Micronucleus test applied in patients with acute leukemia, before and at different intervals during the cytostatic treatment.

The micronucleus test was applied in a group of 36 patients with malignant disease of the blood (acute lymphoblastic leukemia, ALL, and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, ANLL) in order to evaluate to what extent it may be relevant for the efficiency of the cytostatic treatment. To this end, the test was applied at the onset of the disease (when diagnosed) and at different intervals after initiating the cytostatic therapy. Determination of the incidence of micronucleated cells and immature cells (blasts) at the two moments of the study established a correlation between the frequency of micronucleated cells and blast cells, the response to the anticancerous treatment and survival duration, the data obtained reflecting the prognostic value of the test in some malignant hemopathies.

Modifications of ouabain inhibition of xenon accumulation in red blood cells. Implications regarding cell water structuring.

Ouabain is known to depress uptake of xenon by red blood cells, but it is now found that the depressive effects of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) or heavy water are even more marked. Ouabain partly reverses those effects in a manner suggesting it exerts a constant action on xenon exchange regardless of the presence or absence of PSP or D2O. Processes analogous to exchange diffusion between certain anesthetic substances and xenon were also observed. The theoretical consequences of the findings are discussed.

Biochemical changes in the rat brain associated with dinitrophenol-induced brain edema.

The present paper was designed to the study of cerebral edema induced by intracarotid infusion of dinitrophenol. The determinations included variations in three lysosomal enzymes (acid phosphatase, cathepsin C and beta-glucuronidase), Na+-K+-ATP-ase, changes in cerebral RNA and protein concentrations and the synthesis of these macromolecules in vitro. In experimental brain edema a drastic drop in the activity of lysosomal enzymes took place. The acid phosphatase decreased to less than 30% of controls. Cathepsin C and beta-glucuronidase were reduced about 30% and 50% of control levels respectively. Protein concentration in the cerebral tissue also decreased by more than 50%. The concentration of RNA, RNA synthesis, and the level of Na+-K+-ATP-ase remained unchanged. Protein synthesis was stimulated by 75% (against controls). All these phenomena were suppressed when the animals subjected to the action of dinitrophenol were concomitantly treated with the antiacidotic substance, tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane.

Xeonon accumulation in the red blood cell. A process latered by suppressors of the membrane active transport function.

Xenon passage across the erythrocyte membrane was investigated by performing several types of tests. The effects of some enzyme inhibitors (ouabain, NaF, dinitrophenol, low temperature), representing various modifications of the mentioned transport phenomenon, led to the conclusion of the existence of a strong correlation between the cellular energetic metabolism (and, hence, the energy supply for membrane processes) and the xenon accumulation into the erythrocyte. The experimental data obtained indicate that the xenon concentration in the cell water exceeds the concentration in the incubation solution by about 20%. The metabolic inhibitors practically equalise the xenon concentrations in the cell water and in the surrounding medium. The possible theoretical consequences of these facts are taken into account and analyzed.

Chromosome abnormalities in chronic active hepatitis.

An investigation on human peripheral blood lymphocyte chromosomes in chronic active hepatitis was carried out. A higher percentage of chromatid and chromosome lesions was recorded in all patients studied as compared with control groups-normal individuals, healthy subjects who had suffered from acute viral hepatitis, patients with alcoholic liver disease, and patients with mechanical jaundice due to cancer. The possible origin of these abnormalities is discussed.