Examinations of cell mediated immunity in diffuse peritonitis]

Phagocytic index and rosette test E have been determined in 50 patients, including 15 with diffuse peritonitis and the noncomplicated diffuse peritonitis, 20 patients with septic complications, and 15 patients who underwent abdominal surgery. It was found, that phagocytic index is decreased in all patients after abdominal surgery. The most marked decrease of this index was found in patients with complicated peritonitis. It still decreases in the course of peritonitis and increases in the reference group. The marked decrease in the number of T-cells was observed in complicated peritonitis during the whole period of follow-up while it normalizes in case of noncomplicated peritonitis as in the reference group. Using the tests under study it was possible to assess cell-mediated immunity which is depressed in peritonitis. The tests enable also the prediction of septic complications of peritonitis.     

Results of treating acute myeloblastic leukemia in patients over 60 years of age

An efficiency of the acute myeloblastic leukemia therapy has been assessed in 79 patients aged over 60 years. Twenty six patients out of this group have been treated with usual or reduced doses of doxorubicin and cytarabine (ADR-Ara-C) 35--low doses of cytarabine (LD Ara-C), 11-6-mercaptopurine (6 MP), and 7 patients died before chemotherapy. Complete remission in group treated with ADR-Ara-C was achieved in 23% of patients while partial remission in 42%. Median survival in this group was 5.8 months (range from 0.5 to 16 months). Percentage of the complete remissions in the group treated with LD-Ara-C was 6%, and partial remissions 40%. Median survival was 4.7 months (range from 0.5 to 14.2 months). Partial remission in 5 out of 11 patients treated with 6 MP (36%) and no complete remissions were noted. Median survival was 3.9 months. Therapy with ADR-Ara-C produced marked leucopenia and thrombocytopenia in the majority of treated patients. Vomiting, hemorrhagic complications, and bacterial infections have also been noted. These adverse reactions have been less frequent in patients treated with LD-Ara-C, and 6 MP. Ten patients (38%) treated with ADR-Ara-C and 7 patients treated with LD-Ara-C died during remission inducing therapy.     

Echocardiographic evaluation of delayed outcome of artificial valve implantation in patients with aortic semilunar valve insufficiency]

An average follow-up period of 16 patients was 28 months following an implantation of the artificial aortic valve for its insufficiency. In 10 operated patients who were able to continue their occupation exercise tolerance increased by two classes, according to NYHA. Blood pressure gradient decreased significantly from 61.8 to 37.5 mmHg, cardiac volume index decreased from 639 to 602 ml/m2. Echocardiographically measured muscle mass of the left ventricle, end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, and the left atrial dimensions decreased significantly following surgery. A significance of the relation of the left ventricle volume to its mass <4 as a prognostic factor in aortic valve replacement has also been confirmed.     

Factors effecting recurrence of duodenal ulcers after highly selective vagotomy]

Recurrence of duodenal ulcer was diagnosed in 15 patients who underwent highly selective vagotomy before 6-13 years, i.e. in 12.2%. Factors possibly contributing to such a recurrence were analysed. Patients with ulcer recurrence were: 1) non-qualified workers, 2) tobacco smokers, 3) heavy drinkers, 4) users of ulcerogenic medicines, and 5) were involved into conflict situations.     

A comparison of chloride, bromide, and sucrose dilution volumes in neonatal pigs

Use of 36Cl, 82Br, and [3H]sucrose to estimate extracellular water volume was evaluated in 14 piglets (7-14 days old). 36Cl and 82Br were distributed in approximately the same volume, but a period of 5-6 hr after injection was required to reach equilibrium in the neonatal pig. Dilution volumes calculated before equilibration (2-5 hr) for 36Cl (326 +/- 11 ml/kg) and 82Br (328 +/- 13 ml/kg) were different from equilibration (6-8 hr) phase volumes (356 +/- 13 ml/kg and 355 +/- 13 ml/kg, respectively; P less than 0.001). A 3-hr sample estimated the same volume distribution calculated by extrapolation of the 6- to 8-hr period because of the relationship between the two slopes of the plasma clearance curves. After the 82Br and 36Cl had achieved equilibration, each was distributed in a volume equivalent to total body chloride space (362 +/- 29 ml/kg) measured by neutron activation; no statistical differences were found (P = 0.6). The early equilibration phase measured a 10% smaller, faster exchangeable fraction of total body Cl. Sucrose dilution volume (332 +/- 19 ml/kg) required multiple plasma samples for extrapolation and measured a dilution volume 7% smaller (P less than 0.05) than total body chloride space.     

A comparative evaluation of the genetic effects of uniform internal (137Cs) and local x-ray (testes) irradiation of rats

In experiments with rats it was shown that with equal absorbed doses after single injection of 137Cs and local X-irradiation of testes the mutation yield in gametes was different when tested by the frequency of dominant lethals and half-lethals, reciprocal translocations, univalents, and chromosome fragments. A higher efficiency of whole-body irradiation as compared to local exposure of testes, with respect to genetic damages induction, and the statistically significant increase in the number of the damages during a long period of time after cessation of the absorbed dose formation indicated that indirect effects of whole-body irradiation contributed to the injury to hereditary structures and permitted to estimate approximately their contribution (up to 50%).     

The biological and clinical significance of nicks in human chorionic gonadotropin and its free beta-subunit.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone composed of two dissimilar subunits, alpha and beta. Nicks or missing peptide linkages have been found in the beta 44-52 region of the beta-subunit of hCG, whether from pregnancy or trophoblast disease. This article reviews recent reports about the location of nicks in hCG, their origin and occurrence, their effects on the steroidogenic and receptor-binding activities of hCG, and on the immunological activities of hCG and its free beta-subunit. Taken together, the reports show: (1) nicks occur primarily between beta 47 and beta 48, and to a lesser extent between beta 44 and beta 45; (2) the extent of nicking in hCG samples varies widely, from undetectable to 100 percent of molecules; (3) nicks greatly reduce the steroidogenic activity of hCG in vitro (nicked molecules have less than 20 percent of the activity of the intact hormone); (4) nicks may occur at the trophoblast-myometrial interface or in the circulation by the action of human leucocyte elastase or similar leucocytic protease; (5) hCG testing kits using dimer-specific antibodies may not detect nicked molecules and may give different results from those using other antibodies; (6) hCG international reference preparations and the CR series of hCG standards are variably nicked (10 percent to 20 percent), complicating the problem of discordant hCG results in nick-sensitive assays; (7) results from commonly used immunoassays for measurement of the hCG free beta-subunit vary by as much as tenfold because some of the antibodies employed do not detect nick free beta-subunit.