CENTRAL AND PEIUPHERAL HAEMODYNAMIC CHANGES AFTER ALCOHOL INGESTION

Central and peripheral haemodynamic changes 1 and 8 hours afteralcohol ingestion were studied in seven healthy men, aged 21–30years, by radionuclide cardiography and strain gauge plethysmography.Heart rate (HR) increased by 12% and cardiac output (CO) by24% 1 hour after alcohol ingestion (mean serum ethanol 35 mmol/l.).Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) decreased by 5%because of endsystolic dilation and the forearm blood flow increasedby 140%. Eight hours after alcohol ingestion (serum ethanol21 mmol/l.) hangover symptoms were present in all subjects.HR and CO remained increased by 19% and 23%, respectively. A4% increase was recorded in LVEF. The total peripheral resistancewas reduced by 25%, while the forearm blood flow had returnedto baseline values. No significant changes in plasma catecholamineswere recorded. Apart from a slight increase in CO at 1 hourno haemodynamic changes were recorded after ingestion of anisovolumic, isocaloric drink. The present findings suggest thatacute alcohol intoxication causes impairment of LV contractility,but that tachycardia results in an increase in cardiac outputaccompanied by an increased blood flow in the forearm. In theearly hangover phase, when the serum ethanol is still elevated,cardiac output remains enhanced because of tachycardia, althoughthe sympathetic nervous activity as measured by the plasma norepinephrinelevel is not influenced. A reduced total peripheral resistancemay contribute to the increase in LV contractility in spiteof sustained alcohol intoxication.     

Effects of irradiation with dental light curing units on Langerhzuis cells in human stratified epithelium in heterotransplanted skin

Abstract – Grafts of human skin on nude mice were subjected to a single dose of either 2¹/₂ min or 4 min of radiation from two different commercial dental light curing units with emission mainly in the visible light spectrum but also with a small fraction of UV-A light. Seventy-two hours after exposure the tissue was examined for presence of Langerhans cells using monoclonal antibody OKT6 double layer immunofluorescence staining. Epithelial hyperplasia and reduced reactivities for OKT6 were seen after 2¹/₂ min exposure. After 4 min of exposure OKT6 positive ceils were completely absent from the epithelium. The results indicate that emission from dental light curing units can affect Langerhans cells in human epithelium and could thus modify the local immunologic response.