Effect of sublethal exposure of Cartap on hypothalamo-neurosecretory system of the freshwater spotted murrel, Channa punctatus (Bloch).

In order to record the effect of carbamate pesticide on hypothalamus of Channa punctatus, fish were exposed to sublethal concentration (0.18 mg l(-1), 30% LC50 for 96 hr) of Cartap for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr under static bioassay condition. Hypothalamo-neurosecretory complex of the murrel consisted mainly of nucleus preopticus (NPO), nucleus lateralis tuberis (NLT) and their axonal tracts. NPO is a paired structure situtated on either side of the third ventricle anterodorsal to the optic chiasma and looked inverted L-shape in the sagittal section. NPO is morphologically divisible into a dorsal pars magnocellularis (PMC) consisting of large neurons and ventral pars parvocellularis (PPC) formed of smaller neurosecretory cells. NLT cells are distributed in the infundibular floor adjacent to the pituitary stalk. Sublethal Cartap treatment induced an initial hypertrophy of the neurosecretory cells of NPO and NLT followed by loss of staining affinity as well as varying degrees of cytoplasmic vacuolization and necrosis. Herring bodies (HB) were also encountered in the neurohypophysis of the treated fishes.

Antithrombin III assay using thrombin in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), other thromboembolic disorders and hepatic diseases.

Fifty cases comprising 11 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), 16 cases of venous thromboses and 23 cases of hepatic diseases were studied for AT III levels using clotting assay. Twelve samples were subjected to ATIII estimation by the commercially available synthetic chromogenic assay. Twenty age and sex matched controls were also analysed to find out the reference value for the techniques. Low AT III levels, if present, were correlated with other markers of DIC, viz FDP and D-dimer assays. There was a decrease in the AT III levels in all the three disease categories with a significant difference between the AT III levels of the three disease categories. In DIC, lowest levels were observed which correlated well with FDP and D-dimer levels. There was no significant difference between the average AT III levels measured by both the clotting and synthetic chromogenic assay with the former procedure being relatively inexpensive.

Cerebral venous thrombosis in a patient of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria following aplastic anaemia.

A young lady who had aplastic anaemia presented for cerebral venous thrombosis after five years of follow up. She was diagnosed to have paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria. She had received immunosuppressive therapy with methylprednisolone, cyclosporine-A, anti-lymphocyte globulin, danazol and pregnenolone. The relation between aplastic anaemia, paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and cerebral venous thrombosis is discussed. The role of immunosuppressive therapy for aplastic anaemia in causation of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria is reviewed.