Inhibition of lactation by cyclofenil and bromocriptine

Summary. In a double blind controlled study of the inhibition of lactation 13 women received 300 mg of cyclofenil and 11 women 2.5 mg of bromocriptine twice daily for 14 days. Lactation was effectively inhibited by both drugs, but with bromocriptine there was a significantly higher frequency of relapse. The plasma concentration of prolactin, which decreased rapidly with bromocriptine, returned to the pretreatment level the day after drug treatment stopped, but with cyclofenil it remained low. Plasma oestradiol followed a similar pattern. Plasma FSH increased more rapidly with bromocriptine than with cyclofenil. There was no significant difference between the treatment groups at any stage for haematology, coagulation or liver function tests. The more sustained effect of cyclofenil on prolactin secretion with a reduced frequency of relapse, and the lower oestradiol level, which might indicate a reduced risk of thromboembolism, suggest that this drug has some advantage over bromocriptine in the inhibition of postpartum lactation.     

PUVA-induced diminution of contact allergic and irritant skin reactions

A pilot study on the efficiency of treatment with 8-methoxypsoralen and longwave ultraviolet light (PUVA) on three patients with allergic contact dermatitis to nickel sulphate, potassium dichromate and to thiuram mix has been performed. Both the contact allergic reactions and the irritative skin reactions induced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and tetrahydrofurfuryl nicotinate (Trafuril) were evaluated before and after PUVA. The total UV-A doses were respectively 69–45 and 76J/cm². These doses induced complete clearance of the eczematous lesions in two cases; the third case showed considerable improvement. In contrast to the pronounced skin reactions seen prior to PUVA, the allergic and irritative reactions evaluated after PUVA were decreased or negative.     

Treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda with chloroquine and phlebotomy

Treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) with chloroquine risks serious side-effects so we have combined it with phlebotomy. One to four venesections were performed before the administration of chloroquine in to PCT patients. Equally high excretion of urinary porphyrins was achieved but the side-effects were reduced. Chloroquine may be used as a provocative diagnostic test for patients with a questionably latent PCT but this is safe is safe if phlebotomy is performed beforehand.     

Effect of chlorhexidine on animal cells in vitro

abstract – When cultures of human epithelial cells were treated for 5 min at 37°C with chlorhexidine in Eagle's medium without serum added, concentrations from 0.05 mM were found to be toxic as measured by growth inhibition and differential staining. About 20 times higher concentrations were needed to obtain a toxic effect, however, when the cells were treated with chlorhexidine dissolved in calf serum. Human whole saliva collected from a single subject had no such protective effect. The intracellular activities of 5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase, and NADPH₂+ NADH₂-diaphorases decreased upon treatment of the cells with concentrations of chlorhexidine at 0.2 and 2 mM, whereas 0.02 mM had no measurable effect on these enzymes. Treatment with chlorhexidine at 10⁻⁴mM had no effect on the hypotonic hemolysis of human erythrocytes, 0.001–0.1 mM stabilized the cells, but increasing the concentration to 1 mM gave 100% hemolysis. A concentration-dependent inhibition of the Na⁺–K⁺–ATPase activity was found when erythrocyte membranes were incubated with chlorhexidine in the range of 0.002–0.2 mM.     

Retreatment of endodontic fillings

Abstract— Effects of endodontic retreatment on quality of seal and periapical healing were assessed among 660 previously root-filled roots. The roots were divided into either of two groups according to presence or absence of pathologic alterations in the periapical area. The retreatments, which were carried out by dental students, involved a thorough chemomechanical debridement of the root-canal system aiming to control infection. Following a 2-year observation period 556 roots were reexamined clinically and radiographically. The results showed that root-fillings with technical shortcomings could, following retreatment, be markedly improved as regards effectiveness of seal and distance to the apex. A large number of lumina discernible apical to root-filling could also be treated and filled. Seventy-eight percent of the cases with pathologic lesion present periapically prior to retreatment either completely healed or displayed an obvious size-reduction of the process Retreatments carried out because of technical inadequacies alone were successful in 94% of the cases. It was concluded that renewed endodontic treatment whenever possible is the method of choice when treating defective endodontic fillings complicated with pathologic processes periapically. Apical surgery may be attempted if no signs of healing are apparent following observation.     

ASSESSMENT OF LUNG FUNCTION ON HEALTHY CHILDREN USING AN ELECTRONIC SPIROMETER AND AN AIR-FLOWMETER BEFORE AND AFTER INHALATION OF AN ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR STIMULANT

Abstract. VC measured with a Monaghan electronic spirometer equipped with a backflow valve is significantly lower (about 4%) than when measured with the same spirometer without such a valve. The measurements of FEV_1.0 were not influenced by the valve. 73 healthy children were investigated with the Monaghan spirometer equipped with the backflow valve and normal reference data were established. The results were very similar to those obtained in an investigation of healthy children with the same spirometer about one year earlier. Reference data on children for a simple flow meter, Airflometer (Glaxo Ltd.), are given. The data correlated very highly to the FEV_1.0 values obtained by the Monaghan spirometer. After inhalation of salbutamol healthy children had a small and significant increase of FEV_1.0 and of the Airflometer value but not of VC. The deviations of the differences were small. A 6% increase of VC and 10% increase of FEV_1.0 were taken as normal upper limits after inhalation of salbutamol. Corresponding increase of the Airflometer values was 15 arbitrary units for children with body heights 116–145 cm and 21 units for children with body heights 146–175 cm.     

SOMNAMBULISM IN CHILDHOOD-PREVALENCE, COURSE AND BEHAVIORAL CORRELATIONS

ABSTRACT. prevalence, course and behavioral correlations. Acta Paediatr Scand, 71: 495, 1982.–The occurrence and course of somnambulism and its correlations with behavioral variables have been investigated annually from 6 to 16 years of age in a sample recruited by random means. The prevalence was highest at 11-12 years. No sex difference was found. Apart from sporadic occurrences, the longitudinal data reveal a group of children for whom somnambulism is rather persistent. But even in this group the somnambulism is usually unrelated to other sleep disturbances (apart from "bad" dreams), deviant behavior or known environmental factors. These children have more inhibited aggression and a more developed mental defence against anxiety as determined by Rorschach tests. At school they appear to be more popular than other children.     

Turbulent Stresses Downstream of Porcine and Pericardial Aortic Valves Implanted in Pigs

Because late valve-related complications such as hemolysis and thromboembolic events are considered related to flow disturbances caused by the inserted valve, velocity fields downstream of aortic valve prostheses were studied in pigs. Acute hemodynamic evaluation of size 25-mm porcine and pericardial aortic valve prostheses 1 diameter downstream of the valve ring was performed using dynamic three-dimensional visualization of velocity profiles and spatial distribution of turbulence. Point blood velocity signals obtained with a 1-mm hot-film anemometer needle probe were used to compute Reynolds normal stresses (RNS) by calculation of the turbulent velocity energy of the axial velocity component in the systole. The porcine valves caused a skewed velocity and turbulence profile revealing mean spatial systolic RNS at 70 nm-2 +/- 35 nm-2 (+/- SD). The spatial maximum RNS was 275 +/- 139 nm-2. Corresponding values for the pericardial valves were 20 +/- 11 nm-2 and 72 +/- 46 nm-2. The pericardial valves revealed plug-shaped velocity profiles and turbulent profiles with slightly higher RNS values at the stent posts. From a hemodynamic point of view, these acute studies indicate superiority of the pericardial valves compared to the porcine valves. The turbulent stresses found in this study are of a magnitude that may cause blood corpuscular and endothelial damage.