Circadian variations of certain blood components currently investigated.

The circadian variations of serum components such as: cholesterol, LDH, GOT, alkaline phosphatase, proteins, bilirubin, ferrous ions and creatinine were investigated. Blood collection was made two times in 24 hrs.: 5-6 p.m. and 7-8 a.m. on the next day. The data obtained allowed the classification of the subjects into two groups: stable and variable. The most interesting observations were: evening decrease of cholesterol, evening increases of LDH with a tendency of intensification of the LDH5 fraction in the zymogram and evening decreases of ferrous ion.

Study of serum intestinal alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme in correlation with the ABO blood group system and secretory status in ulcer patients.

Serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) electrophoretic phenotype and the level of its activity inhibited by l-phenylalanine 5 mM (the stereospecific inhibitor of the intestinal AP isoenzyme) were investigated in 312 subjects (132 healthy controls, 89 patients with duodenal ulcer, 31 with gastric ulcer and 60 family members of the duodenal ulcer patients) in correlation with the ABO blood group system and secretory status. In the control subjects, those with A(II) blood group showed a predominance of the p degrees electrophoretic phenotype while phenotypes p+ and p++ were more frequent in the controls with O(I) and B(III) blood groups and in the secretory ones. In the patients with duodenal ulcer and their family members the frequency of phenotypes p+ and p+ was significantly higher than in the controls. The same distribution of frequencies was observed for the level of AP activity inhibited by l-phenylalanine. The results obtained are discussed in the light of a possible genetic linkage.

[Epidemiological studies of viral hepatitis with and without HB antigen by means of complex studies in families]. / Cercetari epidemiologice asupra hepatitei virale cu si fara antigen HB prin anchete complexe in familii

The results of an epidemiological and laboratory investigation on 242 adults and children, who had come in contact with patients suffering from viral hepatitis (in the family or outside it), showed the importance of family contact and the role of routes of transmission other than the parenteral and transfusional ones in viral hepatitis with positive HB antigen. Attention is likewise drawn to the importance of the laboratory tests (classical enzymatic tests and immunoelectrodiffusion) in the detection of epidemogenic sources, represented by the subclinical forms of infection.

Attempts to improve the early enzymatic diagnosis of coronary heart disease.

Based on the hypothesis that beta lipoproteins have the ability to trap certain enzymes, an attempt was made to release these enzymes from the eventual beta lipoprotein blockade, by subjecting the serum to different processings such as: freezing-thawing (3 times), ultrasonation or treatment with Triton X100 or sodium desoxycholate. After the first two procedures an increase of serum LDH and alkaline phosphatase activities was observed in about half the sera investigated (normal and pathologic). In few cases of coronary heart disease (two out of 60), LDH activity reached a clearly pathologic level.

Variations of salivary amylase as a test of internal irradiation in man.

The hypothesis of the parotid gland radiosensitivity has suggested to the authors to follow up the effect of therapeutic internal irradiation on the serum, urine and salivary alpha-amylase activity in man. The assay and visualization of alpha-amylase isoenzymes on agar gel zymograms by using the "Phadebas amylase test" tablets has demonstrated in some cases increases of salivary alpha-amylase activity expressed by the ratio of the optical density after internal irradiation to that before administration of radioisotopes.

Screening tests for the enzymatic diagnosis in liver diseases and myocardial infarction.

To perform the ever increasing number of analyses with a minimum equipment the tendency all over the world is now to replace the classical tests with screening tests. The laboratory of enzymology of the Institute of Internal Medicine has achieved screening tests for the estimation of alkaline phosphatase, of total lactatedehydrogenase and of its fraction I, whose results are in agreement with the reference methods of Bessy-Lowry-Brock and of Lac-Dehystrate-Goedecke in cases of acute and chronic liver diseases, neoplasms, bone diseases (Paget's disease) and myocardial infarction.

Cytoenzymochemical effects of some antiblastic drugs and prediction of response to chemotherapy in acute leukemias.

Over 20 cytoenzymochemical tests were carried out in 152 patients with different types of acute leukemia to estimate the effects of some antiblastic drugs such as L-asparaginase, Purinethol, Methotrexate, Endoxan, Vinchristine, Cytosine Arabinoside a.o. The patients selected for the study were carefully examined before treatment at different moments during and/or at the end of the treatment. The effects of these drugs on the blast cells were mild when the cellular populations had a low rate of nucleic acid synthesis, high glycogenic score and high amounts of lipids or an important oxidative enzymatic activity. The enzymatic prediction tests: the acid phosphate deviation test and the succinic dehydrogenase inhibition test including the variant suggested by some of the authors - the latic dehydrogenase inhibition test - gave satisfactory results only in certain cases of acute leukemia.

Platelet energetic enzymes.

The LDH isoenzymic pattern was studied in platelet cytolysates from man and rabbits, and the two forms of ATP-ase-the Mg++ and the Ca++ activated ones--were assayed in human platelet cytolysates. In man, the platelet LDH zymogram was of the intermediary type. Some of the zymograms presented 4 fractions others 5; in all patterns the H/M subunits ratio was above 1. In rabbits, the platelet LDH zymogram was of the anodal type with only 4 bands; the H/M subunits ratio showed the same variations as in man. Of the two forms of ATP-ase, the Mg++ activated one was dominant in the platelet cytolysates studied.