Cardiotocographic abnormalities associated with dinoprostone and misoprostol cervical ripening

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the frequency and timing of cardiotocographic abnormalities associated with the use of 3 commercially available prostaglandin analogues, misoprostol, dinoprostone gel, and dinoprostone pessary, as labor preinduction agents. METHODS: One-hundred and eleven women undergoing induction of labor with an unfavorable cervix were randomized to receive either misoprostol 50 microg every 6 hours x 2 doses, dinoprostone gel 0.5 mg every 6 hours x 2 doses, or dinoprostone pessary 10 mg x 1 dose for 12 hours intravaginally. Oxytocin induction was initiated per standardized protocol. Cardiotocographic tracings were blindly reviewed, with abnormalities coded using established definitions. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of women treated with misoprostol demonstrated an abnormal tracing event within the initial 24 hours of induction, compared with 21.1% with dinoprostone pessary and 31.4% with the dinoprostone gel. The mean (+/- standard deviation) number of abnormal events was significantly greater in women treated with misoprostol (5.0 +/- 5.9) versus the dinoprostone pessary (1.6 +/- 2.5) and gel (2.2 +/- 3.1) (P < .05). In addition, these events occurred earlier after initial misoprostol dosing (5.0 +/- 4.0 hours), compared with the dinoprostone pessary (9.4 +/- 5.6 hours) and gel (7.7 +/- 6.6). Thirty-nine percent of the misoprostol-treated women had abnormal patterns within 6 hours of initial dosing, compared with those treated with the dinoprostone pessary (7.9%) and gel (17.1%). CONCLUSION: Cardiotocographic abnormalities are more frequent after misoprostol administration compared with the dinoprostone analogues. The early onset and frequent nature of the tracing abnormalities associated with misoprostol raises concern for the potential use of misoprostol for outpatient cervical ripening.     

Isoleucine metabolism by leukemic and normal human leukocytes in relation to cell maturity and type

The metabolism of an essential amino acid, isoleucine, by human leukemic and gradient-separated normal human leukocytes of various types and maturity was studied. Blood leukocytes were isolated and incubated with (U-14C) isoleucine. Separation of metabolic intermediates was accomplished by sequential extraction. The rate of isoleucine incorporation into protein by immature cells from untreated patients with acute leukemia (15.9 plus or minus 2.4 nmoles/hr per 10-8 leukocytes) was considerably higher than the rates of incorporation by mature neutrophils (3.2 plus or minus 0.5 nmoles/hr per 10-8 leukocytes), lymphocytes (7.7 plus or minus 1.2 nmoles/hr per 10-8 leukocytes), and eosinophils (6.2 plus or minus 1.3 nmoles/hr per 10-8 leukocytes). Those cell preparations with more blast cells had higher rates of protein synthesis. In addition, those cells with greater thymidine incorporation had higher rates of protein synthesis. The leukocytes both oxidized isoleucine and incorporated it into cell isoleucine and incorporated it into cell lipid. The rates of these metabolic processes were characteristic for various types and maturity of leukocytes. This study demonstrates a relationship of rate of protein synthesis to leukocyte immaturity. This relationship is maintained in neoplastic leukocytes. It suggests that the requirement of the mitotic process for newly synthesized protein is greater than that for the elaboration of the protein products of the mature leukocyte.     

Multiple sclerosis with clinical and radiological features of cerebral tumour

Three cases of multiple sclerosis, all confirmed pathologically, are described in whom both the unusual clinical features and the CT scan appearances suggested cerebral tumours. The failure of mass effect reliably to differentiate plaques and tumours on a CT scan is stressed and the literature relating to CT scanning in multiple sclerosis is reviewed.     

Effects of scopolamine,atropine, and d-Amphetamine on internal and external control of responding on non-reinforced trials

Rats learned not to respond on non-reinforced trials in a discrete trial situation in which trial responses were reinforced only if preceded by three or more non-response trials. Drug effects were measured: 1) when the same external stimuli were present on all trials and trial responding was therefore controlled by events that occurred prior to the trial (internal control); and 2) when the external stimuli on trials on which responding was reinforced were different from the external stimuli present on trials on which responding was not reinforced (external control). Scopolamine impaired performance (i.e. reduced the percentage of trial responses that were reinforced) to about the same extent under the internal and external control conditions. d-Amphetamine, on the other hand, impaired nonresponding on trials only under internal control conditions. Atropine affected both internally and externally controlled non-responding but had a greater effect on internally controlled non-responding.Supported by Grants MH 06997 and MH 14658 from the Public Health Service to Indiana University.     

Über den Einfluß von Dehydroascorbinsäure auf den Tumorstoffwechsel

Zusammenfassung Dehydroascorbinsüre setzt die anaerobe Glykolyse von Tumorschnitten in in-vitro-Untersuchungen je nach der Konzentration um 34–68% herab. Dehydroascorbinsäure setzt die aerobe Glykolyse von Tumorschnitten bei in-vitro-Untersuchungen um 24% herab und steigert die Atmung um 42%. Dehydroascorbinsäure scheint auf den Organismus von Ratten auch bei Konzentrationen von 500 mg/kg Körpergewicht nicht toxisch zu wirken. 2 mg Dehydroascorbinsäure/kg Körpergewicht intravenös injiziert, heben das Tumorwachstum bei weißen Ratten und Mäusen fast vollständig auf (Jensen-Sarkom, Walker-Carcinom, Ehrlich-Ascites-Tumor). Größere Dosierungen von Dehydroascorbinsäure bleiben ohne größere Wachstumsbeeinflussungen.

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Summary Dehydroascorbic acid reduces the anaerobic glycolysis according to the amount of the added concentration from 34 to 68 percent; the aerobic glycolysis decreases by 24 percent and the respiration increases by 42 percent. It seems that dehydroascorbic acid is not toxic in a concentration of 500 mg/kg body weight on the rat's organism. 2 mg dehydroascorbic acid/kg body weight intravenously injected to rats and mice retard the tumour growth (Jensen-sarcoma, Walker-carcinoma, Ehrlich-Ascites-tumour). A higher concentration of dehydroascorbic acid doesn't enhauce the influence on tumour growth.

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Mit 2 Textabbildungen     

Über den Verbleib von methyl-thioäthyl-2′-pentyl-thiobarbitursaurem Natrium im Rattenkörper

Zusammenfassung Da es noch keine empfindliche und spezifische Methode zum Nachweis der Thiobarbitursäure und ihrer Derivate bei kleinen Laboratoriumstieren gibt, wurde die Ultraviolettabsorption von Chloroformextrakten aus Organen als Maß für die Verteilung der injizierten Substanz im Tierkörper verwendet. Das injizierte Natriumsalz der Methylthioäthyl-2-pentyl-thiobarbitursäure wird im Blut sehr rasch in die entsprechende Säure übergeführt und bald in nicht chloroformextrahierbare Verbindungen verwandelt. Der noch mit Chloroform ausziehbare, bei 306 nm maximal absorbierende Anteil besteht ebenfalls nur noch zu einem kleinen Teil aus der Ausgangssubstanz. Die bei 306 nm absorbierende Fraktion in der Leber erreicht nach 10 min ihr Maximum und nimmt dann bis 12 Std stetig bis zum Leerwert ab. In der Niere findet sich das Maximum unmittelbar nach dem Erwachen (im Mittel 25–28 min), im Fettgewebe ist der höchste Wert nach 1 Std erreicht.Mit 2 TextabbildungenAls Thiogenal, E. Merck, A. G., im Handel.