High epidural anesthesia as a component of anesthetic support for cardiosurgical interventions in infants

The aim of the study was to determine whether it was expedient to include epidural anesthesia into a complex of anesthetic support of surgical correction of ventricular septal defect in infants. This was a prospective, nonrandomized, monocenter case-control study. Seventy-nine infants met the inclusion criteria. A control group included 41 patients in whom total intravenous anesthesia was based on the infusion of propofol and fentanyl; a study comprised 38 patients in whom anesthetic support was potentiated by high prolonged epidural anesthesia. In the study group patients, the total dosage of anesthetics and the duration of inotropic support decreased intraoperatively and there was a reduction in the duration of postoperative artificial ventilation.     

Imaging of respiratory network topology in living brainstem slices

Topology of neuronal networks contributes to their functioning but the structure-function relationships are not yet understood. In order to reveal the spatial organisation of the respiratory network, we expressed enhanced green fluorescent proteins in neurons in brainstem slices containing the respiratory kernel (pre-B?tzinger complex). The expression was neuron specific due to use of adeno-associated viral vector driving transgene expression from synapsin 1 promoter. Both neuronal cell bodies and their dendrites were labelled with high efficacy. This labelling allowed for enhanced spatial resolution as compared to conventional calcium-sensitive dyes. Neurons occupied about 10% of tissue volume and formed an interconnected network. Using custom-developed software, we quantified the network structure that had a modular structure consisting of clusters having transverse (dorso-ventral) orientation. They contained in average seven neurons and connections between the cells in different clusters were less frequent. This novel in situ imaging technique is promising to gain new knowledge about the fine structure and function of neuronal networks in living slice preparations.     

Glutamate selectively increases the high-threshold Ca channel current in sensory and hippocampal neurons

Previous studies resulted in conflicting conclusions that glutamate application either decreases or increases the activity of Ca²⁺ channels in hippocampal neurons. We studied whole-cell Ca²⁺ currents (I_Ca) in chick dorsal root ganglion neurons and rat hippocampal cells. For both cell types glutamate (1–30 μM) increased high-threshold Ca²⁺ current. It was independent of the charge carriers, Ca²⁺ or Ba²⁺. Low-threshold Ca²⁺ channel current and the fast sodium current were not changed with glutamate application. The effect developed within 1–2 min and then further facilitated after washout of the agonist. A second application of glutamate produced no additional increase in _ICa. No changes in the time-course of whole-cell currents were observed, suggesting that glutamate recruits ‘sleepy’ Ca²⁺ channels. Whatever its mechanism, overlasting increase of I_Ca by glutamate may be important in neuronal plasticity.     

Analysis of Dynamic Geometric Configuration of the Aortic Channel from the Perspective of Tornado-Like Flow Organization of Blood Flow

Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine - Analysis of the data of morphometry of aortic casts, aortography at different pressures, and multispiral computer tomography of the aorta with...     

Cellular internalization and morphological analysis after intravenous injection of a highly hydrophilic octahedral rhenium cluster complex – a new promising X‐ray contrast agent

The octahedral cluster compound Na₂H₈[{Re₆Se₈}(P(C₂H₄CONH₂)(C₂H₄COO)₂)₆] has been shown to be highly radio dense, thus becoming a promising X‐ray contrast agent. It was also shown that this compound had low cytotoxic effect in vitro, low acute toxicity in vivo and was eliminated rapidly from the body through the urinary tract. The present contribution describes a more detailed cellular internalization assay and morphological analysis after intravenous injection of this hexarhenium cluster compound at different doses. The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of intravenously administrated compound was calculated (4.67 ± 0.69 g/kg). Results of the study clearly indicated that the cluster complex H_n[{Re₆Se₈}(P(C₂H₄CONH₂)(C₂H₄COO)₂)₆]^n–10 was not internalized into cells in vitro and induced only moderate morphological alterations of kidneys at high doses without any changes in morphology of liver, spleen, duodenum, or heart of mice. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The specialized treatment of the wounded with complications and unfavorable sequelae of gunshot wounds to the extremities

The article gathers the management experience of 367 cases of complications in gunshot injuries of extremities, including 165 patients with amputation stumps of extremities and 202 patients with complicated gunshot fractures. The analysed group was consisted of the patients with stump diseases, irregular knitting or ununited fractures, defects of bone tissue or heavy purulent complications. Using the modern methods of diagnostic and treatment the authors succeeded in 30.9% of cases: in 59.9% satisfactory results were obtained. Unsatisfactory results were marked at 9.2% of patients.     

Acquired carotid-cavernous fistula caused by traumatic intracavernous rupture of an embryonic anastomosis.

This case of traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula was caused by rupture of a peculiar ipsilateral intracavernous anastomosis between the accessory meningeal artery and the redundant deep recurrent ophthalmic artery. In the opposite cavernous sinus there was an obvious anastomosis between the accessory meningeal artery and the ophthalmic artery, probably located in the lateral part of the cavernous sinus. The patient was successfully treated with transarterial embolization followed by surgery of the cavernous sinus. In light of the vascular embryology, it is possible that unusual embryonic connections between the primitive dorsal ophthalmic artery and the accessory meningeal artery already existed in both cavernous sinus areas.     

A fatal case of amebic dysentery

The paper describes a case of complicated amebic dysentery imported from India in a 39-year old man. Even in microscopic examination of feces, amebiasis diagnosis presented difficulties for clinicists.