Motivated behavior and the estrous cycle in rats

(1) The estrous cycle in the rat may be used to study recurrent changes in motor behaviors and motivation which are strongly related to cyclic hormonal and CNS changes. (2) The peak in motivated behaviors occurs during a sharply defined period on the night between proestrus and estrus and is evident in facilitated wheel-running, lordosis, and intracranial self-stimulation. (3) Behaviors without a clearly motivated character do not show an estrous cyclicity. (4) The estrous cyclic variation in intracranial self-stimulation was observed at a specific locus — the pars campacta of the substantia nigra. (5) A neurochemical link between sexually motivated behavior, wheel running and intracranial self-stimulation is suggested. This link is in part dopaminergic but is probably also activated by many other systems.     

SPECT gallium scanning for lymphoma and infection

Thirty gallium scans, using currently acceptable dosage levels (5-6 mCi) and a conventional rotating gamma camera, were performed on 20 patients with lymphoma or infection. Compared to planar scans, SPECT increased sensitivity and lesion detection from 48% to 89% in lymphoma, and from 50% to 80% in infection. The predictive value of a negative site was 81% in lymphoma and 67% in infection. Gallium utility is markedly increased by SPECT imaging. A normal gallium SPECT scan is highly accurate in ruling out disease.     

Left ventricular volume, mass, and function following surgical correction of chronic aortic regurgitation

Following surgical correction of chronic aortic regurgitation, left ventricular (LV) volume falls to normal or near normal in most patients; this change generally occurs within the first week after surgery. During the ensuing six months, a significant regression of LV hypertrophy occurs, but most patients do not achieve a normal LV mass. The systolic ejection fraction may increase while the LV end-diastolic pressure almost uniformly falls to normal. Postoperative studies of LV volume mass and function should be aimed at identifying those patients which do not undergo these favorable changes so that medical therapy can be directed at this high risk group.     

Biphasic Dose Response in Low Level Light Therapy

The use of low levels of visible or near infrared light for reducing pain, inflammation and edema, promoting healing of wounds, deeper tissues and nerves, and preventing cell death and tissue damage has been known for over forty years since the invention of lasers. Despite many reports of positive findings from experiments conducted in vitro, in animal models and in randomized controlled clinical trials, LLLT remains controversial in mainstream medicine. The biochemical mechanisms underlying the positive effects are incompletely understood, and the complexity of rationally choosing amongst a large number of illumination parameters such as wavelength, fluence, power density, pulse structure and treatment timing has led to the publication of a number of negative studies as well as many positive ones. A biphasic dose response has been frequently observed where low levels of light have a much better effect on stimulating and repairing tissues than higher levels of light. The so-called Arndt-Schulz curve is frequently used to describe this biphasic dose response. This review will cover the molecular and cellular mechanisms in LLLT, and describe some of our recent results in vitro and in vivo that provide scientific explanations for this biphasic dose response.     

Influence of pain and urinary symptoms on quality of life in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms

BACKGROUND: Our aims in the present study were to estimate the influences of pain and urinary symptoms on quality of life, and to determine which of these two variables has the most predictive power with respect to quality of life in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms. METHODS: Chronic prostatitis-like symptoms were measured by the National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index. Of the 28,841 men aged 20 years who lived in the study community, 18,495 men (a response rate 64.1%) agreed to participate in the study. A total of 1057 men who complained of symptoms indicative of chronic prostatitis were included in the study. The influences of pain and urinary symptoms on quality of life were determined using logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the predictive ability of each of these variables with respect to quality of life. RESULTS: Results from multivariate analysis showed that both pain and urinary symptoms were associated with an increased likelihood of impaired quality of life, although pain contributed more to a reduced quality of life than urinary symptoms. Relative to men who experienced mild pain, men who experienced moderate pain had a 3.9-fold risk of poor quality of life (odds ratio [OR], 3.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.86-5.23; P < 0.001) and those who experienced severe pain had a 15.7-fold risk of reduced quality of life (OR, 15.68; 95% CI, 6.59-37.35; P < 0.001). Moderate urinary symptoms were associated with a 1.4-fold risk of bother (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.01-1.99; P < 0.001) and severe urinary symptoms were associated with 2.4-fold risk (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.37-4.12; P < 0.001), relative to mild urinary symptoms. Comparison of the effects of pain and urinary symptoms showed that pain severity had the most predictive power for bother, quality of life, and quality-of-life impact. The areas under the ROC curves for bother, quality of life, and quality-of-life impact were 71.3%, 69.3% and 72.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Urinary symptoms and pain might be associated with an increased likelihood of impaired quality of life in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms. In addition, our findings suggest that pain severity is the most influential variable for determining quality of life in this population.     

The importance of intraoperative cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) using electrocoagulation was successfully performed in 56 out of 58 selected patients. Cholangiography was performed in 53 patients. Six patients had common duct stones; five were unsuspected preoperatively. After the gallbladder was removed, three patients underwent open common duct exploration. In another five cases, anatomical anomalies were discovered. Cholangiography performed via the cystic duct before any structures are divided can prevent the most serious complication--common duct injury. Cholangiography should be attempted on all patients undergoing LC.     

Intermittent positive pressure ventilation by nasal mask: Technique and applications

Intermittent positive pressure ventilation delivered non-invasively through a well-fitting nasal mask has been used to control nocturnal hypoventilation in three patients with severe, combined cardio-respiratory and skeletal disease. The advantages of this approach to domiciliary ventilation are described and the requirements of the ventilator are defined.