Verapamil as an adjunct to local anaesthetic for brachial plexus blocks

Background: Calcium channel blockers potentiate the effects of local anaesthetics. We examined the effect of adding verapamil to local anaesthetic solution on anaesthetic duration in patients undergoing surgery under brachial plexus block.     

Delayed hepatic CT scanning: increased confidence and improved detection of hepatic metastases

Fifty oncologic patients with suspected hepatic metastases were prospectively evaluated by dynamic sequential hepatic computed tomography (DSHCT) and by delayed iodine hepatic computed tomography (DICT) scanning. DICT scanning was performed 4-6 hours following administration of 60 g of intravenous iodine. Both techniques were evaluated for lesion definition relative to the adjacent hepatic parenchyma and for numbers of metastases detected. Metastases were detected by both techniques in 26 patients. Fifteen patients (58%) had lesions better defined by DICT. DICT scanning detected more metastases in seven of these 15 patients. In eight patients (31%), there was no difference between the two techniques in numbers of masses detected or lesion definition. In three cases (11%), metastases were more confidently identified on the initial or DSHCT scan. DICT scanning, as described, is useful in defining and detecting hepatic metastases, especially where there is questionable hepatic involvement or better quantification of size is necessary.     

In vitro effects of 2-tert-butyl-benzothiazole derivatives on microfilariae of Litomosoides carinii, Brugia malayi and Acanthocheilonema viteae.

Six 2-tert-butyl-benzothiazole derivatives (2-tert-butyl-6-iso-thiocyanato-5-methyl-benzothiazole CGP 21306); 3-[(2-tert-butyl-5-methyl-benzothiazole-6-yl) aminothiocarbonylthiol] propionic acid (CGP 21835); 2-tert-butyl-5-methyl-6-(N-methyl-piperazinyl-thiocarbonylamino)-b enzothiazole (CGP 21833); 2-tert-butyl-5-methyl-6-(4-dimethylamino-piperid-1-yl-thiocarbo nylamino)- benzothiazole (CGP 26702); CGP 20376, the 5-methoxy analogue to CGP 21835 and CGP 20309, the 5-methoxy analogue to CGP 21833) with known, high filaricidal activity in vivo were tested for in vitro efficacy against microfilariae of L. carinii (Lc), B. malayi (Bm) and A. viteae (Av) in order to study intrinsic antifilarial activities. All drugs affected the motility of the microfilariae of the three species in a species, dose and time dependent fashion. Lc was the most sensitive, Av the most resistant species. CGP 20376 and 21835 were the most effective compounds followed by CGP 21306. Complete immobilization of microfilariae was observed after 20 h in protein-free medium RPMI 1640 at drug concentrations of 0.1 to 10 nmol/ml. Effects were still marked 2 when graded on a 4 (full motility) to 0 (immobile) scale at concentrations of 0.01-0.1 nmol/ml. In the case of the thiourea derivatives CGP 21833, 26702 and 20309 concentrations had to be increased 10-100 fold to obtain similar effects. When proteins were present in the incubation medium (10% foetal calf serum, 100% normal serum) the efficacy of the compounds was reduced, i.e. drug concentrations had to be increased up to 100 fold to produce similar effects as in protein-free medium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Isolation and characterization of murine cell surface components. I. Purification of milligram quantities of Thy-1.1

The Thy-l.1 molecule was isolated from the BW5147 murine lymphoblastoid cell line. The initial step in purification was the preparation of a crude plasma membrane fraction followed by acetone precipitation. The acetone pellet was solubilized using deoxycholate (DOC) and Thy-1.1 was purified by use of a Lens culinaris lectin affinity column and an AcA-34 gel filtration column. The purified glycoprotein with Thy-1.1 activity had a mol wt of approximately 25,000 daltons. The isolation of this molecule was effected by detecting Thy-I activity utilizing rabbit anti- mouse brain serum tested on rat thymocytes. Congenic anti-Thy-l.1 serum was ineffective in detecting Thy-l.1 after DOC solubilization. An antiserum prepared in rabbits to the purified Thy-1.1 was found to be cytotoxic to mouse and rat thymocytes. The cytotoxic activity of this antisera could be completely absorbed with AKR/Jax brain and thymus but was not absorbed by liver. In addition, AKR/Jax thymocytes totally absorbed all cytotoxic activity of the rabbit anti-purified Thy-1 serum for BW5147 cells suggesting that the cell line shares identical specificities with normal thymocytes. The purified Thy-1.1 molecule was able to totally absorb the cytotoxic activity of mouse congenic anti-Thy-1. These studies serve as a model for the isolation of other murine lymphoid cell surface components in quantities for detailed structural and functional analysis.     

MODERN LINES OF MANAGEMENT OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

The recent increase in the incidence of ectopic pregnancies was associated with rapid improvement in the diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. Quantitative serum B-HCG radioimmunoassay and high resolution vaginal ultrasonography have facilitated early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy allowing a more conservative approach to patient management. Different conservative surgical and medical lines of management recently developed were associated with and increased chance of subsequent intrauterine pregnancy with no increase in the incidence of repeat ectopic pregnancy. Outpatient systemic medical treatment seems to be a preferred alternative to conservative surgery. In selected cases, it is associated with a lower complication rate and promising result for fertility. (Br J Clin Pract 1996; 50(7) : 376-380.)