Olanzapine and venous thromboembolism

Clozapine has recently been associated with venous thromboembolism. The aim of this study was to describe three elderly patients in whom olanzapine therapy was associated with venous thromboembolism. During a 4-month period at the same psychogeriatric clinic, three elderly patients (an 89-year-old male, a 78-year-old male and an 83-year-old female) developed deep venous thrombosis shortly after treatment with olanzapine was initiated. Two of the patients also had symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. None had previously been diagnosed with venous thromboembolism. These cases indicate that venous thromboembolism might be associated with the use of olanzapine, at least in geriatric patients. Subjects treated with olanzapine should be monitored clinically for venous thromboembolism to ensure early detection and prompt intervention, and a possible discontinuation of treatment with olanzapine should be considered after a diagnosis of venous thromboembolism.     

Aging of cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells: oxidative reactions,lipofuscin formation and blue light damage

This report reviews our experimental work on cultured retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, fed native or UV-irradiated photoreceptor outer segments (POS). We showed that significantly more lipofuscin (LF) was formed in cells cultured in 40% oxygen than in cells cultured in 8% oxygen, indicating an involvement of oxidative mechanisms in LF formation. The antioxidants -tocopherol, lycopene, zeaxanthin and lutein significantly reduced LF formation. RPE cells high in melanin content exhibited significantly less formation of LF than cells low in or devoid of melanin, suggesting that melanin acts as an effective antioxidant. The phagocytic capacity of LF-loaded RPE cells was significantly reduced compared to that of unloaded control cells, indicating that LF-loaded RPE cells may be unable to serve the photoreceptors sufficiently regarding phagocytosis of shed outer segment tips. Blue light irradiation destabilized lysosomal membranes in LF-loaded RPE cells and significantly reduced the viability of such cells compared to unloaded, irradiated control cells. These results may be of significance in relation to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).     

"I am happy that God made me a boy": Zambian adolescent boys' perceptions about growing into manhood

Adolescence is a period of transition during which a person is neither considered a child nor an adult. As little is known about adolescent boys' perceptions, norms, role models and gender relations that influence their male identity and behaviour, this qualitative study was conducted. Data were drawn from seven FGDs and twelve mails of adolescent boys (15-19 years old) residing in two townships outside Lusaka and Kitwe in Zambia. Findings show that growing up to a man entails a certain level of ambiguity and contradictory perceptions in terms of supposedly appropriate social and sexual behaviour but indicates a few alternatives. Based on the findings, we recommend that the information gap, misconceptions and anxiety among boys regarding their male identity should be addressed. The respondents suggested that an educational programme that will pay due attention to their needs and answer their questions should be designed and implemented with active involvement of male adolescent peers.     

Ethinyl estradiol in peripheral plasma after oral administration of 30μg and 50μg to women

Plasma levels of ethinyl estradiol were measured by radioimmunoassay in five women after oral administration of 30μg and of 50μg of ethinyl estradiol. Peak levels of ethinyl estradiol were mostly observed within two hours after the tablet intake. The peak concentrations found were 50–90 pg and 95–135 pg for the two doses administered. Twenty-four hours after the administration of the tablets, the plasma concentration of ethinyl estradiol did not exceed the plasma blank values (25 pg/ml) in most women.     

Experimental gingivitis in immunized dogs

The present experiment was performed to study the clinical and histopathological features of developing gingivitis in eight dogs, of which four were repeatedly immunized with plaque antigens prior to the start of a defined plaque accumulating period. The dogs were, after weaning, fed a soft diet but also twice daily subjected to meticulous tooth cleaning. When they were 10 months old and their gingiva were in excellent health, all tooth cleaning procedures were terminated and dental plaque was allowed to accumulate for 4 weeks. Clinical examinations and gingival biopsy sampling were performed during this period. The biopsies were analyzed morphometrically.
In the injected dogs the levels of specific serum antibodies, as determined by an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), were raised 3–4 fold. No antibody increase was observed in the controls. After the termination of the tooth-cleaning period, the immunized dogs seemed to accumulate dental plaque at the same rate as non-immunized controls. The gingiva of the immunized animals reacted to initial plaque formation with symptoms such as redness, swelling and bleeding in a manner very similar to the controls. The degree of gingival exudation and the size of the gingival connective tissue lesion was, however, less pronounced in the immunized dogs compared to the non-immunized controls.
The results indicate that raised immunity to plaque antigens may have a protective function in the dento-gingival tissues during the development of plaque induced gingivitis.     

An ultrastructural study of the synaptic contacts of α-motoneurone axon collaterals. I. Contacts in lamina IX and with identified α-motoneurone dendrites in lamina VII

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected intracellularly in triceps surae α-motoneurones. The axons and axon collaterals of these neurones were traced light and electron microscopically. Synaptic boutons of collaterals, in Rexed's lamina IX or in synaptic contact with HRP-stained motoneurone dendrites in lamina VII, were studied ultrastructurally. The boutons exhibited spherical synaptic vesicles and made synaptic contacts of two different types with HRP-stained α-motoneurone dendrites in lamina IX and VII, dendrites and cell bodies of large neurones in lamina IX, dendrites of unknown origin in lamina IX and with one cell body of a medium sized neurone in lamina IX. The observations are discussed in relation to earlier qualitative and quantitative studies on the synaptology of cat spinal α-motoneurones.     

Radiation Effects in the Colon: An Experimental Study in the Rat

In an experimental study, resembling a clinical trial of preoperative irradiation, 10 + 10 Gy was given to the pelvic and lower abdominal region of rats with a 4-day interval. The early effect on the colonic wall was evaluated by myeloperoxidase activity and hydroxyproline content of the bowel wall and correlated to histological findings. Groups of animals were followed up to eight months after irradiation for evaluation of later effects. General effects of irradiation were seen as low WBC during the first week and delayed body weight development up to two months after irradiation. Local effect in the colonic wall was noted as an increase in myeloperoxidase activity (indicating a leucocyte accumulation) in irradiated parts of colon during the first 11 days and again significantly elevated after two months in parts of colon, irradiated as well as protected. This correlated well with histological findings of inflammatory reaction, atypia and dysplasia during the first 10 days after irradiation but not at two months after irradiation. Hydroxyproline content was not affected. There were no major complications due to irradiation seen in the late course of the study period.     

Biological effects in a chemical factory with mutagenic exposure

Eighty-five workers in a chemical plant, in which there was an increased frequency of B-lymphocyte tumours (myelomas and lymphomas) and lung cancer, did not excrete higher amounts of thioethers in urine than 48 control subjects. The chemically exposed workers had, however, a higher excretion of thioethers in urine during shift compared to an exposure-free period. The bacterial fluctuation test showed a statistically significantly increased mutagenic activity for E. coli Wp2 uvrA, but not for Salmonella TA98, in the urine of the exposed workers compared with the controls. However, no difference in excretion was found in the chemical workers between work and an exposure free-period. Further, no association of thioether or mutagen excretion with any specific chemical exposure (e.g. ethylene oxide and formaldehyde) in the plant could firmly be established.