ABSTRACT
A sensitive, electrochemical method was employed for the simultaneous measurement of reduced and oxidized glutathione in lens cortex, nucleus and capsule epithelia of rabbit lenses, normal human lenses and human cataracts. In addition, aqueous humor from cataract patients was also analyzed. The level of GSSG in the nucleus of human cataracts was significantly higher than that in the nucleus of normal eye bank lenses. The capsule epithelium of intracapsular extracted cataracts possessed high levels of reduced glutathione, despite the fact that much of the glutathione in the cortex and nucleus of the lenses was depleted. Levels of GSH in the aqueous humor of cataract patients were several times higher than those reported for normal aqueous humor. Electrochemical detection proved to be a useful technique for analysis of reduced and oxidized glutathione in lens and aqueous humor, especially when sample size is small, such as for capsule epithelium.
Subject(s)
Aqueous Humor/chemistry , Cataract/metabolism , Glutathione/analogs & derivatives , Glutathione/analysis , Lens, Crystalline/chemistry , Aged , Animals , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Electrochemistry/methods , Glutathione Disulfide , Humans , Lens Capsule, Crystalline/chemistry , Lens Cortex, Crystalline/chemistry , Lens Nucleus, Crystalline/chemistry , Middle Aged , RabbitsABSTRACT
This study compared visual evoked potentials (VEP) and contrast sensitivity (CS) as methods of detecting visual loss in 15 women with acute onset of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC). A total of 24 out of 30 eyes (14 of 15 patients) had a visual disturbance. Neuro-ophthalmologic examination demonstrated abnormal Goldmann visual fields in 13 of 30 eyes. CS was abnormal in 18 eyes; VEP was abnormal in five eyes. Nine eyes had visual loss detected by CS only, five by perimetry only, and one had the VEP as the sole abnormality. CS was a valuable adjunct to perimetry in PTC whereas VEP was rarely helpful.
Subject(s)
Contrast Sensitivity , Electrophysiology , Pseudotumor Cerebri/diagnosis , Psychophysics , Vision Disorders/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Evoked Potentials, Visual , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Pseudotumor Cerebri/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Groups of pregnant rats were exposed to 200, 166, and 157 ppm CO for the last 17 out of 22 days of gestation. The number of fetuses per dam or live young per litter were unaffected. Neonatal red blood cell count was depressed, whereas mean corpuscular hemoglobin and volume were elevated. Birth weight was reduced; heart weight, heart weight-to-body weight ratio, placental weight, and placental weight-to-body weight ratio were elevated. Identical results were obtained in studies of fetuses examined daily during the final 4 days of gestation at 200 ppm. Cardiomegaly present at birth was not due to elevated myocardial water content, as dry heart weight and wet heart weight increased proportionately. Heart DNA content (microgram) was increased at both 157 and 200 ppm CO in neonates and fetuses, whereas DNA concentration (microgram/mg dry wt) was similar to the controls. Cardiac hydroxyproline concentration (microgram/mg dry wt) and content (microgram) were unaffected in neonates by fetal CO exposure at 157 and 200 ppm, although the hydroxyproline content was elevated in fetuses at 157 ppm CO. Cardiac lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) M subunit composition was elevated from 4 days before birth, until birth, at 200 ppm CO, whereas total LDH activity was unchanged. Although neonatal myocardial cytochrome c was unaltered by fetal CO exposure, myoglobin concentration (mg/g) and content (mg) were elevated. Prolonged maternal CO inhalation thus exerts significant effects on fetal body and placental weight, heart weight, enzyme constituents, and composition.
Subject(s)
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning/physiopathology , Heart/embryology , Animals , Carboxyhemoglobin/analysis , DNA/metabolism , Female , Fetal Blood/analysis , Fetus , Gestational Age , Heart/physiology , Hematocrit , Hemoglobins/analysis , Organ Size , Pregnancy , RatsABSTRACT
Groups of newborn rats inhaled 500 ppm CO for 32 days, after which they continued development in ambient air. The ratio of heart weight to body weight increased sharply after birth, peaked at 14 days of age, and then fell progressively but remained above that of normal rats at 68 and 107 days of age. At 14 days of age, the weight of the left ventricle plus interventricular septum (LV + S) exceeded the controls by 80%, whereas the weight of the right ventricle (RV) was 100% greater. RV weight remained significantly greater than that of the controls at 68, 107, and 217 days of age. The ratio of RV weight to LV + S weight remained higher than that of the controls both during and after CO exposure. Myocardial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) concentration (microgram/mg dry wt) declined more rapidly in the CO-exposed groups during the first 2 wk. DNA content (microgram/LV + S + RV) was not significantly different. There were no differences in DNA concentration or content after CO exposure. Hydroxyproline, used as an index of collagen content, was unaffected by postnatal cardiomegaly. Hydroxyproline concentration was depressed only during the first 3 wk. Cardiac cytochrome c concentration was depressed and lactate dehydrogenase M subunit composition elevated only during CO exposure. Neither lactate dehydrogenase specific activity nor myoglobin concentration was altered during or after CO treatment. Neither the DNA nor hydroxyproline data provide an explanation for "persistent cardiomegaly."
