Spironolactone and acute mountain sickness

Thirteen adults trekking in Nepal in 1974 to altitudes between 4,300 m and 5,500 m remained free from acute mountain sickness while taking spironolactone as a prophylactic measure. Two years previously five of these adults trekking at similar altitudes, but without treatment, had suffered from acute mountain sickness. The regime used was spironolactone in a dosage of 25 mg three times a day for two days preceding and during the periods spent at altitudes above 3,000 m.     

Effects of femorofemoral grafts on postoperative sexual function: correlation with penile pulse volume recordings

Twenty-four male patients underwent 24 femorofemoral bypass graft procedures for severely limiting claudication or limb threat. These patients were assessed for sexual function preoperatively and postoperatively. Twenty-three patients reported impotence preoperatively. Eighteen patients were studied with sequential penile pulse volume recording (PVRS), and in each case of impotence an abnormal penile PVR curve was noted. Seventeen of these 23 patients regained satisfying sexual function after femorofemoral bypass, and in most cases this correlated with an improved PVR curve. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of femorofemoral bypass in preserving and restoring erectile function. Neural injury is avoided, pelvic-directed blood flow established, and atheroembolism avoided. The status of postoperatively sexual function can be quantified by the penile pulse volume recorder, noting pulse amplitude and curve contour. Transducer standardization should be accomplished in vascular laboratories with local populations and known control subjects. Under these circumstances an abnormal PVR appears to be a permanent record of a reliable, reproducible test assessing insufficient penile perfusion. Improved sexual function after femorofemoral bypass can be correlated with increased pelvic perfusion demonstrated by an improvement in penile PVR tracings.     

Unusual three-dimensional bite mark evidence in a homicide case

A comparison has been made between bite marks observed on the nose of a female homicide victim and the configuration of the dental structures of a male suspect. The victim's bite marks showed a number of demonstrable characteristics which could be reproduced by models of the dentition of the suspect. Special peculiarities within and between individual teeth, together with the upper and lower jaw relationship, were demonstrably consistent with the bite mark patterns on the victim's nose. Detailed examination of the scientific evidence led the dental investigators to the conclusion that there was a positive match between the suspect's dentition and the bite mark on the decedent's nose. The dental investigation and subsequent dental testimony were prime factors leading to the defendant's conviction of manslaughter in the first case in California involving the major use of bite mark evidence.     

Psychophysical judgment: electro-cortical and heart rate correlates of accuracy and uncertainty

The relationship between perceptual accuracy and physiological response amplitude was investigated in an auditory pitch discrimination experiment. Confidence ratings were obtained from all subjects following each trial. The stimulus set consisted of three tones of different frequencies spaced in a manner to provide both easy and difficult discriminations. Heart rate, EEG and vertical eye movement were recorded throughout the experiment. The results of the experiment indicated that the largest evoked cardiac rate response was elicited by the stimulus which produced the fewest errors in judgment; larger auditory evoked potentials, particularly the late positive component (P300), were associated with the 'easy' stimulus; greater cortical negativity was associated with the difficult stimuli. Eye activity was found to covary with judgmental accuracy; cortical slow wave activity was particularly sensitive to the confidence, or 'uncertainty' parameter. A 'decision tree' model was hypothesized to describe the processing mechanism involved in solving the discrimination problem.