Methanol poisoning: a review and case study of four patients from Central Australia

Methanol intoxication, a rare and potentially lethal form of poisoning, usually results from ingestion and occasionally inhalation of methanol. Initial symptoms of blurred vision, elongated anion gap and metabolic acidosis are typically delayed and may not at first be recognised as methanol-related complaints. Once diagnosed, treatment must be prompt and definitive. As well as general supportive care, ethanol infusion, dialysis and alkalinization form the mainstays of treatment.

The cases described in this paper are compared to previous reports from other countries worldwide and contrast the variance in outcome often seen in methanol poisoning. The paper describes two tragic deaths and two lucky survivors, all of whom had consumed a cocktail of methanol and other alcoholic beverages at the same party.

The ICU nurse's role in managing the methanol-intoxicated patient relies on that person's sound knowledge of the unusual biochemical reactions occurring in the body and the need to institute definitive and supportive measures to help both patient and family recover.     

Hypertensive response to exercise in dipper and non-dipper normotensive diabetics

Non-dipper blood pressure (NDP) as an indicator of autonomic dysfunction could be associated with hypertensive response to exercise (HRE) in diabetic patients. HRE was determined as a predictor of development of unborn hypertension. We aimed to investigate if any correlation among NDP and HRE in normotensive type 2 diabetic patients. A total of 59 consecutive type 2 diabetic patients without history of hypertension and with normal blood pressure (BP) on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) were enrolled to the study. We divided the study population in to two groups depending on their BP on ABPM as dipper (group 1) or non-dipper (group 2). There were 22 patients (mean age 49.5?±?7 and 10 male) in group 1 and 37 patients (mean age 53.1?±?10 and 14 male) in group 2. Daytime diastolic and mean BP of dippers and night time systolic and mean BP of non-dippers were significantly higher. HRE was not significantly different between groups (59% vs. 62%, p?=?0.820). Hemodynamic parameters during the exercise test were similar. At multivariate linear regression analysis, resting office systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r?=?0.611, p?r?=?0.266, p?=?0.002) and age (r?=?0.321, p?=?0.010) were independently correlated with peak exercises SBP. Logistic regression analyses identified the resting office SBP (OR 1.191, 95% CI 1.080–1.313; p?p?=?0.012) were independent predictors of HRE. This study revealed that HRE is not related with non-dipper BP in diabetic patients. This study could inspire to further studies to explore the main reasons of HRE in diabetes mellitus.     

Substrate for endothelial prostacyclin production in the presence of platelets exposed to collagen is derived from the platelets rather than the endothelium

Interactions between vascular endothelial cells and blood platelets have been investigated using a model microcirculation consisting of microcarrier beads colonized with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and perfused with washed platelet suspensions. To simulate the effects of endothelial desquamation and exposure of subendothelium, fibrillar collagen in suspension was coinjected with the platelets. In this model, neither the passage of platelets alone nor collagen alone stimulated prostacyclin (PGI2) production by the HUVECs. Platelets activated by coinjection with collagen released thromboxane A2 (TXA2), and this was associated with the simultaneous production of PGI2 by the HUVECs. By means of double-isotope experiments with [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) incorporated into platelets and [14C]-AA into HUVECs, it was shown that all the PGI2 generated was derived from platelet AA and/or endoperoxides. This interpretation was strengthened by the finding that PGI2 production was not prevented by treatment of HUVECs with indomethacin followed by perfusion with collagen-stimulated platelets. AA metabolites in double-isotope label experiments were further characterized by reverse-phase chromatography, and it was shown that both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products of the HUVECs were derived from platelet membrane lipid. Thrombin regularly produced transient PGI2 release, but showed rapid tachyphylaxis. Platelet-derived compounds including ADP, ATP, and platelet-activating factor (PAF) did not produce PGI2 release by HUVECs in this system. Thus, the transfer of AA and metabolites from collagen- stimulated platelets is likely to be the mechanism for PGI2 production in the context of minor degrees of endothelial desquamation.     

In vivo anti-plasmodial activities and toxic impacts of lime extract of a combination of Picralima nitida,Alstonia boonei and Gongronema latifolium in mice infected with Chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei

Background

Lime extracts of powdered combination of seeds of Picralima nitida, stem bark of Alstonia boonei and leaves of Gongronema latifolium is a common remedy used in the treatment of malaria in South Western Nigeria.

Objective

To determine the antiplasmodial activities of the combined herbal extracts and its impact on the haematological, hepatological and renological parameters in mice.

Methods

The 4-day suppressive and curative tests were used to assess the antiplasmodial activities of the extract in mice infected with chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei at concentration of 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg body weight. The haematological parameters including red blood cells, white blood cells, packed cell volume and haemoglobin count were analysed with an auto analyser. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined, while urea, protein and creatinine were analysed by standard procedural methods.

Results

The 4-day suppressive test revealed that the test extract achieved percentage suppression of 39.0%, 41.6% and 54.68% for the 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg concentration respectively. Additionally, the curative test achieved a high percentage suppression of 80.97%, 83.84% and 86.16% at the 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg concentration respectively. The extracts did not induce significant change on haematological parameters (P>0.05), while significant elevation in the values of the ALT and AST (P<0.05) was observed and elevation of creatinine (P<0.05) at 800mg/kg.

Conclusions

The results support the traditional use of the herbal combination in the treatment of malaria, however the liver cells were impacted by the extracts in bioassay conducted with mice.     

吸氧对听感觉门控P50的影响

目的研究呼吸纯氧对健康人听感觉门控P50的影响。方法右利手、健康男性大学生志愿者28名,根据随机数字表分为对照组(n=12)和实验组(n=16)。佩戴面罩,对照组呼吸空气,实验组呼吸医用纯氧60 min。应用条件-测试刺激,记录吸氧前(pre0)、吸氧20 min(Oxy20)、吸氧50 min(Oxy50)、吸氧后30 min(post30)的脑电图,计算听觉P50潜伏期和P50感觉门控电位(S1与S2振幅之差)。结果 S1刺激在4个时间点各组P50潜伏期相对稳定(P0.7);吸氧50 min时,实验组比对照组P50潜伏期缩短(P0.05)。S2刺激在4个时间点各组P50潜伏期相对稳定(P0.30),两组间比较无显著性差异(P0.05)。对照组P50门控电位比较稳定(P=0.70),而实验组随吸氧时间逐渐延长,电位越来越高,停止吸氧后,电位迅速回落,Oxy20和post30(P=0.04)、Oxy50和post30(P=0.02)相比均有显著性差异。组间比较,4个时间点均无显著性差异(P0.05)。结论健康人吸60 min纯氧,可能缩短对刺激的反应时间,有增强听觉门控电位的趋势。     

Composition chimique de l’huile essentielle d’Artemisia herba-alba provenant de la région de Biskra (Algérie)

Artemisia herba-alba Asso (Asteraceae) essential oil (EO), obtained by hydrodistillation from aerial parts, and was investigated using GC-FID and GC-MS techniques. The EO yield, based on dry weight, was 0.95% (v/w). Forty six components corresponding to 92.61% of the oil were identified. The EO contained in majority: cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (25.12%); (2E,3Z) 3,5-heptadienal-2-ethyliden-6-methyl (8.39%); α-thujone (7.85%); myrtenyl acetate (7.39%); verbenone (7.19%), chrysanthenone (4.98%). Chemical composition was very specific for this Algerian plant.     

4-烷硫基-4-脱氧-4′-去甲表鬼臼毒素的合成和抗肿瘤活性

对4’-去甲表鬼臼毒素的C₄位进行化学修饰,合成和筛选了10个4-烷硫基-4-脱氧-4’-去甲表鬼臼毒素衍生物以进一步研究C₄位不同的原子和取代基与活性之间的关系及寻找结构简单、活性更强的抗肿瘤新药。4’-去甲表鬼臼毒素与硫醇在三氟化硼·乙醚或三氟乙酸存在下生成相应的硫醚,也可用硫醇与4β-溴-4-脱氧-4’-去甲表鬼臼毒素反应生成相应的硫醚。在体外筛选中,化合物10和12抑制L1210白血病细胞的活性与依托泊甙相当或更强,化合物9,10,12和15抑制KB细胞的活性与依托泊甙相当或更强。     

Human herpesvirus 8 open reading frame 26 and open reading frame 65 sequences from multiple myeloma patients: a shared pattern not found in Kaposi's sarcoma or primary effusion lymphoma.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), multicentric Castleman's disease, and recently multiple myeloma (MM). DNA sequence analyses of HHV-8 suggest that multiple HHV-8 strains exist. We extracted DNA from 24 patients with MM and 3 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and compared HHV-8 open reading frames (ORFs) 26 and 65 sequences with those derived from patients with KS, PEL, and two HHV-8-positive PEL cell lines KS-1 and BC-1. ORF26 sequence data suggest that MM patients are consistently carriers of HHV-8 strain subtype C3. All MM patients also consistently revealed either a single bp deletion or substitution at position 112197 in ORF65. This unique alteration is not present in patients with KS or PEL or in PEL cell lines. It occurs in the portion of ORF65 that is known to be responsible for a serological response to HHV-8.     

精神分裂症患者血浆高香草酸浓度与临床症状、性别和药物治疗的关系

目的：通过分析精神分裂症患者中枢多巴胺代谢产物－血浆高香草酸浓度（ｐＨＶＡ）与临床指征的关系,进一步探讨多巴胺神经递质及其药物治疗在精神分裂症的作用。方法在４６例长期药物治疗、５８例未治疗精神分裂症患者中,采用高液相色谱连接电化学分析仪测定ＰＨＶＡ;测前评定阳性症状量表（ＳＡＰＳ）和阴性症状量表（ＳＡＮＳ）。结果（１）与６２例健康对照组比,治疗组ＰＨ－ＶＡ显著减低,未治疗组显著增高,以阴性症状组为