Tick-bite fever in pregnancy. A case report.

Despite the frequency of tick-bite fever in southern Africa and its doubtless occurrence in pregnancy, this report documents the first case in a pregnant woman. Consequently, the natural history of tick-bite fever in pregnancy and concomitant placental involvement must be regarded as conjectural. Accordingly a register has been opened by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, for recording similar cases.

Introductory remarks.

The American Medical Women's Association has chosen as one of its strategic goals for the next year, and probably for a lot longer, preventing young women from smoking. Smoking is of great concern to all as the death rate from lung cancer among women skyrockets to bypass even breast cancer.In alcohol and drug abuse, women who abuse alcohol and other drugs face a greater social stigma than the male abuser of these substances.

Effects of antimitotic drugs on the morphological features of PC12 cells in culture--a light and EM study.

PC12 cells were grown in monolayer cultures either as untreated controls or treated with (1) NGF, (2) mitomycin C/BUdR, or (3) a combination of NGF and mitomycin C/BUdR. The cells from these four groups were processed for scanning and transmission electron microscopy and for fluorescence histochemistry. With scanning electron microscopy, the control and mitomycin C/BUdR treated cells showed the presence of very small extensions for attachment, and numerous fine processes on the cell surface, while the NGF treated cells and cells treated with the combination exhibited many large processes that were even longer with the combination treatment.

Methemoglobinemia from intravenous nitroglycerin: a word of caution.

The dose of intravenously administered nitroglycerin (IV NTG) used to control ischemic chest pain usually is limited by hypotension from decreased preload. Herein we describe 2 patients who tolerated IV NTG without hemodynamic compromise but in whom severe impairment of blood oxygen content developed from methemoglobinemia noted during coronary bypass surgery. Methemoglobinemia must be suspected if chocolate-brown blood is encountered despite a normal arterial oxygen tension and calculated oxygen saturation.

Serum TSH concentration as an aid to monitoring compliance with thyroid hormone therapy in hypothyroidism.

To monitor the compliance of patients taking levothyroxine as replacement therapy for primary hypothyroidism, the authors measured serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine index (FT4I), and free triiodothyronine index (FT3I) in patients attending the endocrine clinic. During a 6-month period, there were 159 visits by 132 patients with treated hypothyroidism. Five of the 132 patients had TSH levels greater than 12 microU/ml (normal, 0.

Oxygen free radical generation during cardiopulmonary bypass: correlation with complement activation.

To determine the relationships among complement activation, pulmonary leukosequestration, and oxygen free radical generation, we prospectively studied 15 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for myocardial revascularization. Plasma levels of C3a, C4a, and hydrogen peroxide (a marker of oxygen free radical generation) were measured before, during, and after extracorporeal circulation. The results confirm that cardiopulmonary bypass activates complement via the alternate (C3a) pathway.

Glyburide does not alter thyroid function.

Goiter and hypothyroidism have been reported as side effects of sulfonylurea therapy. To test the effects of glyburide, a new generation sulfonylurea drug, on thyroid function, we studied 15 male Type 2 diabetic patients before and after 6 weeks of treatment with this drug, and we repeated the studies on 9 of these patients who remained on the drug for at least 24 weeks. All hypoglycemic agents were discontinued for 1 week before the study.

Influence of antioxidants (mannitol and allopurinol) on oxygen free radical generation during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Oxygen-derived free radicals (O2-, H2O2, OH.) are produced during oxidative metabolism, ischemia and reperfusion, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). When oxygen free radical production exceeds scavenging capacity, peroxidation of structural lipids in cell membranes can occur with potentially injurious consequences.

Labour in patients with a caesarean section scar. The place of oxytocin augmentation.

Fifty-two patients who had had a single previous caesarean section were submitted to a trial of scar. Labour was monitored by internal tocography and direct fetal heart rate monitoring. Oxytocin infusion was employed when uterine work proved to be inadequate.

Epithelial ovarian tumours of low malignant potential.

The available literature and the management of epithelial tumours of low malignant potential (LMP) is reviewed. The criteria for a diagnosis of LMP at the University of the Witwatersrand are delineated in detail. Based on the records in the Ovarian Tumour Registry of this University, experience with 29 such tumours over 4 years is presented.

Dermatomyositis in pregnancy. A case report.

Few cases of dermatomyositis affecting pregnancy have been reported. In this case the fetal outcome was good, but postpartum, pregnancy-induced hypertension was associated with acute exacerbation of the disease and led to maternal death. Both the fetal and maternal outcome differed from those in previously reported cases.

Superoxide generation during cardiopulmonary bypass: is there a role for vitamin E?

The cytotoxic metabolites of oxygen [superoxide (O-2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl (OH.)] have been demonstrated to be involved in the peroxidation of membrane lipids consequently altering membrane composition, morphology, and function. Of all the lines of defense adopted by living organisms against toxic oxygen free radicals, vitamin E is most effective in the prevention of membrane damage.

Scanning electron microscopical and histochemical study of the endoderm in the early chick embryo.

The endoderm of gastrulating chick embryos shows regional variations in cell shape and size. These were studied by scanning electron microscopy, histochemistry and immunofluorescence. Particular attention was given to the distribution of the cytoskeleton.

The migration of amphibian primordial germ cells in the chick embryo.

A fibrous band of extracellular materials on the chick embryo area pellucida/area opaca border is a preferential migratory pathway for chick embryo primordial germ cells (PGC). This band contains fibronectin, collagen Type I and sulphated glycosaminoglycans. It is known that PGCs from Xenopus laevis interact with fibronectin as they undergo migration in the embryo from their site of origin to the gonads.

Comparison of a new ultrafiltration method for serum free T4 and free T3 with two RIA kits in eight groups of patients.

We measured serum free thyroxine (FT4) and free T3 (FT3) concentrations by a newly developed ultrafiltration (UF) method and by the Diagnostic Products Corporation (DPC) and Amersham Corporation (Amerlex) RIA methods in 173 patients divided into eight groups: 1) normal controls, II) normal elderly subjects, III) hyperthyroidism, IV) hypothyroidism, V) pregnancy, VI) critically ill, VII) chronic renal failure, and VIII) heparin therapy. The results were also compared with the free T4 index and free T3 index. FT4 (UF) and FT3 (UF) were generally normal in the elderly subjects.