Influence of aluminium on neurotoxicity of lead in adult male albino rats.

Influence of aluminium on neurotoxicity of lead was studied in male albino rats. Aluminium enhanced the net deposition of lead in brain. This was further substantiated by higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and lower activities of acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the brain homogenates of the rats treated with both lead and aluminium as compared to those of rats treated with lead only. In lead plus aluminium treated animals, a significant neurological deficit was observed when the animals were subjected to rota-rod, traction performance (TP) and tail immersion tests.

A new assembly and technique for testing insecticides.

A new design of insecticide testing assembly has been devised that is highly versatile in testing the efficacy, potency and interaction of insecticides and other test chemicals. The merits of the assembly and technique have been explained.

Prospective study of changes in serum calcium after diethyl-ether anaesthesia.

Changes in serum calcium after diethyl-ether anaesthesia given for various routine surgical operations, were studied in 30 patients. Mean (+/- SD) concentration (mg%) of serum calcium before induction of anaesthesia was 10.37 +/- 0.77. Serum calcium decreased by 0.05 per cent after 10 min of induction and by 3.33 per cent at the end of anaesthesia which was highly significant (P less than 0.001). There was a correlation (r = 0.63; P less than 0.01) between decline in serum calcium and duration of ether anaesthesia. Serum calcium returned to near normal levels after 24 h of ether anaesthesia. In view of the fall in serum calcium, it is emphasized that ether should be either avoided in patients with known or suspected hypocalcaemia or be used for as short a time as possible with due precaution and calcium supplementation.