Flecainide acetate acetic acid solvates

Flecainide acetate forms acetic acid solvates with 0.5 and 2 acetic acid molecules. Powder X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetric, infrared, and potentiometric titration were used to determine the composition of solvates. Flecainide acetate hemisolvate with acetic acid decomposes to form a new crystalline form of flecainide acetate. This form is less stable than the already known polymorphic form at all temperatures, and it is formed due to kinetic reasons. Both flecainide acetate nonsolvated and flecainide acetate hemisolvate forms crystallize in monoclinic crystals, but flecainide triacetate forms triclinic crystals. Solvate formation was not observed when flecainide base was treated with formic acid, propanoic acid, and butanoic acid. Only nonsolvated flecainide salts were obtained in these experiments.     

Concurrent Stresses in Families with a Leukemic Child

Forty-five families of children 4 to 17 years of age with acutemyeloblastic or lymphoblastic leukemia were studied longitudinallyover a 20-month period from the time of diagnosis. It was foundthat in addition to the stress of caring for their child's leukemia,the majority of families also had to cope with one or more ofthe following problems: (a) major medical complications of theleukemic child such as pneumonia, chicken pox, or blurred vision,(b) death of another leukemic child, family member, or friend,(c) illness requiring hospitalization, surgery, or regular medicalcare in a family member other than the leukemic child, (d) occupationalchanges, (e) financial problems, and (f) other events such asmoving or changes in recreation or vacation plans. The findingsdemonstrate that families of leukemic children require supportand assistance on a broad range of issues, not simply on disease-relatedanxiety per se.     

Astrocyte cell lineage. II. Mouse fibrous astrocytes and reactive astrocytes in cultures have vimentin- and GFP-containing intermediate filaments

When cells from mouse neopallium are grown in colony cultures for 10-12 days, small cells with many processes, resembling normal fibrous astrocytes, form on top of the astrocyte precursor cells independently of the presence of dBcAMP in the culture medium. These cells are distinctly different from the much larger, previously described reactive astrocytes which also form in colony cultures and whose maturation is greatly enhanced by the presence of dBcAMP in the culture medium. Immunofluorescence studies showed that both vimentin-containing and glial filament protein (GFP)-containing intermediate filaments (IF) are present in the small normal fibrous astrocytes as well as in the larger reactive astrocytes. The vimentin-containing IF are assembled first in astrocyte precursor cells, whereas GFP-containing IF are assembled later toward the final stages of astrocyte differentiation both in vivo and in vitro. Thus in respect to the expression of the two types of IF, astrocyte differentiation in vitro closely resembles that in vivo. Parallel studies by electron microscopy showed that the vimentin-positive but GFP-negative astrocyte precursor cells contain single IF or small groups of IF, whereas in the more differentiated normal fibrous astrocytes and reactive astrocytes which are also GFP-positive, additional IF arranged in large bundles are present.     

Correlation between prognosis and degree of lymph node involvement in carcinoma of the oral cavity

Accurate histologic determination of lymph node metastasis is most important in predicting prognosis in patients who undergo radical neck dissection. In this study of 340 determinate patients, the five year survival was 75 per cent when lymph nodes were histologically negative, 49 per cent when one lymph node was positive, 30 per cent when two lymph nodes were positive, and 13 per cent when three or more nodes were positive.     

Lifestyle health behaviours of 11- to 16-year-old youth with physical disabilities

Health promotion strategies for youth with physical disabilitiesare needed to reduce their high risk of acquiring secondarydisabilities in adulthood. Many secondary disabilities are associatedwith lifestyle habits and are potentially preventable. To determinetheir health promotion needs, the Health Behaviours in School-agedChildren, a WHO Cross-national Study questionnaire, was administeredto 101 youth with physical disabilities. Their responses werecompared with youth in a Canadian national sample. In comparisonwith the national sample, youth with physical disabilities reportedthat they were equally healthy, but experienced higher frequencyof symptoms of poor health such as headaches, stomachaches andbackaches. With respect to lifestyle health behaviours theywere less likely to smoke, drink alcohol and use marijuana thantheir counterparts in the national sample. Youth with physicaldisabilities reported less healthy diets, less exercise andmore sedentary leisure activities. These findings support theneed for health promotion strategies tailored to the particularpattern of risks for youth with physical disabilities.     

Children in the context of "Achieving Health for All: a Framework for Health Promotion"

We analyze Achieving Health for All: A Framework for Health Promotion with respect to children. Although the document acknowledges the health needs of children, it depicts them as passive beneficiaries of health care efforts taken by others on their behalf. We believe that, like adults, children should become active participants in all of the health-promoting activities proposed in the framework and that they can do so if taught life skills for health which emphasize decision making, coping and community participation skills.     

Distribution of microtubules in cultured RPE cells from normal and dystrophic RCS rats

Indirect immunofluorescence and antibodies to tubulin were used to visualize the distribution of microtubules (MT) in short-term primary cultures of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells isolated from the eyes of control RCS rats and those with inherited retinal degeneration. At all stages of cell spreading in vitro, the pigment granules (PG) in these cells remained tightly clustered in the perinuclear region, surrounded by numerous MT. Initially, in relatively round cells, the perinuclear region was encompassed by a closely woven ring of circularly arranged MT. At later stages of spreading, the ring had disappeared and MT running in various directions could be observed. Cells that were plated singly assumed at first a discoid, then stellate, shape during spreading, whereas, those plated in small groups formed colonies of wedge-shaped cells. In well-spread single cells or colonies, a brightly fluorescent zone that appeared to contain the highest density of MT within the cells was located between the PG-containing perinuclear region and the spreading edges of the cells. A single prominent star-shaped structure from which a number of MT radiated was situated among the PG in the perinuclear region of each cell; we believe this structure corresponds to the centrioles. It was generally well-separated from the regions of highest MT density. No differences in cell shape or in the distribution of MT, centriole-containing regions or PG in spreading or fully spread cells were detected when RPE cells from normal and dystrophic RCS rats were compared. Thus, the distribution of MT and their assembly during cell spreading appear normal in RPE cells of the dystrophic rat.     

Regional and temporal effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine on dopamine uptake sites in mouse brain

When the regional effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on brain dopamine uptake sites in C57 Black mice were studied using [3H]mazindol autoradiography, marked regional differences in effect were seen: the mesolimbic system was less affected than the nigrostriatal tract and within each system the effect was more severe in the terminal fields of the striatum than in the cells of origin. Within the striatum itself there was inhomogeneity of effect, with relative sparing of the dorsomedial aspect compared to the remainder. Complete recovery of [3H]mazindol binding to striatal membranes occurred over 12 months, while dopamine levels recovered more slowly. This supports the concept that MPTP has a highly selective effect within dopaminergic systems and that the initial effect is more pronounced on distal terminals compared to cell bodies. The possibility that recovery of mazindol binding with time may be associated with terminal regrowth needs to be investigated further.     

A Device for Surface Cooling and Rewarming in Operations on the “Dry” Heart in Babies and Children During Moderate,Deep and Profound Hypothermia

Following a clinical experience of too cardiac operations in infants during deep hypothermia, as low as 15°C, the authors have designed a new bath for the procedure which incorporates several improvements over those used previously. The device described allows continuous cooling or rewarming of the patient at any stage of the operation by addition of more cold or hot water as required. It is possible to operate with the patient prone or on the side at any level of hypothermia, and while using heart lung bypass: The construction facilitates the even distribution of the circulating water, and a thermostatic control allows the temperature to be fixed at any level required.