[Allergic dermatitis due to occupational contact with Rhus toxicodendron].
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Urinary control results were evaluated for 230 drug addicts in methadone therapy in the county of Arhus for 1993. Nine point nine percent of the initial samples were positive for opiates, dropping to 5.9% for subsequent samples, suggesting that urinary control has consequences. Two point four percent of the initial samples were negative for methadone decreasing to 1.3% for later samples. Fifty percent were positive for cannabinols and 15-20% for benzodiazepines, whereas only 1.4% was positive for amphetamine. Looking at the serial pattern for the patients, it turned out that 41% had one or more samples positive for opiates during the methadone treatment period, and 14% were occasionally negative for methadone. For comparison, urine samples from 461 clients not in methadone treatment were also studied. A similar abuse pattern was recorded for these samples.
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During the years 1991-1993, the emergency department of Arhus Kommune Hospital received four victims of lightning accidents. Two of these were admitted to the intensive care unit for further treatment and observation. This case report brings their histories including clinical findings. Possible mechanisms of damage are discussed and the importance of immediate and continued resuscitation of the presumably lifeless victim of a lightning accident is confirmed. All four patients recovered without serious physical sequelae.
Determining the geographical origin of an introduced organism can be critical to understanding or managing a non-native species, but is often difficult when the organism is small or inconspicuous. We used a phylogeographical approach to identify the region of endemism and determine the geographical origin of world populations of the seed-feeding wasp Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hussey). This wasp feeds on African Rhus species and South American Schinus species in various locations around the world. Because it is present both in Africa and in South America, it is unclear whether the wasp was originally an African Rhus-feeder that has begun feeding on Schinus or a South American Schinus-feeder that has started feeding on Rhus. Phylogenetic analysis of 800 bp of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequence data found extensive variation and phylogeographical structure within African M. transvaalensis. Specimens from other locations around the world were all identical in COI sequence and were phylogenetically nested within the African samples. We conclude that M. transvaalensis was originally an African Rhus-feeder that readily attacks Schinus. We evaluate potential pathways of introduction of this wasp to the New World, and we discuss implications of our results for biocontrol efforts against invasive Schinus populations.
Systemic contact dermatitis may occur in contact-sensitized individuals when they are exposed to haptens orally, transcutaneously, intravenously or by inhalation. We report the case of a woman developing a diffuse skin eruption after the topical use of Rhus toxicodendron alcoholic extract and the oral introduction of a homeopathic preparation of the same substance for herpes treatment. An open test, performed with the Rhus toxicodendron tincture, showed an erythemato-oedematous response at 48 h and vesicular reaction at 96 h that was still present after 7 days. Patch test with 65% ethyl alcohol gave negative results. The open test performed, as control, in eight healthy informed subjects revealed negative responses to Rhus tincture application. The result is interesting because in Italy, allergic contact dermatitis to Rhus is uncommon and this case increases the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism leading to systemic contact dermatitis development.
A limiting dilution assay was developed to quantitate urushiol (the antigen of poison ivy; Toxicodendron radicans) specific T cells from peripheral blood of a patient with a history of rhus (poison ivy) dermatitis. It was found that maximal sensitivity with minimal nonspecific proliferation could be produced with the use of 5 U/ml of recombinant IL2 added to the assay on day 6. This donor was found to have a frequency of urushiol specific peripheral blood T cells of (1/2935). Five interleukin 2 (IL2) dependent urushiol specific T-cell clones were generated from the peripheral blood of this patient. These T-cell clones had a CD8+ (T8+) phenotype and proliferated specifically to both extracts of Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy) leaves and pure urushiol. Pentadecylcatechol was an inferior antigen, only stimulating proliferation of one clone. The ability of all clones to proliferate to pure urushiol, despite their having been induced with leaf extract, suggests that urushiol, or closely related catechols, represent the only allergenic constituents of Toxicodendron radicans. Lymphokine production in response to antigen varied between (0.6-5.0) units/ml of interleukin 2 (IL2) and (1.0-120) units/ml of gamma interferon. Although none of the clones showed significant cytotoxicity against NK targets, three of five lines showed considerable cytotoxicity against concanavalin A treated (lectin approximated) targets. However, cytotoxicity for rhus conjugated autologous targets was not detected. It was found that several of these CD8+ clones could suppress IgG production in the presence of rhus antigen. The isolation of these T-cells from peripheral blood several months after rhus dermatitis suggests that these clones may have a role in down regulating delayed hypersensitivity to urushiol.
We investigated the effects of herb extracts, Rhus verniciflua, Agrimonia pilosa, Sophora japonica, and Paeonia suffruticosa, on the lowering of blood glucose levels and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. After 4 weeks, oral administration of Rhus verniciflua extract (50 mg/kg) exhibited a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats (P<0.05). Blood TBARS concentrations, the products of glucose oxidation in blood, were also lowered by Rhus verniciflua extract supplementation. In addition, Sophora japonica and Paeonia suffruticosa extracts significantly reduced TBARS levels versus diabetic controls. Serum concentrations of liver-function marker enzymes, GOT and GPT, were also restored by Rhus verniciflua (50 mg/kg) supplementation in diabetic rats.
SETTING: Rural Health Units (RHUs) in Cebu Province, Philippines. OBJECTIVE: To assess and improve the on-going quality control of tuberculosis activities in Cebu Province. METHODS: During the period of the study, from January 1996 to December 1997, positive slides (100% in 1996 and 20% or 100% in 1997) and 20% of negative slides selected from all of the slides examined at the RHUs were assessed on the quality of smear preparation. The readings were blindly cross-checked by the provincial assessors. RESULTS: In 1997, 1) 90% of RHUs participated in the quality control activity; 2) the proportion of good quality smears increased markedly; and 3) the false positive and false negative rates did not change during the period, but most of the false positives were observed among the scanty positives of the field reading, and no false negatives were noted among the heavily positive slides. CONCLUSION: Although the false positive and negative rates did not decrease during the period, the quality control procedure resulted in marked improvements in smear preparation, a high participation of RHUs in the quality control programme and the elimination of large discrepancies between readers on positive slides in 1997. It is considered to have significantly improved the NTP's smear microscopy service in Cebu Province.
Aqueous extracts from 5 plants used widely in Kenya as chewing sticks (mswaki) for the control of oral hygiene were tested for their ability to inhibit extracellular peptidase and glycosidase enzyme activities produced by the periodontopathic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (formerly Bacteroides gingivalis), Bacteroides intermedius and Treponema denticola. The plants studied were Rhus natalensis, Cupressus hisitanica, Sida cordifolia, Olea africana and Euclea divinorum. Protease activities, including glycylprolyl dipeptidase and trypsin-like activities of P. gingivalis, chymotrypsin-like and glycylprolyl dipeptidase activities of B. intermedius and the trypsin-like activity of T. denticola, were particularly affected by extracts from Rhus natalensis and Euclea divinorum. Glycosidase activities were generally less affected with the notable exceptions of the inhibition of beta-mannosidase activity of P. gingivalis by all extracts and the inhibition of neuraminidase activity of T. denticola by Rhus natalensis and Euclea divinorum. Generally, these same proteolytic and glycosidic activities were inhibited by tannic acid and to lesser extents by gallic acid and gallic acid methyl ester. An inhibitory component, present in all extracts, exhibited physical and chemical properties identical to those of tannic acid. The inhibition of these enzyme activities is likely to reduce the virulence of these periodontophathic bacteria and to reduce the rate of dental plaque formation.
In Europe, as opposed to North America, poison-ivy rash is hardly known. For this reason a detailed review of the allergenic members of the Anacardiaceae family is given, and the misleading nomenclature of "poison ivy", "poison oak", and some other species of this family are discussed. An up-to-date representation of the chemical structure of the allergenic substance group (denoted as "Urushiol") from this family is provided as well as botanical information regarding the plants themselves. Prevention of this dangerous sensitization and the therapy of this allergic reaction are discussed. The four cases presented are as follows: a young German woman who became sensitized to poison ivy or poison oak while in the USA and showed a cross reaction to other Rhus species (R. copallina, R. javanica (semialata), R. trichocarpa) as well as to Choerospondias axillaris var. japonica and to mangoes; a landscape gardener with an occupationally acquired allergy to Anacardium occidentale; and two control persons giving positive results to skin tests with Urushiol and Rhus trichocarpa respectively, to which the source of sensitization could not be clarified. Tests with three kinds of pistachio and two native-European Anacardiaceae (Rhus typhina and Cotinus coggygria) yielded negative results in each case. Prophylaxis to sensitization requires familiarity with the numerous Anacardiaceae and derivative products to which one could come in contact. These substances, summarized in a table, include mango, cashew and "sweet pepper".
A number of plants are traditionally used to treat mental diseases in South Africa. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of 43 plants that are traditionally used to treat against epilepsy and convulsions, were tested in the GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor binding assay, where the binding of 3H-Ro 15-1788 (flumazenil) to the benzodiazepine site is measured. The GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor complex is involved in epilepsy and convulsions. Out of the 118 extracts tested, one aqueous and 18 ethanol extracts showed activity. The most active extracts were the ethanolic leaf extracts of Rhus tridentata, Rhus rehmanniana and Hoslundia opposita and the ethanolic corm extract of Hypoxis colchicifolia, which all showed good dose-dependent activity.
A synthesis of (15:1)-urushiol, urushiol monoene, 3-[(Z)-pentadec-8-enyl] catechol, 1,2-dihydroxy-3-[(Z)-pentadec-8-enyl] benzene, one of the toxic principles of Rhus toxicodendron and of Rhus vernicifera is described. 6-Chlorohexan-1-ol protected at the OH group with ethyl vinyl ether reacted with 2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde in the presence of lithium to give, after removal of the protective group with methanolic 4-toluenesulphonic acid, 1-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl) heptane-1,7-diol. Catalytic hydrogenolysis in ethanol with palladium-carbon selectively afforded 7-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)heptane-1-ol accompanied by a small proportion of the 7-(3-methoxyphenyl)heptane-1-diol, formed by demethoxylation. Reaction of the dimethoxy compound with boron tribromide resulted in both bromination and demethylation to give 7-(2,3-dihydroxyphenyl) heptylbromide. This bromide in tetrahydrofuran (THF) containing hexamethylphosphoric triamide reacted with excess lithium oct-1-yne to give 3-(pentadec-8-enyl)catechol which, by catalytic hydrogenation in ethyl acetate containing quinoline, selectively formed the required cis product, 3-[(Z)-pentadec-8-enyl]catechol which was identical chromatographically and spectroscopically with urushiol monoene separated from the natural product.
BACKGROUND: Herbivory can affect every aspect of a plant's life. Damaged individuals may show decreased survivorship and reproductive output. Additionally, specific plant species (legumes) and tissues (flowers) are often selectively targeted by herbivores, like deer. These types of herbivory influence a plant's growth and abundance. The objective of this study was to identify the effects of leaf and meristem removal (simulated herbivory within an exclosure) on fruit and flower production in four species (Rhus glabra, Rosa arkansana, Lathyrus venosus, and Phlox pilosa) which are known targets of deer herbivory. RESULTS: Lathyrus never flowered or went to seed, so we were unable to detect any treatment effects. Leaf removal did not affect flower number in the other three species. However, Phlox, Rosa, and Rhus all showed significant negative correlations between seed mass and leaf removal. Meristem removal had a more negative effect than leaf removal on flower number in Phlox and on both flower number and seed mass in Rosa. CONCLUSIONS: Meristem removal caused a greater response than defoliation alone in both Phlox and Rosa, which suggests that meristem loss has a greater effect on reproduction. The combination of leaf and meristem removal as well as recruitment limitation by deer, which selectively browse for these species, is likely to be one factor contributing to their low abundance in prairies.