Hepatotoxicity after a short course of low-dose pyrazinamide.

We report on a patient who developed extensive centrolobular liver necrosis after a treatment with low-dose (25 mg/kg/d) pyrazinamide for only 4 weeks, combined with rifampicin, 600 mg/d). In the past, the patient already developed severe aminotransferase elevations under isoniazid treatment. After prompt withdrawal of the drugs, a gradual decline of the aminotransferases was observed.

Liver rupture after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a patient receiving thrombolytic therapy.

A patient with an acute myocardial infarction had to be resuscitated due to recurring ventricular fibrillation. After stabilisation, she received thrombolytic treatment with anistreplase. Fourteen hours later, clinical signs of hemoperitoneum developed and the diagnosis of liver rupture was made.

Centrolobular liver fibrosis in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit.

During a study on the development of atheromatous lesions in rabbits fed a diet with a low or high cholesterol supplement, we found a moderate to pronounced centrolobular liver fibrosis. This fibrosis developed in three stages. Early after supplementation of cholesterol, we observed increased immunoreactivity of collagen types I, III, and IV, and fibronectin, around central veins and in adjacent sinusoids.

Physiopathology of ascites in portal hypertension.

Ascites is a frequent complication of sinusoidal and postsinusoidal or posthepatic forms of portal hypertension. Its pathogenesis can be divided into factors favouring the efflux of fluid from the vascular to the peritoneal space, factors favouring the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal compartment and factors responsible for the repletion of the intravascular volume and hence the continuous formation of ascites. In decompensated cirrhosis, this repletion is realized by renal retention of sodium and water due to activated neurohumoral systems.

Evaluation and prognostic value of DNA content and of morphometric parameters in malignant mesothelioma using digital image analysis.

Fifty-seven cases of malignant mesothelioma were analyzed for nuclear diameter, DNA content and ploidy-related parameters, using Feulgen stained paraffin sections with a digital imaging analysis system. Thirty cases had a mean nuclear diameter > 7 microns and 31 cases were classified as near-diploid. A statistically significant correlation between survival and the mean nuclear diameter (P = 0.

Dipeptide-derived diphenyl phosphonate esters: mechanism-based inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV.

A number of dipeptide diphenyl phosphonate esters were studied as inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV, focusing on the role of the P2 residue in the inactivation process. The active compounds were slow irreversible inhibitors of the catalytic activity of the enzyme. With proline (or alanine) in the P1 position, the rate constants of inactivation correlated with the acylation rate constants reported for homologous dipeptide derived substrates.

Rabbit model simulating transient hyperglycinemia following transurethral prostatectomy.

Glycine was intravenously injected in rabbits and resulted in a dose dependent hyperglycinemia. A dose of 10mmol/kg was sufficient to achieve plasma levels of 10 to 16mM comparable to serum levels in patients at the end of a transurethral prostatectomy. The experiments documented that hyperglycinemia is associated with a significant increase of this substance in tissues outside the plasma compartment.

Influence of hypercholesterolaemia on the reactivity of isolated rabbit arteries to 15-lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid: comparison with platelet-derived agents and vasodilators.

The lipoxygenase product 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) was shown to be the most important eicosanoid formed in the atherosclerotic rabbit aorta. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of 15-HETE and its hydroperoxy precursor 15-HpETE with those of other vasoconstrictor and vasodilator agents in arteries from rabbits fed either a control or a cholesterol-rich diet for 16 and 30 weeks. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) aggregated platelets and thrombin caused contractions of isolated rabbit aortas.

Clinical outcome of patients with an uncomplicated myocardial infarction: effect of revascularization.

In 80 patients (pts) with an uncomplicated myocardial infarction (MI) the rate of major cardiac events (MACE) including cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and recurrent ischemia requiring hospitalization was prospectively assessed over a mean follow-up period of 17 +/- 9 months and related to clinical, angiographic and scintigraphic findings, the latter obtained from adenosine Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT imaging. Decision for revascularization was mainly based on angiographic data and was carried out in a total of 50 patients (angioplasty in 34 pts and cardiac surgery in 16 pts). The overall MACE rate was 24% with a mortality and myocardial infarction rate of 4% and 5%, respectively.

Measurement of the daily dietary calcium and magnesium intake in Belgium, using duplicate portion sampling.

The daily dietary calcium and magnesium intakes in Belgium were evaluated by sampling duplicate portions of food, destruction in a microwave oven and their calcium and magnesium contents determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The mean intake value for calcium (618 +/- 125 mg/day) was found to be less than those values measured in most other countries and was below the recommended daily allowance (RDA). The mean intake value for magnesium (271 +/- 44 mg/day) was similar to levels found in most other countries, but was below the RDA value for healthy adult men (350 mg/day) whilst being adequate for healthy women (280 mg/day).

Daily dietary copper intake in Belgium, using duplicate portion sampling.

Daily dietary copper intake in Belgium has been evaluated by duplicate portion sampling, heating in a microwave oven and atomic absorption spectrometric determination of this element. The mean intake value (1.5 +/- 0.

Daily dietary intake of manganese by several population groups in Belgium: preliminary reports.

Atomic absorption spectrometry is used to determine manganese content of several duplicate meals consumed by different population groups in the Antwerp region (Belgium). Daily elemental intake, beverages not included, is calculated and proven to be within the recommended daily allowances (National Academy of Sciences, USA) except for a higher intake by macrobiotics (6.7 +/- 3.

Detection of numerical chromosomal aberrations in paraffin-embedded malignant pleural mesothelioma by non-isotopic in situ hybridization.

An in situ hybridization (ISH) study on paraffin sections of 13 malignant mesotheliomas was performed to detect numerical chromosomal aberrations with biotin-labelled DNA probes specific for the centromeric regions of chromosomes 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, and 17. All chromosomes contributed to numerical changes, which can be summarized as follows: first, a monosomy for chromosome 6 was found in one case; second, in five cases a trisomy for at least one chromosome was detected; and third, in seven cases a pentasomy or a higher polysomy was found for at least one chromosome. Although these data have to be confirmed on a larger group of patients, survival analysis of this group showed no significant difference between the first and second groups taken together and the third group.

Incidence of low-fluorescence alpha satellite region on chromosome 21 escaping detection of aneuploidy at interphase by FISH.

Aneuploidy detection for chromosome 21 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to interphase nuclei using a probe specific for the alphoid DNA sequences D21Z1/D13Z1 should be avoided. An extreme heteromorphism, resulting in misdiagnosis if interphase FISH is the only test employed, may be far more frequent (4/101) than expected.

Detection of human papillomavirus in cervical scrapings by in situ hybridization and the polymerase chain reaction in relation to cytology.

A gynaecological out-patient population consisting of 200 patients aged 19-43 years (mean age 34.2 years) was screened for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) by the polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization on cervical scrapings. A novel method was applied for the detection of HPV in cervical cells by embedding them in a paraffin block before in situ hybridization was performed.

Daily dietary manganese intake in Belgium, using duplicate portion sampling.

Daily dietary manganese intake in Belgium was evaluated by duplicate portion sampling, destruction by cooking in a microwave oven and subsequent analysis for this element by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean intake value (3.1 +/- 1.

Actual daily dietary intake of selenium in Belgium, using duplicate portion sampling.

The dietary selenium (Se) intake in Belgium has been re-evaluated. Duplicate meal collection, wet acid destruction and flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry were used as techniques. The daily intake ranged from 28.

Haemodynamic changes in portal hypertension: new insights in the pathogenesis and clinical implications.

In man and experimental animals, portal hypertension with portal-venous collaterals, is associated with a hyperdynamic circulation, caused by peripheral vasodilatation, mainly in the splanchnic bed. This peripheral vasodilatation is clinically important, since it is thought to be responsible for the pathogenesis of complications of portal hypertension such as ascites, the hepatorenal syndrome and portal hypertensive gastropathy and colopathy. Many cirrhotic patients may not die primarily because of their hepatic dysfunction, but rather because of the consequences of the circulatory abnormalities which are secondary to the liver disease.

Manganese content of European wines.

The manganese content of 35 different red, white and rosé wines, produced in several European countries, is determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. A mean concentration of 2.7 +/- 1.

The bone anchored hearing aid and auricular prosthesis.

The bone anchored hearing aid (B.A.H.

Application of fluorescence in situ hybridization for early prenatal diagnosis of partial trisomy 6p/monosomy 6q due to a familial pericentric inversion.

We report the prenatal diagnosis of a karyotype 46,XY,rec(6)dup p, inv(6) (p23q27) mat detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization using chromosome 6pter and 6qter specific DNA markers. This partial duplication-deletion (6p12-->pter; 6q27-->qter) emanated from a balanced pericentric inversion 46,XX inv(6) (p23q27)pat present in the mother. The phenotypes of two relatives with the same unbalanced anomaly are described.

Speciation analysis of organolead compounds in wine by capillary gas chromatography/microwave-induced-plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

A method was developed for the speciation analysis of ionic organolead compounds in wine. The analytes were extracted as diethyldithiocarbamate complexes into hexane and propylated with a Grignard reagent. The derivatized extract was analyzed by capillary gas chromatography/microwave-induced-plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

Daily dietary intake of copper, zinc and selenium by different population groups in Burundi, Africa.

Daily dietary intake of copper, zinc and selenium for different population groups in Burundi, Africa, has been determined, using different sampling strategies, by atomic absorption spectrometry. Recommended daily intakes (RDA, National Academy, USA) are met for copper and zinc. For selenium, especially the rural population risk a deficiency as observed with a daily intake of 17 micrograms.