Haematological profile in cancer patients: analysis of circadian pattern

This study was intended to evaluate whether unusual circadian patterns in blood cells exist in cancer patients. Ten patients (five men and five women) suffering from advanced malignancy were compared with a control group of apparently healthy volunteers, of comparable age and sex. After synchronization of daily activities, meals and rest of the two groups, blood samples were taken four times (at 8.00 a.m., 12.00 a.m., 4.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m.) in a single day. The total red and white cell counts, haemoglobin, platelet count, and neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil, monocyte and basophil differential white cell counts were analysed by both conventional (Student's t-test; multifactorial analysis of variance) and inferential statistics (single and mean cosinor). The average values for platelets (P = 0.04), white blood cells (P = 0.004) and lymphocytes (P << 0.001) showed significant changes with time, independently of disease state. Cosinor analysis indicated a circadian rhythmicity for haemoglobin (P = 0.02), eosinophils (P = 0.014), and lymphocytes (P = 0.001) in healthy subjects, and for eosinophils only (P = 0.024) in cancer patients.

Pulmonary infections in lung cancer patients at diagnosis

We carried out a prospective study involving 96 consecutive lung cancer patients at diagnosis, in order to determine through quantitative cultures of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, the prevalence of pulmonary infections; we also evaluated the relationship between a patient's performance status, immunocompetence, lung cancer stage, histotype and the occurrence of respiratory infections. The patients (81 males, 15 females) had a mean age of 64 +/- 9 years. Of these, 62 were smokers, 30 were ex-smokers and four had never smoked. Sixty-seven patients had a prior history of chronic bronchitis. A total of 42 micro-organisms were cultured from the BAL fluids of 33 patients (34.3%). Fifty percent of these micro-organisms were gram-negative, 33.3% were gram-positive and the remaining 16.7% were other micro-organisms. The bacilli most often isolated were the Haemophilus species, accounting for 38.8% of all gram-negative bacilli. The most frequently isolated gram-positive pathogen was the Staphylococcus aureus. We have not found a significant relationship between the presence of a respiratory infection and the different cell types separately analyzed, nor with SCLC and NSCLC patient groups, nor with the stage of the disease. The performance status, the immunoregulatory ratio and the lymphocyte subsets were not significantly different in patients with or without a pulmonary infection. We think that the identification of a definite etiologic agent is of great importance for a rational anti-microbial treatment of pulmonary infections.

Sulfhydryl groups essential for the volume-sensitive release of taurine from astrocytes

The volume-sensitive [3H]taurine efflux from cultured astrocytes was found to be strongly inhibited by the sulfhydryl group-modifying reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). This maleimide inhibited taurine efflux evoked by 50% hyposmotic solutions with an IC50 of 54 microM. The inhibition by NEM followed pseudo-first order reaction kinetics. A double log plot of the pseudo-first order constant against NEM concentration gave a linear relationship with a slope of 1.2. The data are consistent with a simple bimolecular reaction mechanism in which one molecule of NEM reacts with one sulfhydryl group per transport unit. The membrane-impermeant maleimide derivative 5-eosin maleimide did not affect the volume-stimulated taurine efflux. The sulfhydryl-modifying mercurial reagents mersalyl and p-chloro mercuribenzenesulfonate (0.5-1 mM) increased [3H]taurine efflux under isosmotic conditions and concomitantly decreased the hyposmolarity-evoked efflux. The results demonstrate an essential requirement for sulfhydryl groups for the volume-sensitive taurine efflux.

Combined lectin-affinity and metal-interaction chromatography for the separation of glycophorins by high-performance liquid chromatography

Human erythrocyte sialoglycoproteins, or glycophorins, were chromatographed by lectin-affinity and metal-interaction chromatography on high-performance liquid chromatographic columns. Glycophorins A, B and C were separated from other proteins and from glycophorin E by using a column containing wheat germ agglutinin, immobilized on a microparticulate silica support. The glycophorins were adsorbed on the lectin column from a mobile phase containing 0.25 M sodium chloride and recovered by stepwise desorption with 0.2 M N-acetylglucosamine solution. Glycophorins A, B and C were separated into the individual components on a silica-bound iminodiacetic acid stationary phase in the copper(II) chelate form. The separation of the glycophorins by metal-interaction chromatography was accomplished by decreasing salt gradient elution. Retention times and resolution of the individual glycophorins were sensitive to the initial sodium chloride concentration and the pH of the eluent. Addition of methanol to the eluent increased the resolution. The effects of linear, decreasing gradients of pH and methanol in 25 mM phosphate buffer on the resolution of glycophorins were also investigated. In both types of chromatography the mobile phases contained 0.05% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate. With octylglycoside or CHAPS in the eluent glycophorins A and C could not be eluted. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to analyze all the chromatographic results.

The Influence of Thyroid Hormones on Colony Growth of Peripheral CFU-GM from Normal and Leukemic Subjects

In order to clarify the alterations of granuloblastic cells in chronic and acute myeloid leukemia, the colony growth behavior of cultured CFU-GM from the peripheral blood of normal and leukemic subjects was examined in basal conditions and after adding to the medium T3 or T4 and/or thioproline and/or flurbiprofen. These drugs had in previous investigations proved their ability to modify cellular receptors and the uptake of thyroid hormones. The study was carried out in semisolid (double agar layer) and liquid medium, utilizing the techniques described previously. Both thyroid hormones enhanced the colony growth from normal peripheral blood CFU-GM and the response was more evident with T4 than T3. The effect on leukemic CFU-GM (from CML and AML) was less clear, probably due to the presence in leukemic cells of a defect of cellular uptake and to the utilization of T3 and T4. Indeed, on addition to the culture medium of thioproline, which modifies membrane permeability, and of fluorbiprofen, which inhibits PGE synthesis, the colony number and growth from leukemic CFU increased considerably in accordance with the results of our previous studies on these substances showing that they are able to modify cellular receptors for thyroid and several other hormones.

[Evaluation of 3 different methods for determining triiodothyronine (T-3) and thyroxine (T-4)]

The authors compare three methodologies based on the immunology (RIA, FPIA, LIA) in the determination of two important parameters of the so-called thyroid outline: triiodothyronine (T-3) and thyroxine (T-4). The correlations between the analytic systems examined are presented and discussed.

Effects of postcuring and water sorption on the mechanical properties of composite dental restorative materials

Four commercial dental restorative composites with different filler contents, were tested for the effects of postcuring and water sorption on elastic modulus, compressive strength and ultimate strain. Large variations in mechanical properties were seen; water sorption plasticizes the matrix, causing loss of low molecular weight substances.

Peripheral blood flow in the neonate; 1. Changes in total, skin, and muscle blood flow with gestational and postnatal age

Total peripheral blood flow and blood flow through the skin and muscle were measured in the calf with an electrocapacitance plethysmograph with counter pressure in a group of 62 "well" newborn infants (birth weight, less than 3500 g). Blood pressure in the contralateral leg was measured with an Arteriosonde 1010, and peripheral vascular resistance was calculated as mean blood pressure (mm Hg) divided by blood flow (ml per 100 ml tissue per min). The results show that total peripheral blood flow and blood flow through he skin and muscle correlated inversely with increasing birth weight and gestational age. Postnatally, total blood flow and blood flow through the skin and muscle decreased gradually during the first 7 days of life and in the rest of the neonatal period. Peripheral vascular resistance and resistance in the skin and muscle correlated directly with increasing birth weight and gestational age. Postnatally, peripheral vascular resistance and resistance in the skin and muscle increased during the first 7 days of life and the neonatal period.

Current patterns of neonatal morbidity and mortality in infants of diabetic mothers

Recent advances in antepartum fetal evaluation have contributed to a marked reduction in fetal deaths in pregnancies complicated by overt diabetes mellitus. To determine the effect of these changes on neonatal morbidity and mortality, a retrospective analysis of complications in 322 infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) in White classes B--R was undertaken. The majority (89 per cent) of the IDM were delivered at term with a mean gestational age of 38 weeks. Neonatal morbidity correlated significantly with gestational age, occurring in 80 per cent of the preterm and 40 per cent of the term infants. The overall incidence of complications was: hyperbilirubinemia 37 per cent, hypoglycemia 31 per cent, hypocalcemia 13 per cent, polycythemia 8 per cent, and necrotizing enterocolitis 2 per cent. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) occurred in 9 per cent and congenital malformations in 6 per cent of the infants. Nine infants died, and four of these deaths were due to anomalies. These data indicate that (1) a reduction in fetal mortality has been accompanied by a reduction in neonatal mortality; (2) neonatal morbidity has been decreased but remains significant in the IDM; and (3) congenital anomalies have replaced RDS as a major cause of neonatal death for the IDM.