Decreased cardiac lipoprotein lipase activity in rats treated chronically with adriamycin

Rats treated chronically with the anticancer agent adriamycin (1.5 mg/kg/week X 14 weeks) exhibited cardiac and renal lesions typical of anthracycline toxicity, and had serum hyperlipidemia characterized by 4 to 10 fold elevations in all lipoprotein classes. Heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase activity measured in perfused heart preparations was decreased 69% in adriamycin-treated rats compared to saline-treated controls. Residual (non-heparin-releasable) activity was not significantly different after adriamycin treatment. The decrease in functional cardiac lipoprotein lipase may account, at least in part, for the serum hyperlipidemia observed in adriamycin-treated rats, and might play a role in the development of heart muscle disease.     

Testicular phosphatase activity in rats treated with cyproterone acetate & flutamide

Cyproterone acetate (CPA) and flutamide (F), 2 antiandrogens were tested in the rat, to determine their effect on acid (ACP) and alkaline (ALP) phosphatase activity. 70 fertile male rats were injected with either CPA, F, or testosterone propionate (TP) at either 2.5 or 10 mg. TP was injected either alone or in combination with the others. Histological examinations of the testes were performed. Spermatogenesis was arrested and Leydig cells atrophied in animals treated with CPA or F. Histochemical examination revealed that CPA enhanced ALP and ACP in the testes while F decreased ALP and ACP. TP treatment in combination with either antiandrogens was unable to overcome their effect. The changes in the 2 phosphatases depending on which antiandrogen was injected suggests different modes of action.     

Some aspects of microbiological stimulation in a soil treated with streptomycin

Summary An investigation was made to follow the effect of streptomycin on the soil microflora using a direct method of observation together with plate counting technique on some selective media.It was reported that the bactericidal effect of streptomycin in the first week of application to soil, has masked an early stimulatory effect manifested by stimulation of two bacterial species appearing on mannitol nitrogen-free agar plates. One of these bacterial species identified as Pseudomonas sp. was able to fix small but significant amounts of nitrogen. The direct observation technique enabled to observe some aspects of microbial stimulation in soil. Stimulation of large cocci, identified as Hansenula sp., long bacterial rods, and Fusarium solani were successfully observed by such technique. Enrichment technique helped in isolating Hansenula sp. and F. solani; F. solani formed a mat on the surface of treated soil 50 days after streptomycin application. The recorded aspects of stimulation were claimed to be due to microbial equilibrium disturbance as a result of applying streptomycin to soil. Suggestion for further investigations was offered to verify the possible significance of such aspects of stimulation in controlling soil-borne pathogens.