Perceptual distortion of face deletion by local anaesthesia of the human lips and teeth

As visual guidance of facial movements is impossible, accurate movements for speech and mastication require an established body image that is formed via the information from mechanoreceptors in the skin, mucosa, periodontium, and proprioceptors in the facial and masticatory muscles and in the jaw joints. In this study we aimed to investigate how the acute deafferentation of lips and teeth alters the established image of lips, teeth and the thumb. We used a psychophysical method to determine whether the perceived sizes of the upper lip and front teeth change when the sensory input from the lips and front teeth is fully blocked. We also examined the perceived size of the thumb to test for acute interactions between the thumb and facial structures. Local anaesthetic blocking of upper lip and upper front teeth significantly increased the perceived size of the upper lip by as much as 100% (range 21–100%) in ten out of eleven subjects tested (overall mean 52%; p=0.001). The perceived size of the upper teeth also significantly increased by as much as 155% (range 30–155%) in eight of the eleven subjects during anaesthesia (overall mean 41%; p=0.035). When the region of anaesthesia was increased and both upper and lower teeth and lips were anaesthetised, the perceived size of the upper lip again increased, by 53% (p=0.040), but the change in perceived size of the upper front teeth (18%) was not significant (p=0.206). In both studies there was no change in perceived size of the thumb. The results illustrate the labile central interaction between sensory inputs and the importance of feedback from peripheral afferents in generating the subjective facial image. The timing, level, and area of anaesthesia may be important modifiers of these interactions.     

Spontaneous contractions and stretch-evoked responses of isolated lymph nodes

Summary In this study the spontaneous activities of prescapular lymph nodes, which were isolated from calves, goats and sheep and mesenteric lymph nodes of guinea-pigs were recorded and analysed in the frequency domain. Stretch-evoked contractions of the mesenteric lymph nodes were also recorded and their frequency characteristics analysed.The preparations were placed in a Krebs solution which was kept at 37° C and bubbled continuously with a mixture of 95% O₂ and 5% CO₂. The tension changes occurring in the lymph nodes were recorded. The patterns obtained were initially transformed into numerical values which were then used to obtain autocorrelation functions and power spectra, according to the time series analysis method. A passive stretch of 100 s duration was applied to the mesenteric lymph nodes and the responses were examined using the transient response-frequency characteristics method.It was observed that prescapular and mesenteric lymph nodes had spontaneous activities due to the contractions of the smooth muscles within the nodes. A frequency analysis of these contractions indicated that at least three contractile components were responsible for the contractions; these components contract within the frequency bands of 0.01–0.04 Hz, 0.05–0.07 Hz and 0.09–0.14 Hz respectively. It was also observed that the spontaneous activities could be regulated and synchronized by stretch. It is suggested that these contractions of the lymph nodes play an essential role in lymph propulsion within the nodes.     

Comparison of three methods for detection of pneumococcal antigen in sputum of patients with community-acquired pneumonia

In a prospective study of 249 patients with community-acquired pneumonia, three tests for the detection of pneumococcal antigen in sputum were compared: a coagglutination test for detecting capsular antigens (Cap-CoA), a sandwich enzyme immunoassay (PnC-EIA) and a coagglutination test (PnC-CoA), both the latter detecting the pneumococcal C-polysaccharide common to all pneumococcal types. Sixty-three patients had culture-positive pneumococcal pneumonia, 45 pneumonia caused by other bacteria and 141 pneumonia of viral or unknown etiology. The sensitivity of Cap-CoA (63%) and PnC-CoA (65%) was somewhat higher than that of PnC-EIA (49%), but not significantly so. The specificity was 96–98% for all three methods. Using PnC-CoA 66 patients with possible pneumococcal infection were detected, the diagnosis being verified by culture in 41. Using Cap-CoA 59 such patients were detected, the diagnosis being verified in 40, and using the PnC-EIA 47 such patients were detected, the diagnosis being verified in 31. Antigen was found almost as often in non-purulent as in purulent samples, and as often in washed as in non-washed purulent samples. However, antibiotic treatment before the sputum sample was obtained resulted in significantly lower sensitivity of both PnC-CoA and Cap-CoA. This study confirms the high sensitivity and specificity of methods for pneumococcal antigen detection in sputum. Since CoA is easier and quicker to perform, and cheaper than the EIA, either PnC-CoA or Cap-CoA would seem to be the technique of choice for detection of pneumococcal antigen, whereby all sputum samples, including non-purulent samples, can be used.     

Dental technician's pneumoconiosis: mineralogical analysis of two cases

Pneumoconiosis was diagnosed by open lung biopsy in two dental technicians who had interstitial lung disease. Mineralogical analysis was performed to investigate the origin of the dust that had been inhaled. A marked accumulation of silicon and phosphorus was found in both cases. The hard metals chromium and cobalt were also found. Dental technician's pneumoconiosis is a complex pneumoconiosis in which such dust and hard metals may play a role.     

Changes in cyclic nucleotides during the calcium paradox in the isolated rat heart

Reperfusion of hearts with a Ca²⁺-containing medium after a perfusion period in Ca²⁺-free medium results in irreversible cell damage (calcium paradox). In this investigation we have studied coronary flow and cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels after several periods of Ca²⁺-free perfusion in isolated rat hearts. We also investigated the effects of papaverine (Pap), noradrenaline (NA), acetylcholine (ACh) and absence of inorganic phosphate during Ca²⁺-free perfusion on coronary flow (CF) and cyclic nucleotide levels. Inability of the heart to recover contractile activity with development of contracture during the reperfusion period was accepted as indicative of the calcium paradox. Ca²⁺-free perfusion alone and NA and absence of inorganic phosphate during the Ca²⁺-free perfusion period increased CF, whereas Pap and ACh decreased it. However, only Ca²⁺-free perfusion and NA elevated cyclic AMP. On the other hand, Pap and ACh increased cyclic GMP (with a transient rise of cyclic AMP in Pap infusion), and absence of inorganic phosphate decreased both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. Pap, ACh and absence of phosphate prevented the calcium paradox. Our study suggests that increased cyclic AMP during the Ca²⁺-free perfusion may contribute, with the other factors, to the occurrence of the calcium paradox.     

Substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide: immunohistochemical localisation and microvascular effects in rabbit skeletal muscle

Summary 1. The distribution and microvascular effects of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were studied in the rabbit tenuissimus muscle using immunohistochemistry and intravital microscopy. 2. Individual fibers within nerve bundles and along blood vessels in the muscle were found to be immunoreactive (IR) for both SP and CGRP, thus showing an apparently complete coexistence for these peptides. In dorsal root ganglia most SP-positive cells were also CGRP-IR, but the latter cells were somewhat more numerous than SP-IR cells. 3. When applied topically to the muscle, both SP and CGRP increased blood flow in a dose-dependent manner, but CGRP was more potent and caused responses of longer duration. Both SP and CGRP dilated transverse arterioles, but they had little or no effect on the smaller terminal arterioles. This resulted in a redistribution of blood flow to the connective tissue adjacent to the muscle. 4. SP, but not CGRP, elicited vigorous vasomotion in larger arterioles and caused the formation of aggregates of platelets and leukocytes in the venules. Neither flow increase, nor vasomotion or aggregate formation were influenced by pretreatment of the animals with mepyramine, cimetidine or indomethacin. Capsaicin (1 M) had a powerful effect on transverse arterioles resembling that of both SP and CGRP. 5. It is concluded that some of the vascular effects hitherto ascribed to SP on the basis of nerve stimulation and application of capsaicin might, at least in part, be due to release of CGRP. Send offprint requests to: A. Ohlen, Department of Physiology, Karolinska Institutet, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden     

The effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate administration on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance: Comparison with other antidepressant agents,test of selectivity and sub-chronic studies

The dose-dependent effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate treatment upon the acquisition of two-way and one-way active avoidance in the rat was studied in a single-session and in a repeated-sessions design. Zimeldine (5–20 mg/kg, IP), but not alaproclate, caused disruptions of two-way avoidance acquisition. Acquisition deficits were also caused by citalopram and fluoxetine but not the other antidepressant drugs tested. Zimeldine, but not alaproclate or desipramine, caused a slight but non-significant impairment of one-way active avoidance; neither zimeldine nor alaproclate produced any effects upon fear conditioning and retention testing. The long-term action of p-chloroamphetamine (2×10 mg/kg) antagonised the acute zimeldine effect totally, and chronic treatment with zimeldine (15 days, 1×50 mol/kg) and chlorimipramine (15 days, 2×10 mol/kg) also caused some partial blockade of the two-way avoidance deficit. These data seem to suggest some involvement of serotonin (5-HT) in the observed disruptions of two-way active avoidance caused by acute zimeldine treatment.     

Clinical and ethical perspective of neurosurgical care in patients from beyond the southern border of Turkey: challenges of patients in war

Journal of Public Health - Because an increasing number of patients travel internationally to seek medical care, Turkey offers comprehensive and outstanding services under extraordinary conditions...     

Kidney biopsy in the elderly: diagnostic adequacy and yield

International Urology and Nephrology - The number of kidney biopsies (KB) performed in elderly patients has been increasing. Safety and usefulness of elderly KB have been well established, whereas...