Traumatic rupture of hydatid cyst with unusual localization without liver involvement: a case report.

Primary hydatid disease of the intestinal mesentery is rare. We report on a 12-year-old male patient who presented with abdominal pain and urticaria lesions after blunt abdominal trauma. At laparotomy the cyst was found to be ruptured and was totally removed from the surrounding mesenteric tissue.The postoperative course was uneventful. This case is the first child reported with traumatic rupture of a hydatid cyst in a mesenteric location.     

Short-term sleep laboratory studies with cinolazepam in situational insomnia induced by traffic noise

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled sleep-laboratory study the short-term effects of cinolazepam--a recently introduced 1,4 benzodiazepine with a half-life of 9 h--on the all-night sleep, morning awakening and early morning behaviour were investigated in 20 young normal subjects, whose sleep was experimentally disturbed by nocturnal traffic noise. The latter was prerecorded on tape and reproduced by loud speakers throughout the night with a sound pressure level of 68-90 dB(A) (energy equivalent mean noise level LAeq: 79dB(A)). According to the parallel group design subjects received either a placebo or 40 mg cinolazepam. Specifically, they spent nine nights in the sleep laboratory: two adaptation nights, one baseline night on placebo, three drug or placebo nights, and three post-drug/placebo nights under traffic noise. Somnopolygraphic investigations were carried out between 22h30 and 06h00. The drug was given orally half an hour before bedtime. Each 30 sec epoch was scored according to the criteria of Rechtschaffen and Kales. In the morning the subjects were awakened by 1000 Hz tones which were increased in loudness in 10 dB steps in two minute intervals. A sleep self-rating scale for sleep and awakening quality was completed half an hour after the morning toilet. Thereafter noopsychic and thymopsychic variables were evaluated utilizing a psychometric test battery. Statistical analyses of objective sleep variables demonstrated a significant improvement of sleep maintenance after 40 mg cinolazepam as reflected by an increase of sleep efficiency, decrease of wake time (during total sleep period) and number of awakenings as compared with the placebo. Sleep architecture was only affected slightly: sleep stage S1 decreased, S2 increased, while S3, S4 and SREM (S rapid eye movement) remained unchanged. Subjective sleep quality improved significantly as well. In the mornings there were no hangover signs, neither in subjective nor in objective psychometric and psychophysiological variables. Finally, the study suggests that man can adapt subjectively to nocturnal traffic noise over one week, although the improvement of objective sleep variables over time did not reach the level of statistical significance.     

Examination of lymph and bile composition following experimental liver transplantation in rat

The lymph flow of the thoracic duct, the protein content of the lymph, bile flow and bile composition are studied during the first three hours of the recirculation phase in experimental liver transplantation. It is established that the lymph flow and the protein content of the thoracic duct decrease as a result of the interruption of hepatic lymph flow of a high protein concentration. The change in bile composition and flow is due to the reduced bile acid excretion of the transplanted hepatic tissue.     

Effects of the new vagolytic compound ciclotropium bromide on heart rate and atrial vulnerability

The effects of the new vagolytic compound alpha-phenylcyclopentane-acetic acid-N-isopropyl-nortropine ester methobromide (ciclotropium bromide) on heart rate and atrial vulnerability were assessed in the animal experiment. Therefore, the comparative effects of atropine (A) and ciclotropium bromide (C) on heart rate (HR) and electrical stimulation thresholds for repetitive atrial extrasystoles (RET) and fibrillation (AFT) were established in 14 mongrel dogs (BW 20-30 kg, artificial ventilation, piritramide-N2O anaesthesia). AFT and RET were determined using trains of rectangular current pulses (13 single pulses, 2 ms, 200 Hz) applied to the right atrial endocardium via bipolar platinum electrodes during the vulnerable period of atrial excitation, which was determined by scanning of the relative refractory period in steps of 10 ms. A (0.025 mg/kg) caused a small transient increase in the AFT; HR rose from 82 +/- 7 to 138 +/- 10/min. Control values were regained after 30 min. RET did not show any significant change. C (0.25 mg/kg) effected a significant increase in the AFT from 7.7 +/- 2 to 34 +/- 6 mA and in HR from 93 +/- 5 to 148 +/- 6/min. The effects lasted about 2 h. RET was not altered.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa: pathogenicity, prevention and therapeutic approaches

Pseudomonas aeruginosa has proved to be a dangerous nosocomial pathogen is growing importance. Its pathogenicity is attributable to its great variety of toxic mechanisms which are capable of attacking all parts of the organism, primarily organs with impaired resistance. Antibiotics had been found to yield little lasting success. Therefore, an attempt was made to apply to 30 patients three-per-cent boric acid to cope with locally delimited Pseudomonas wound infections. Therapy could be completed with good success in less than six days on average. Only germ reduction was achievable on three patients with chronic osteomyelitis. Toxic side-effects were not recordable.     

Screening of the new analgesic, bromfenac

A method is described for the screening of the new analgesic bromfenac via thin-layer chromatographic analysis of its acid hydrolysis product and subsequent Bratton-Marshall detection.     

Multiple generalized glomus tumors. Morphologic and biochemical findings

A 54 year-old woman developed approximately 150 generalized glomus tumors since she had been 23 years old. Painful tumors showed more glomus cells than those being not painful. Furthermore, the patient suffered from persisting congenital capillary hemangioma (strawberry mark). Histological examination revealed that glomus cells were located in the vessel walls. The large amount of Dopa found in the glomus tumor tissue supports the assumption that it may be innervated by adrenergic efferent nerves.     

Aspergillus brain abscess. A case report

The history and findings in a patient with erythroleukaemia who developed a fungal brain abscess during the agranulocytic phase of induction treatment is reported. The radiological features of fungal infection are reported, with emphasis on the importance of clinical judgement in making the diagnosis. The autopsy findings further illustrate the increasing importance of this previously very rare condition.     

Detection of legionellas in clinical samples using FITC-marked antibodies

Using serogroup/species specific FITC-conjugates against Legionella (L.) pneumophila serogroups (SG) 1 to 6, L. micdadei, L. bozemanii and L. jordanis 186 sputum samples, 43 pleural fluids and bronchial washings and 39 lung tissue samples from 251 pneumonia patients were checked for Legionellae with the direct fluorescent antibody technique (DFAT). In samples from 201 patients which were negative if tested for antibodies and for urinary antigen and/or using culture methods, the DFAT was negative, too. One Pseudomonas strain isolated from a bronchial washing showed crossreactions. In 19 out of 49 patients with legionellosis L. pneumophila SG 1 (3x), SG 2 (1x), SG 3 (4x), SG 4 (1x), SG 5 (5x), L. micdadei (3x) and L. bozemanii (2x) were found. Positivity of the DFAT was significant higher in specimens, taken in early stages of illness (p less than 0.01). DFAT can be used for specific detection of Legionellae in clinical specimens, but the relative low sensitivity (39%) does not allow to exclude legionellosis. Further diagnostic tests like detection of antibodies and urinary antigen and culture are necessary to diagnose legionellosis.     

N omega-nitro-L-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, increases blood pressure in rats and reverses the pregnancy-induced refractoriness to vasopressor agents.

OBJECTIVE: With N omega-nitro-L-arginine, a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, we tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide plays a functional role in the blunted pressor responsiveness seen during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A group of six pregnant rats were instrumented on the fourteenth day of gestation and studied on days 19 and 20, as well as 7 days post partum. Another group of six virgin rats were similarly prepared and used 5 days after surgery. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored in conscious freely moving animals before and during the administration of drugs or placebo. Results were analyzed, by one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, with Dunnett's t test, or by paired t test where applicable. RESULTS: Basal mean arterial pressure and heart rate were 90.8 +/- 3.0 mm Hg and 330 +/- 6 beats/min in pregnant animals and 107.1 +/- 3.2 mm Hg and 315 +/- 7 beats/min in nonpregnant animals. Pressor responses to angiotensin II, vasopressin, and norepinephrine were attenuated in gravid animals. Infusion of N omega-nitro-L-arginine significantly and in a dose-dependent manner increased mean arterial pressure and reduced heart rate. These effects could be completely reversed by L-arginine administration. Changes in mean arterial pressure were higher during pregnancy as compared with postpartum values. N omega-nitro-L-arginine infusion potentiated pressor responses to all three vasopressors, resulting in dose-response curves that were significantly shifted to the left, making them virtually identical in pregnant and postpartum rats. CONCLUSION: Our data support the emerging view that nitric oxide plays a key role in the regulation of blood pressure during pregnancy.