Lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes and protein-bound sialic acid in regenerating rat liver.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) isoenzyme patterns and protein-bound sialic acid content were compared between normal, regenerating rat liver 10 days after partial hepatectomy and fetal rat liver. For this purpose, liver from ten adult rats and two pools of ten fetal livers each were examined. Isoenzymes were separated by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate and their percent distribution calculated after quantitation by densitometry of the bands. LDH-5 and LDH-4 combined represented in all the tissues examined 90%-94% of the total activity. LDH-5/LDH-4 ratios were nearly equivalent in the normal and regenerated liver (7.14, 6.41), but substantially lower in fetal liver (2.50). Two bands of AP were visualized in electropherograms. AP-1/AP-2 ratio was lower in regenerated liver (1.57) as compared to normal liver (2.27) and still lower in fetal liver (1.06). Protein-bound sialic acid was, on protein basis, slightly but not significantly higher in regenerated liver (1.71 microgram/mg protein) than in normal liver (1.43), and significantly higher in fetal liver (1.87). The relatively small differences in isoenzyme patterns and in protein-bound sialic acid between regenerated and normal liver as compared to those between fetal and normal tissue add support to the view that the cells in regenerated liver are not of embryonic origin.

The prognostic value of serum acetylcholinesterase in myocardial infarction. Theoretical and clinical considerations.

The aim of the present work was to determine experimentally the prognostic value of reduced activity of serum acetylcholinesterase (ACE) in cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In the first part of the research we studied the mechanism of this reduction by comparing the serum results with the levels of the enzyme in cardiac tissue in such cases. It was found that ACE activity is reduced in serum and also in cardiac tissue in AMI, in contrast to creatine kinase (CK) that is augmented in serum but reduced in cardiac tissue. This fact was interpreted as a "reduced cardiac flow of ACE," in contrast to the "augmented cardiac clearance of CK" in similar cases. In the second part of our research, 50 patients, admitted in our hospital for AMI, were examined and their blood analysed mainly for ACE and CK at brief intervals (every 2-3 days), during hospitalization, and thereafter every 1-2 weeks for 1-4 months. From the results of ACE activity it was possible to classify these variations into four groups, each of them having a defined prognostic value for the evolution of the AMI, a persistent reduced serum activity being interpreted as a bad, severe prognosis, with high morbidity or mortality (groups II and III). We suggest, therefore, that the determination of ACE in serum in cases of AMI, especially before discharge home of such patients, may be an additional useful laboratory test in such cases.

Clinical trial of bromhexine in Sjögren's syndrome.

Tear secretion and lysozyme tear content were measured in 30 patients with Sjögren's syndrome after treatment with oral bromhexine, 32 mg/day. In 21 patients (70%) there was a marked increase in tear secretion and in lysozyme content. In patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) good results in clarifying the mucoid eye discharge were obtained. A remarkable amelioration of xerostomia was also noted. Six other patients, serving as controls, were given a placebo and bromhexine. The placebo had no influence on the rate of tear secretion, while bromhexine caused it to increase in 70% of the controls. This side effects of bromhexine treatment encountered in the present study were negligible and transient. We consider bromhexine to be the drug of choice in the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome.

Enzyme activities in regenerating liver of rats.

the activities of eight enzymes were determined in the regenerating liver of rats after partial hepatectomy. For five enzymes, i.e., aldolase, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine transaminase, 5-nucleotidase, and acid phosphatase a progressive statistically significant increase in activities was obtained on days 10 and 20 of regeneration. This increase was not at the high level observed for parallel activities in fetal liver of rats on the 20th day of gestation. A possible interpretation of the process of liver regeneration is suggested.

Lysozyme content of tears in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

In 37 patients and 143 control patients we estimated tear fluid lysozyme content by the Micrococcus lysodeikticus agar diffusion assay. We found no correlation between the titer of lysozyme in tear fluid and the rate of tear flow. Decrease in lysozyme production was found to be a sensitive indicator of the involvement of the lacrimal system in Sjögren's syndrome.

[Copper concentration in women endometrium and in peripheral blood after prolonged use of intrauterine devices (author's transl)]. / Concentración de cobre en plasma y endometrio después del uso prolongado de contraceptovos uterinos.

PIP: 66 women were examined to determine the copper concentration in their serum and endometrium after prolonged use of an IUD (Lippes Loop, Hall Ring, Birnberg, Saf-T-Coil, Tatum, and Copper 7). A control of 16 nonusers was included. The level of copper was found by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In the control group, the copper concentration in the serum was a mean of 100 gamma/100 cc of serum and in the endometrial tissue, a mean of 251 gamma/100 gm/wet tissue. In women using IUDs with no copper, the concentration in the serum was in the normal range, but in endometrial tissue it was between 457-586 gamma/100 gm. Similar findings came with the examination of women using IUDs containing copper. The high concentration of copper in inflamed endometrial tissue led to the hypothesis that such a condition, ith accompanying hyperenemia and hyperkinesia of the uterus and tubes are the principle factors for the contraceptive action of IUDs.^ieng

Increased salivary calcium levels as an indicator of digoxin intoxication.

One hundred ten individuals were divided into patients with digoxin intoxication; patients treated with digoxin; patients treated with digoxin and diuretics; patients treated with diuretics; and control subjects. Measurement of salivary potassium and calcium levels showed that 81% of the patients with digoxin intoxication had noticeable elevation of the salivary calcium level. In 22%, elevation of the salivary calcium level preceded clinical manifestations of intoxication. The high calcium level in the saliva was not accompanied by changes in serum or urinary calcium levels. The elevation of salivary calcium levels can be used not only as an additional indicator of digoxin intoxication but also for detecting impending intoxication in patients treated with this drug.