Microalbuminuria in children and adolescents with and without Type-I diabetes mellitus (IDDM)

In 73 healthy (group I) and 32 children and juveniles with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, group II) urinary albumin excretion is determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). In both groups albumin excretion is observed in every urine sample when measured by RIA (mean +/- SD: group I: 7-19 h: 5.17 +/- 5.28 mg, 19-7 h: 3.86 +/- 4.00 mg, 24 h: 9.03 +/- 8.60 mg; group II: 7-19 h: 6.68 +/- 6.86 mg, 19-7 h: 3.46 +/- 2.82 mg, 24 h: 10.13 +/- 9.25 mg). No significant difference is detected between the values of the two groups. However in diabetic patients a significant difference is observed between diurnal and nocturnal urinary albumin excretion. Microalbuminuria is defined as an albumin excretion above 30 mg/d and is present in 6.9% of the values in group I and in 3.1% in group II. The physiological limits of microalbuminuria in children and juveniles compared to adults and several methods of urine sampling are discussed.     

Detection of Apoptosis in Peripheral Blood Cells of 31 Subjects Affected by Down Syndrome Before and After Zinc Therapy

Thirty-one patients affected by Down syndrome (DS) were investigated to study the presence of apoptosis in peripheral blood cells in relation to the plasma levels of zinc. Twelve patients had undergone therapy with ZnSO₄, while the remaining 19 were untreated. The presence of programmed cell death was evaluated by means of electron microscopy, in situ nick translation (NT), and agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA. These approaches evidenced the presence of apoptosis in peripheral blood cells of patients before therapy with ZnSO₄, while after zinc supplementation there was a reduction in the number of apoptotic cells. These results suggest that the process of programmed cell death in peripheral blood cells of patients with Down syndrome is related to the plasma levels of zinc ion.     

Importance of thiols in the reductive binding of 2-nitroimidazoles to macromolecules

Reductive activation of 2-nitroimidazoles in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) led to binding of the nitroheterocycles to the protein. The binding was most efficient to BSA in which protein disulfides had been reduced to thiol groups. Protein thiols were at least twenty times more efficient than other protein, RNA or DNA nucleophiles in binding the reductively-activated nitroheterocycles. This result is of practical importance in the development of immunoassays for 2-nitroimidazoles as hypoxia markers in normal and tumor tissue.     

Candida albicans infection of a prosthetic knee replacement: a report and review of the literature

A woman with rheumatoid arthritis who underwent total knee arthroplasty is described. The implant became infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis and she received a prolonged course of postoperative antistaphylococcal antibiotics. Four months postoperatively she developed a calf ulcer that grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa and required further antibiotic therapy. One year later she presented with a painful, swollen knee with radiographic findings suggesting loosening of the prosthetic knee implant. Arthrocentesis cultures grew Candida albicans. She was treated with arthrodesis, amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, and ketoconazole and remains free of infection 21 months after removal of the prosthesis. The clinical course of 6 other cases of Candida prosthetic joint infections is reviewed.     

Identification of N2 as a metabolite of acetylhydrazine in the rat

 In the pathogenesis of isoniazid-induced hepatic injury, cytochrome P450-dependent metabolic activation of the metabolite, acetylhydrazine (AcHz), is the crucial step. Exhalation of [¹⁴C]-carbon dioxide has previously been used to quantify indirectly this pathway. In contrast, according to the current concept of AcHz bioactivation, molecular nitrogen is produced directly, but has not yet been identified. Here, we measured [¹⁵N]-nitrogen and ¹⁴CO₂ exhalation, after the administration of [¹⁵N₂]-[¹⁴C]-AcHz, in rats. Laser magnetic resonance (LMR) spectroscopy, a new sensitive and specific technique for the measurement of ¹⁵N and ¹⁴N in gas samples, was used. To demonstrate the involvement of cytochrome P450, rats were treated with phenobarbital (PB) or PB + cobalt(II) chloride (CoCl₂) (n=3 in each group). Time-dependent ¹⁵N₂ exhalation differed significantly between treatment groups (p<0.001). At 240 min, cumulative exhalation of ¹⁵N was 1.92±0.43% (mean±SE) of the dose in the control group, 2.53±0.23% in the PB group, and 1.00±0.15% in the PB+CoCl₂ group (p<0.05 compared to controls, p<0.01 compared to PB). Cumulative exhalation of ¹⁴CO₂ in 24 h ranged from 15.1 to 21.9%, with no significant difference between treatment groups. In conclusion, N₂ is a metabolite of AcHz. N₂ formation reflects the cytochrome P450-mediated activation of AcHz and can be used as an index of this pathway. Generally, LMR spectroscopy is valuable for monitoring any N₂-liberating process in vivo. Received: 14 March 1995/Accepted: 15 August 1995     

Oral lichenoid lesions, mercury hypersensitivity and combined hypersensitivity to mercury and other metals: histologically-proven reproduction of the reaction by patch testing with metal salts

We report 11 patients seen between 1991 and 1994 with oral lichenoid lesion(OLL). In 10 cases, there was contact with dental amalgam fillings, and in patient no. 10 with both amalgam restorations and a gold crown. The last patient had, in addition to her OLL, lichen planus of the skin and genital mucosa. In 5 cases, combined sensitization to mercury and other metal salts, particularly gold sodium thiosulfate (GST) and palladium chloride (PDC), was observed. In 10 patients, the lesions considerably improved or totally cleared within 1 to 9 months of replacement of restoration materials. Histological examination of biopsies from the test sites of amalgam, mercuric chloride, GST and PDC, taken 10 or 17 days, after application of patch tests, showed lichenoid changes in 7 patients with at least 1 of the allergens. At least 2 patients had inflammatory lesions of the oral mucosa related to both amalgam and gold restorations, combined sensitization to inorganic and organic mercury derivatives. GST and, in 1 case, PDC, a "dental restoration metal intolerance syndrome" is proposed.     

Effects of acetylsalicylic acid on electromechanical activity ofin vivo rabbit ileum

Aspirin has antisecretory and ulcerogenic properties in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the electrical and mechanical activity of the ileum in anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits. Ileal electromechanical activity was recorded from serosal electrodes and a miniature intraluminal balloon. Thirty minutes after injection of ASA (30, 60 and 100 mg/kg intravenous) significant and dose-dependent increases in the percentage of slow waves with action potentials were observed when compared with saline-injected animals. The onset of action potentials correlated with phasic increases in intraluminal pressure, indicating the onset of circular muscle contractions. Injection of 15 mg/kg ASA, sodium salicylate (100 mg/kg intravenous) or saline had no effect on baseline action potential activity. Prostaglandin E ₂ (PGE ₂)(5 and 10 g/kg intravenous) significantly increased slow-wave frequency and decreased ASA-induced action potential activity. This study demonstrates that (1) ASA, but not sodium salicylate, stimulates phasic ileal action potential and contractile activity and (2) in ASA-treated animals, PGE ₂ produces differential effects on in vivoslow-wave frequency and action potential activity.     

Gastric dysrhythmias and the current status of electrogastrography

Myoelectrical activity recorded simultaneously from mucosal, serosal, and cutaneous electrodes has confirmed that the 3-cpm signal from such electrodes reflects gastric slow-wave activity. Now, the observation that patients with unexplained nausea and vomiting may have very rapid slow-wave frequencies (tachygastrias) and very slow, slow-wave frequencies (bradygastrias) suggests that electrogastrography, a reliable and noninvasive technique, may be useful in the diagnosis and management of patients with upper abdominal symptoms and gastroparesis.     

The zurich study

Summary This study describes sleep behaviour and insomnia in a representative cohort of a Swiss population. Interviews were carried out prospectively from age 20–21 to 27–28 years, starting with 292 males and 299 females. Females usually go to bed earlier and sleep 30 min longer than males. Taking into account length and periodicity of insomnia we can distinguish occasional insomnia (OI), repeated brief insomnia (RBI), and continued insomnia (CI), defined by operational criteria. The prevalence of sleep problems is stable from age 21–28, at 36%–40%. CI (prevalence 8%–10%) and RBI (13%–19%) are both medical problems in terms of treatment by professionals (10%–17%) or self-medication (7%–12%). The majority of insomniacs cope with sleep problems in various other ways. Frequency and patterns of symptoms of insomnia are described.The authors thank P. J. Clayton, M.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, for advice and critical suggestions and for the coining of the terms repeated brief insomnia and continued insomnia.Project supported by grant 3.948.0.85 from the Swiss National Science Foundation.Parts of this article were presented on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Mainz on April 2 and 3, 1987     

Iridoids from Scaevola racemigera1

Five iridoids have been isolated from the aerial parts of SCAEVOLA RACEMIGERA D?niker, namely, loganin, loganic acid, sylvestroside III, cantleyoside, and scaevoloside. This latter is a novel compound whose structure 1 has been elucidated on the basis of its spectral data, mainly (1)H- and (13)C-NMR.