Agranulocytosis--a complication of the chemotherapy of echinococcosis with mebendazole]

Only two of the 75 patients with echinococcosis, treated with mebendazole in a dose of 50 mg/kg b. m. for 30 days (single course) and administered from 1 to 13 courses with intervals of 1 to 3 months, developed agranulocytosis eventuating in death in one female patient. Analysis of blood levels of mebendazole and its metabolites permits a hypothesis that high concentrations thereof may have a toxic effect on the bone marrow, inducing its hypoplasia, in subjects sensitive to these substances.     

The modification of a medium for culturing and isolating the causative agent of Lyme disease]

Possible use of three types of media (prepared on the basis of 199, RPMI and MEM, the rest of receipt being recommended for BSK-II) for cultivation of the agent of Lyme's disease is reviewed. The most satisfactory Borrelia burgdorferi growth has been noted on the medium with base 199. Using the same medium 5 spirochaete isolates have been obtained from 10 passages of the material from 41 ticks, Ixodes persulcatus Sch. and I. ricinus L. The results seem promising for further studies on the elaboration of Soviet medium with base 199 for the cultivation and isolation of the agent of Lyme's disease.     

Combined radiotherapy for inoperable esophageal cancer

Among 112 patients with inoperable esophageal cancer treated with high-dose intraluminal brachytherapy and distant irradiation, objective response was in 84.8%. Predominantly local complications were reported in 78.6%. Recurrences were detected in 63.5% during follow-up, with mean relapse-free period being 107 days. Mean survival time was 15.3 months (1-, 2- and 3-year survival--58.8; 22.3 and 12.9%, respectively) which was comparable to similar results of palliative esophagectomy for gastric cancer.     

Substrate interactions on the intestinal mucosa: a concept for the regulation of intestinal digestion.

1. The hydrolysis of glycyl-L-leucine, glycyl-L-tyrosine, tributyrin, sucrose, maltose, soluble starch and alpha- and beta-glycerophosphates by everted segments of rat intestine was estimated separately or in combination. 2. A comparative study showed significant interaction between different substrates which affected their digestion. 3. Two types of interaction were identified: products of hydrolysis (1) affected the hydrolysis of homologous substances, e.g. methionine and alanine inhibited glycyl-L-leucine hydrolysis, maltose reduced glucoamylase (alpha-1,4-glucan glucohydrolase; EC 3-2-1-3) activity (intracatenary interactions); (2) interfered with the hydrolysis of a different group of substances, e.g. tributyrin inhibited dipeptidase (glycyl-L-leucine hydrolase; EC 3-4-3-2) and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3-1-3-1), glycyl-L-leucine interfered with the activity of the latter enzyme (intercatenary interactions). 4. Mechanisms of interactions were suggested by the results of a comparison of the extent of inhibition or activation of two enzymes (glycyl-L-leucine hydrolase and alkaline phosphatase) in situ in everted intestinal segments or after solubilization with papain or Triton X-100, and different treatments known to affect allosteric sites of these enzymes. 5. Tributyrin and dipeptides were found to act on alkaline phosphatase as allosteric regulators. A discontinuity of the Arrhenius plot suggested the existence of different enzyme conformations which were re-arranged by tributyrin. 6. Substrate interactions in digestion were found in adult rat, cat, rabbit and hen. Substantial differences were found between classes (Aves and Mammalia), orders (rodents, lagomorphs and carnivores) and between age-groups within an animal strain (in this instance, for the rat). 7. These interactions are thought to be involved in the co-ordination of digestion with intestinal absorption and to regulate the time and site of subsequent hydrolysis.