HL-A Antigens in Leprosy

HL—A phenotype frequencies were studied in 30 patients with leprosy and in 149 healthy controls. Leprosy patients had a significantly higher frequency of HL—A14. In addition, a majority of the HL—A14 patients gave a negative response to leproma antigen using the Mitsuda test.     

Hookworm Anemia: Iron Metabolism and Erythrokinetics

Iron metabolism, balance of red cell production and destruction and ironabsorption from hemoglobin were determined in 11 patients with heavy hookworm infection and severe anemia.

The plasma iron, total iron binding capacity, bone marrow hemosiderinand plasma Fe⁵⁹ clearance are in agreement with the idea that the anemia associated with hookworm infection is of the iron deficiency type.

The rate of red cell production measured by the E/M ratio, absolute reticulocyte count and plasma iron turnover showed an increase to about twicenormal, while the rate of destruction estimated by the T erythrocytesurvival showed a destruction about 5 times normal. This unbalance betweenproduction and destruction could explain the severity of the anemia.

The increase of fecal urobilinogen output to twice normal was interpretedas due to the metabolism of the hemoglobin lost into the intestine rather than toan increase of hemolysis.

The estimation of fecal blood loss in the patients whose red cells weretagged with Cr⁵¹ and Fe⁵⁹, showed that the radioactivity counted with Fe⁵⁹was only about 63 per cent of the radioactivity counted with Cr⁵¹. This difference was interpreted as due to iron absorption from the hemoglobin lostinto the intestine.

The mean daily fecal excretion of iron reaches 4.7 mg. Since the ironmetabolism in these patients is in equilibrium, we have concluded that theiron loss is replaced by the iron from food; this is in addition to the 3 mg.hemoglobin iron which is reabsorbed from the blood lost into the gut.

Submitted on January 9, 1961 Accepted on April 2, 1961     

How pre‐school children learn to brush their teeth in Sharjah,United Arab Emirates

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 230–234 Objective. The objective of this cross‐sectional study was to assess tooth brushing habits of pre‐school children and to determine the role and amount of supervision given to them by their parents. Method. One hundred pre‐school children below 6 years were selected from Maternal and Child Health Center, Sharjah (United Arab Emirates, UAE). A standard piloted questionnaire was used to collect socio‐demographic details and information on oral hygiene practise. Results. Tooth brushing was stared at a mean age of 16 months. Thirty‐seven per cent of the pre‐schoolers used a toothbrush for cleaning their teeth and the brushing habits were mainly (70%) introduced by mothers. The majority (80%) of children’s tooth brushing at the age of 3 years and above was supervised by mothers. Younger children were frequently supervised in tooth brushing than older children (P < 0.05) Conclusions. In summary, pre‐school children of Sharjah (UAE) were introduced to tooth brushing at a mean age of 16 months. Mothers played a pivotal role in introducing and teaching the child how to brush. There was no positive correlation between the brushing behaviour of the mothers and their children. In most cases, the children’s brushing was supervised by their mother when they were above 25 months of age. In children less than 12 months of age tooth brushing was not started at all.     

CONTRIBUTION TO THE PATHOGENESIS OF HEMOPHILIA

The causes of the delayed coagulation of hemophilic blood seem to become cleareras time advances. On one side we have the investigations of the school of Minot,indicating a deficit in the globulin fraction; and on the other side are the works ofthose who maintain that there exists an excess of anticoagulant substances. Wesupport the latter theory, although in our opinion the two theories do not contradict each other, since it might be possible that this anticoagulant substancewould act on the globulin fraction diminishing its coagulant power. This substancecould be identified with the anticephalin fraction of Tocantins.

With the idea that this substance might be less stable than the coagulant fractions (fibrinogen, prothrombin, and thromboplastin) we have tried to render itinactive by keeping the blood in a refrigerator for a certain length of time. Inactivity was obtained in some of our experiments. We know that the stability ofthis substance varies from one patient to the other, but we have not been able tofix the cause of these variations.

In conclusion, we consider that other means of neutralizing the action of thisanticoagulant substance should be investigated. This inactivity once obtained, weshould have advanced far in solving the intricate problem of hemophilia.

     

Coexisting Preexcitation Syndrome and Intermittent Heart Block Presenting as Neonatal Seizures

An infant presented with neonatal syncope and seizures. An ECG showed a preexcitation pattern, most compatible with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. Rhythm monitoring during an event demonstrated prolonged periods of complete AV block with no ventricular escape mechanism. We postulated that ventricular asystole was initiated by mechanical or autonomic influences on the accessory pathway and sustained by electrophysiologic interactions between the accessory pathway and the junctional escape focus. This is the first case report of a newborn having coexisting congenital AV block and WPW syndrome.     

Disposition of Nifurtimox and Metabolite Activity Against Trypanosoma cruzi using Rat Isolated Perfused Liver

Abstract— Nifurtimox disposition was investigated using the rat isolated perfused-liver method after administration of 25 μg mL^?1 nifurtimox, and its disappearance was monitored by analysing the perfusate sample at various times. Biliary excretion was also measured. The drug concentration profile underwent a biexponential decline over the 2-h study period, with a terminal half-life of 62·76 ± 17·56 min. Nifurtimox is a high clearance compound (15·23±5·53 mL min^?1). The extraction ratio was 0·621 ±0·159. Biliary excretion accounted for 0·05% of the dose, the remainder consisting of highly polar metabolites. By 2 h, a minimal fraction of unchanged nifurtimox was recovered from the perfusate. Nifurtimox activity against Trypanosoma cruzi (clone CA-1) during the perfusion was also determined. Epimastigotes isolated from continuous culture were exposed to the samples of perfusate at different perfusion times in a microtitre plate. After an incubation time of 72 h at 27°C, the parasite number in each well was counted under a microscope. From 0 to 75 min after the perfusion, the anti-trypanosomal activity decreased, but an increase in activity was observed at the later times. These findings show that active metabolites are formed during the perfusion.     

Effects of Trecadrine,a β3-Adrenergic Agonist,on Intestinal Absorption of d-Galactose and Disaccharidase Activities in Three Physiopathological Models

Impairments in intestinal absorptive and digestive processes have been described in several pathophysiological situations, such as in drug-induced diabetes, obesity and hypercholesterolaemia. Furthermore, there is evidence for the occurrence of β₃-adrenoceptors in multiple regions of the gastrointestinal tract, but there are no data concerning their possible involvement on jejunal and ileal digestive and absorptive functions. In this work, we have measured the modifications of selective intestinal absorption and disaccharidase activities in alloxan-induced diabetic and in diet-induced obese and hypercholesterolaemic Wistar rats. The action of a β₃-adrenergic agonist (Trecadrine) with hypoglycaemic and lipolytic properties on those gastrointestinal functions has been studied. Increases in the galactose uptake by intestinal rings and in both sucrase and maltase activities were found in diabetic rats. The results obtained after Trecadrine administration to diabetic rats led to an improvement of the altered values. On the other hand, our data show a decrease in sugar absorption and in disaccharidase activities in both obese and hypercholesterolaemic groups, probably related to the low carbohydrate and high fat content of these diets. An amelioration in sucrase activity was observed after treatment with Trecadrine. Finally, Trecadrine administration to control animals significantly inhibited galactose intestinal absorption, which was independently confirmed by additional in-vitro studies. Overall, these results could be attributed not only to an improvement in the pathophysiological condition (diabetes, obesity and hypercholesterolaemia), but also to a direct effect of the β₃-adrenergic agonist on the intestinal absorption processes.