Canine postradiation plasma glucose variations

One of the observations of endotoxic or septic shock in canines is the report of concurrent hypoglycemia. Canines exposed to supralethal gamma radiation also develop acute systemic hypotension. This study was performed in order to determine if hypoglycemia develops in the canine concurrent with radiation-induced hypotension. Systemic arterial mean blood pressure (MBP) was measured via femoral arterial catheter. Blood for plasma glucose determinations was obtained from the systemic arterial circulation at the level of the abdominal aorta and from the hepatic portal vein. Plasma glucose levels were determined on a Beckman Glucose Analyzer which employs the enzymatic reaction of β-D-glucose and oxygen. Glucose levels and MBP were monitored for one hour before and for one hour after exposure to 100 Gy, whole-body, gamma radiation or sham radiation for the control animals. Concurrent with postradiation hypotension, we measured a significant decrease in plasma glucose levels in both the systemic arterial circulation and in the hepatic portal vein. Arterial glucose levels in the sham radiated animals showed a slight rise two minutes after sham radiation, falling back to pretreatment, base line levels four minutes later and remaining at that level for the remainder of the hour. Arterial levels in the radiated animals showed a sharp decline two minutes postradiation, falling even further to twenty percent below preradiation levels by one hour postradiation. Venous blood glucose levels in sham radiated animals showed an initial increase and a gradual decrease to five percent below pretreatment base line levels; while glucose levels in radiated animals showed an immediate postradiation decrease continuing to twenty percent below preradiation levels by one hour postradiation. These findings suggest impaired hepatic gluconeogenesis, resulting in postradiation hypoglycemia.     

Postoperative Depression of Tumour-directed Cell-mediated Immunity in Patients with Malignant Disease

Leucocytes from 46 melanoma patients, 45 breast carcinoma patients, and 95 control donors were tested by the leucocyte migration test against the supernatants of homogenates of malignant melanomas, breast carcinomas, simple breast tumours, and breasts showing simple cystic disease. By comparison with controls inhibition of migration occurred significantly more frequently when tumour patients'' leucocytes were exposed to extracts of histogenetically similar tumours.Cell-mediated immunity to tumour-associated antigens was measured in 12 patients with breast carcinoma and 12 with malignant melanoma immediately before surgical operation and in the postoperative period. All patients tested before operation showed significant inhibition of migration on contact with extracts of histogenetically similar tumours. Postoperatively the degree of leucocyte migration inhibition was reduced in all patients with melanoma and breast carcinoma. Significant inhibition of leucocyte migration returned in most patients 6-22 days after operation.     

EFFECT OF CYANIDE AND ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON PHOSPHOINOSITIDE METABOLISM IN LOBSTER NERVES

The contents of phosphoinositides, ATP, glucose and lactate in leg and claw nerves of the lobster were determined. Nerves were also analysed after cyanide poisoning, after electrical stimulation, and 1 h after removing the leg from the lobster. Cyanide poisoning decreased the levels of ATP and glucose and increased the content of lactate but did not alter the levels of phosphoinositides. Nerves left in situ for 1 h after disconnection from the central nervous system exhibited a decrease in the content of tri-phosphoinositides (TPI) of 50 per cent, without changes in ATP, glucose or lactate. The TPI change was reversed after incubation for 1 h in oxygenated seawater. Nerves labelled in vivo with ³²P were removed and stimulated at 50 Hz for 5 min. The turnover of TPI phosphorus increased on stimulation in both normal and cyanide-poisoned nerves. In contrast, turnover of ATP increased after stimulation in normal nerves but not in cyanide-treated nerves. We sought to determine whether polyphosphoinositides play a greater role in resting metabolism of the nerve or in the conducting mechanisms. Our results make more likely the involvement of TPI in permeability changes of neural membranes during excitation.     

Total Body Scanning with Strontium-85 in the Diagnosis of Metastatic Bone Disease

To demonstrate skeletal metastases before radiographic changes were apparent, Sr⁸⁵ scans were carried out on 46 patients who complained of sketetal pain but whose radiographs were negative. Positive scans were obtained in 34 patients, 20 of whom were subsequently shown to have metastases; three did not have skeletal metastases a year or more later; the outcome is unknown in 11 patients. Twelve patients had negative scans: three ultimately developed metastases, six did not, and three were inconclusive. Autoradiographs demonstrated Sr⁸⁵ concentrations in areas of reactive osteogenesis.Although not specific for skeletal metastases, Sr⁸⁵ scans are most helpful in substantiating this diagnosis when radiographic changes are absent.