Diagnostic importance of zinc in the etiologic determination of pleural effusions

Concentration of zinc in blood serum and effusion was determined in 104 patients with the pleural effusion of different etiology. The importance of zinc concentration in serum and effusion was analyzed, as well as their relation regarding the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion. It was established that the isolated zinc concentrations in serum and pleural effusion could not be used separately either in differing transudates from exudates or in the diagnosis of the pleural diseases. The average value of zinc in the pleural effusion in relation to the serum value in patients with tuberculosis effusion was 1.37, higher than 1 in all patients and was significantly different from the average value of the ratio 0.74 in patients with nonspecific and malignant pleural effusions. The relation of zinc concentration in the effusion and serum higher than 1.0 reliably indicated the presence of tuberculous pleurisy.     

Azithromycin modulates neutrophil function and circulating inflammatory mediators in healthy human subjects

Effects on human neutrophils and circulating inflammatory mediators were studied in 12 volunteers who received azithromycin (500 mg/day, p.o.) for 3 days. Blood was taken 1 h before treatment, 2.5, 24 h and 28 days after the last dose. An initial neutrophil degranulating effect of azithromycin was reflected in rapid decreases in azurophilic granule enzyme activities in cells and corresponding increases in serum. The oxidative response to a particulate stimulus was also acutely enhanced. These actions were associated with high plasma and neutrophil drug concentrations. A continuous fall in chemokine and interleukin-6 serum concentrations, within the non-pathological range, accompanied a delayed down-regulation of the oxidative burst and an increase in apoptosis of neutrophils up to 28 days after the last azithromycin dose. Neutrophils isolated from blood at this time point still contained detectable drug concentrations. Acute neutrophil stimulation could facilitate antibacterial effects of azithromycin, while delayed, potentially anti-inflammatory activity may curtail deleterious inflammation.     

Classification of loratadine based on the biopharmaceutics drug classification concept and possible in vitro-in vivo correlation

Loratadine was studied both in vitro and in vivo (in healthy humans) to classify it according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) in order to gain more understanding of the reasons for its highly variable nature with respect to plasma time profiles, and to determine the most appropriate dissolution test conditions for in vitro assessment of the release profile of the drug from solid dose forms. Based on the solubility of loratadine determined under various pH conditions and its permeability through Caco-2 monolayers, loratadine was classified as a Class II drug. Plasma profiles were predicted by convolution analysis using dissolution profiles obtained under various pH and hydrodynamic conditions as the input function and plasma time data obtained from a syrup formulation as the weighting function. The predicted profiles based on dissolution studies done at gastric pH values were in reasonable agreement with the mean bio-data suggesting dissolution testing should be done at gastric pH values. However, the bio-data were highly variable and it is suggested this may be due, at least in part, to high individual gastric pH variability and dissolution occurring in the intestine on some occasions, and therefore, dissolution testing should also be done in simulated intestinal fluid.     

Brown tumor of the maxilla in patient with secondary hyperparathyroidism

Brown tumor or parathyroid osteopathy is a kind of bony lesion caused by hyperparathyroidism. It appears as an expansive osteolytic lesion mostly in mandible, ribs, pelvis and femur, but rarely in the upper jaw. Bone resorption is the result of osteoclastic activity due to an increased activity of parathyroid hormone. A 25-years-old male patient was operated on due to clinicaly and radiographicaly obvious maxillary tumor and increased values of parathyroid hormon (PTH-1 050 ng/l). The level of calcium in blood was normal (Ca 2.34 mEq/L). The patient was dialyzed for years because of the chronic renal failure. Histopathologic analysis confirmed brown tumor, that appeared as bony lesion of secondary hyperparathyroidism due to the chronic renal failure. The operation of the upper jaw had been performed before parathyroidectomy, due to an excessive growth of tumor followed by heavy epistaxes. The subsequent parathyroidectomy was followed by the regression of remaining bony lesions.     

The effect of liposomes with superoxide dismutase on A2182 cells.

Differently charged liposomes were examined for the efficiency of delivery of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) to human lung epithelial cells, A2182, and their prospects of cell protection from oxidative agents. A2182 cells were treated with cationic, neutral and anionic liposomes with encapsulated CuZnSOD. Untreated cells and cells pre-treated with liposome-encapsulated CuZnSOD were exposed to oxidative stress caused by xanthine/xanthine oxidase. Cellular antioxidant response was monitored for 4 or 24h after the beginning of oxidative stress induced by the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total glutathione concentration. CuZnSOD-loaded liposomes increased the SOD activity of A2182 cells 24h after treatment. The highest increase of cellular SOD, by 108%, was achieved using anionic liposomes. Neutral and cationic liposomes increased cellular SOD by 83 and 85%, respectively. Cationic liposomes were the most cytotoxic. Exposure of untreated cells to oxidative stress increased the cellular glutathione level after 24h. Cells pre-treated with liposome-encapsulated CuZnSOD were protected from oxidative stress, as shown by the unchanged concentration of cellular glutathione.     

Chromosome damage in workers in cigarette manufacturing industry

To investigate whether occupational exposure to tobacco dust is genotoxic, a group of employees in a tobacco factory was tested for structural chromosome aberrations (CA), cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) that are well established as indicators of early biological effects. The study group consisted of 40 tobacco workers and an equal number of matched controls. The results obtained in the exposed group showed a significant increase in chromosome aberrations (R=0.26), micronucleus frequency (R=0.56) and in sister chromatid exchanges (R=0.75), which was additionally influenced by smoking. A significant increase in high frequency cells (HFC) in the exposed group was also observed. Like the SCE frequency, the HFC frequency increased significantly in smokers of the control and exposed smokers. The study indicates that occupational exposure to tobacco dust induces genome damage. A higher risk was observed in women. The micronucleus frequency and sister chromatid exchange tests seem to be more reliable indicators of genome damage than chromosome aberrations in monitoring chronically exposed subjects.     

Analysis of dimensions of sella turcica in patients with mandibular prognathism

INTRODUCTION/AIM: Patients with mandibular prognathism as dominant symptom have disordered sagittal interjaw relations that make prominent appearance to this dental craniofacial anomaly beside hyperplastic mandibles and inverted front teeth overlap. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in dimensions of sella turcica in patients with mandibular prognathism and in eugnathic. METHODS: On profile teleradiographs of 30 eugnathic control and 30 patients with mandibular prognathism, three parametres, which represent dimensions of sella turcica, were measured (surface, width and depth). RESULTS: Statistically significant difference in values between the groups was found. All the three measured parametres were significantly higher in the patients with mandibular prognathism (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In the patients with mandibular prognathism all the measured dimensions of sella turcica were bigger, and so was sella turcica, but that enlargement was not in correlation with the degree of anomaly itself.