessels and as well to assess the outcome of restorative and reconstructive operations in acute arterial obstruction.     

The correction of postburn deformation of the neck using a musculocutaneous flap from the major pectoral muscle

In 15 patients with the postburn neck deformation, the plasty with a musculocutaneous flap of the musculus pectoralis major was employed. Use of the technique permits to avoid prolonged immobilization of a neck. A good functional and cosmetic result has been noted.