Concentration-dependent changes in the latency and amplitude of somatosensory-evoked potentials by desflurane, isoflurane and sevoflurane

Despite improvement in early diagnosis, surgical techniques, and general patient care, most deaths of cancer patients result from metastases. Recent studies have revealed that cytokines produced by cancer cells or by stromal cells play an important role into development the cancer metastasis. The formation of a cancer metastasis involves several major steps: 1) extensive vascularization; 2) local invasion; 3) adherence either to capillary endothelial cells or to subendothelial basement membrane; 4) extravasation; and 5) proliferation. In colon cancer, several cytokines such as growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, and angiogenic factors have been confirmed to be involved in each step of metastasis. This paper summarizes the involvement of cytokines in the development of invasion and metastasis in colon cancer.     

Perthes' disease treated by prolonged recumbency and femoral head containment: a long-term appraisal

The results of a long-term review of 102 hips in eighty-seven patients with Perthes' disease are described, the mean follow-up interval being seventeen years. All had been treated by an extremely rigorous conservative regime in which the patients were kept in hospital for an average period of twenty-six months, during which time they were confined to bed with the legs in wide abduction, first in traction and later in "broomstick" plasters to ensure "containment" of the femoral head. The patients were assessed by the joint clincial and radiological method described by Ratliff (1956). The results were very satisfactory, with only 2 per cent poor results and 10 per cent fair. The remaining 88 per cent were good. The radiological results at the end of treatment have also been compared with control series described by Catterall (1972) and with the osteotomy series of Lloyd-Roberts, Catterall and Salamon (1976). From this it appears that the described regime offers no benefit compared with the natural history in Catterall's Groups I and II, and in Group III the results were only marginally better than those following osteotomy. In Group IV cases, however, where the femoral head was totally involved, the benefit was important, and since these are the cases which carry the worst natural prognosis it is suggested that the use of the method described in such instances must be seriously considered in spite of its social disadvantages. The theoretical implications of the findings are considered, and it is concluded that the benefits of the method cannot be ascribed wholly to the application of the "containment" principle.     

Immunocytochemical studies on Schistosoma mansoni. II. Soluble cercarial antigens in cercarial and schistosomules

The localization of soluble, cercarial antigen preparation (CAP) in cercariae and schistosomules of Schistosoma mansoni was performed at the light and electron microscope levels using the unlabeled antibody method. Reaction produce was observed associated with the contents of the pre- and postacetabular glands and with the filamentous coat of mature cercariae. No reaction product was observed associated with the glycoacalyx of schistosomules. However, several schistosomules did retain remnants of their filamentous coats and reaction product was observed associated with those remains. CAP components were also observed in the area surrounding the intrasporocyst cercariae.     

Effect of cetylpyridinium chloride on pathogenic fungi and Nocardia asteroides in sputum

The effect of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) on pathogenic fungi and Nocardia asteroides was studied. Sputa seeded with each of 11 organisms (Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus fumigatus, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Candida albicans, Coccidioides immitis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Geotrichum candidum, Histoplasma capsulatum; Nocardia asteroides, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and Sporothrix schenckii) were treated with CPC and kept for 2, 5 and 9 days. The CPC reagent used (0.5% CPC and 0.5% sodium chloride) is one the Mycobacteriolgoy Branch at the Center for Disease Control added to sputa before shipping them to laboratories for recovery of mycobacteria. None of the organisms tested survived this treatment, and none was recovered on mycological or mycobacteriological media. Seeded sputa containing these organisms were also tested with a second CPC reagent (0.02% CPC and 0.5% sodium chloride) and held for 2, 5 and 9 days. A few colonies of A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and N. asteroides were recovered from these samples. Neither the morphology of the fungi nor their stainability by the fluorescent antibody method was affected by treatment with the reagent containing 0.5% CPC. However, the background material in smears from the 0.5% CPC-treated samples retained the conjugate, and this made weakly fluorescing organisms more difficult to detect. The 0.5% CPC treatment did not alter the morphology of N. asteroides or its ability to be stained with Kinyoun acid-fast stain.     

Oral and intramuscular phenytoin

After presenting the topographical and pathological basis for the habitual luxation of the shoulder joint, our experience with the Bankart-Müller operation on 38 of our own patients was described. The results are characterized as very good, particularly two years and longer after the operation.     

Psychomotor and intellectual development after deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest in early infancy

Somatic, psychomotor, and intellectual development were studied in 11 patients who had total correction of congenital cardiac malformation in early infancy by the method of surface-induced deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest up to 43 minutes. Time between operation and re-evaluation ranged from 3 to 11 years (average 7 years). Somatic development was normal in all children. Psychomotor and intellectual behavior, measured by a battery of specially adapted test methods, failed to show a statistically significant difference when compared between the study group, a matched control group, and the normal population. Normal scores in psychomotor tests and normal intelligence quotients (I.Q.) were present in 8 patients; mental retardation was found in 2 patients: and unstable behavior, evident from different tests, was present in one. Except for the last case, in none of the patients was the method was found to be the primary cause of the abnormal behavior. Deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest in early infancy does not appear to have a negative influence on somatic, psychomotor, or intellectual development.