Intra-operative pulmonary embolism after intravesical instillation of formalin

Intra-operative pulmonary embolism is a rare and severe complication which is difficult to diagnose. A case is reported in which this condition occurred after intravesical instillation of formalin during radical cystectomy under general anaesthesia. Formalin may be related to formation of intravascular thrombi and result in pulmonary embolism.     

Pharmacological Properties of β-Amyrin Palmitate,a Novel Centrally Acting Compound,Isolated from Lobelia inflata Leaves

Abstract— Effects of β-amyrin palmitate isolated from the leaves of Lobelia inflata were studied on the central nervous system of mice and were compared with those of antidepressant drugs, mianserin and imipramine. In the forced swimming test, β-amyrin palmitate, like mianserin and imipramine, reduced the duration of immobility of mice significantly in a dose-dependent manner (5, 10 and 20 mg kg^?1). β-Amyrin palmitate (5, 10 and 20 mg kg^?1) or mianserin (5, 10 and 20 mg kg^?1) elicited a dose-related reduction in locomotor activity of mice and antagonized locomotor stimulation induced by methamphetamine. In contrast, imipramine (5, 10 and 20 mg kg^?1) increased locomotor activity and potentiated methamphet-amine-induced hyperactivity. β-Amyrin palmitate showed no effect on reserpine-induced hypothermia, whilst mianserin (10 mg kg^?1) and imipramine (10 and 20 mg kg^?1) antagonized the reserpine-induced effect. Unlike imipramine, β-amyrin palmitate and mianserin did not affect haloperidol-induced catalepsy, tetrabenazine-induced ptosis and apomorphine-induced stereotypy. β-Amyrin palmitate and imipramine had no effects on the head-twitch response induced by 5-hydroxytryptophan, whereas mianserin (5, 10 and 20 mg kg^?1) decreased it in a dose-dependent manner. A potentiating effect of β-amyrin palmitate (5, 10 and 20 mg kg^?1) on narcosis induced by sodium pentobarbitone was stronger than that of imipramine (10, 20 and 40 mg kg^?1) but weaker than that of mianserin (2·5, 5 and 10 mg kg^?1). These results suggest that β-amyrin palmitate has similar properties in some respects to mianserin and might possess a sedative action. We suggest that β-amyrin palmitate has antidepressant activity with a mianserin-like profile of action.     

Physiological changes in the treatment of acrophobia (fear of height)

In order to investigate the physiological changes produced by the treatment of acrophobic patients body movement and Microvibration were measured before and after treatment. Eighteen acrophobic patients were assigned at random to 1 of the 2 groups: a treatment group (n= 8) and a non-treatment group (n= 10). The control group consisted of 16 healthy volunteers. Body movement area while viewing a slide of a high place or imagining a high place in the treatment group decreased significantly after treatment. Body movement of the control group showed almost no changes, and that of the non-treatment group was situated between the above-mentioned 2 groups. Simple body movements of the acrophobic patients without any stimulation of height were bigger than those of the control subjects. MV pattern of the treatment group had a tendency to improve under psychotherapy. Acrophobic patients had more abnormal MV patterns than the normal subjects.     

Polyphosphoric acid treatment promotes bone regeneration around titanium implants

Summary  This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of polyphosphoric acid (PPA) treatment on bone regeneration around titanium (Ti) implants in vivo . Adsorption of PPA by Ti was achieved by immersing Ti implants (2 mm in diameter, 4 mm in length) in different concentrations of PPA solution (0, 1 and 10 wt%) for 24 h at 37 °C after proper Ti surface cleaning. The treated Ti implants were implanted on 8-week-old-male rat ( n  = 30) tibiae. Two or four weeks after implantation, all animals were deeply anaesthetized and underwent perfusion fixation. Ten specimens in each condition were further immersed in the same fixative for 1 week and eventually embedded in polyester resin. Afterwards, undecalcified sections were ground to a thickness of approximately 70 μm parallel to the long axis of the implant. The sections were stained with basic fuchsine and methylene blue and then examined by light microscopy. For quantitative evaluation of bone regeneration around the implants, the bone-implant contact ratio (BICR) was determined. Polyphosphoric acid treatment of the Ti implant surface significantly enhanced direct bone contact to the Ti surface. Especially, the BICRs of the 1 wt% PPA-treated Ti implants were significantly higher than those of the control untreated Ti implants, both 2 and 4 weeks after implantation. At 4 weeks, 10 wt% PPA-treated implants also significantly increased the BICR as compared to that of the untreated Ti implants. These results suggest that PPA treatment promotes osteoconductivity of Ti in vivo .     

Distribution of γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase in Male Reproductive System of Rats and its Age-Related Changes

The present study is designed to investigate localization of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) in male reproductive organs and its age-related changes using Wistar rats aged 2 to 15 weeks. Histochemically, gamma-GTP activity was detected intensively in epithelial cells of epididymides and seminal vesicles and weakly in those of anterior prostates, but not in testes under the present conditions. Biochemically, the highest gamma-GTP activity was found in epididymal head portions. The order of the activity was epididymides (head greater than body greater than tail), seminal vesicles, prostates and testes. The activity increases with sexual maturation in epididymides and seminal vesicles, but not in prostates. Since gamma-GTP is an enzyme involved in the incorporation of amino acids, the present findings suggest that not only epididymides but also seminal vesicles possess uptake mechanisms for amino acids.     

Hybrid Therapy of Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation and Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Mitral Stenosis

AF Ablation and PTMC. Background: The rhythm control of atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with mitral stenosis (MS) is often difficult using antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs), even after a percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). Few studies have examined the efficacy and safety of simultaneously performing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) and a PTMC in patients with MS and AF. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with drug‐resistant AF and rheumatic MS underwent RFCA combined with a PTMC (n = 10; persistent AF‐8, long‐lasting [>1 year] persistent AF‐2; RFCA group) or transthoracic direct cardioversion (DC) following a PTMC (n = 10; persistent AF‐7, long‐lasting persistent AF‐3; DC group). In all patients, the mitral valve morphology was amenable to a PTMC, and more than 2 AADs had been ineffective in maintaining sinus rhythm (SR). In the RFCA group, a segmental pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) was performed in the initial 5 patients, and an extensive PVI was performed in the remaining 5. Results: During a mean follow‐up period of 4.0 ± 2.7 years, 8 patients (80%) in the RFCA group were maintained in SR, as compared to 1 (10%) in the DC group (hazard ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.03 to 0.75; P = 0.008 by the log‐rank test). The prevalence of the concomitant use of class I and/or class III AADs was comparable between the 2 groups (P = 0.70). No complications occurred during the procedure or follow‐up period in either group. Conclusions: The hybrid therapy using RFCA and a PTMC was safe and feasible, and significantly improved the AF free survival rate compared to DC following a PTMC. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 284–289, March 2010)     

Involvement of the adrenal medulla in ejaculatory reactions in the dog

To explore the peripheral signal controlling ejaculatory reactions, contraction of the seminal tract and seminal emission were monitored in the dog during electrical stimulation of the lumbar and greater splanchnic nerves in the presence or absence of sympathetic pathways connecting the lumbar sympathetic trunk to the seminal tract including the vas deferens, prostate and bladder neck. Electrical stimulation of the lumbar splanchnic nerve caused seminal emission, elevation of intraluminal pressure of the vas deferens and bladder neck, and contraction of the prostate without elevation of blood pressure. Transection of all peripheral sympathetic nerve pathways to the seminal tract completely blocked these responses. Electrical stimulation of the greater splanchnic nerve caused a marked elevation of blood pressure as well as the responses described above in both the presence and absence of peripheral sympathetic nerve pathways to the seminal tract. However, clamping the adrenal veins bilaterally blocked all of the above responses and declamping immediately reversed the block. Serum levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine were significantly increased by electrical stimulation of the greater splanchnic nerve, while cortisol levels remained unchanged. Furthermore, intravenous administration of epinephrine (5 μg/kg) caused responses similar to those elicited by stimulating the greater splanchnic nerve. Dogs in which all sympathetic pathways to the seminal tract had been transected chronically showed retrograde ejaculation during manual penile stimulation. The above results indicate possible involvement of the greater splanchnic nerve and adrenal medulla in ejaculatory reactions in the dog.