Intratemporal vascular tumors: detection with CT and MR imaging

The diagnostic contributions of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were compared in 12 patients with benign intratemporal vascular tumors (hemangioma or vascular malformation). The tumors included six in the internal acoustic canal and six in the geniculate ganglion region. Clinical and histologic correlations were made. Two of the six patients with tumors in the internal acoustic canal underwent CT, and both required gas cisternography to show the tumor. Five patients in that group underwent MR imaging, and all five studies showed the tumor. All six patients with geniculate ganglion tumors underwent CT. Results in one study were questionable, and five showed the tumor. Five patients in this group underwent MR imaging, but the MR findings were positive in only two cases. MR imaging should therefore be performed before CT in the evaluation of facial nerve dysfunction, as it demonstrated all tumors in the internal acoustic canal and some in the geniculate ganglion region. If MR findings are negative, CT should then be performed to rule out a possible geniculate ganglion lesion.     

The effects of a 0.12% chlorhexidine-digluconate-containing mouthrinse versus a placebo on plaque and gingival inflammation over a 3-month period

Abstract Several previous studies have evaluated the effects of 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate (ChD) mouthrinses on plaque and gingival inflammation. However, previously, none have been based in general dental practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential to conduct controlled periodontal clinical trials in co-operation with general dental practitioners (gdps). The project took place in 5 general dental practices in the South of England. 121 healthy subjects (24 at 4 sites and 25 at the 5th). aged 18-65 years, mean 35 ± 12) years participated in a double-blind, randomised study during which they received full mouth assessments for plaque and gingival bleeding at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. 60 subjects were randomly asigned to use the 0.12% ChD mouth wash and 6i the placebo. The assessments were carried out by 5 gpds, who had previously achieved inter-examiner κ scores of 0.78–0.85 (mean 0.81) for the plaque index (PlI), and of 0.73–0.94 (mean 0.87) for a modified gingival index (mGI), and who maintained κ scores of 0.51–0.90 for PII and of 0.73–1.00 for mGI during the 12 months required to complete the study. 98 subjects (48 ChD and 50 placebo) completed the study. Even though the baseline levels of plaque and gingivitis were low, by week 12, mean whole mouth piaque score of the ChD mouthwash users had fallen from 1.33 at baseline to 0.96 and was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than for the placebo users, 1.31 at baseline to 1.13. Whole-mouth gingival bleeding score fell from 0.56 to 0.42 in the ChD mouthwash group but was unchanged (0.54–0.55) in the placebo group. A subsidiary data analysis which considered the effects at sites indicated that within these overall differences, the ChD users experienced almost 2× the reduction from plaque score 2 at baseline at proximal molar sites over a 12-week period (50.6% ChD versus 27.6% placebo). It was concluded that 0.12% ChD mouthwash reduced plaque accumulation fay 28% and gingival inflammation by 25% over a 12–week period, that it is feasible for a group of gdps to maintain high levels of inter–examiner consistency in the use of PlI and mGI, that it is also feasible to carry out such a multicentre study in general dental practice, and that the use of mean mouth scores per subject to analyse the effects of mouthrinses may well mask variations in response throughout the mouth.     

Influence of food on the pharmacokinetics of quinapril and its active diacid metabolite, CI-928

A randomized two-way crossover study was conducted in 12 healthy volunteers to assess the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of quinapril (CI-906) and its active metabolite, CI-928, after quinapril dosing. Forty-milligram oral quinapril doses were administered in a fasted or a fed state with a one-week washout period between treatments. No significant treatment differences were observed in quinapril and CI-928 values for maximum plasma concentration, area under the plasma concentration-time curve, or percentage of dose excreted in the urine. Small but significant increases of less than 0.5 hour in quinapril and CI-928 tmax values were observed after consumption of food. The pharmacokinetic profiles of quinapril and CI-928 were not significantly altered by the administration of food.     

Peroxidative activation of o-phenylhydroquinone leads to the formation of DNA adducts in HL-60 cells.

Using 32P-postlabeling we studied DNA adduct formation in HL-60 cells treated with the o-phenylphenol metabolites o-phenylhydroquinone (o-PHQ) and o-phenylbenzoquinone (o-PBQ). Treatment with 25-500 microM o-PHQ for 8 h produced one principal and three minor adducts with a relative distribution of 80, 10, 6 and 4%. The relative adduct levels from these treatments were 0.26-2.31 adducts/10(7) nucleotides. Treatment with 25-250 microM o-PBQ for 2 h resulted in a similar level of DNA modification and adduct distribution. Reaction of purified calf thymus DNA with o-PBQ produced one DNA adduct, which did not correspond to the major adduct produced in HL-60 cells. These results show that o-PHQ and o-PBQ can form DNA adducts. Peroxidase activation of o-phenylphenol may therefore play a role in the carcinogenic effect of this compound.     

Zahlungsanspruch des externen Laborarztes unmittelbar gegen den Patienten

Abstrakt Vergibt ein behandelnder Arzt eine Laboruntersuchung an einen externen Laborarzt, kommt entweder direkt ein Vertragsverh?ltnis zwischen dem Laborarzt und dem Patienten zustande oder der Patient haftet dem Laborarzt aus den Grunds?tzen der Gesch?ftsführung ohne Auftrag.     

The functional pathology of hypophyseal adenomas

This review summarizes some aspects of pituitary adenoma pathology. A new embracing pituitary adenoma classification has been developed which correlates morphologic findings with endocrine activity. It is based on hormone content, histologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features, cellular composition and cytogenesis, and separates pituitary adenomas into 7 distinct entities.     

Monitoring myocardial reperfusion injury with NADH fluorometry.

Using NADH fluorometry to monitor myocardial metabolism, the mechanism of reperfusion injury was investigated after the delivery of an experimental reperfusate. Using an isolated working heart preparation, rat hearts underwent 15 min of global ischemia at 37 degrees C. Following the ischemic insult, an oxygenated enriched reperfusion solution was given for 5 min. The hearts were then returned to a working state and aortic flow recorded to evaluate recovery. NADH levels were monitored throughout the experiment with a fluorometer and glycogen, AMP, ADP, and ATP were measured biochemically pre- and postischemia, after reperfusion and after recovery. In this study, reperfusion injury was best abated by an enriched reperfusate. Our results indicate the mechanism for this amelioration is not high-energy phosphate replenishment. Rather, as indicated by NADH fluorescence, the hearts attain an intermediate level of metabolism that permits glycogen to be restored and functional recovery to be improved.