Super-reactivity to amphetamine toxicity induced by schedule of reinforcement

The chronic exposure of rats to a schedule of operant water reinforcement coupled with chronically restricted access to water sensitized the animals to intermittentd-amphetamine injections (0.31–2.5 mg/kg with intervals of 12–23 days between any two injections) in such a way that this drug came to produce catastrophic losses of body weight (32.4% of control levels). In the sessions whend-amphetamine was administered, the rats were also given a total of 12 brief electric shocks. Loss of body weight was unaccompanied by parallel changes in operant behavior performance, or in food or water intake. Remarkably, in other studies with the same interventions (sham schedule sessions, water deprivation, and foot shocks), with the exception that reinforcers were never delivered,d-amphetamine did not produce catastrophic falls in body weight. This super-reactivity tod-amphetamine toxicity may be mediated by a possible stressor action of the schedule of reinforcement. Its mechanism might be analogous to the known sensitization produced by classical experimental stressor stimuli to the repeated administration ofd-amphetamine.     

Comparative effects of enoximone and theophylline on plasma catecholamines and haemodynamics in cardiosurgical patients

Summary The release of endogenous catecholamines in aorto-coronary bypass graft patients receiving either 0.5 mg/kg enoximone (n=10), 4.0 mg/kg theophylline (n=10) or saline solution (control,n=10) has been studied, as well as certain haemodynamic parameters. Adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) concentrations were not significantly changed by the administration of enoximone. Theophylline caused a small increase in NA (+ 40% in the 1st min) and a marked increase in A (approximately + 7000% in the 1st min), which still remained elevated at the end of the investigation period (+ 220% in the 30th min). The major haemodynamic effects of enoximone were a significant increase in cardiac index (CI; + 35%) and a decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP; −27%), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP; −21%), RVEDV and RVESV, while the heart rate (HR) remained almost unchanged. The dominant haemodynamic effects of theophylline were an increase in HR (+ 26%; arrhythmia in 3 patients), PAP (+ 22%), and RVEDV (+ 19%), while REVESV (+ 26%), MAP (−16%), CI (−14%), and RVEF (−15%) fell significantly. It is concluded that the haemodynamic actions of enoximone are not mediated by catecholamine release, whereas the adverse cardiovascular effects of theophylline might partly be explained by the significant increase in plasma adrenaline.     

Guidelines and recommendations for MR imaging safety and patient management III. Questionnaire for screening patients before MR procedures

The authors present the third installment of the guidelines and recommendations from the Safety Committee of the Society for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (now the Society of Magnetic Resonance) concerning various issues related to the safety and management of patients undergoing magnetic resonance (MR) procedures. This document was developed to provide standardized and consistent information for use by health practitioners involved in screening patients or other individuals for MR procedures.     

穴位综合疗法对先天愚型患者智商的影响

【目的】评价中医穴位疗法对先天愚型患者智商的影响。【方法】将80例先天愚型患者随机分为穴位综合疗法治疗组(简称综合治疗组)、脑复康对照组(简称脑复康组)、空白对照组,综合治疗组取四神针(百会穴前、后、左、右各旁开1.5寸)、智三针(神庭穴和左右本神穴)、颞三针(耳失直上2寸为第1针,左右旁开1寸为第2、3针)、脑三针(脑户穴及两侧脑空穴)为主穴,进行针刺和维生素B_(12)、维丁胶性钙、脑活素穴位注射,脑复康组口服脑复康,空白组不作任何特殊治疗;4个月为1个疗程,期间嘱家长在家对患儿进行相应的教育和训练;治疗前和疗程结束后采用 《中国修订韦氏儿童智力量表》测定患儿的智商(IQ),包括语言IQ(VIQ)、操作IQ(PIQ)和总IQ(FIQ)。【结果】4个月治疗后,综合治疗组总体智力水平均有提高(与空白组比较,均P<0.01),并较脑复康组为优;并且综合治疗组治疗后IQ的提高主要为PIO各项得分的提高所贡献,与操作有关的几个项目的得分与治疗前比,均有显著意义(P<0.05),而VIQ得分治疗后未见显著性提高(均P>0.05)。【结论】穴位综合疗法能提高先天愚型患者的智商。     

Mivacurium in infants and children

Mivacurium is the only available short-acting nondepolarizing muscle relaxant in clinical use. It is a bis-quaternary benzylisoquinolinium ester hydrolysed by plasma-cholinesterase into inactive compounds. The ED₅₀ and ED₉₅ in children are about 50 μg·kg^?1 and 90 μg·kg^?1 respectively. In infants, they have a tendency to be lower. A standard intubating dose of 0.25 mg·kg^?1 causes complete neuromuscular depression in 1.5–2 min, recovery to 5% in 6–10 min, and complete recovery in 15–20 min. The recent tendency is to use 0.3 mg·kg^?1 to obtain better intubating conditions with slight prolongation of effect. Since the recovery profile of mivacurium is independent of the dose and duration, it is most suitable for administration by continuous infusion. The infusion requirement in children is 10–16 μg·kg^?1 min^?1, which is about twice that of adults. Cutaneous flushes from histamine release are commonly seen with the larger doses of mivacurium; however, the associated hypotensive effects are minimal and counteracted by the tracheal intubation. The duration of action of mivacurium is prolonged in patients with cholinesterase deficiency. Mivacurium's neuromuscular effects can be satisfactorily antagonized by edrophonium or neostigmine.     

How adverse drug reactions can play a role in innovative drug research

We describe how adverse drug reactions (ADRs) can play an important role in pharmaceutical research and drug development. Not only do ADRs represent the risks and drawbacks associated with drugs but they can also be related to other knowledge available in pharmaceutical and medical research. We offer a model that can be used to systematically map the pathways through which ADRs can lead to innovative research. These pathways include chemical, therapeutic or pathophysiological steps that can be taken to arrive at new knowledge based on ADRs. We used the development of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, especially captopril, as a case study. The similarity between the ADR profiles of captopril and penicillamine was a starting point for further innovation. Historical analysis shows that in several instances research in the field of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors has been triggered by ADRs. The model presented here might be applicable to other areas of innovative drug research.     

BDI-1-MT治疗膀胱癌及预防其术后复发的临床观察

目的　通过临床应用膀胱腔内灌注抗人膀胱癌免疫毒素 (BDI- 1-MT) ,观察治疗膀胱癌和预防膀胱癌术后复发的效果及毒副反应。方法　对 18例术后和 5例未手术的膀胱癌病人 ,膀胱腔内灌注BDI- 1-MT 1个疗程以上 ,观察疗效、复发情况及毒副反应。结果　术后 18例随访 6～ 2 0个月未见复发 ,未手术 5例随访 6～ 2 1个月 ,其中 3例显效 ,2例有效。所有病例均无明显毒副反应。结论　膀胱腔内灌注BDI- 1-MT治疗膀胱癌和预防膀胱癌术后复发有良好效果 ,是一种值得推广的新方法。     

Demonstration of synergistic effects of hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy using the chick chorioallantoic membrane model.

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model was used to study vascular effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and hyperthermia (HPT) and the synergism of these modalities. The CAM is a convenient medium for monitoring the modifications of the vasculature. It is possible to view the CAM and to examine structural changes of individual blood vessels in real time. Moreover, the CAM is a closed system which lends itself to mathematical modeling of the temporal and spatial temperature profile and in which HPT can be performed quantitatively and to a selected depth, using different lasers. A porphyrin-type photosensitizer solution was applied to areas of the CAM, defined by teflon O-rings placed on the surface. Uptake dynamics of the sensitizer into the CAM was determined by analyzing its fluorescence in vivo. The CAM area was irradiated with a dual-wavelength laser system composed of a dye laser at 644 nm (to induce PDT) and a CO2 laser at 10.6 microns (to bring about HPT). Damage to the CAM vasculature, due to combined PDT+HPT, was compared to the outcome of the separate modalities, and a synergistic effect of about 40% was observed.