Flurbiprofen sodium to prevent intraoperative miosis during vitreoretinal surgery

To assess the efficacy of flurbiprofen sodium 0.03% at maintaining pupillary dilation during vitreoretinal surgery, we performed a randomized, double-masked, controlled trial of 139 consecutive patients. The mean decrease in pupil size during surgery in patients who received flurbiprofen was 0.9 mm; for patients who did not receive the drug it was 0.8 mm. The type of surgery performed (vitrectomy or scleral buckle), gender, age, lens status, and a history of diabetes or previous intraocular surgery were assessed and the addition of flurbiprofen to routine preoperative dilation did not significantly affect the mean change in pupil size for any of these subgroups. Of the nine patients who developed at least 3 mm of miosis, five received flurbiprofen and four did not. Use of flurbiprofen did not appear to reduce intraoperative miosis during vitreoretinal surgery in a clinically meaningful manner.     

Intraocular silicone oil: in vitro and in vivo MR and CT characteristics.

PURPOSETo describe the CT and MR characteristics of intraocular silicone oil (polydimethylsiloxane), which is used with increasing frequency to treat complicated retinal detachments.METHODSCT was performed on a silicone oil/water phantom and on a patient with retinal detachments secondary to cytomegalovirus retinitis, treated by bilateral intraocular injections of silicone oil. CT appearance and CT number of silicone oil were evaluated. Proton MR spectroscopy was performed with a 200-MHz spectrometer on a sample of polydimethylsiloxane within a tube of deuterated water. MR imaging was performed on a silicone oil/water phantom and on two patients with retinal detachments treated with silicone oil injection.RESULTSSilicone oil is relatively radiodense; its CT attenuation is approximately 130 HU. On spectroscopy, silicone oil gave a single peak at 0.33 ppm. Relative to water silicone oil was hyperintense on T1-weighted images and hypointense on spin-density and T2-weighted images. Estimated T1 and T2 were 716 msec and 68 msec, respectively. Chemical shift artifacts were seen on MR images and were exaggerated when a narrow sampling bandwidth was used. In clinical cases spectral saturation pulses normally used for lipid suppression could be adjusted to saturate only the silicone resonance; in this way, the chemical shift artifact was eliminated.CONCLUSIONIntraocular silicone oil has unique imaging characteristics with which radiologists must become familiar. These characteristics include high attenuation on CT and hyperintensity on T1-weighted MR, both of which may mimic hemorrhage. Elimination of the prominent chemical shift artifact on MR with selective saturation of the silicone resonance improves evaluation of the globe.     

Telescoping implant prostheses with intraoral luted galvano mesostructures to improve passive fit

A passive fit of implant-supported prostheses seems to be a prerequisite for the prevention of mechanical complications. As a certain level of distortion of multiimplant screw-retained restorations seems inevitable, cementation of implant frameworks has been advocated to compensate for discrepancies. However, cement-retained prostheses have disadvantages, including lack of retrievability. This article describes a technique for the fabrication of telescopic, metal-acrylic resin, implant-supported complete dentures. Precise fit is achieved by intraoral luting of telescopic galvano mesostructures to the framework.     

Mortality due to myocardial infarction in the Bavarian population during World Cup Soccer 2006

Background  

Previously, we had demonstrated that the World Cup Soccer 2006 provoked levels of emotional stress sufficient to increase the incidence of acute cardiovascular events. We sought to assess whether mortality was also increased as a result.     

Shared genetic influences on ADHD symptoms and very low-frequency EEG activity: a twin study

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex aetiology. The identification of candidate intermediate phenotypes that are both heritable and genetically linked to ADHD may facilitate the detection of susceptibility genes and elucidate aetiological pathways. Very low‐frequency (VLF; <0.5 Hz) electroencephalographic (EEG) activity represents a promising indicator of risk for ADHD, but it currently remains unclear as to whether it is heritable or genetically linked to the disorder. Methods: Direct‐current (DC)‐EEG was recorded during a cognitive activation condition in 30 monozygotic and dizygotic adolescent twin pairs concordant or discordant for high ADHD symptom scores, and 37 monozygotic and dizygotic matched‐control twin pairs with low ADHD symptom scores. Structural equation modelling was used to quantify the genetic and environmental contributions to the phenotypic covariance between ADHD and VLF activity. Results: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was significantly associated with reduced VLF power during cognitive activation, which suggests reduced synchronization of widespread neuronal activity. Very low‐frequency power demonstrated modest heritability (0.31), and the genetic correlation (?0.80) indicated a substantial degree of overlap in genetic influences on ADHD and VLF activity. Conclusions: Altered VLF activity is a potential candidate intermediate phenotype of ADHD, which warrants further investigation of underlying neurobiological and genetic mechanisms.     

Attenuation of azosemide's action in the loop of Henle of rat kidney by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The purpose of the present study, which was performed in anaesthetized rats, was to clarify whether the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) indomethacin and meclofenamate interact with the diuretic action of the new loop diuretic azosemide (Luret, CAS-27589-33-9). Since azosemide's diuretic action shows a lower onset and a more prolonged duration as compared to classical loop diuretics it was also tested whether azosemide's tubular action is mediated by an active metabolite. The results demonstrate that azosemide, when infused directly into the lumen of superficial loops of Henle, dose-dependently diminished the loops sodium and chloride reabsorption. A half-maximum effect was observed at an azosemide concentration of 3 x 10(-6) mol/l. These results clearly prove that the diuretic effect of azosemide is exerted by the drug itself and does not require metabolism to an active metabolite. Luminal application of the drug also dose-dependently increased early distal sodium and chloride concentrations, indicating that the drug's tubular action is located in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. Indomethacin and meclofenamate blunted the diuretic, natriuretic and chloruretic response to azosemide, and microperfusion experiments on single loops of Henle revealed an attenuation by NSAIDs of azosemide's inhibitory action on the loops sodium and chloride reabsorption. The quantitative extent of this interaction was nearly identical to that observed previously for the NSAID-furosemide interaction.     

Neuroleptic activity of the neuropeptide beta-LPH62-77 ([Des-Tyr1]gamma-endorphin; DT gamma E).

In contrast to β-endorphin, α-endorphin, β-LPH_61–69 and Met-enkephalin which delay extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior (De Wied et al., 1978), γ-endorphin given either subcutaneously (30 ng/rat) or intraventricularly (0.3 ng/rat) facilitated extinction. Removal of the N-terminal amino acid residue tyrosine — yielding the neuropeptide [Des-Tyr¹]γ-endorphin (DTγE) — which destroys the opiate-like activity as determined on the electrically driven guinea pig ileum, potentiated the facilitating effect of γ-endorphin on pole-jumping avoidance behavior. Observations on passive avoidance behavior gave essentially the same results. Whereas α-endorphin facilitated this behavior. DTγE attenuated passive avoidance behavior. Amounts of γ-endorphin and DTγE which were highly active on extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior (0.3 μg s.c. per rat) were without effect on gross behavior in an open field. Much higher amounts (10–50 μg s.c. per rat) also failed to affect the rate of ambulation in an open field. In relatively high doses (20 μg i.v.t. or 50 μg s.c. per rat), γ-endorphin and in particular DTγE were positive in the various “grip tests”. Haloperidol given s.c. (0.03–0.1 μg/rat) facilitated extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior and attenuated passive avoidance behavior. The same amounts decreased ambulation in an open field. In higher doses haloperidol was active in the “grip tests” but in addition caused severe immobility, ptosis and extension of the lower limbs. Intraventricularly administered morphine or β-endorphin induced wide open eyes, exophthalmus, rigidity and reduced reflexes, in contrast to γ-endorphin and DTγE which did not produce such effects. These results are interpreted to indicate that DTγE or a closely related peptide is an endogenous neuroleptic. It may be that a reduced availability as a result of an inborn error in the generation of DTγE is an etiological factor in psychopathological states for which neuroleptic drugs are beneficial.     

Über die Bedeutung der Zellmembranen für die O2-Diffusion im Gewebe

Summary 1. The O₂-conductivity (Krogh's diffusion-coefficient) was determined for sceletal muscle (rats diaphragm) with methods already described in previous papers. It was calculated to be 1,3·10^–5 cm³ O₂/cm·min·atm at 20°C or at about 1,5 to 1,6 · 10^–5 at 37°C.2. The calculated O₂-conductivity diminished when lower O₂-partial pressures instead of an atmosphere were used in these or former experiments.3. The O₂-conductivity in an undiluted liver-homogenate is 2,8·10^–5 compared with 1,1·10⁵ cm³/cm·min·atm in the undestroyed livertissue. The difference is thought to be caused by the absence of the cell-membranes barrier in the homogenate.4. The O₂-conductivity in the homogenate does not decrease with decreasing O₂-partial pressure in contrary to the above mentioned statements with undestroyed tissues. This difference too is thought to be caused by the absence of cell-membrane barriers with low conductivity in the homogenate.5. The conductivity of the liver-cell membranes may be estimated in a first approximation to about 1/100 to 1/1000 of the cells interior.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.