Vestibular testing in comatose patients

The analysis of vestibular responses in a comatose patient often provides the critical information for making a correct preliminary diagnosis and directing the subsequent laboratory evaluation. Because of some uncertainties about what is being tested with the various bedside maneuvers that are used to elicit vestibular responses, we review the physiologic basis for the oculomotor responses that occur with head rotation or with caloric stimuli. We further urge precise and unambiguous terminology to describe both stimulus and response. We suggest using physiologically well-defined terms such as vestibulo-ocular reflex and cervico-ocular reflex and avoiding potentially misleading terms such as the doll's head and the oculocephalic maneuvers.     

Bacteriological study of drinking water during epidemic of cholera in Delhi

Sixty drinking water samples collected from various sources in different areas of Delhi during epidemic of cholera and gastroenteritis were analysed for bacteriological standards. Only 27 (45 per cent) samples were found to be satisfactory for human consumption. Remaining thirty-three (55 per cent) samples showed presence of coliform organisms with MPN value ranging from 10 to 1800+ per 100 ml. Among these positive samples, 31 (93.9 per cent) samples contained faecal coli. Twenty out of thirty (66.6 per cent) Hand pump, 9 out of 21 (42.8 per cent) Taps 2 out of 4 (50 per cent) Tube well and 2 out of 5 (40 per cent) of miscellaneous sources showed contamination with coliform organisms.     

The antecedents and benefits of achieving abstinence in opioid addicts: a 2.5-year follow-up study

This report examines long-term and short-term benefits of achieving abstinence from opioids in a sample of opioid addicts who were reevaluated 2.5 years following seeking treatment. Extensive assessment of drug use history and drug-associated problems had been obtained when the subjects applied for treatment. At follow-up evaluations, detailed information was obtained on intervening course of drug use, treatment, legal problems, psychological problems, social functioning, occupational functioning, and medical status. The results were as follows: (1) Achieving abstinence from illicit opioids was associated with concurrent improvement in other aspects of functioning including reduction of criminal activity, improved medical status, improved social functioning, and reduced abuse of other psychoactive substances. However, many of these improvements were reversed immediately if relapse to opioid use occurred. (2) Achieving abstinence was associated with being in drug treatment, especially treatment in a methadone maintenance program. (3) Achievement of abstinence was not successfully predicted by client characteristics measured at entrance into treatment. (4) Long-range benefits of abstinence were detectable in social functioning even for those who had relapsed at the time of follow-up reevaluation.     

Endurance training does not affect diaphragm mitochondrial respiration

We sought to determine if chronic endurance training would increase mitochondrial respiration or protein content in rat diaphragm muscle. To this end, 20 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control (C) or an 8-week endurance training (T) group, n = 10 per group. At the end of T, VO2 max was 13% greater in T (83.3 vs 73.8 ml X kg-1 X min-1) and peak max power output was 32% greater (2.63 vs 1.98 kg X m X min-1). Mitochondrial specific activities of pyruvate-malate and cytochrome oxidase (expressed per mg mitochondrial protein) in both plantaris and diaphragm were similar in C and T rats, as were ADP/O and respiratory control ratios. When expressed per gram wet weight, whole muscle homogenate oxygen uptake (pyruvate + malate) and cytochrome oxidase activity increased 36 and 23%, respectively (P less than 0.05) in plantaris from T rats but did not change in diaphragm. Control oxidative capacity and mitochondrial protein content in the diaphragm were ca. 2-fold those in control plantaris. Plantaris mitochondrial protein content increased ca. 50% with T while the diaphragm was unaffected. We conclude that: plantaris muscle oxidative capacity adapts to training by increasing mitochondrial protein content, since there was no evidence for functional improvement of existing mitochondria, and in the face of a substantial training effect in whole animal and plantaris, the T stimulus was not sufficient to induce mitochondrial protein changes in the diaphragm. This finding is the result of either a 'pre-adaptation' secondary to the diaphragm's high chronic activity, or a sub-threshold increase in diaphragm recruitment during the exercise conditions studied.     

Paratesticular desmoid tumor

A primary intrascrotal mass clinically mimicking a testicular tumor was found to be a desmoid tumor originating from the spermatic cord. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a paratesticular desmoid tumor.     

Computed tomography of acute radiation nephritis

A patient with Hodgkin’s disease received a fractionated 3, 740 rad dosage over 4 weeks to a portal that included both kidneys. Three months later a computed tomographic scan obtained 2 hours after intravenous contrast injection demonstrated sharply demarcated, dense, persistent nephrograms corresponding to the irradiated areas. These changes are ascribed to acute radiation nephritis, reflecting tubular stasis and ischemia.     

Effects of eight weeks of bicycle ergometer sprint training on human muscle buffer capacity

This investigation was undertaken to determine whether human skeletal muscle buffer capacity (BCm) is affected by training. Eight untrained males participated in 8 weeks of sprint training on bicycle ergometers. Muscle biopsy samples were taken from the vastus lateralis before and at several times following an incremental bicycle ergometer test (0 min, 5 min, 15 min). These subjects were tested before (PRE) and following (POST) the training period. Seven endurance-trained cyclists (ET) were also tested for the purpose of comparing the BCm of ET to that of PRE and POST. Biopsy samples were quick-frozen in liquid nitrogen and later analyzed for lactate concentration (HLam), homogenate pH (pHm), and creatine phosphate concentration. BCm was calculated from the change in HLam and pHm observed from rest to exhaustion and was expressed as mmol X kg-1 X pH-1 (Slykes). There was no significant difference in resting HLam or resting pHm among the groups. There was a significant difference in HLam at exhaustion between PRE (21.41 +/- 1.65 mmol X kg-1), POST (25.61 +/- 2.38 mmol X kg-1), and ET (11.16 +/- 0.31 mmol X kg-1) but no significant difference in pHm at exhaustion between PRE (6.65 +/- 0.03 pH units) and POST (6.69 +/- 0.06 pH units). pHm at exhaustion for the ET group was significantly higher than the others at 6.91 +/- 0.02 pH units. A significant difference between PRE and POST BCm was found (PRE: 44.68 +/- 3.03 S1; POST: 61.04 +/- 4.11 S1) while ET BCm (47.21 +/- 7.26 S1) was not significantly different from PRE. These data indicate that muscle buffer capacity is increased with highly intense sprint training but provide no evidence to suggest that muscle buffer capacity is affected by endurance training.