Balantidium coli-induced pulmonary haemorrhage with iron deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Balantidium coli, a ciliated protozoan parasite that infects primates and pigs, and is the largest protozoan to infect humans, is a well-known cause of diarrhoea and dysentery in humans. Extra-intestinal disease is uncommon, however. OBJECTIVE: We describe a case of lung involvement, with severe pulmonary haemorrhage resulting in iron deficiency anaemia and respiratory failure, of a 20-year-old, immune-competent man. RESULTS: Diagnosis was made by bronchial biopsy and lavage, which showed numerous trophozoites compatible with B. coli with a background of acute inflammatory cells. The origin of infection was not clear, but inhalation of pig manure was postulated as there was no history of intestinal disease. The patient was treated with oxytetracyline and metronidazole, kept in an ICU, improved within 48 hours, and was discharged within 4 days. CONCLUSION: B. coli infection should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of pulmonary haemorrhage.

The experience with voluntary genomic data submissions at the FDA and a vision for the future of the voluntary data submission program.

Drug developers have been using genomic information in drug development strategies for a number of years, but it was unclear how this information would be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In order to evaluate the regulatory impact of genomic data in current drug development, a workshop was held in May 2002 to discuss aspects surrounding genomic data submission to the FDA (Figure 1).

'Oil globules' in Duchenne muscular dystrophy--history, demonstration, and metabolic significance.

Duchenne, Meryon, Wernich, Clarke, Down and other dystrophy pioneers recognized, illustrated and/or described Duchenne muscular dystrophy skeletal muscle's 'oil globules'. Rarely mentioned or acknowledged since the introduction in 1869 by Klebs of paraffin embedding and modern histological technique (in which tissue lipids are eliminated) this microscopical marker of metabolic dysfunction is utilized to find its metabolic site of origin in the living cell, to identify the disease's major dysfunctioning metabolic pathway, and finally to determine its dystrophin connection which accounts for the primary metabolic malfunction and the clinical manifestations of disease. This paper presents a working hypothesis developed through a long-term empirical study and suggests a practical method of therapy.

[Medical gels for ultrasonographic diagnosis, therapy and electrocardiography]. / Meditsinskie geli dlia ultrazvukovoi diagnostiki, terapii i élektrokardiografii.

The All-Russian Research Institute of Medical Polymers has designed the medical gels REPAC, DIAGEL, for ultrasound diagnosis, REPAC-T for ultrasound therapy, ELCON and ELCARD for electrocardiography. REPAC, DIAGEL, and REPAC-T have the least sound damping factor (approximately 10(-3) dB/cm) as compared to other similar gels. REPAC and DIAGEL showed a good performance when they were applied in clinical practice during a year. REPAC-T is the gel that can be used both for ultrasound studies and for ultrasound therapy. Unlike REPAC, it has a longer drying-out time, ensuring a 100% contact between the patient's body and the transducer up to 20 minutes. Other gels have been designed for long-term ECG monitoring, bicycle ergometry, etc. ELCARD and ELCON have conductivities of 0.4-0.6 and 0.6-0.9 ohm/m, respectively.

The dystrophin connection--ATP?

Clinical evidence is presented supporting the hypothesis that the metabolic abnormality in the dystrophin-defective muscular dystrophies (DMD and BMD) involves the ATP pathway. Objective laboratory data show corrective trends in the abnormal values of parameters relating to creatine and calcium metabolism (ATP) by use of glucagon-stimulated c-AMP and by use of synthetically produced adenylosuccinic acid (ASA). Disease accelerating mechanisms as suggested by analysis of the clinical features, and the therapeutic potential of ASA are discussed.

[Renal cell carcinoma with a spindle-cell element--sarcomatous or sarcomatoid?]. / Renaalselkarsinoom met 'n spoelvormige selelement--sarkomateus of sarkomatoïed?

In this study the light microscopic and electron microscopic findings in two renal cell carcinomas with spindle-cell elements are described. The ultrastructural features of the spindle-cell element of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma have previously been documented, namely pentalaminar desmosomes, basal lamina formation and intracytoplasmic lumina with microvilli. The electron microscopic findings in the 2 cases described here showed mesenchymal rather than epithelial differentiation. It would appear that some renal cell carcinomas with a spindle-cell element are true carcinosarcomas, rather than sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma.

Structure and transport properties of the Ultracell membrane for hemodialysis.

Particular features of structure and transport properties of a new Soviet-made hydrate cellulose membrane Ultracell have been studied. The membrane has a structure of a swollen gel with well defined macropores that ensures high effectiveness in convectional transport of substances across the membrane. In view of the above the Ultracell membrane may be used both for conventional hemodialysis and also for hemodialysis with simultaneous or consecutive ultrafiltration aimed at removing the excessive water and metabolites with middle molecular weight.

Determination of nitroglycerin and its dinitrate metabolites in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with thermal energy analyzer detection.

A highly selective and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic assay employing a thermal energy analyzer as the detector for nitroglycerin and its dinitrate metabolites in human plasma has been developed. Prior to chromatography the method employs a simple one-stage extraction step. Nitroglycerin and its dinitrate metabolites are then chromatographed on a 10-micron nitrile bonded phase column using an internal-external standard method. The nitroglycerin and its 1,2,3-propanetriol-1,3- and -1,2-dinitrate metabolites (glyceryl-1,3- and -1,2-dinitrate) have a retention time of 8.5, 10.5, and 11.5 min, respectively at a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min for a mobile phase of 5% v/v acetone in n-hexane. The limits of sensitivity were 0.05 ng/mL for nitroglycerin and 0.25 ng/mL for the dinitrate metabolites. Linearity of response was observed over the 0.1-2.0-ng/mL range for nitroglycerin and 0.5-10.0-ng/mL range for the dinitrate metabolites. Blood level data from a pilot study with human volunteers in receipt of an oral form of nitroglycerin is presented.

[Comparative evaluation of cuprophane and cellophane used as membranes for hemodialysis]. / Sravnitel'naia otsenka kuprofana i tsellofana, ispol'zuemykh v kachestve membran dlia gemodializa

Investigations into the structure, mechanical properties and permeability of the Soviet-made cellophane, cellulose film No 100 and cuprophane have shown the Soviet-made cellophane membrane to be inferior to cuprophane with regard to the strength and permeability of low-molecular metabolites. High strength properties of the cellulose film No 100 go with a much more lower permeability than in the case of cuprophane and cellophane. Sterilization with gamma-irradiation does not have any material effect on the physico-mechanical and functional characteristics of the membranes. Ways and means for improving the strength and permeability of the hydrate-cellulose membranes are outlined.