Distribution of [14C]-ciprofloxacin in experimentally induced intramuscular abscesses of rats

Wistar rats were infected by injection of 0.05 ml of a dense oily suspension of Staphylococcus aureus into the posterior thigh muscles of the hind leg. Three days later, solid abscesses had formed which were characterized by a peripheral accumulation of polymorphocytes and incipient central necrosis. At this time, 10 mg/kg of [14C]-ciprofloxacin (1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-piperazin-1-ylquino line-3-carboxylic acid, Bay o 9867; designated tradename: Ciprobay) were administered intravenously. The animals were sacrificed at various time intervals after treatment and the distribution of radioactivity was examined by whole-body autoradiography. Five min after administration of ciprofloxacin, the radioactivity was found to be differentially distributed among all organs and tissues, but no radioactivity was detectable in the abscess. Beginning from 1 h post appl., increasing relative amounts of radioactivity were seen inside the abscesses. The relative enrichment as compared to the surrounding muscle tissue was most pronounced after 5 h, indicating that the radioactivity was eliminated more rapidly from the muscle than from the abscess. Some radioactivity was still present in the abscess 8 h after treatment of the animals. The comparison of autoradiograms and corresponding histological sections revealed a distinct affinity of [14C]-ciprofloxacin and/or its potential radioactive metabolites to the areas of inflammatory cellular infiltrates.     

Topography of cerebral infarction associated with carotid artery dissection

Because the pathogenesis of cerebral ischaemia in internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) is controversial we studied the topography of cerebral infarction that results from ICAD according to pathophysiology of embolic and haemodynamic stroke. Sixty-four patients with 67 ICADs diagnosed by angiography, Doppler duplex sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were studied prospectively during the past decade. According to current pathophysiological concepts, cortical territorial infarcts and large subcortical lenticulostriate infarcts revealed by CT or MRI were classified as embolic, while smaller infarcts in the subcortical junctional zone and infarcts in the cortical borderzone between the middle (MCA) and anterior cerebral artery were interpreted as haemodynamic infarcts. Of the 67 dissections 37 (55%) were associated with brain infarcts, of which territorial MCA infarcts of variable size accounted for 60%. These were combined with infarcts of the anterior and posterior cerebral artery in 5%; 8% of the patients had complete MCA infarction. Large lenticulostriate infarcts were present in 11%. Haemodynamic infarcts involved the subcortical junctional zone in 16% but never the anterior cortical borderzone. Although different abnormal Doppler findings indicated haemodynamically significant carotid obstruction in all symptomatic ICADs, only the characteristic high-resistance Doppler signal was significantly associated with the occurrence of brain infarction (in 66%,P < 0.01). The angiographic features of ICAD did not correlate with the incidence or with the topography of cerebral infarction. Patterns of infarction in ICAD indicate a predominantly embolic causation probably due to thrombus formation in the dissected carotid artery in the presence of severe haemodynamic obstruction, as demonstrated by Dopppler sonography.Presented in part at the 3rd European Stroke Conference, Stockholm, May 1994     

A trial of the 21-aminosteroid U74006F in a primate model of chronic cerebral vasospasm

The efficacy of U74006F in the prophylaxis of chronic cerebral vasospasm (VSP) was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Forty cynomolgus monkeys were divided by restricted randomization into 2 treatment groups of 20. Five animals from each treatment group were randomized into subgroups 1 and 2. The animals of subgroup 1 were studied pathologically. Brain biopsies of the animals in subgroup 2 were performed and studied with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The remaining 20 animals supplemented the number studied angiographically. Significant VSP (P less than 0.05) was detected in the majority of vessels from the clot site (right) of both treatment groups. Electron microscopy results showed positive correlation with the angiographic data. When comparing the effects of U74006F to those of the placebo at day 7, there was a significant difference (P less than 0.05) in the degree of VSP in the right extradural internal carotid and right middle cerebral arteries. This resulted from a greater degree of VSP in placebo animals. Two animals developed delayed ischemic deficits, one from each group. The infarct of the U74006F animal was smaller than the infarct in the placebo animal. Although overall changes in phosphagen levels did not reach statistical significance, HPLC analysis of the cortical biopsies did show a decrease in the ATP/ADP +/- AMP ratio of 54% in placebo animals and only 7% in animals receiving U74006F. The middle cerebral arteries of 2 animals were also studied with HPLC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

No evidence for particles encapsulating RNA-instructed DNA polymerase and high molecular weight virus-related RNA in herpesvirus induced tumours of non-human primates.

The simultaneous detection test gave no evidence for the presence of RNA tumour viruses in herpesvirus induced malignant lymphomas of non-human primates. The 12 tumours tested were obtained from three different monkey species inoculated with Herpesvirus saimiri or herpesvirus ateles. Particles encapsulating RNA-instructed DNA polymerase and high mol. wt. virus-related RNA were easily demonstrated in tumours of the mouse induced by type-C or type-B oncornaviruses and in human lymphoid cells infected with simian sarcoma virus type I which were examined in parallel. Attempts to demonstrate partial expression of an oncornavirus genome in the herpesvirus induced tumours and attempts to detect an interspecies antigen related to monkey oncornaviruses were negative and strengthened the observations made with the simultaneous detection test.     

The role of sexual satisfaction, age, and cardiac risk factors in the reduction of post-MI anxiety.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is common after myocardial infarction (MI); however, little is known about the role of sexual satisfaction and return to sexual activity on anxiety post-MI. AIM: To examine the role of sexual satisfaction in reducing anxiety post-MI. METHODS: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) recruited from one U.S. medical center completed questionnaires at baseline while hospitalized and at 1, 3, and 5 months post-MI. This analysis includes 64 patients compared on low or high anxiety at 5 months post-MI using sexual satisfaction and selected demographic and clinical variables in the analysis. RESULTS: Patients with high anxiety scores reported lower sexual satisfaction (p < .001) and a higher percentage of coronary risk factors (p < .01). The OLS regression model provided similar results with an adjusted R-square of .422, accounting for approximately 42% of anxiety (p < .001). Sexual satisfaction accounted for the most variance in the model, showing an inverse relationship between sexual satisfaction and anxiety. An inverse relationship also existed between age and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety is common after MI, and decreased sexual satisfaction appears to contribute to heightened anxiety. Attention to sexual concerns of MI patients before and after hospital discharge may improve psychosocial outcomes.     

Pharmacokinetics of acarbose. Part II: Distribution to and elimination from tissues and organs following single or repeated administration of [14C]acarbose to rats and dogs

Acarbose (O-4,6-dideoxy-4-[[1S,4R,5S,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-3- (hydroxymethyl)-2-cyclohexen-1-yl]amino]-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl- (1----4)-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----4)-D-glucopyranose, Bay g 5421) labelled with 14C was administered to male rats, pregnant and lactating rats as well as to female dogs with single intravenous or oral doses (2 or 4 mg.kg-1) and with repeated oral doses of 2 mg.kg-1 to male rats for 3 weeks. The distribution of radioactivity to organs and tissues, the placental transfer and the secretion into milk was studied using whole-body autoradiographic methods and/or quantitative determination of total radioactivity after autopsy. Unchanged [14C]acarbose was distributed predominantly in the extracellular space, as observed after intravenous dosing to rats. According to the main excretion route, high concentrations were found in kidneys and urine and additionally in blood, lung, and connective tissue or interstitial space. The permeability of the blood/brain barrier for [14C]acarbose and/or its metabolites was very low. No indication was found for distinct differences in the distribution patterns in rats and dogs after intravenous and also in dogs after oral administration. In contrast, in rats after oral dosing the distribution pattern of radioactivity was different with relatively high concentrations in liver, kidney, adrenal gland, spleen, and intestinal mucosa. Due to the slow absorption of the microbial degradation products of [14C]acarbose from the intestine maximum concentrations in the different tissues were reached 8-24 h after dosing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)