Chemotherapy of the gastrointestinal tract with reference to surgery

Summary There are certain agents that should and can be used with safety and efficacy in the preoperative preparation of the colon for elective colon surgery. While there are certain dangers in the use of any drug, the advantages to be gained from preoperative intestinal antisepsis so far outweigh the disadvantages that one should not omit this therapeutic adjunct.     

Isolation and properties of high molecular weight heparin

A heparin fraction comprising the highest molecular weight components of beef-lung heparin preparations was isolated by chromatography on Biogel P-100. This fraction, all of which is highly active in accelerating the inhibition of thrombin by antithrombin III, includes material with considerably greater activities than previously reported. All of the high-molecular weight fraction binds to antithrombin-Sepharose. The fraction has a molecular weight of 3.5 × 10⁴ and binds to antithrombin III in a 1:1 molar ratio. The dissociation constant of the complex is 1.38 × 10^?8 M ± 0.26 × 10^?8.     

Review of abdominoperineal resections for cancer

One hundred eighty-six consecutive abdominoperineal resections for primary carcinoma of the anus, rectum, or sigmoid colon performed at Charity Hospital of Louisiana at New Orleans between January 1, 1963 and December 31, 1974 were reviewed. The operative mortality was 16 per cent. Complications during the same hospitalization occurred in 70 per cent of the patients. Although most of the complications were minor, 22 per cent did require some form of surgical intervention. Twenty-nine per cent of the patients who were discharged developed late mechanical or cancer-caused complications which required surgical correction. A history of congestive heart failure or a significant weight loss were the most consistent preoperative findings in the operative mortality group. The overall five year survival rate was 25 per cent. White females with no history of weight loss had the best long-term prognosis. Better survival in white patients can be accounted for by the less advanced lesions in these patients. No such difference between male and female patients could be demonstrated. Better selection of surgical candidates with alternate forms of therapy for poor risk patients have probably been the most significant factors in decreasing the operative mortality from 21 per cent in the first six years of the study to 9 per cent in the last six years. Primary closure of the perineal wound would appear to be of value in decreasing operative morbidity.     

Rat liver adenyl cyclase activity in various thyroid states

Thyroidectomized and euthyroid rats were injected with three doses of triiodothyronine (T(3)) or of the diluent over a 6 day period, and liver homogenates were assayed for basal, epinephrine-stimulated, and NaF-stimulated adenyl cyclase activity. Based on NaF-stimulated levels, total adenyl cyclase activity, expressed per milligram of liver protein, was increased after thyroidectomy. Administration of T(3) to either hypothyroid or euthyroid rats, however, had no effect on the NaF-stimulated levels. Basal and epinephrine-stimulated enzyme activities were the same in hypothyroid, euthyroid, and hyperthyroid (euthyroid + T(3)) liver homogenates. In contrast, injections of T(3) in hypothyroid rats increased the activities of basal and epinephrine-stimulated adenyl cyclase. In view of the findings in euthyroid and hyperthyroid liver, it is possible that this effect is transient. In general, no correlation was found between the effects of thyroid hormone on respiration and on adenyl cyclase activity of the rat liver. These results imply that the hepatic thermogenic response to thyroid hormone is not mediated by stimulation of adenyl cyclase activity with the possible exception of the early effects of T(3) in the athyroid rat.     

Validation of a school children addictive behaviors questionnaire

The aim was to develop and validate an addictive behaviors screening tool in school children. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study including a self administrated 223 item questionnaire developed in Arabic language. The questionnaire included identification of the student and seven life domains: school, family, addiction, relationships with peers, leisure and well being, risky behaviors and personality traits. N=854 high school children. of Monastir City. RESULTS: the questionnaire Alpha Cronbach's Coefficient ranged between 0.3 and 0.8. Only items with a coefficient higher than 0.6 were maintained in the final version. The time reliability by using the Bland and Altman method 15 days after the first measure showed a Pearson's coefficient of 0.81. Validity evaluated by principal components analysis led to 3 independent factors consisting respectively in 20, 4 and 3 well correlated items: family, school and risky behaviors. CONCLUSION: validated version of the questionnaire consisted in 102 items, easy to read and understand. This version doesn't require much time to be filled in and takes into consideration cultural particularities of the school children of Monastir. It could be considered as an interesting tool for both the assessment and the prevention of addictive behaviors in school.