Changes in BiSpecteral Index (BiS) values during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)

Background: BiSpecteral Index (BiS) monitoring is standard monitoring regimen in anaesthesia practice. It has also been used in cardiac surgery. It is especially important due to the high incidence of neurological injury or dysfunction that occurs following CPB. This is a retrospective study of 33 cases that were monitored with BiS during the course of coronary artery or valvular surgery, including the period of CPB.Methods: Thirty three cases monitored with BiS were studied retrospectively. Result: From the recordings it was determined that the value of BiS which was ranging between 40 to 60 after induction, dropped below 25 at the onset of CPB. This change was statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: This decrease in the BiS value is probably a result of hypo-perfusion and due to clear, oxygen - poor priming fluid reaching the brain. Other periods of hypotension also correlated with the low values of BiS. This cerebral hypoxia which would occur at this time could be the cause of the incidence of neurological dysfunction that is known to occur following CPB.     

Soluble kit receptor in human serum

c-kit encodes the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase (Kit) for the recently described ligand stem cell factor (SCF). We have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measuring soluble human Kit and we have used the assay to show high levels of soluble Kit in human serum. The distribution of soluble Kit levels was investigated among 112 normal human serum donors. The mean serum level (+/- SD) was found to be 324 +/- 105 ng/mL with the values falling between 163 ng/mL and 788 ng/mL. No correlation between soluble Kit levels and the sexes or ages of the donors was found. Partial purification using immunoaffinity chromatography allowed us to characterize the soluble Kit from pooled human serum. Antibodies generated to a 497-amino acid recombinant human soluble Kit corresponding to the N-terminal extracellular domain of the receptor recognized the serum-derived soluble Kit by immunoblotting. We found that the serum-derived soluble Kit is glycosylated, with mostly N- linked but also O-linked carbohydrate, and with terminal sialic acid residues. When compared with the recombinant human soluble Kit, the serum-derived material was similar both in size and glycosylation pattern. CNBr cleavage of the isolated serum-derived material followed by amino terminal sequencing confirmed the presence of five peptides expected for the extracellular portion of the Kit molecule. The immunoaffinity purified serum-derived soluble Kit inhibited binding of [125I]SCF to membrane-bound receptor in an in vitro assay. These results indicate that soluble Kit could modulate the activity and functions of SCF in vivo.     

The Effective Synthesis of N-(Arylalkyl)-1-R-4-hydroxy-2,2-dioxo- 1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamides as Promising Analgesics of a New Chemical Class

A new, effective preparative method has been proposed and the synthesis of a series of N-(arylalkyl)-1-R-4-hydroxy-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ⁶,1-benzothiazine-3-car-boxamides has been carried out. It has been shown that amidation of alkyl 1-R-4-hydroxy-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ⁶,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxylates with arylalkyl-amines in boiling xylene proceeds with good yield and purity to the corresponding N-(arylalkyl)-amides. However, the presence of water in the reaction mixture has been shown to cause the formation of specific impurities: N-(arylalkyl)-1-R-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ⁶,1-benzothiazin-4-amines. According to the results of the pharmacological studies, powerful analgesics have been found among the substances synthesized.     

Automated axon length quantification for populations of labelled neurons

Virus-based methods for labelling populations of cortical neurons, when combined with cell-type specific recombinant promoters and techniques allowing temporal control of gene expression, provide neuroscience with new opportunities to examine the connectivity between brain regions and how this connectivity is modified by experience or disease. However, to take full advantage of these technical advances, it is necessary to develop new methods for quantification of the axonal projections revealed. Here we describe a method for quantitative analysis of axonal projection patterns emanating from populations of labelled cells, using transmitted light bright field microscopy. A single high resolution image of an area to be analysed is first acquired using mosaic extended focus image microscopy. This image is then analysed by specifically developed image processing algorithms that identify and track axon segments present. For quantitative analysis, measurement grids consisting of a user-defined number of individual elements are placed over an area of interest, with the computer-based method then returning the summed length of the axon segments in each element. Axon density plots can thus be generated. We present an example from rat brain showing, over a whole coronal section, axon densities emanating from a population of layer 2/3 somatosensory neurons.     

INTRAHEPATIC CHOLANGIOJEJUNOSTOMY FOR MALIGNANT HILAR BILIARY OBSTRUCTION: APPROACH TO THE LEFT HEPATIC DUCT

Biliary enteric anastomosis for relief of biliary obstruction caused by malignancy at the confluence of the bile ducts can be difficult due to non availability of an adequate length of duct for anastomosis. This paper describes an approach to the left hepatic duct to decompress the biliary tree and its successful application in 11 of 12 patients who presented with malignant hilar obstruction.KEYWORDS: Hepaticojejunostomy, Malignant biliary obstruction     

MEASUREMENT OF ROOT CANAL LENGTH – USE OF AN ELECTROMETRIC DEVICE

The measurement of root canal length is a pre-requisite for successful pulpectomy. The conventional manual and radiographic methods are not very accurate. In the present study, odontometer was used [Group B) to assess its efficacy over the conventional methods (Group A) for recording root canal length. In group A, 36 teeth were treated with pulpectomy while in group B, 51 teeth were managed by the same treatment. It was observed that post operative complications in group B were significantly less (p < 0.05). The odontometer proved to be an excellent device for rapid and accurate measurement of root canal length.KEY WORDS: Pulpectomy, Root canal length, Odontometer     

Identification of corticotropin-releasing factor in neurosecretory cells of rat hypothalamus “Gomori-positive” accessory centers

Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 116, No. 7, pp. 13–15, July, 1993     

The first experience of application of photo-modified erythrocytes for the treatment of the chronic arterial ischemia syndrome

Efficacy of application of intraarterial erythrocytes infusion, photomodified by using low-energy laser irradiation, was proved, basing on comparative analysis of treatment results of the different groups of patients with obliterating disease of the lower extremities vessels.