Albendazole: a new single dose anthelmintic. Study in 1455 patients

Albendazole has been tested in an open trial conducted in France, seven countries of West-Africa, Martinique and the People's Republic of China in a total of 1455 patients harboring single or mixed infections caused by round-worms, pinworms, hookworms and whipworms. All patients were closely observed before and after treatment for clinical side effects and hematology and clinical chemistry values were done in about 5% of the cases. Fecal samples obtained before and approximately 15, 16 and 17 days after treatment were examined using the Kato test, and when negative, a concentration technic. In case of ancylostomiasis, a coproculture was carried out for species identification. Following a single oral dose, albendazole was highly effective in enterobiasis (100%), ascariasis (89%), ancylostomiasis caused by Necator americanus (88%) and trichuriasis (70%). The drug did not procedure any significant adverse reactions or modifications of the hematological and clinical blood chemistry values and only 6% of the 1455 patients reported minor side effects.     

Conversion in gene b1 of Ascobolus: Polarity of 6:2 and inverted polarity of aberrant 4:4 segregations

Summary Thirteen mutations located in gene b1 of Ascobolus immersus were studied for their non-mendelian segregation patterns. All these motations yield post-meiotic segregations. The non-mendelian segregation frequencies are the highest for the left end mutations. From left to right, the frequency of aberrant 4:4 asci increases. The hybrid DNA formation and distribution pattern as deduced from this result is consistent with that previously found in gene b2, providing further support to the Aviemore model. The frequency of 6:2 asci decreases from left to right. This constitutes an entirely new observation, the meaning of which is discussed.     

Benchmark of a high-frequency jet ventilator, the Mistral

OBJECTIVE: To test a high-frequency jet ventilator, the Mistral (Acutronic Laboratory) on a lung model. METHODS: The jet ventilator Mistral was tested with two connectors (7 and 20 ml) and four catheters. Pressure and flow measurements were performed by varying the driving pressure (1 to 3 bars), the I/T ratio (0.25, 0.35, 0.45) and the frequency (1 to 5 Hz). Recorded data were: the volume delivered by the ventilator, the pressure measured in the connecting line between the ventilator and the injector and the difference between the end expiratory pressure measured by the ventilator through the injector and the tracheal pressure. RESULTS: An increase in driving pressure induced a proportional increase in minute volume whatever the injection catheter used. After insufflation, when a Seldicath catheter was used, the pressure decrease was the slowest and the time constant the longest. Increase in frequency or I/T ratio, particularly beyond 0.35, was associated with an increase of the end expiratory pressure measured by the respirator. The gradient of pressure measured by the respirator and by an external sensor was lower with the 7 ml connector whatever the catheter used, and was larger with the Seldicath catheter. CONCLUSION: The use of a low volume connector should be preferred, because it allows the measurement of the end expiratory pressure for a larger range of driving pressure, expiratory time and catheters. The performances of the Seldicath catheter are below those of the other catheters studied.