Sonographic changes following splenectomy for portal hypertension in Schistosoma mansoni.

Eleven patients with portal hypertension due to infection with Schistosoma mansoni underwent splenectomy and devascularization operations. The patients were examined with ultrasound once preoperatively and twice postoperatively over a period of about 6 months. Following surgery there was significant and sequential reduction in the diameter of the portal vein at the hilum and the splenic vein at the pancreas. The liver lengths and index of liver size did not change significantly. No changes in the degree of periportal fibrosis could be detected.     

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) supplemented St. Thomas' hospital cardioplegic solution improves the antioxidant defense system of rat myocardium during ischemia-reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF STUDY: Cardioplegic arrest remains the method of choice for myocardial protection in cardiac surgery. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) prevents lipid peroxidation induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury and has a potent antioxidant property. We investigated the advantages of CAPE supplemented cardioplegic solution (St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution No.: 2) on the antioxidant defense system of myocardium against ischemia-reperfusion injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Isolated rat hearts were mounted on a nonrecirculating type of Langendorff apparatus. The hearts were arrested for 60 min with cardioplegic solution given at 20-min intervals and then reperfused for 15 min. The hearts were divided into three groups. Cold saline (0.9%, 4 degrees C) in group 1, St. Thomas' Hospital solution in group 2 and CAPE added St. Thomas' Hospital solution in group 3 were used as the cardioplegic solution. Krebs-Henseleit buffer solution was used for reperfusion. The tissues were examined biochemically for oxidative stress. RESULTS: Significant differences among the three groups existed in tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO), catalase (CAT), Na+-K+ ATPase activity and in the concentrations of malonydealdehyde (MDA) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT). Group 2 showed significant changes in MPO (P = 0.04), Na+-K+ ATPase enzyme activity (P = 0.02) and the levels of MDA (P = 0.004) and 3-NT (P = 0.01) in comparison with group 1. Group 3 efficiently reduced MDA levels (P = 0.004) and also led to significant decrease in levels of MPO (P = 0.006), 3-NT (P = 0.01) and Na+-K+ ATPase activity (P = 0.01) and increase in the level of CAT (P = 0.004) in comparison with group 1. Significant changes were also found in the levels of MDA (P = 0.03), MPO (P = 0.04) and CAT (P = 0.009) in comparison between groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the administration of CAPE into cardioplegic solutions improves the antioxidant defense system of rat heart during the ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

No increase in carcinogen-DNA adducts in the lungs of monkeys exposed chronically to marijuana smoke.

Rhesus monkeys exposed to marijuana smoke either 7 or 2 days/weeks (HI and LO groups, respectively), or ethanol-extracted marijuana smoke for 7 days/week (EM) or sham treatment (SH) for 1 year were sacrificed 7 months following the last exposure. Pulmonary levels of carcinogen-DNA adducts were determined. Although mean or median adduct levels were not statistically different, 15 of 22 adduct measures were highest in the EM group and lowest 12 of 22 times in the SH group. The levels of aromatic carcinogen-DNA adducts seem no higher in the lungs of animals exposed to marijuana smoke than in untreated animals. Ethanol-extracted marijuana may have effects greater than marijuana itself.     

Geriatric heart failure, depression, and nursing home admission: an observational study using propensity score analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Heart failure (HF) and depression are both common in older adults, and the presence of depression is known to worsen HF outcomes. For community-dwelling older adults, admission to a nursing home (NH) is associated with loss of independent living and poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of depression on NH admission for older adults with HF. METHODS: Using the 2001-2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey datasets, the authors identified all community-dwelling older adults who were discharged alive with a primary discharge diagnosis of HF. The authors then identified those with a secondary diagnosis of depression. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, the authors then determined probability or propensity to have depression for each patient. The authors used propensity scores for depression to match all 680 depressed patients with 2,040 nondepressed patients. Finally, the authors estimated the association between depression and NH admission using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Patients had a mean (+/- standard deviation) age of 79 (+/- 8) years, 72% were women, and 9% were blacks. Compared with 17% nondepressed patients, 25% depressed patients were discharged to a NH. Depression was associated with 50% increased risk of NH admission (unadjusted relative risk [RR]: 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-1.74). The association became somewhat stronger after multivariable adjustment for various demographic and care covariates (adjusted RR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.35-1.68). CONCLUSION: In ambulatory older adults hospitalized with HF, a secondary diagnosis of depression was associated with a significant increased risk of NH admission.     

Conservative management of iatrogenic oesophageal perforations--a viable option.

OBJECTIVE: Iatrogenic Oesophageal perforations are a dreaded complication and there is no consensus as to their best management. The aim of our study was to assess the results of conservative management in these cases. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with iatrogenic perforations of the oesophagus treated over a 10-year period were reviewed retrospectively. They were managed conservatively by keeping them nil by mouth on intravenous fluids and intravenous antibiotics. Out of these 26, nine were patients of carcinoma of the oesophagus while the remaining 17 had benign pathologies. Twenty-two were diagnosed within 6h, while the remaining four were diagnosed over 24h after perforation. Twenty-three of the 26 were caused by oesophageal dilatations. RESULTS: Twenty-two (84.6%) of the 26 survived on this regimen. Out of the four that died, two had advanced carcinomas and died of chest complications, one died of a myocardial infarction and the fourth was an old debilitated man who died of renal failure. All four who died had extension of the leak into the pleural cavity. Early diagnosis and treatment is of critical importance and is only possible by maintaining a high index of suspicion. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative management when applied to cases of iatrogenic oesophageal perforations gives results comparable to or better that those reported in series where early surgical intervention was practised. Extension of the leak into the pleura carries a worse prognosis.     

Acute neurite retraction triggered by lysophosphatidic acid: timing of the inhibitory effects of genistein

Acute neurite retraction, elicited by diverse agents in several neuronal cell types, has been reported to be inhibited by genistein, a kinase antagonist that is relatively (though not absolutely) selective for tyrosine kinases. It was hypothesized that genistein acts upon ssome final common pathway that integrates multiple extrinsic and intrinsic signals to regulate whether neurites will execute a retraction response (J. Neurochem., 61 (1993) 340–343). To define this pathway in more detail, a quantitative study of NG108-15 cell rapid-onset neurites was carried out as they retract in response to lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 10 μM). Following the application of LPA, most neurites exhibited early morphologic changes between 0.5 and 1.5 min, followed by progressive shortening and eventual retraction, with 50% of neurites completely retracted by 5 min and 80% gone by 10 min. Genistein did not inhibit the formation of subcortical F-actin, nor its functional competence in several assays. Genistein protected neurites when added at any time prior to the onset of the earliest morphologic changes, but failed to block progression when added to neurites that were already undergoing retraction. These findings imply that the final common pathway (i.e. the critical target(s) for genistein) must be activated late, after the increase in F-actin levels has peaked and just before retraction is initiated.     

A practical method of fabricating a lingual retainer.

Retention is a major part of orthodontic treatment, not an optional secondary protocol. In recent years, studies investigating dentofacial changes during and after the growth period have led most clinicians to use fixed retention appliances after treatment. Fixed retainers can be attached to the teeth directly or indirectly. We present a practical, indirect method for bonding fixed retainers, using Sondhi Rapid-set Indirect Bonding Adhesive (3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif).     

Intracoronary shunt reduces postoperative troponin leaks: a prospective randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether intracoronary shunt usage reduced the myocardial damage on the basis of the cardiac markers when compared with the shuntless anastomosis in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) surgery of isolated left anterior descending artery lesions. METHODS: Forty patients who had stable angina with isolated left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery lesion undergoing OPCABG surgery were randomized into two groups. Shunt group consisted of 20 patients who had OPCABG using intracoronary shunt, whereas the shuntless group consisted of 20 patients who underwent OPCABG without using intracoronary shunt. Cardiac troponin I, CK, and CK-MB before and 24h after the surgery were assessed in the groups. RESULTS: There were no deaths in the study. The two groups were similar with respect to sex and age. Duration of LIMA-LAD anastomosis was significantly higher in the shunt group (p=0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups concerning the preoperative and postoperative CK and CK-MB levels. The preoperative troponin I levels of the groups were not different (p=0.238; NS), whereas postoperative levels of this marker was significantly higher in the shuntless group (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Intracoronary shunt reduced the postoperative troponin I levels significantly, so it may be indicated in the patients who are thought to be susceptible to transient ischemia.