Technetium-99m-MRP20, a potential brain perfusion agent: in vivo biodistribution and SPECT studies in non-primate animals

MRP20 (N-(2(1H pyrolylmethyl]N'-(4-pentene-3-one-2] ethane-1,2-diamine) complexes with technetium-99m, yielding a neutral, lipophilic species. This compound has been characterized as [TcO(MRP20)]. Biologic investigation of [99mTc][TcO(MRP20)] in female rats showed 2.35% ID in the brain 30 min p.i. with no significant wash-out over 3 hr. A single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) study in a dog demonstrated rapid tracer uptake in the brain, reaching a maximum within 1 min, with 2.24% i.d. 15 min p.i., decreasing to 1.7% after 4 hr. The complex undergoes hydrolysis in vitro forming a cationic species. This is possibly the trapping mechanism in the brain in vivo. The main excretory route of [99mTc][TcO(MRP20)] is via the hepatobiliary tract. There is evidence of some "in vivo" cell labeling and soft-tissue uptake.     

Comparative study of low power neodymium-YAG laser interstitial hyperthermia versus ethanol injection for controlled hepatic tissue destruction

A solitary hepatic metastasis is amenable to surgery. However, if surgery is contraindicated or if multiple lesions are present in both liver lobes, other treatment modalities have to be considered. We compared the effect of interstitial laser hyperthermia with damage caused by alcoholization. Six anaesthetized beagle dogs were studied. Three animals were treated with laser hyperthermia. A bare laser fibre (400m diameter) was introduced through a 17-gauge needle, length 170 mm, positioned into the liver under real time ultrasonographic guidance. Lesions were produced by continuous 500-s exposure of 1W YAG laser (Medilas MBB 40N) power. Three dogs were subjected to an injection of 4 ml of 98% pure ethanol into the liver through the same needle system. Two days after the procedure the animals were killed and the livers examined. The surface of the livers treated with the YAG laser were entirely normal; superficial lesions were, however, clearly visible. Laserinduced lesions were well reproducible, clearly demarcated, roughly spherical with a mean diameter of 1.01±0.23 cm (n=16). In contrast, the dogs treated with alcohol had free intraperitoneal serohaemorrhagic fluid and the surface of the liver was diffusely abnormal. The lesions had a more or less cylindrical shape, 1.22±0.43 cm on 0.40±0.10 cm (n=12) although exact measurement was often difficult. The border of the lesions was irregular and there was a clear necrotic zone along the puncture track. On microscopic examination the laser-induced lesions consisted of a central evaporation area, a zone of carbonized material and an outer zone of coagulation necrosis. The alcohol-induced lesions were characterized by both fixation necrosis and coagulative necrosis but surprisingly, there was also necrosis present at a distance of the lesions extending along the centrilobular and even portal veins. These data show that laser-induced interstitial necrosis in the liver is better controlled and more reproducible than necrosis induced by injection of pure ethanol. Moreover, pure ethanol may cause damage to the liver surface and even at a distance of the injection site.     

Cellular sensitization against sperm and seminal antigens in women

In 13 healthy women and 6 virgins the cellular sensitization against sperm and seminal plasma antigens was demonstrated by an indirect lymphokin assay, the leucocyte migration inhibition test (LMI-test) using the following preparations: "washed" spermatozoa, seminal plasma and spermatozoa of the supernatant prepared with the "swim-up" technique. In both groups of women a cellular sensitization against sperm and seminal plasma antigens could be observed. Further, a dose dependent correlation was found in that way, that increasing concentrations of spermatozoa lead to an increased inhibition of macrophage migration. In virgins cellular sensitization against seminal plasma proteins did not differ from non-virgins, only the percentage of significant reactions in the LMI-Test was reduced. As low sperm concentrations (1 million ml-1), which represent best the physiological situation in the uterus, induced an enhanced migrations of macrophages the enhancement of macrophage migration is considered as physiological cellular sensitization of females against sperm-associated antigens.     

The topographical and neuroanatomical distribution of neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

The distribution of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and neuritic plaques (NPs) was mapped in 39 cortical areas of 11 brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whole hemisphere blocks were embedded in polyethylene glycol (Carbowax), sectioned coronally, and stained with thioflavin S and thionin. The densities of NFTs and NPs were assessed using a numerical rating scale for each area. Scores were grouped by type of cortex and by lobe for statistical analysis. Highly significant differences were obtained. For example, limbic periallocortex and allocortex had more NFTs than any other type of cortex. In descending order, the density of NFTs was as follows: periallocortex (area 28) greater than allocortex (subiculum/CA1 zones of hippocampal formation, area 51) greater than corticoid areas (accessory basal nucleus of amygdala, nucleus basalis of Meynert) greater than proisocortex (areas 11, 12, 24, 23, anterior insula, 38, 35) greater than nonprimary association cortex (32, 46, superior temporal sulcus, 40, 39, posterior parahippocampal cortex, 37, 36) greater than primary sensory association cortex (7, 18, 19, 22, 21, 20) greater than agranular cortex (44-5, 8, 6, 4) greater than primary sensory cortex (41-2, 3-1-2, 17). The laminar distribution of NFTs tended to be selective, involving primarily layers III and V of association areas and layers II and IV of limbic periallocortex. There were far more NFTs in both limbic and temporal lobes than in frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. In general, NPs were more evenly distributed throughout the cortex, with the exceptions of limbic periallocortex and allocortex, which had notably fewer NPs than other cortical areas. Temporal and occipital lobes had the highest NP densities, limbic and frontal lobes had the lowest, and parietal lobe was intermediate. No significant left-right hemispheric differences for NFT or NP densities were found across the population, and there was no relationship between duration of illness and densities of NFTs or NPs. The regional and laminar distribution of NFTs (and, to a lesser degree, that of NPs) suggests a consistent pattern of vulnerability within the cerebral cortices that seems correlated to the hierarchies of cortico-cortical connections. The higher-order association cortices, especially those in the anterior and ventromedial sectors of temporal lobe, are the most vulnerable, while other cortices appear less vulnerable to a degree commensurate with their connectional "distance" (i.e., synapses removed) from the limbic areas.     

Antispasmodic Activity of Origanum compactum

In addition to the spasmolytic activity of ORIGANUM COMPACTUM, the antagonistic effect of the main components thymol and carvacrol is investigated on the isolated guinea-pig ileum, induced by carbachol, histamine, 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide and BaCl (2). The l-noradrenaline contractions on the rat vas deferens are also reduced by both of phenols and the Origanum macerate. pD' (2) values and relative potency to papaverine illustrate the affinity of the isomers. It is concluded that thymol and carvacrol act as non-competitive antagonists and are not significantly different from each other.     

Arthritis associated with salmonella infection

Summary Six cases of arthritis caused by or associated with Salmonella infection are reported. It is stated that an arthritis associated with a Salmonella infection cannot be excluded on the negative results of the Widaltest. Consequent upon Salmonella infection two different types of arthritis might develop: a) monoarticular infectious arthritis or b) a subacute reactive oligo-articular arthritis. In this study a patient with a chronic destructive reactive oligoarthritis is described, resembling experimental Salmonella-associated arthritis in rats. This form of arthritis might be regarded as an immune complex mediated disease associated with a chronic infection.     

Waterzuiveringsmethoden en de toepassing van omgekeerde osmose in de apotheek

For different purposes in the pharmacy we need a different quality of water. After having looked at the usual feed water (tap water) the different water purification methods,i.e. demineralisation, distillation and reverse osmosis are briefly reviewed. The microbiological and chemical quality of reverse osmosis water is discussed. The disinfection and inspection of the integrity of the reverse osmosis membrane is emphasised.Samenvatting De vraag komt aan de orde welke kwaliteit water voor de verschillende toepassingen in de apotheek nodig is. Na kort de aandacht te hebben gegeven aan het gebruikelijke voedingswater, namelijk het drinkwater, komen achter-eenvolgens aan de orde demineralisatie, destillatie en omgekeerde osmose als waterzuiveringsmethoden. De microbiologische en de chemische kwaliteit van met name omgekeerde-osmosewater komen ter sprake, alsmede de wijze waarop de desinfectie en de controle van de inte-griteit van de omgekeerde-osmosemembraan plaatsvindt.

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Samengesteid uit voordrachten gehouden voor de Nederlandse Vereniging van Ziekenhuisapothekers (12 februari 1977) en op het symposium Technologie van de waterbereiding voor farmaceutische doeleinden (15 april 1980).     

De gevaren van de wolfsmelken

Voordracht gehouden tijdens het congres Giftige planten om ons heen, georganiseerd door de Nederlandse Vereniging van Geneeskruidenonderzoek, van 5–7 juni 1980 te Egmond aan Zee.