Sevoflurane has less effect than halothane on pulmonary afferent activity in the rabbit

We have compared the effects of sevoflurane and halothane on the discharge frequencies of 19 slowly adapting and four rapidly adapting lung receptors in the rabbit by recording from single vagal fibres. Both agents reduced the discharge frequency of slowly adapting receptors during expiration (P < 0.0005), halothane having a greater effect than sevoflurane (P < 0.0005). Neither agent had any effect on discharge frequency at the end of inspiration when discharge frequency is at a maximum. Neither agent affected the discharge frequency of rapidly adapting receptors.     

Structure of a highly acidic O-specific polysaccharide of lipopolysaccharide of Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis KMM 223 (44-1) containing L-iduronic acid and D-QuiNHb4NHb

An acidic O-specific polysaccharide was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide isolated by phenol-water extraction of Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis strain KMM 223 (44-1). L-Iduronic acid (IdoA) was found to be a component of the polysaccharide and identified by NMR spectroscopy and after carboxyl-reduction followed by acid hydrolysis and acetylation, by GLC-MS as 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-1,6-anhydroidose. On the basis of 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies, including 1D NOE, 2D NOESY, HSQC and HMBC experiments, the following structure of the branched pentasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established: -->4)-beta-D-GlcpAI-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcpAII-(1-->3)-beta-D-++ +QuipNHb4NHbII- (1-->2)-alpha-L-IdopA-(-->4 increases 1 alpha-D-QuipNAc4NAcI where QuiNAc4NAc and QuiNHb4NHb are 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxyglucose and 2,4,6-tri-deoxy-2,4- di[(S)-3-hydroxybutyramido]glucose, respectively. This is the first report of L-iduronic acid in a lipopolysaccharide and of D-QuiNHb4NHb in nature.     

Family therapy with intellectually and creatively gifted children

Few family therapists have expertise in the psychology of giftedness, and little research has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of family therapy with talented children and their families. The purposes of this paper are: (1) to provide family therapists with information on the unique psychosocial stressors associated with giftedness and (2) to stimulate further research and development on the efficacy of family therapy in alleviating distress and actualizing potential in gifted and talented children and their families. The paper provides a critical overview of the existing research literature on gifted children and their families. First, current conceptualizations of giftedness are described. Then the research literature on the characteristics of intellectually and creatively gifted children and their families is reviewed with an emphasis on the endogenous (individual) and exogenous (systemic) factors that can create or exacerbate psychosocial problems. Finally, we suggest an eclectic, eco-systemic approach to three common concerns that bring gifted children and their families to therapy.     

Spontaneous aortocaval fistula secondary to ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

Twenty-nine patients referred consecutively to a cancer clinic because of recurrent metastatic malignant melanoma were given 5 mg of Connaught Laboratories bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) by multiple cutaneous puncture at weekly and later at monthly intervals. Eight were also treated with autologous tumour vaccine and three with intralesional BCG. This group was compared with a retrospective control group of 54 patients treated with surgery and radiotherapy alone after recurrence. Prognostic features such as site of primary and of first metastasis, disease-free interval, age and sex were similar in the two groups. However, the median survival from the time of first recurrence was 12 months in the control group but 21 months in the BCG-treated group. The major improvement was in patients with disease limited to the regional lymph nodes: the median survival was 16 months in the control group but over 32 months in the BCG-treated group. Autologous tumour vaccine appeared to have no effect on survival. Serial testing of immunocompetence did not offer any prognostic advantage, although the results of some tests correleated well with extent of disease.     

The equilibrium size distribution of rouleaux

Rouleaux are formed by the aggregation of red blood cells in the presence of macromolecules that bridge the membranes of adherent erythrocytes. We compute the size and degree of branching of rouleaux for macroscopic systems in thermal equilibrium in the absence of fluid flow. Using techniques from statistical mechanics, analytical expressions are derived for (a) the average number of rouleaux consisting of n cells and having m branch points; (b) the average number of cells per rouleau; (c) the average number of branch points per rouleau; and (d) the number of rouleaux with n cells, n = 1, 2, ..., in a system containing a total of N cells. We also present the results of numerical evaluations to establish the validity of asymptotic expressions that simplify our formal analytic results.     

Phosphocreatine metabolic indices during increased and decreased energy expenditures in man

Changes in phosphocreatine metabolism (creatinine excretion in the urine and arginine content in plasma--one of the amino acids that are involved in creatine synthesis) were studied in 40 male test subjects who performed increased or decreased work and consumed standard protein food. It was shown that there was a correlation between creatinine excretion in the urine and the content of arginine in plasma, on the one hand, and the amount of nitrogen consumed, on the other. It was also found that at increased or decreased energy expenditures creatinine excretion and arginine content elevated. These data are indicative of changes in phosphocreatine metabolism in response to the environmental effects.     

Diagnosis of anaphylactic shock caused by antibiotics]

A total of 277 cases with anaphylactic shock due to the use of various antibiotics were analyzed. Anaphylactic shock due to penicillin (38.2 per cent), streptomycin (19.8 per cent), combihation of streptomycin with penicillin (16.9 per cent) or bicillin (15.2 per cent) was most frequent. The causes of the diagnostic mistakes are shown and the clinical signs of the main typical form of the drug anaphylactic shock are descrifed. Four variants of atypical clinical picture of anaphylactic shock, i.e. hemodynamic (collaptoid), asphyctic, cerebral and abdominal were classified. Examples of diagnostic mistakes are presented. It was shown that the drug allergological anamnesis was not always considered in the therapeutic practice.     

Sensitivity of clinical Ps. aeruginosa strains to antibiotics

The results of the study on the antibiotic sensitivity of clinical strains of Ps. aeruginosa are presented. The strains were isolated from the clinical material of surgical patients with postoperative infections due to Ps. aeruginosa and chronic purulent infections of the lungs. For comparison 40 strains of Ps. aeruginosa isolated from the environment of the hospital were tested. The methods of agar diffusion and serial dilutions in liquid media were used for determination of the sensitivity. Polymyxin M, tobramycin, carbenicillin, gentamicin and amicacin were most active, 100, 99.1, 96, 95.5 and 95,1 per cent of the isolates being sensitive respectively. The results of the serial dilutions were comparable with those of the agar diffusion with respect to gentamicin and polmyxin M. The strains of Ps. aeruginosa isolated from the clinical material were more sensitive to gentamicin and carbenicillin (4.5 and 4 per cent of the resistant strains respectively) than those isolated from the environment (10 and 30 per cent of the resistant strains respectively). Sensitivity of the strains did not depend on the source of their isolation.