Study of the localization of radiopacities similar to calcified carotid atheroma by means of panoramic radiography.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the location in soft tissues of the calcifications, similar to calcified carotid atheromas, that can be observed radiographically in the cervical region in panoramic radiographs. STUDY DESIGN: In each anatomic cadaver specimen preserved in formol, consisting of the head and neck, radiopaque spheres (made from gutta-percha) were positioned in anatomic structures of the cervical region that can be sites of calcification. For each anatomic structure marked in this way, panoramic radiography was performed, consisting of 17 radiographs. The images obtained were analyzed by 24 examiners who indicated which radiographs, in their opinion, presented the radiopaque reference projected in the region of bifurcation of the carotid artery. Analysis of 2 proportions from agreement and disagreement was used to determine radiopacities that could be confused in panoramic radiographs with calcified atheromas in the carotid artery. RESULTS: The results showed that 75% (18) of the examiners correctly indicated the reference in the bifurcation of the carotid artery and 79.2% (19) indicated a triticeous cartilage as calcified atheroma of the carotid artery. CONCLUSIONS: Calcified atheromas of the carotid artery are not the only features that can produce radiopaque images lateral to the panoramic radiograph; the presence of calcification in the triticeous cartilage also can induce an erroneous diagnosis of calcified carotid atheroma.     

Piracetam and fipexide prevent PTZ-kindling-provoked amnesia in rats

Deficit in active and inhibitory avoidance behaviour has been found in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled rats. This supports the view that memory deficit is an integral part of epilepsy. In the present study we examined the effect of the nootropic drugs piracetam and fipexide on memory deficit induced by PTZ-kindling in shuttle-box- and step-down-trained rats. The retention in piracetam- and fipexide-treated animals was significantly improved compared to the kindled controls. The mechanisms of action of the two drugs are considered. The favourable effects of nootropic drugs in cases of amnesia provoked by PTZ-kindling might be of interest in clinical practice.     

Control of post anaesthetic shivering with nefopam hydrochloride in mildly hypothermic patients after neurosurgery

Postoperative shivering may be prevented by maintaining normothermia intraoperatively or it may be treated using specific drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of nefopam hydrochloride (nefopam) to that of clonidine and meperidine in patients undergoing elective neurosurgical procedures. Three groups of patients were included in the study. Patients in group A (60) received i.v., at random, 20 mg of nefopam, 50 mg of meperidine or 150 μg of clonidine in the immediate postoperative period. The incidence of shivering and the time at which shivering ceased were noted, along with central temperature and main haemodynamic changes. Group B (20) received i.v., at random, either 10 mg of nefopam or saline before awakening from anaesthesia. The effects of nefopam on central temperature, oxygen consumption (Vo₂), carbon dioxide production (VcO₂), basal metabolic rate (BMR) and energy expenditure (EE) were investigated. Group C (10) received i.v. 20 mg of nefopam during surgery: cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and electroencephalogram (EEG) were monitored. In group A nefopam stopped shivering in 95% of patients when compared to meperidine and clonidine, which were effective in 32% and 40% of patients respectively. In group B, only 10% of patients receiving nefopam had postoperative shivering, Vo2, VcO2 and EE were significantly lower in patients treated with nefopam than those in the control group. No changes in CSFP, CPP or EEG were observed in group C. In conclusion, nefopam seems to be more effective than clonidine or meperidine in quickly suppressing shivering, without producing significant adverse reactions.     

Analysis of the degree of precision of a computer-assisted dietary survey method

A computer-assisted method for the registration of food intakes in real time according to a concise and simple procedure was subjected to a series of controls in order to assess precision. The method employs the 'portion' of a composite dish as unit of measure. The constancy of the portion was tested. The results show that the recipes of the diet of a subject may be stored and utilized in deferred time without loss of precision: data to be recorded in real time are then very limited. The length of period of analysis was also studied. The time of investigation should not be shorter than two weeks to obtain precise information on the feeding habits of an individual subject, whereas for a group of subjects the diary of a single day provides information of sufficient precision.     

N-ω-Carbethoxypentyl-4-quinolones: A New Class of Leukotriene Biosynthesis Inhibitors

6-[(4-Quinolinyl)oxy]hexanoic acids and the corresponding esters were designed and synthesized as inhibitors of the production of arachidonic acid metabolites. The inhibitory activities were assayed in vitro by evaluation of serum leukotriene B₄ and thromboxane B₂ production. While all 6-[(4-quinolinyl)oxy]hexanoic acids and their esters proved to be inactive, the N-alkyl-4-quinolones, obtained as by-products in their synthesis, were found to be a new class of leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors.     

Plasmodium vivax and P. chabaudi: inter-species cross-reacting antigens

A monoclonal antibody raised by immunization of BALB/c mice with erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium vivax was shown to react with asexual erythrocytic stages of P. chabaudi. The cross-reactivity molecules are antigens of 200 and 148 kDa in P. vivax and of 190 and 70 kDa in P. chabaudi. Immunofluorescence studies of the erythrocytic stages of P. vivax and P. chabaudi indicated that expression of these antigens increased as the parasites' developed from the ring stage to the schizont stage. In the mature trophozoites of P. chabaudi, immunoelectron microscopy revealed clusters of antigen distributed in the cytoplasm of the parasitized erythrocyte. In the schizont, packets of antigen were found associated with the parasitophorous vacuole and the cytoplasm of the infected host cell. Received: 19 March 1996 / Accepted: 28 August 1996     

Total cortisol,free cortisol,and growth hormone associated with brief social separation experiences in young macaques

Many behavioral, immunological, and physiological consequences of brief maternal separation in bonnet (Macaca radiata) and pigtail monkeys (Macaca nemistrina) have been documented. However, the impact of social separation on plasma cortisol and growth hormone is unknown for these particular species. In the present study, the behavioral and endocrinological consequences of a 2-week maternal separation in socially housed infant bonnet and pigtail monkeys were followed. In seven pairs (separated and matched control) of bonnet and six pairs of pigtail infants, plasma was obtained under baseline, separated, and reunion conditions twice weekly for the duration of the study. Blood samples were obtained from both infants of the pair in approximately 10 min. Plasma total cortisol, free cortisol, and growth hormone were measured in these samples. Focal animal behavioral observations were made on all subjects twice daily throughout the study period. In both species, total cortisol and free cortisol rose immediately following maternal separation in comparison to the matched nonseparated controls and returned to basal levels (e.g., that of matched non-separted controls) following reunion with the mother. In contrast, plasma growth hormone rose only in the pigtail infants over a time course that peaked around the time of reunion. Multiple regression techniques indicated for the first week of separation, in the separated but not control subjects, that mean plasma free and total cortisol was positively related to distress behaviors (vocalization and postural slouch) observed during this week and negatively related to social behaviors (play and proximity to others) noted during the same period. In contrast, plasma growth hormone was related to both species and sex of the subjects but unrelated to behavioral variables. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.