Religious Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Henna, derived from a combination of natural leaves and coloring additives, is a common decorative dye traditionally used in many Islamic religious celebrations. Para‐phenylenediamine (PPD), a major component of black henna tattoo, is a strong sensitizer and common allergen. We report a case of severe connubial allergic contact dermatitis after black henna heterotransfer in a girl.     

Nickel Allergy and Our Children's Health: A Review of Indexed Cases and a View of Future Prevention

Nickel is the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from early childhood through adolescence. Studies have shown that skin piercings and other nickel‐laden exposures can trigger the onset of nickel ACD in those who are susceptible. Nickel ACD causes a vast amount of cutaneous disease in children. Cases of nickel ACD in children have been reported in peer‐reviewed literature from 28 states. Common items that contain inciting nickel include jewelry, coins, zippers, belts, tools, toys, chair studs, cases for cell phones and tablets, and dental appliances. The diagnosis of nickel ACD has been routinely confirmed by patch testing in children older than 6 months suspected of ACD from nickel. Unlike in Europe, there are no mandatory restrictions legislated for nickel exposure in the United States. Denmark has demonstrated that regulation of the nickel content in metals can lower the risk of ACD and the associated health care–related costs that arise from excess nickel exposure. To further awareness, this article reviews the prominent role of nickel in pediatric skin disease in the United States. It discusses the need for a campaign by caretakers to reduce nickel‐related morbidity. Lastly, it promotes the model of European legislation as a successful intervention in the prevention of nickel ACD.     

Na,K-Atpase in renal tissue of rats in the dynamics of experimental nephritis]

The authors undertook comparative study of the Na, K-ATPase activity in the red cells, ghost corpuscles, and in the cortex and medulla of kidneys of rats with experimental glomerulonephritis (GN) induced by injection of nephrotoxic serum (NTS), during an acute course of the process (1 and 2 weeks after NTS injection) and in chronic affection of the kidneys (10 weeks after NTS injection). The activity of the enzyme both in the red cells and in the ghost corpuscles was reduced significantly, by 28 and 22%, respectively, in the acute period of the disease (one week after NTS injection) but was restored to normal values in the period of chronic affection of the kidneys. The activity of the enzyme did not change in the cortex during the whole period of the study, but in the medulla it diminished in the acute period of the disease and remained reduced (by 27% on the average) during the chronic phase. It is concluded that reduction of the enzyme activity in the studied objects was not caused by the presence of endogenous inhibitors of the enzyme. It is suggested that reduction of Na, K-ATPase activity in the renal medulla may be one of the factors of increase of Na and water excretion in the urine in the chronic phase of GN.     

HPLC/MS Determination of Enalapril and Enalaprilat in the Blood Plasma

A reproducible and sensitive analytical procedure has been developed for the quantitative determination of enalapril and enalaprilat in the blood plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection (HPLC/MS). For increasing the sensitivity and reproducibility of analyses, the samples were treated with diazomethane in order to obtain methyl esters of the analyzed compounds. The quantitative determination was carried out using the internal standard method; the internal standard was captopril. The detection was performed in the positive ion mode for ions with m/z = 377 (enalaprilat methyl ester), 391 (enalapril methyl ester), and 267 (captopril methyl ester). Enalapril, enalaprilat, and captopril were isolated from the blood plasma and purified by means of solid-phase extraction. The calibration plot is linear in the concentration range from 0.5 to 200 ng/ml. The detection limits for both enalaprilat and enalapril in the blood plasma are 0.1 ng/ml.__________Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 49 – 52, February, 2005.     

Features of the formation, expression and transmission of basic genetic and androgen programs of the level of unusual estrogen-binding protein in sexually mature female rat hepatocytes under experimental conditions]

Some features of the formation, expression and inheritance of basic genetic and androgen programs of the level of unusual estrogen-binding protein (UEBP) in mature female rat hepatocytes under experimental conditions were investigated. Liver regeneration after partial (2/3) hepatectomy of mature rats was used for generation of a new population of differentiated hepatocytes. The UEBP content was determined by radioligand technique in control liver and at 2, 4, 14 days of liver regeneration and related to the total DNA content as an indicator of cell proliferative activity. It was revealed that the basic genetic program of low UEBP level of hepatocytes of ovariectomized females was fully transferred to daughter cell during cell proliferation and characterized by a temporary elevation of its expression during initial steps of liver regeneration. It was shown that the androgen program of a high UEBP level was completely and stably formed after androgen action in hepatocytes of ovariectomized females and was fully transferred to daughter cells during hepatocyte proliferation. However experimentally formed androgen program of a high UEBP level in female hepatocytes was completely revealed only during early steps of liver regeneration (the 4th day), its expression was essentially declined after regeneration process was over.     

Lipid peroxidation and the mechanisms of hepatocyte damage and protection in chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis

A study was made of the indices of lipid peroxidation (LPO)--conjugated dienes (CD) and diene ketones (D), cyclic nucleotides (CN)--cAMP and cGMP, prostaglandins (PG) E and F2 alpha in biopsy tissue of the liver in 55 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) and liver cirrhosis (LC). LPO was determined by spectrophotometry, CH and LC--by a radioimmunoassay. In patients with CPH and CAH the indices of LPO and cGMP were normal, cAMP, PG and PGE/PGF2 alpha were raised. In a severe fast progressive liver lesion disorder of coordination activity of the cell membranous systems was characterized by a high LPO activity, a decrease in cAMP and relative deficit of liver PG.