Anterior pituitary dopamine receptors during the rat estrous cycle. A detailed analysis of proestrus changes

A method for the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) of delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) has been developed and applied to determine the metabolic clearance rate and biological half-life of DSIP administered to dogs. Antisera to DSIP conjugated to bovine serum albumin were raised in rabbits and proved to be specific for the C-terminus of the peptide. DSIP conjugated to horseradish peroxidase served as the labeled antigen in the EIA and enzyme activity was determined by fluorophotometry. The assay sensitivity was approximately 30 pg/ml. 1 or 2 mg of DSIP was injected intravenously into 4 anesthetized dogs and blood was taken at 5-min intervals. Unextracted plasma was subjected to the EIA directly and showed parallel displacement curves to the standards. DSIP was found to have a rapid disappearance with a mean metabolic clearance rate of 30.7 +/- 2.5 ml/kg . min and a mean half-life of 4.0 +/- 0.7 min in the dogs. Additional measurement of the metabolic parameters in a monkey and 3 rats treated similarly revealed a rapid in vivo clearance of DSIP from plasma with a half-life of 2.9 and 2.0 +/- 0.54 min, respectively.     

Dosage adjustment of drugs during continuous hemofiltration. Results and practical consequences of a prospective clinical study

In 43 ICU patients undergoing continuous volume constant hemofiltration (CVHF), the pharmacokinetics of 12 drugs were investigated to ensure correct dosage adjustments. Under conditions of CVHF, maximum doses were defined for cefotaxime, ceftazidime, digoxin, digitoxin, imipenem, metronidazole++, netilmicin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, theophylline, tobramycin, and vancomycin. For the estimation of sufficient doses without blood level measurements, sieving coefficients (S) were calculated by a new method. In addition, S was integrated as a CVHF-specific factor into a common equation for drug dose adjustment in patients with renal insufficiency. The regression of dosage received from kinetics on blood-level-independent equation adjustment was r = 0.9923. Since the volumes of distribution in ICU patients are variable, it is suggested that further drug monitoring is necessary for toxic drugs.     

Localized aggressive periodontitis: a possible site-specific rather than tooth-specific disease?

The diagnosis of localized aggressive periodontitis includes first molar attachment loss as an obligatory criterion. This tooth-specific based diagnosis has never been questioned or tested previously. We present a rare case of aggressive periodontitis that developed during orthodontic treatment, which included extraction of right lower first molar and bodily movement of the second molar to the original first molar site. At the end of the orthodontic therapy, localized periodontal disease was diagnosed at the site of the lower left first molar and the second lower right molar that was now occupying the site of the former first lower molar. The patient's periodontal condition was stabilized, and the bony defects were filled following periodontal treatment. This report shows that bacterial induced aggressive periodontitis developed during orthodontic treatment in a site-specific manner and suggest the hypothesis that localized aggressive periodontitis was targeted to a specific alveolar site rather than a tooth-specific site.     

Incidence and management of graft erosion, wound granulation, and dyspareunia following vaginal prolapse repair with graft materials: a systematic review

Introduction and hypothesis  

This study describes the incidence, risk factors, and treatments of graft erosion, wound granulation, and dyspareunia as adverse events following vaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse with non-absorbable synthetic and biologic graft materials.     

Comparative assessment of the sealing ability of Nd:YAG laser versus a new desensitizing agent in human dentinal tubules: a pilot study

Dentinal hypersensitivity is a painful condition that occurs following periodontal treatment. Many treatment alternatives have been considered for this problem, including treatments with laser and dentinal adhesives. This study compared the sealing ability of Nd:YAG laser versus a new resin in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs. Ten human premolars were sectioned yielding 30 specimens of each premolar, which were randomly divided into three groups. The laser group was irradiated by Nd:YAG laser (1 W, 10 Hz, 60 s), the resin group was treated with the new Seal & Protect resin according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and the third group served as the control group and did not receive any interventions. After preparation and gold coating of the samples, they were photographed by SEM at two magnifications (1500× and 4000×). The number and diameter (μm) of the dentinal tubules were recorded in selected fields, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey tests were used to determine significant differences between groups. The ANOVA results revealed significant differences in both the mean number (P < 0.001) and diameter (P < 0.05) among the three groups. Further statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the laser group and the resin group in both outcome measures (P < 0.05). Thus, both Nd:YAG laser and the new resin reduced the number and diameter of open dentinal tubules, a result that also explains the desensitization mechanism of these interventions. We further conclude that application of the new resin is more effective than Nd:YAG laser in minimizing the number and diameter of exposed dentinal tubules.     

Posterior vitreous detachment following intravitreal drug injection

Background

To evaluate the incidence of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) induced by intravitreal injection of different intravitreal drugs.

Methods

This prospective observational study included 61 patients (61 eyes) with different underlying retinal diseases: exudative age-related macular degeneration (n?=?47), cystoid macular edema (CME) after retinal vein occlusion (n?=?8), and CME of other origin (n?=?6). Bevazicumab (1.25 mg) was injected into 25 eyes, ranibizumab (0.5 mg) into 27 eyes, triamcinolone (4 mg) into six eyes, and a combination of bevacizumab and triamcinolone into three eyes. Patients with initial PVD were excluded. Patients were followed for at least 4–6 weeks after their last injection by Fourier-domain OCT, fundus biomicroscopy and ultrasound B-examination.

Results

Overall, 15 of 61 eyes developed a PVD after intravitreal injection (n?=?6 after ranibizumab, n?=?7 after bevacizumab and n?=?2 after triamcinolon) within a mean follow-up period of 11.1 weeks. PVD occurred in three eyes after the first injection, in three eyes after the second, and in seven eyes after the third injection. Incidence of PVD correlated with increasing age.

Conclusion

Intravitreal injection of commonly-used drugs seems to induce posterior vitreous detachment, which may thus influence the outcome of the underlying disease.     

Alstr?m Syndrome and Cecal Volvulus in 2 Siblings

Alström syndrome (ALMS1, MIM 203800) is a rare, autosomal recessively inherited monogenic condition caused by mutations in the ALMS1 gene located on the short arm of chromosome 2. ALMS1 is a multisystem condition characterized by childhood onset of blindness, dilated cardiomyopathy, sensorineural hearing loss, renal failure, fibrotic lung disease, and metabolic abnormalities, including hypertriglyceridemia, liver steatosis, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. We describe 2 siblings with ALMS who presented with the potentially life-threatening condition of acute cecal volvulus, an association not previously reported. Cecal volvulus may, therefore, represent a significant new feature of the Alström syndrome.     

Cervical screening history in patients with early stage carcinoma of the cervix

This study aimed to examine whether a decade of heightened publicity on issues relating to cervical screening has changed the screening profile of women presenting with cervical cancer at the National Maternity Hospital. The screening history of 100 women diagnosed with early/surgically treated cervical cancer between 1998 and 2002 was compared with a similar study conducted in 1982 /1990. The percentage of women never screened was similar - 24 %( 2002) and 23% (1990). The interval between last recorded smear and diagnosis of disease was greater than 5 years in 45.6% and 41.7% respectively. Overall 60% of women in the recent period had either failed to avail of screening or were not screened within 5 years of diagnosis compared with 64% in 1990. Multiparous women comprised 90% of the study group and 50% of those inadequately screened were attending their general practitioner on a regular basis - therefore affording a potential for opportunistic screening The current method of screening has failed in this group and has not improved in 10 years despite of increased population awareness and greater opportunities for screening than ever before and would support an argument for a National Screening Program.