Solubilization of water by hydrotropic salts

The effect of some electrolytes, nonelectrolytes, surfactants, and hydrotropic salts on the solubility of water in 1-butanol and 1-hexanol was investigated. While sodium chloride and sodium acetate decrease the solubility of water in 1-butanol, urea has no significant effect. The ionic surfactants, sodium lauryl sulfate and cetrimide, cause an initial decrease in the solubility of water in 1-butanol followed by an increase at high surfactant concentrations. The nonionic surfactant, polysorbate 20, does not show the initial decrease in water solubility. On the other hand, the hydrotropic salts, sodium benzoate, sodium salicylate, and sodium gentisate, are shown to be the best water solubilizers in 1-butanol. Sodium salicylate showed the maximum solubilizing power. The effect of sodium benzoate, sodium salicylate, and sodium lauryl sulfate on the solubility of water in 1-hexanol was also investigated. Similar results were obtained.     

Evaluation of the integrated 3-hour plasma cortisol concentration as a test for Cushing's syndrome

Twenty-four hour urinary free cortisol and mean and integrated 13h00-16h00 plasma cortisol levels were measured in 9 patients with proven Cushing's syndrome (5 with Cushing's disease, 2 with ectopic adrenocorticotrophic hormone production due to bronchial carcinoma and 2 with adrenal adenomas) and in 21 patients without Cushing's syndrome. The 24-hour urinary free cortisol levels and mean and integrated 13h00-16h00 plasma cortisol estimations clearly distinguished patients with Cushing's syndrome from those without. However, adequate suppression on dexamethasone suppression tests (false negatives) were obtained in 3 of the 9 patients with Cushing's syndrome. Since the integrated 13h00-16h00 plasma cortisol estimation is cheaper and simpler than the mean 13h00-16h00 plasma cortisol estimation, we recommend it as an adjunct in the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome.     

Urolithiasis in Jordanian children. A report of 52 cases

Fifty-two children with urinary calculi seen between 1975 and 1986 were reviewed. Males dominated the series. The age distribution ranged from 10 months to 14 years (mean 7.2 years); 71% presented after school age. Most patients had upper tract stones. The main presenting symptoms were abdominal pain, infection and haematuria. The causative factors or co-factors were infection, malformations and urodynamic abnormalities. Metabolic disorders were rare. Calcium oxalate and uric acid stones were found most often. Surgical management was required in 88% of patients and only 3.8% had a recurrence. Presenting symptoms are variable and so a high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis.     

(3)He-particle-induced reactions on (nat)Sb for production of (124)I.

Excitation functions of the reactions (nat)Sb((3)He,xn)(124,123,121)I were measured from their respective thresholds up to 35 MeV, with particular emphasis on data for the production of the medically important radionuclide (124)I. The conventional stacked-foil technique was used. From the experimental data the theoretical yields of the three investigated radionuclides were calculated. The yield of (124)I over the energy range E9(30He) = 35 --> 13 MeV amounts to 0.95 MBq/microA h. The radionuclidic impurities are discussed. A comparison of (3)He- and alpha-particle-induced reactions on antimony for production of (124)I is given. The alpha-particle-induced reaction on enriched (121)Sb and the (3)He-particle-induced reaction on enriched (123)Sb would lead to comparable (124)I yields, but the level of impurities in the latter case would be somewhat higher.     

Wilson's disease tremor is associated with magnetic resonance imaging lesions in basal ganglia structures.

Wilson's disease (WD) is an inherited disorder of copper metabolism yielding marked motor deficits, including a severely disabling tremor. As a structural correlate of the disease, a variety of cerebral abnormalities has been revealed. However, the relationship between motor deficits and cerebral lesions has remained largely unknown. Here, we investigated correlation between WD tremor and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Cerebral MRI abnormalities in 6 symptomatic WD patients were compared to findings in 6 asymptomatic WD patients and 10 healthy controls. All patients were treated with long-term copper chelating therapy. Motor symptoms including tremor were determined by Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS-III). MRI findings in symptomatic WD patients revealed significant symmetric T2*-weighted hypointense signal alterations of globus pallidus, head of the caudate nucleus, and substantia nigra. In contrast, MRI of asymptomatic WD patients did not differ from healthy controls. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between MRI basal ganglia lesions and UPDRS action tremor score. Our results demonstrate for the first time that Wilson's disease tremor is associated with lesions of the globus pallidus, the head of the caudate nucleus, and the substantia nigra.     

Outcome of surgery in patients with hematological malignancies: A 12-year retrospective analysis

Background: Surgical intervention in patients with malignant hematological disorders is a major undertaking due to the expected risks of bleeding, infection and poor wound healing. Methods and materials: A retrospective study of patients treated at the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia between January 1991 and December 2002 was conducted. The results of patients with acute leukemia and lymphoma who underwent surgical procedures (study group) were compared with those of a control group composed of patients with the same spectrum of disorders treated over the same period of time and given the same treatment protocols but never required any surgery. Results: No single death occurred intraoperatively or in the immediate postoperative period due to surgical therapy per se. However, follow up of both groups of patients revealed a shorter long‐term survival and higher rates of relapse and severe invasive infections in the surgical group compared to the control group of patients. The mean survival for the study group was 1871 ± 307 days versus 3094 ± 279 days for the control group of patients (P = 0.0027). Thirty (75%) study patients suffered relapses of their malignant hematological disorders versus 23 (37.1%) control patients. Forty‐five relapses were encountered in the study group of patients (1.5 relapses per relapsed patient) versus 26 relapses in the control group (1.13 relapses per relapsed patient). Various infections occurred in 37 (92.5%) study patients and 32 (51.6%) control patients. Recurrent infections developed in 30 (75%) study patients and 22 (35.5%) control patients (P = 0.00008). Infections causing tissue invasion were encountered in 29 (72.5%) study patients and 22 (35.5%) control patients. Conclusion: Even major surgical procedures can be performed in patients with leukemia or lymphoma provided enough preparatory measures are made to minimize bleeding and infectious complications. Surgery may, however, be associated with long‐term complications such as a high incidence of relapse of the primary malignant hematological disorder and an increased rate of severe and invasive infections.     

Cystic fibrosis detection in high-risk Egyptian children and CFTR mutation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in Egypt is very limited. The objective of this study was to screen for CF in Egyptian children with suggestive clinical features and to identify causative genetic mutations. METHODS: Sixty-one patients from the Chest Unit, Cairo University Children's Hospital, Egypt, were included. Subjects presented with persistent or recurrent respiratory symptoms, failure to thrive, diarrhea and/or steatorrhea and unexplained persistent jaundice. Patients were screened using the CF Indicatortrade mark sweat test system (PolyChrome Medical, Inc., Brooklyn Center, MN). A quantitative sweat testing was conducted on 10 of the 12 positive patients. Seven probands and one sibling underwent molecular analysis by direct DNA sequencing of the coding region and of the intronic sequences adjacent to the 27 exons of the CFTR gene. RESULTS: Of 61 patients, 12 (20%) had positive sweat chloride screening. Ten of the 12 patients underwent quantitative sweat testing and were positive. Eight CFTR sequence changes were identified in seven affected probands and two were confirmed in one sibling by direct DNA sequencing. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that CF is more common in Egypt than previously anticipated. Larger studies are warranted to identify the incidence, molecular basis and clinical pattern of CF in the Egyptian population.