Detection of a flow induced magnetic field eigenmode in the riga dynamo facility

In a closed volume of molten sodium an intense single-vortex-like helical flow has been produced by an outside powered propeller. At a flow rate of 0.67 m(3)/s a slowly growing magnetic field eigenmode was detected. For a slightly lower flow, additional measurements showed a slow decay of this mode. The measured results correspond satisfactorily with numerical predictions for the growth rates and frequencies.

Evaluation of fungicidal action in vitro and in a skin model considering the influence of penetration kinetics of various standard antimycotics.

Ciclopiroxolamine (Loprox) was the first representative of hydroxpyridones to be developed as a topical antifungal. In the microtitration test and in a skin model using excised skin prices of slaughtered pigs, the fungistatic and fungicidal activity as well as the penetration kinetics of ciclopiroxolamine and ciclopirox were compared with those of the azole compounds bifonazole, clotrimazole, econazole, miconazole, oxiconazole, and tioconazole, and with other antimycotics such as naftifine, sulbentine, tolciclate, and tolnaftate. Clotrimazole had an in vitro inhibitory activity superior to that of the hydroxypyridone ciclopiroxolamine; the latter compound, however, exhibited faster penetration and higher inhibitory or fungicidal activity than the azoles and other antimycotics in the pig skin model. Studies of cream formulations with antimycotics at the bottom layer of the stratum corneum (close to the stratum granulosum) showed that ciclopiroxolamine cream had the most prominent inhibitory effect (93%) and the highest fungicidal activity (98%). The other antimycotics tested exhibited growth inhibition rates of 50% or less and lower fungicidal rates. Inoculated pig skin was treated with lacquer formulations to show that ciclopirox completely inhibited the growth of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, whereas the clotrimazole-treated samples allowed only 0.47% growth. The fungicidal activity of lacquer formulations was 99% for ciclopirox and around 90% for most of the azoles on the pig skin model. The necessity of models tackling the complex penetration kinetics in human skin was discussed.

Ciclopirox olamine lotion 1%: bioequivalence to ciclopirox olamine cream 1% and clinical efficacy in tinea pedis.

Studies were conducted to assess the bioequivalence of a new antimycotic formulation, ciclopirox olamine lotion 1%, to an established compound, ciclopirox olamine cream 1%. Results of in vitro studies, using skin samples from human cadavers and domestic pigs, demonstrated that the two formulations equally penetrate all layers of the stratum corneum and inhibit the growth of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida albicans. In vivo studies in guinea pigs and in human volunteers demonstrated the comparable therapeutic efficacy of the lotion and the cream in experimental trichophytosis. In addition, a multicenter, double-blind clinical trial was undertaken to compare ciclopirox olamine lotion 1% with the vehicle alone in the treatment of patients with tinea pedis. Patients with plantar, interdigital, or vesicular tinea pedis were enrolled in the studies. Patients were treated for 28 days. Clinical and mycological responses were determined during treatment and two weeks posttreatment. Ciclopirox olamine lotion 1% was found to be significantly more effective than its vehicle in the treatment of patients with common tinea pedis. Minor localized side effects (pruritus, burning sensation) were reported in 2% of 89 patients treated with ciclopirox olamine lotion 1%. The results demonstrate the bioequivalence of ciclopirox olamine lotion 1% and ciclopirox olamine cream 1% and confirm the clinical effectiveness and safety of the lotion in the treatment of tinea pedis, a generally recalcitrant fungal infection. It is concluded that ciclopirox olamine lotion 1% can be used as an alternative to ciclopirox olamine cream 1% for treatment of tinea pedis, tinea versicolor, tinea cruris, tinea corporis, and cutaneous candidiasis when the convenience and/or cosmetic elegance of a lotion is desired.

Intra-erythrocytary enzymes before and after splenectomy.

The activity of the intraerythrocytary enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, glutathione reductase and ATPase was measured before and after splenectomy in 13 patients with congenital hemolytic anemia and 3 patients suffering from chronic thrombocytopenia. All patients were treated successfully, as reflected by clinical and basal hematological parameters. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase were significantly depressed after splenectomy. It was not possible to set up prognostic criteria of splenectomy from the intraerythrocytary enzymes.

Nervous system damage and nutritional factors in chronic alcoholics.

Dietary habits in 45 chronic alcoholics were assessed by the dietary history method, and plasma albumin and serum transferrin. These variables as well as clinical findings did not indicate general malnutrition, but a moderate deficiency in folate intake was found. There was no correlation between the nutritional variables and central and peripheral nervous system function investigated by neuroradiological, neuropsychological, and neurophysiological methods. Transketolase and thiamine-pyrophosphate effects were measured in a subgroup of alcoholics and compared to a control group. No differences were found and there was no correlation to central nervous system impairment. These findings do not support the hypothesis that nervous system damage found in chronic alcoholics is of nutritional etiology.

Effect of exposure to organophosphorus compounds on S-cholinesterase in workers removing poisonous depots.

Biological monitoring and the control of safety precautions against organophosphorus compounds (parathion, malathion, and methylparathion) was performed through the measurement of S-cholinesterase (E.C.3.1.1.8) in personnel removing poisonous depots. Depressions in S-cholinesterase activity where found in a majority of 62 workers in comparison to their preexposure values. After the last exposure the S-cholinesterase activity of the workers returned to the individual preexposure values; a few individuals needed about half a year for their S-cholinesterase activity to reach the preexposure level. As no workers showed either pathological values for the enzyme or poisoning symptoms, it was concluded that the measurement of S-cholinesterase activity is an adequate and sensitive method for monitoring and controlling exposure to organophosphorus compounds.

Assessment of the thiamine nutritional status. An evaluation of erythrocyte transketolase activity, the stimulated erythrocyte transketolase activity, and the thiamine pyrophosphate effect.

The most widely accepted approach to estimation of thiamine nutrition has been the measurement of the erythrocyte transketolase activity (ETKA), the ETKA stimulated in vitro with thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) (which is suggested to be designated ETKAS) and the percentage increase of ETKA after stimulation with TPP in vitro, called the thiamine pyrophosphate effect (TPPE). In spite of 30 years of experience in the determination of these variables doubtfulness still exists of how to assess them. On the basis of a study of a group of alcoholics and a group of non-alcoholics a system of evaluation of ETKA, ETKAS and TPPE is proposed.

[Alterations in various serum protein and serum enzyme levels during treatment with sequence-type oral contraceptives]. / Aendret niveau for nogle serumproteiner og serumenzymer under behandling med et oralt antikonceptionsmiddel af sekvenstype.

PIP: A report is presented of 69 women, aged-16-43, who used the sequential preparation Ovanon (mestranal and chlormadinone and mestranol combined). Serum concentration measurements were takem for various compounds after 1 and 3 months of oral contraceptive use. Total protein albumin and other serum globulin fractions and enzymes remained constant. There were decreases in the serum cholinesterase and serum alkaline phosphates after 3 months. An increase in the ceruloplasmine concentration was evident after the 1st month of oral contraceptive use. The increases and decreases reported here are less than in similar studies on the effect of combination preparations. The smaller fluctuation in the serum concentrations is attributed to the lower estrogen content of the sequential preparation.^ieng

[Effect of the cephalosporin derivative cefodizime on the immune system in in vivo experiments]. / Der Einfluss des Cephalosporinderivats Cefodizim auf das Immunsystem bei In-vivo-Untersuchungen.

In various infection models with the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, Cefodizime influences the development of the infection. Although it does not exhibit any fungicidal or fungistatic action it decreases the number of yeast cells or prolonges survival.

Collaborative study of gas-liquid chromatographic determination of methaqualone in pharmaceutical and clandestine preparations.

Eight laboratories collaboratively studied a procedure for the quantitative determination of methaqualone. HC1 in pharmaceutical and clandestine preparations. Methaqualone is extracted from an aqueous bicarbonate solution into chloroform and quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography on a 3% OV-1 column. Tetraphenylethylene is used as an internal standard. Two commerical preparations and 4 sample mixtures prepared by the author were studied. Recoveries for the 4 prepared samples ranged from 100.0 to 102.6%, and the coefficients of variation ranged from 1.58 to 4.15% for the 6 samples studied. The method has been adopted as official first action.