Latent vitamin K deficiency in breast-fed infants

Quick test, coagulation activity of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, factor II activity by ecarin, levels of factor II immunoreactive antigen and acarboxyprothrombin were examined in two groups of infants, breast-fed and bottle-fed at the ages of one month and 3 months. None of them received vitamin K at birth and later. Acarboxyprothrombin could be demonstrated in about 14% at the both age of life of breast-fed children, but not in the groups of bottle-fed infants. The activity of coagulation factors was significantly lower in the acarboxyprothrombin-positive group compared to the acarboxyprothrombin-negative group. In none of the infants manifest bleeding was observed. No difference in the activities of factors could be detected in the acarboxyprothrombin-negative groups of breast- and bottle-fed children. These data suggest a frequent latent deficiency of vitamin K in breast-fed infants.     

Thermoregulatory effects of D-met2-pro5-enkephalinamide

Changes elicited in the body temperature by subcutaneous injection of the synthetic D-met²-pro⁵-enkephalinamide (D-met²-pro⁵-EA) were studied in CFY rats. D-met²-pro⁵-EA in doses of 8, 20 and 40 mg/kg caused hyperthermia. If the animals were restrained, this hyperthermic effect was attenuated. Ten mg/kg naloxone completely prevented the elevation of body temperature. Previous administration of 300 mg/kg capsaicin in fractionated daily doses resulted in a facilitation of the hyperthermic reaction. In contrast to other opioids, hypothermia was never observed. Our observations support: the concept of multiple opiate-sensitive mechanisms in thermoregulation.     

Oxidation of gamma II-crystallin solutions yields dimers with a high phase separation temperature.

Aqueous solutions of the bovine eye lens protein gamma II (or gamma B)-crystallin at neutral pH show a gradual increase in phase separation temperature, Tph, when allowed to stand for several weeks at room temperature without reducing agents. In a typical experiment, the Tph of the protein solution (218 mg/ml) increases from 2.5 +/- 1 degree C to 32.5 +/- 1 degree C after 21 days, and a new protein species, gamma IIH, is formed. The Tph of pure gamma IIH is at least 40 degrees C higher than that of pure gamma II. The average apparent hydrodynamic radius is 36 A for gamma IIH compared to 26 A for gamma II. The molecular mass of gamma IIH is approximately 41.5 kDa compared to 20 kDa for native gamma II. Therefore, gamma IIH is probably a dimer of gamma II crystallin. gamma IIH has a lower thiol content than gamma II and is not formed in the presence of dithiothreitol. We conclude that gamma IIH is a thiol oxidation product of gamma II-crystallin and is a dimer containing an intermolecular disulfide crosslink. Thus, some oxidative modifications of protein thiol groups lead to an increase in net attractive interactions between proteins. As a result, Tph increases and protein aggregates are formed. These two microscopic changes produce the increased light scattering associated with lens opacification.     

Cholecystokinin interferes with the thermoregulatory effect of exogenous and endogenous opioids

Intraperitoneal (ip) injection of cholecystokinin octapeptide sulfate ester (CCK; 5, 10 and 50 micrograms/kg) reduced the hypothermic response to 8 mg/kg and 32 mg/kg systemic morphine in restrained and freely moving rats, respectively. The hyperthermia elicited by a subcutaneous (sc) injection of 8 mg/kg morphine to freely moving rats was not diminished by CCK pretreatment. CCK (5 micrograms/kp ip) completely prevented the restraint stress-induced hyperthermia. Naloxone (1 mg/gk sc) was effective in antagonizing both the hyperthermic and the hypothermic effects of morphine and the stress-induced emotional hyperthermia. These results support the hypothesis that CCK may contribute to regulation of the endogenous opioid system.     

Successful use of C02 laser in septic surgery

The authors have performed 29 septic operations with a TLS61 CO2 surgical laser with 60 Watt output power. They have gained good experiences with the laser excision of the vascularized, bleeding, inflammated, penetrated by bacteries and infected wounds.