Plasma chemistry and urine analysis in Salmonella-induced polyuria in racing pigeons (Columba livia)

Polyuria-polydipsia is a frequent observation in pigeons with salmonellosis. These are accompanied by a decreased albumin/globulin ratio, increased creatinine and haptoglobin concentrations, and decrease in the chloride concentration in the blood plasma. The urine was found to have a low density with red and white blood cells frequently present in the sediment. A water deprivation test was conducted on three animals: polyuria disappeared and plasma urea increased significantly.     

Solid-phase extraction with strong anion-exchange columns for selective isolation and concentration of urinary organic acids

This is a new method for isolating and concentrating urinary organic acids before gas chromatography--mass spectrometry. Sulfate and phosphate anions are removed by precipitation with Ba(OH)2, and the urine pH is adjusted to 8-8.5. The sample is then applied onto small, disposable, strong-anion-exchange columns. Neutral and basic compounds are washed out with water, which is then removed by centrifugation and by rinsing the columns with methanol and diethyl ether. The organic acids are eluted with a 4/1 (by vol) mixture of an organic solvent--either n-butanol or ethyl acetate--and formic acid containing HSO4- (0.1 mol/L) as a highly selective counter-ion, and finally with methanol alone. Sulfate ions are retained, and the eluate is evaporated before trimethylsilyl derivatization. Analytical recoveries (about 100%) of organic acids compare favorably with those obtained with solvent extraction. This convenient procedure is selective and reproducible and is a suitable alternative to the more cumbersome diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex extraction method.     

Fluconazole and amphotericin B antifungal susceptibility testing by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards broth macrodilution method compared with E-test and semiautomated broth microdilution test.

A comparative study of fluconazole and amphotericin B susceptibility testing was performed with 68 clinical Candida species isolates and three test methods. The methods used were an agar diffusion method (E-test) and two broth dilution methods, the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) reference broth macrodilution method and an in-house-prepared semiautomated broth microdilution method based on the Bioscreen turbidometer. In the microdilution method, growth of the yeasts was measured continuously by the automatic turbidometer (Bioscreen), which permitted precise and objective determination of endpoints. MIC endpoints were read after 24 h for the microdilution method and the E-test. Amphotericin B susceptibility testing with the NCCLS method and the E-test yielded comparable results in 89% of the tests, meaning that the endpoints obtained were identical or differed by no more than 2 twofold dilutions. The NCCLS and broth microdilution tests scored 97% comparable results, and the E-test and the broth microdilution test yielded 90% comparable results. Fluconazole susceptibility testing produced 96% comparable results with the NCCLS test and the E-test, 100% comparable results with the NCCLS and the microdilution methods, and 98.5% comparable results with the microdilution method and the E-test. We conclude that the E-test and the Bioscreen microdilution method are valuable alternatives to the NCCLS reference method for routine susceptibility testing of Candida species with fluconazole and amphotericin B.     

Thrombolysis in arterial occlusion

Intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy has replaced systemic intravenous infusion of thrombolytic agents as a treatment modality for arterial occlusion in the limbs. Several catheter-guided techniques and various infusion methods and schemes have been developed. At present there is no scientific proof of definite superiority of any agent in terms of efficacy or safety but clinical practice favours the use of urokinase or alteplase. Studies which compared thrombolysis to surgical intervention suggest that thrombolytic therapy is an appropriate initial management in patients with acute occlusion of a native leg artery or a bypass graft. Underlying causative lesions are treated in a second step by endovascular or open surgical techniques. Severe bleeding is the most feared complication: the risk of hemorrhagic stroke is 1-2%.     

International participation in major intensive care journals

Objective

This study seeks to assess the scientific contributions in the field of intensive care medicine from each of the major countries (per million inhabitants) and discusses the possible factors which may contribute to any differences.

Data source

Review of scientific journals.

Study selection

We examined the total number of published papers (between 1989 and 1993) in five major respiratory and intensive care journals:Intensive Care Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Chest, The American Review of Respiratory Disease, andCirculatory Shock.

Data synthesis

Amongst the American journals, USA and Canada were the predominant contributors followed by the other countries in the following order: Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Denmark, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Norway, Japan and Germany.

Conclusions

The present study reveals that the smaller European nations have a greater participation than the larger European nations in the major intensive care journals. This phenomenon could be due to different submission practices in these countries compared with the larger European countries, where a considerable number of papers are submitted to local renowned journals. There was no absolute correlation between a nation's gross national product and the total number of publications.     

Analyse vidéographique 2D d’exercices fonctionnels avec déplacements verticaux et mesure de la force musculaire isocinétique du genou après ligamentoplastie du ligament croisé antérieur

Introduction

After anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ligamentoplasty, muscular recovery is often compared to asymmetries in monopodal length jumps, but rarely to functional exercises with vertical displacements. The objective of this study is to analyze these asymmetries and to determine the correlations with the muscular force.