Effects of chronic imipramine and haloperidol treatment on apomorphine-induced motility in rats

Locomotor behavior was studied with the use of automated devices in chronic imipramine- and haloperidol-treated Sprague Dawley rats. The biphasic response to apomorphine was only preserved in the control rats. The response to low dose apomorphine challenge was attenuated by chronic imipramine and haloperidol administration. There were no significant changes in motility responses to high dose apomorphine challenges between the control and experimental groups. The results suggest the involvement of postsynaptic Dopamine receptors (D2) in the loss of response to low dose apomorphine.     

Nurse specialist treatment of eye emergencies: Five year follow up study of quality and effectiveness

The role of specialist nurses in triage, diagnosis and management of emergency eye conditions is well established, and encouraging reports of the safety and effectiveness of such services have been published. Specialist nurses in an emergency eye clinic in the UK seeing >7000 patients per year had been found at initial evaluation to treat 22% of the 1976 patients seen over a three month period without referring on to an ophthalmologist. A repeat of this evaluation five years later found this proportion had dropped to 17% (χ² = 16.7, p < 0.01).In addition, the initial evaluation had found no incident of any patient having been treated and discharged by the specialist nurses returning to the department due to incorrect diagnosis or mismanagement. By contrast, from the sample 5 years later, 3 patients were identified who returned to the department due to possible misdiagnosis or sub-optimal management.We suggest that provision must be made for continuing professional development of nurses in this type of extended role, and the commitment to ongoing education should be backed up by a system of monitoring and critical incident reporting to facilitate skill maintenance and the life long learning process for specialist nurses.     

Amphotericin B-induced seizures in a patient with AIDS

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of multiple episodes of seizure activity in an AIDS patent following amphotericin B infusion. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old African-American man experienced recurrent grand mal seizures during intravenous infusion of amphotericin B, then petit mal seizures as the infusion was stopped and the drug concentrations decreased with time. The patients concurrent medications included didanosine, hydroxyzine, promethazine, hydrocortisone, and prochlorperazine. Despite administration of phenytoin and lorazepam, the seizures persisted and occurred only during amphotercin B administration. DISCUSSION: AIDS and cryptococcal meningitis, both of which the patient had, can potentially cause seizures. The patient had a history of alcohol abuse; alcohol intake as well as withdrawal can also cause seizures. Didanosine also has a potential for inducing seizures. However, these other potential causes of seizure were ruled out. The time course of events suggested that amphotericin B was the cause of the seizures in this AIDS patient. CONCLUSIONS: Amphotericin B seems to be the probable cause of the seizures. To date, only three cases of seizures associated with amphotericin B have been reported in the literature, but healthcare providers should be aware of the potential for this rare adverse effect.     

Influence of a thiazole derivative on ethanol and thermally oxidized sunflower oil-induced oxidative stress

The present work describes the protective influence of the dendrodoine analogue (DA) [4-amino-5-benzoyl-2-(4-methoxy phenylamino) thiazole] on thermally oxidized sunflower oil and ethanol-induced oxidative stress. Ethanol was fed to animals at a level of 20% [(7.9 g/kg body weight (bw)] and thermally oxidized sunflower oil at a level of 15% (15 mL/100 g feed). Hepatotoxicity was assessed by measuring the activity of plasma aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), which were elevated in thermally oxidized oil, and ethanol fed rats when compared with normal control rats. Tissue damage was associated with increased lipid peroxidation and disruption in the antioxidant defence mechanism in thermally oxidized oil- and ethanol-fed groups when compared with normal control group. The activity of liver marker enzymes (AST, ALP and GGT) and the level of lipid peroxidation decreased when DA was administered along with ethanol and thermally oxidized oil. The antioxidant status was near normal in DA-administered groups. Thus we propose that DA exerts antioxidant properties by modulating the activity of hepatic marker enzymes, level of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status.     

Radiolabeling and Preliminary Evaluation of Ga-68 Labeled NODAGA-Ubiquicidin Fragments for Prospective Infection Imaging

Purpose

The present work was aimed at the development of prospective positron emission tomography (PET) agents for infection imaging. Towards this aim, ubiquicidin (UBI) fragments conjugated with the macrocyclic NODAGA chelator were radiolabeled with Ga-68 and evaluated.

Procedures

Conformations of custom synthesized NODAGA-UBI (29–41) and NODAGA-UBI (31–38) conjugates were compared with UBI (29–41) by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Optimization of labeling of NODAGA conjugates of UBI peptides with Ga-68 was performed and quality control analysis was carried out by chromatography techniques. In vitro uptake of [⁶⁸Ga] NODAGA-UBI (29–41) and [⁶⁸Ga]NODAGA-UBI (31–38) was studied in Staphylococcus aureus cells. In vivo distribution of [⁶⁸Ga]GaCl₃ and [⁶⁸Ga]NODAGA-UBI complexes was performed in normal Swiss mice.

Results

Conformations of NODAGA-UBI (29–41) and NODAGA-UBI (31–38) conjugates were found to be similar to UBI (29–41). NODAGA-UBI conjugates could be consistently labeled with Ga-68 in high radiochemical yields (>95 %) with high radiochemical purity (>95 %). [⁶⁸Ga]NODAGA-UBI (29–41) and [⁶⁸Ga]NODAGA-UBI (31–38) complexes showed retention time of 14 and 14.5 min, respectively, by HPLC radiochromatogram. Specific uptake of [⁶⁸Ga]NODAGA-UBI fragments was observed in S.aureus cells. Greater than 64 % of the injected dose was cleared via the renal route at 1 h post injection, and no significant uptake in vital organs of mice was observed with both the agents.

Conclusion

This is the first report on Ga-68 labeled NODAGA-UBI fragments for infection imaging and the agents hold tremendous prospect in PET imaging.

     

Development and evaluation of indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for the serological diagnosis of Microsporum canis infection in humans

Purpose

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the diagnostic potential of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) for the rapid and precise diagnosis of Microsporum canis infection in humans.

C11orf95‐RELA fusion present in a primary intracranial extra‐axial ependymoma: Report of a case with literature review

Ependymomas are gliomas that recapitulate the ependymal cells microscopically and ultrastructurally. They commonly occur along the ventricular surfaces and central canal of the brain and spinal cord. Intracranial extra‐axial ependymoma (IEAE) is a rare entity and is commonly misdiagnosed clinically and radiologically as a meningioma. The histogenesis of such IEAEs is obscure. A novel recurrent oncogenic fusion involving the C11orf95 and RELA genes was recently described in supratentorial ependymomas. A 9‐year‐old girl presented with a dural based parafalcine mass that, in addition to exhibiting classical immunohistochemical features of an ependymoma, also demonstrated C11orf95‐RELA fusion, characteristic of supratentorial ependymomas. We suggest that IEAEs share their histogenesis with their intra‐axial counterparts, arising either from dural extension of subcortical, subependymal rests or directly from ectopic dural rests.     

Professional accountability in restructured contexts of occupational therapy practice

Professional standards for accountability establish essential competencies for clinical practices and provide strategies for professional advancement. This study examines the perspectives of a sample of occupational therapists on their capacity to engage in continuing education, to provide evidence-based practices and to have confidence in the effectiveness of available quality assurance mechanisms within restructured contexts of occupational therapy practice. The analysis of in-depth interviews with participants from program management, managed competition and private practice suggested three urgent needs: the development of strategies to assist therapists' translation of research evidence into clinical practices, research to determine the effectiveness of models of professional leadership within the workplace that promote professional accountability and alliances to advance policies that eliminate workplace barriers to professional accountability.     

Renal cortical necrosis at presentation in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: an autopsy case report

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disorder. Renal involvement has the worst prognosis. However, renal cortical necrosis is extremely unusual in SLE. In this case report, we describe the autopsy findings in a young female patient with SLE presenting with renal failure. At autopsy, there was Libmann–Sacks endocarditis with multiorgan infarcts and renal cortical necrosis. Secondary antiphospholipid antibodies contribute to the cardiac and renal manifestations in SLE. We discuss the incidence and pathogenesis of endocarditis with differential diagnosis for cortical necrosis in a patient of SLE.