A profile of lung cancer patients in Hyderabad.

One hundred and sixty cases of bronchogenic carcinoma were retrospectively analysed. Male to female ratio was 8.4:1, common age group being 40-60 years. The most common (38%) radiological presentation was mass lesion. The predominant histological cell type was squamous cell carcinoma (67%). Most of the patients presented in an advanced stage of the disease of inoperability. The study underlines the various diagnostic madalities in diagnosing lung cancer and emphasises the need for practising doctors to keep in mind the possibilities of bronchogenic carcinoma in all cases of unresolved pneumonia and mass lesion on chest x-ray especially in high risk patients.

Investigations on wound healing by using amphibian skin.

The present investigation is aimed to justify the validity of traditional practice of using the frog skin in wound healing. Studies were carried out on skin wounds from female albino rats of Wistar strain weighing 100-120 g. The wounds of standard size (5 cm2) were created in the experimental and control groups. The experimental group was dressed with dorsal skin of freshly sacrificed frogs (Rana tigrina) while the control group was dressed with cotton gauze. A faster healing was observed in the experimental group over the control group. Biochemical estimations of the wound granulation tissue were carried out every 2 days till the complete healing of the wound in both the groups. The collagen of frog skin was extracted and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was carried out to characterize and identity the molecular organization of collagen type.

Inflammatory fibrous histiocytoma of the posterior mediastinum.

A case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of inflammatory type from posterior mediastinum which is a rare site is reported here. Its clinico-pathological features are discussed.

Toxicity of dimethoate on urinary hydroxyproline in rats.

The effect of the administration of three different concentrations (2.25, 1.13 and 0.56 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate on the urinary excretion of total, non dialysable and free hydroxyproline were studied in female albino rats. Compared to controls, the urine contents were significantly lower in higher concentration (2.25 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats. The results clearly indicate that the urine contents were not much affected in lower concentration (0.56 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats compared to the other concentrations (1.13 and 0.56 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats.

Toxic effects of different concentrations of dimethoate on lysosomal enzymes of female albino rats.

The effect of three different concentrations of dimethoate on the activity of certain lysosomal enzymes, viz. beta-glucuronidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, cathepsin B and cathepsin D in serum, skin, liver, kidney and spleen and the stability of liver and kidney lysosomes was studied in female albino rats. The activity of beta-glucuronidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, cathepsin D was found to increase in serum and tissues in higher concentration (2.25 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats. A significant increase in the rate of release of beta-glucuronidase was found in the liver and kidney of higher concentration of dimethoate treated rats compared to controls. The results demonstrate that the activity of lysosomal enzymes increased in higher concentration of dimethoate treated rats than the lower concentration (0.56 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats.

Effects of dimethoate on collagen metabolism in rats.

The effects of three different doses of dimethoate on the collagen metabolism in the tissues of female albino rats were studied by measuring the specific and total activities of 3H-hydroxyproline in the dermal, gingival and uteral collagen fractions and in the urine. Compared to controls, the total activity of 3H-hydroxyproline in the soluble collagen and in the urine at 12 h after the administration of 3H-proline was significantly lower by 44.45 and 58.12 per cent in the higher dose (2.25 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated groups respectively. The urinary excretion of hydroxyproline and the total activity of urinary 3H-hydroxyproline measured after 28 days of injection of labelled proline were decreased by 45.56 and 32.68 per cent in higher doses of dimethoate treated animals respectively but the excretions of urinary 3H-hydroxyproline were decreased by 6.36 and 2.88 per cent in lower doses of dimethoate (0.56 mg/100 g body weight) treated animals. The results of the present investigation clearly indicate that the synthesis of collagen is decreased in the higher doses of dimethoate treated animals compared to lower doses of dimethoate treated animals. In addition, the rates of catabolism of both soluble and insoluble collagens were decreased in higher doses of dimethoate treated rats. In concludes that the lower doses of dimethoate (0.56 mg) treated rats were less affected than the higher doses of dimethoate (2.25 mg) treated rats.