IL-1-induced leukocytosis was inhibited or blocked in a dose-dependent manner by SIRS, an antigen-nonspecific suppressive lymphokine, when administered intravenously or per os to CBA mice. Timing experiments showed that SIRS effectively inhibited the leukocytosis when administered within 30 minutes of the IL-1. An antipyrogenic activity of SIRS was observed in rabbits injected intravenously with LPS. SIRS, given intravenously in one or two doses, markedly reduced LPS-induced fever. SIRS (2000 units) was a more effective antipyretic agent than aspirin (3 mg/kg body weight, intramuscularly). The results suggest that SIRS may be a potential drug for use in IL-1-mediated disorders.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An improved wet digestion procedure for the analysis of total arsenic in biological samples by direct hydride atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

The presence of dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) in biological samples can cause an underestimation of total arsenic content when analyzed relative to an inorganic arsenic standard by direct hydride flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. An acid digestion procedure is described that quantitatively recovers DMAA as well as monomethylarsonic acid, inorganic arsenic(III), and arsenic(V) from aqueous and biological samples. Methylated arsenicals are converted to inorganic arsenic by wet digestion with HNO3, H2SO4, and K2Cr2O7 and subsequently reduced to arsenic(III) with Nal. Arsine is generated with NaBH4 and converted to atomic arsenic following immediate introduction into a nitrogen-entrained air-hydrogen flame. This method produces a linear relationship to absorbance within a mass range of 50 to 300 ng arsenic/arsine reaction. A sensitivity of 2 ng arsenic and a detection limit of 7 ng arsenic/arsine reaction were also obtained. Recovery of DMAA from water, urine, feces, or whole blood ranged from 92 to 105% with a coefficient of variation of 5 to 10%.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The management of urinary calculi in a stone centre.

We report the management of the first 100 patients who presented with upper urinary tract calculi to The Devonshire Hospital Lithotripter Centre. Ninety-two patients were treated by extra-corporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) alone, four by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCN) and two with staghorn calculi by combined ESWL and PCN. Ten patients had ureteric stones, and two of these required conventional open surgery. The average inpatient stay was 3.7 days. Half the patients required no analgesia after ESWL. Of the remainder, most were comfortable with oral analgesia. Almost all returned to normal activity within a few days of discharge. Complications were minimal and were managed by percutaneous or endoscopic techniques. These figures confirm the West German experience that ESWL is a safe and effective urological procedure and requires a skilled back-up of percutaneous and ureteroscopic skills for optimal patient management. By means of these techniques, conventional open surgery is necessary for the treatment of fewer than 5% of cases of calculi in the upper urinary tract.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Retropubic extraperitoneal endoscopy.

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Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Percutaneous pyeloplasty: an alternative to open surgery.

This paper describes the management of five patients with pelviureteric junctional obstruction who were treated by a one-stage percutaneous procedure. In two patients, renal calculi were removed simultaneously. The obstructing strictured area was divided internally by means of a modified endoscopic urethrotomy knife, which was passed through a percutaneous nephrostomy track. The defect was bridged by natural regeneration around a soft splint over six weeks. Four patients achieved a successful result with a shortened hospital stay, minimal morbidity, improved radiological drainage and the avoidance of open surgery. One patient, who had undergone three previous open plastic operations, was still symptomatic, in spite of successful anatomical correction. At exploration, open surgical repair was impossible and a nephrectomy was performed. This new technique appears applicable to selected primary and secondary pelviureteric junctional obstructions in which the obstructing segment is in an anatomically dependent situation.

Adult↗