Variations in the resting oxygen consumption of small babies

Over 200 measurements of the resting rate of oxygen consumption using an open-circuit method were made on 15 small babies nursed in their usual clinical setting during the first month of life. There were striking and persistent variations between babies that could not be explained by postnatal age, relationship to feed, sleep, or time of day. It was not possible from clinical examination to predict which babies had the higher or lower metabolic rates, except that babies who were light-for-dates generally had higher values. Because of these variations the appropriate thermal temperature for small babies cannot be predicted from average values adjusted for body weight and postnatal age alone.     

Activation of submucosal 5-HT3 receptors elicits a somatostatin-dependent inhibition of ion secretion in rat colon

Background and purpose:

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a key regulator of the gastrointestinal system and we have shown that submucosal neuronal 5-HT₃ receptors exerted a novel inhibitory effect on colonic ion transport. The aim of the present study was to investigate the precise mechanism(s) underlying this inhibitory effect.

Experimental approach:

Mucosa/submucosa or mucosa-only preparations from rat distal colon were mounted in Ussing chambers for measurement of short-circuit current (I_sc) as an indicator of ion secretion. Somatostatin release was determined with radioimmunoassay. Intracellular cAMP content was measured with enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (elisa). Immunohistochemical techniques were used to study the expression of 5-HT₃ receptors, somatostatin and somatostatin receptors in colonic tissue.

Key results:

In rat distal colonic mucosa/submucosa preparations, pretreatment with 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists enhanced 5-HT-induced increases in I_sc. However, in mucosa-only preparations without retained neural elements, pretreatment with 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists inhibited 5-HT-induced ΔI_sc. Pretreatment with a somatostatin-2 (sst₂) receptor antagonist in mucosa/submucosa preparations augmented 5-HT-induced ΔI_sc. Combination of sst₂ and 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists did not cause further enhancement of 5-HT-induced ΔI_sc. Moreover, both sst₂ and 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists enhanced 5-HT-induced increase in intracellular cAMP concentration in the mucosa/submucosa preparations. 5-HT released somatostatin from rat colonic mucosa/submucosa preparations, an effect prevented by pretreatment with 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the presence of 5-HT₃ receptors on submucosal somatostatin neurons and of sst₂ receptors on colonic mucosa.

Conclusion and implications:

Activation of neuronal 5-HT₃ receptors in the submucosal plexus of rat colon suppressed 5-HT-induced ion secretion by releasing somatostatin from submucosal neurons.     

Comparison of Phaconit Rollable IOL with Acrylic Foldable IOL

Background

Phaconit or ultra micro incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery involves phacoemulsification through a 0.9 millimetre sleeveless phaco tip and irrigating chopper followed by implantation of a rollable intraocular lens. The procedure leads to negligible astigmatism and faster visual recovery as compared to phacoemulsification with a foldable intraocular lens.

Methods

This prospective study analysed 80 cases of sub millimetre phaconit surgery with implantation of rollable intraocular lenses(IOL) in 40 cases and acrylic foldable IOL in the remaining 40 cases. Evaluation of efficacy and adaptability of procedure, equipment settings, operative constraints, postoperative complications, keratometric and topographic evaluation of induced astigmatism with visual outcome and patient''s rehabilitation were studied.

Results

The intraoperative complications were surge/ chamber collapse in 16 (20%), iris chaffing in one and corneal burns in two cases. All cases had an induced astigmatism of less than or equal to ± 0.25 D in four to six weeks after rollable IOL and ± 0.5 D to ± 0.75 D after acrylic IOL implantation. All patients had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/6 by third post operative day.

Conclusion

Phaconit with rollable IOL is a perfect blend of surgical skill, application of technology and ultra thin IOL.Key Words: Phaconit, Ultra micro phaco, Submillimetre incision, Rollable IOL implantation     

Continuous infusion cisplatin and etoposide chemotherapy for cancer of unknown primary site (CUPS) in Taiwan, a region with a high prevalence of endemic viral infections

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of cisplatin/etoposide continuous infusion chemotherapy for cancer of unknown primary site in Taiwan, a region with a high prevalence of endemic viral infections. METHOD: Between April 1994 and February 1996, 20 patients with a diagnosis of CUPS were treated, including 15 males and five females, of average age 63.3 years (range 41-83 years). Continuous intravenous infusion of etoposide 80 mg/m2 and cisplatin 25 mg/m2 was given for 3 days every 3 weeks. Pretreatment tumor marker and viral serology studies were performed for baseline evaluation. Nearly two-thirds of the patients had poorly differentiated carcinoma. The average number of metastatic sites was 2.65 (range 1-4), with liver and lymph node involvement predominating. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 25% (95% CI 17.7-32.3%); 30.7% for poorly differentiated cancers and 25% for well differentiated cancers. Median survival was 4 months (range 1-12 months), 4.8 months for patients attaining partial response. Toxicity was moderate, grade 3 and 4 neutropenia occurred in 55% and grade 3 and 4 thrombocytopenia in 40%; other toxicities were mild. CA125 and CA199 were elevated in more than 50% of patients. Viral serology studies were not significantly different from those of the indigenous population. CONCLUSION: Etoposide and cisplatin combination chemotherapy has modest activity in patients with extensive CUPS and, at the schedule and dosage given, it is associated with moderate toxicity.      

Vitamin D levels and cancer incidence in 217,244 individuals from primary health care in Denmark

Vitamin D has been linked to cancer development in both pre-clinical and epidemiological studies. Our study examines the association between serum levels of vitamin D and cancer incidence in the Capital Region of Denmark. Individuals who had vitamin D analyzed at The Copenhagen General Practitioners Laboratory between April 2004 and January 2010 were linked to Danish registries with end of follow-up date at Dec 31st 2014, excluding individuals with pre-existing cancer. Cox regression models adjusted for age in one-year intervals, sex, month of sampling, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were applied. The study population of 217,244 individuals had a median vitamin D level of 46 nmol/L (IQR 27–67 nmol/L). Non-melanoma skin cancer was the most frequent form of cancer, followed by breast-, lung-, and prostate cancers. No associations were found between increments of 10 nmol/L vitamin D and incidence of breast, colorectal, urinary, ovary or corpus uteri cancer. However, higher levels of vitamin D were associated with higher incidence of non-melanoma (HR 1.09 [1.09–1.1]) and melanoma skin cancer (HR 1.1 [1.08–1.13]) as well as prostate (HR 1.05 [1.03–1.07]) and hematological cancers (HR 1.03 [1.01–1.06]), but with lower incidence of lung cancer (HR 0.95 [0.93–0.97]). In our study, vitamin D levels are not associated with the incidence of several major cancer types, but higher levels are significantly associated with a higher incidence of skin, prostate, and hematological cancers as well as a lower incidence of lung cancer. These results do not support an overall protective effect against cancer by vitamin D.     

Resection of parietal lobe gliomas： incidence and evolution of neurological deficits in 28 consecutive patients correlated to the location and morphological characteristics of the tumor

OBJECT： The goal of this study is to report the incidence and clinical evolution of neurological deficits in patients who underwent resection of gliomas confined to the parietal lobe. METHODS： Patient demographics, findings of serial neurological examinations, tumor location and neuroimaging characteristics, extent of resection, and surgical outcomes were tabulated by reviewing inpatient and office records, as well as all pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance （MR） images obtained in 28 consecutive patients who underwent resection of a glial neoplasm found on imaging studies to be confined to the parietal lobe. Neurological deficits were correlated with hemispheric dominance, location of the lesion within the superior or inferior parietal lobules, subcortical extension, and involvement of the postcentral gyms. The tumors were located in the dominant hemisphere in 18 patients （64%）; had a mean diameter of 39 mm （range 14-69 mm）; were isolated to the superior parietal lobule in six patients （21%） and to the inferior parietal lobule in eight patients （29%）; and involved both lobules in 14 patients （50%）. Gross-total resection, documented by MR imaging, was achieved in 24 patients （86%）. Postoperatively, nine patients （32%） experienced new neurological deficits, whereas seven （25%） had an improvement in their preoperative deficit. A correlation was noted between larger tumors and the presence of neurological deficits both before and after resection. Postoperatively higher-level （association） parietal deficits were noted only in patients with tumors involving both the superior and inferior parietal lobules in the dominant hemisphere. At the 3-month follow-up examination, five of nine new postoperative deficits had resolved. CONCLUSIONS： Neurological deterioration and improvement occur after resection of parietal lobe gliomas. Parietal lobe association deficits, specifically the components of Gerstmann syndrome, are mostly associated with large tumors that involve both the superior and inferior parietal lobules of the dominant hemisphere. New hemineglect or sensory extinction was not noted in any patient following resection of lesions located in the nondominant hemisphere. Nevertheless, primary parietal lobe deficits （for example, a visual field loss or cortical sensory syndrome） occurred in patients regardless of hemispheric dominance.