Lactate turnover at rest and during submaximal exercise in patients with heart failure.

Systemic and lower limb skeletal muscle lactate metabolism was studied in 10 men with congestive heart failure by use of a primed continuous intravenous infusion of L-(+)-[U-14C]lactate. Arterial and deep femoral venous blood samples were obtained at rest and during 30 min of submaximal exercise. Systemic lactate metabolic turnover rate (Rd) was determined using Steele's isotopic steady-state equation (Rd = isotopic infusion rate/arterial specific activity).

Studies on the safety of intrasplenic hepatocyte transplantation: relevance to ex vivo gene therapy and liver repopulation in acute hepatic failure.

Hepatocytes transplanted into the host liver engraft promptly, retain normal function, and survive indefinitely. Although intrasplenic transplantation is effective in delivering hepatocytes to the liver, to define potentially limiting complications, we studied its safety in normal, cirrhotic, and partial portal vein-ligated rats. In normal rats, portal pressures increased severalfold after hepatocyte transplantation but returned to normal within 3 weeks.

Broken tracheostomy introducer--an unusual tracheobronchial foreign body.

We present a rare case where the introducer of a metal tracheostomy tube became lodged in the tracheobronchial tree. This may be the only reported case. The literature is reviewed to study the possible cause of tracheostomy tube component fracture and to suggest methods for preventing this complication.

Antigenic differences in human sperm samples related to various morphological abnormalities.

Sperm samples were collected from male partners of fertile and infertile couples having unexplained and male factor infertility and analyzed for morphological abnormalities. After a staining procedure, sperm samples of these infertile men showed a variety of abnormalities. The sperm samples were also studied for their binding with the Abs directed against protamine (the nuclear protein), fertilization antigen (FA-1, sperm surface antigen), and the lithium diiodosalicylate- (LIS-) solubilized sperm preparation, and the binding was correlated with the percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm in the sample.

Treatment of allergic and vasomotor rhinitis by the local application of different concentrations of silver nitrate.

In 1980, Bhargava et al. reported a new treatment of allergic and vasomotor rhinitis by the local application of 15 per cent silver nitrate. The results of further studies of the treatment by using different concentrations of silver nitrate ranging from 5 per cent to 25 per cent and normal saline as placebo are presented here; 15 per cent has been found to be the most effective concentration giving successful results in 75.

Immobilization of active urokinase on albumin microspheres: use of a chemical dehydrant and process monitoring.

A method of immobilizing urokinase on albumin microspheres has been developed. Laser scattering, which was used to follow particle size from the initial emulsification stage to the final aqueous resuspension of the microsphere stage, showed that particle coalescence and crosslinking were critical parameters in manufacturing the microspheres. Chemical dehydration with 2,2-dimethoxypropane was used to convert an albumin emulsion into an albumin suspension and to reduce coalescence.

Serotonergic modulation of spinal cord sympathetic preganglionic neurone activity in cardiovascular regulation.

The present study demonstrates the effect of activation of spinal serotonergic receptors on heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia induced by coronary artery ligation in cervical spinal cord transected and bilaterally vagotomized dogs. Intrathecal injection of serotonin (5-HT) evoked a fall in blood pressure (mean decrease, 16 +/- 3) and a decrease in heart rate (mean change, 24 +/- 6) and these effects were blocked by intrathecal pretreatment with methysergide. The magnitude of ventricular ectopics evoked by coronary artery ligation was decreased by serotonin (mean decrease, 31 +/- 5%), and this effect of serotonin was blocked by methysergide pretreatment intrathecally (mean change, 7 +/- 5%).

Permanent engraftment and function of hepatocytes delivered to the liver: implications for gene therapy and liver repopulation.

To examine the distribution of intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes, we used HBsAg-producing G7 HBV transgenic hepatocytes or cells labeled with 111In. Most hepatocytes translocated to the liver (55% +/- 7%; mean +/- S.D.

Cellular ions in hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. A nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study.

To investigate the cellular basis linking hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and obesity, we used 31P and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure intracellular pH (pHi), free magnesium (Mgi), and cytosolic free calcium (Cai) in erythrocytes of obese and NIDDM subjects with and without hypertension. Compared with normotensive, nondiabetic controls (Cai, 25.2 +/- 1.

Evidence for the inhibitory effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine at central and peripheral sites on ovulation in rabbits.

1. The effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has been investigated on ovulation per se as well as on induced ovulation in rabbits. 2.

Antibodies to sperm surface fertilization antigen (FA-1): their specificities and site of interaction with sperm in male genital tract.

The fertilization antigen (FA-1) isolated from murine testes demonstrated its dimeric form of 49,000 +/- 2,000 molecular weight (M.W.) or a monomer of 23,000 M.

Technetium-99m labeled p-aminohippuric acid analogues: renal function agents.

A number of p-aminohippuric acid analogues were synthesized in order to develop clinically useful 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals for evaluation of renal function measurements. Stable 99mTc-labeled complexes were formed at pH 5.7 using a Sn(II) reduction method with all derivatives.

Experience with oral morphine for cancer pain relief.

The authors report a prospective survey of 88 patients with cancer pain who were treated with oral morphine solution during a period of 140 days at the Pain Relief Unit, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore. A high percentage of pain relief was achieved at the end of the first week of titrated therapy; relief was maintained at satisfactory levels throughout the study period in a majority of patients (86%). Interruption of oral morphine administration was necessitated by intractable vomiting in two patients.

Labeling of monoclonal antibodies with radionuclides.

Antibodies, specifically monoclonal antibodies, are potentially very useful and powerful carriers of therapeutic agents to target tissues and diagnostic agents. The loading or charging of antibodies with agents, especially radiotracers, is reviewed here. The choice of radioisotope for immunodetection and/or immunotherapy is based on its availability, half-life, nature of the radiation emitted, and the metabolic pathways of the radionuclide in the body.

Effect of morphine on far-field somatosensory evoked potentials in the rat.

Far-field somatosensory evoked potentials were obtained by electrical stimulation of the volar surface of the forepaw and were recorded from the skull overlying the contralateral somatosensory area of the cerebral cortex. Three distinct peaks were discernable in the somatosensory evoked potentials prior to the first cortical component. Effects of different doses of morphine (0.

Role of endogenous opioids and histamine in morphine induced emesis.

The role of opioid and histaminergic system in morphine induced emesis was investigated in dogs. Morphine (25 micrograms, icv) consistently evoked emesis with an average latency of 195 +/- 29 sec which was fully accounted for by an action on the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) as its ablation rendered animals refractory to vomiting. Intraventricular pretreatment with opioid antagonist naloxone, histamine H1 antagonist mepyramine and H2 antagonists metiamide and cimetidine afforded protection to icv morphine emesis.

Toothbrush: an unusual foreign body in ENT practice.

The toothbrush is an unusual foreign body in ENT practice. Three cases of impacted toothbrushes are presented.

Reopening of the closed nostril in atrophic rhinitis.

Closure of the nostril in atrophic rhinitis is a simple operation. Opening the obturated nose by excising the obturator membrane very often causes stenosis. A new and effective method for opening the nostrils, by means of flaps, is suggested.

Serotonin in tension headache.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is implicated in the pathogenesis of migraine; however, its role in tension headache has not yet been studied. The uptake of 5-HT by platelets in patients of tension headache was significantly higher compared with migraineurs as well as controls. The basal platelet 5-HT levels did not show a significant difference.

N-hydroxysuccinimide-hippuran ester: application for radiolabeling of macro-molecules.

A method for synthesis of N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of radioactive hippuran is developed in order to label human serum albumin in a simple and efficient manner. Organ distribution in mice and rats for the labeled albumin preparation and the commercial radioiodinated serum albumin is similar. Hippuran metabolite released from the labeled preparation into the blood stream results in its rapid urinary clearance.

Ovine ureteral motility as a new assay for the cyclo-oxygenase blocking potency of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Isolated sheep ureteral ring suspended in an organ bath exhibits rhythmic contractions which are dose-dependently inhibited by indomethacin and revived by prostaglandin E2 or F2 alpha. Seven non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) belonging to different chemical groups were tested on the isolated ureteral ring model in molar concentrations of 10(-8)-10(-4) to determine the time elapsing from application of test drug to complete inhibition of ureteral contraction ("stop-time"). The descending order of potency of the NSAID was: flurbiprofen greater than indomethacin greater than flufenamic acid greater than tolmetin greater than aspirin greater than phenylbutazone greater than isoxicam.

Solid phase synthesis of thymosin beta 9.

Thymosin beta 9, a 41 residue thymic polypeptide, has been synthesized by a solid phase method. A modification of the low HF method was used to deprotect and cleave the peptide from the resin. Thymosin beta 9 was then obtained in analytically pure form by a one-step purification procedure in 32% yield.

Sulphinpyrazone and the platelet serotoninergic mechanism in ischaemic heart disease.

A double blind study in 25 patients with ischaemic heart disease and 20 matched healthy controls examined the effect of sulphinpyrazone on the uptake of serotonin by platelets and the basal concentrations of serotonin in platelets. Uptake was measured using tritium labelled serotonin and basal concentrations estimated spectrophotofluorometrically. Serotonin uptake was significantly increased both in the patients with chronic stable angina of effort and in those with a history of myocardial infarction six months or more previously.