The effect of chlorhexidine acetate on the corneal penetration of sorbitol from an arnolol formulation in the albino rabbit.

The effect of chlorhexidine acetate on the corneal penetration of sorbitol was evaluated in vitro using the enucleated pigmented rabbit cornea mounted in a modified Ussing chamber. Sorbitol penetrated the cornea poorly when compared with arnolol, a beta blocker. Sorbitol penetration was improved 85% by 0.01% chlorhexidine acetate, 2.9 times by 0.1% EDTA, and 9.6 times by stripping the corneal epithelium prior to the start of the experiment. By comparison, 0.01% chlorhexidine acetate and stripping the corneal epithelium improved the corneal penetration of arnolol only 30% and 74%, respectively, whereas stripping the corneal epithelium did not affect the corneal penetration of chlorhexidine acetate. Collectively, the above findings indicate that changes in corneal integrity may dramatically affect the corneal penetration of some inert excipients in ophthalmic formulations. Such a possibility must be considered carefully in the selection of excipients.

Immunopathological findings and thyroid autoantibodies in thyroid autonomy.

Different phenomena under consideration, lymphocytic and macrophagic infiltration and increased thyrocyte class I and class II antigen expression, normally ascribed to autoimmune thyroid disease (Graves' disease; Hashimoto's thyroiditis) were frequently found in thyroid glands with autonomous nodules, too. Contrary, nodular formations in the vast majority of nodular goiters were not associated with these immunopathological findings. Furthermore, thyroid microsomal, anti-peroxidase and TSH-receptor antibodies although at low frequency rates, were only detected in cases of autonomous nodules but not in cases of nodular goiters. From these findings we conclude that the immune phenomenon observed in thyroid autonomy could not be a consequence of nodular formations but that at least in some cases of thyroid autonomy immunopathogenic mechanisms may play an important role. Based on the fact that class I hyper-expression was more common and that a stronger correlation of cell infiltration with increased class I than with increased class II expression on thyrocytes existed we propose, that if the initial event of the autoimmune process is indeed increased class II expression, this stimulus may more likely originate from increased non-thyrocyte class II positivity (for example dendritic or endothelial cells) than from thyrocyte class II positivity. But, if aberrant class II expression is not the initial stimulus, another candidate could be the increased thyrocyte class I expression observed, probably due to the action of interferon alpha and/or beta induced by any unknown stimulus (viruses?).

Permeability of the Body Wall of Romanomermis culicivorax to Lanthanum.

Ultrastructural study of the body wall of preparasitic, parasitic, and postparasitic stages of Romanomermis culicivorax showed that the cuticle of all three stages was permeable to lanthanum. The cuticle of the parasitic stage was the thinnest and showed the greatest permeability. Lanthanum accumulated on the apical surfaces of the hypodermal cells but was not found intracellularly. The negative staining characteristics of lanthanum enhanced the detection of numerous smooth septate junctions in the hypodermis of the parasitic stage.

The ultrastructure of normal myogenesis in the limb of the mouse.

The ultrastructure of myogenesis in the mouse hind limb has been studied from day 12 to birth. Mononucleated cells with myofilaments are small and infrequent during myogenesis and never line myotubes. Only mononucleated cells without myofilaments cover the myotubes are involved in mass fusion. These mononucleated cells are pleomorphic and undifferentiated during early myogenesis. They have a heterochromatic nucleus and many accumulate mitochondria and lengthen during days 16-18. After day 18 they are normally elongate with a heterochromatic nucleus and packed with free ribosomes. The multinucleated cell development may be divided into four stages. 1. Immature myotube (days 14-15). Their fibrils are small, out of register and some poorly defined. Many myofilaments are not in rigid hexagonal alignment. The sarcoplasmic reticulum is simple and randomly oriented and triads are absent. Large clumps of glycogen occur between euchromatic nuclei which are in chain formation. 2. Mature myotube (days 16-18). Small groups of fibrils show alignment. Glycogen granules and sarcoplasmic reticulum become numerous between fibrils. Triads are sparse and mitochondria cluster in subsarcolemmal regions and between nuclei. 3. Young myofibers are present by day 19. More fibrils are aligned and compact. The filaments are in a rigid hexagonal array, the glycogen is dispersed and nuclei are peripherally located and moderately heterochromatic. Triads are frequent but often obliquely oriented and mitochondria are elongate and numerous between fibrils. 4. Mature myofibers occur postnatally (2 weeks).