Measurement of thrombus formation on intravascular catheters

War is a complex social situation due to the interplay of multiple factors. Economical and political ones are of utmost importance, but human attitudes and motivations must be also taken into account. Being desirable to modify human transactions in such a way that they do not interfere with the basic right of everyone to a condition of physical and mental well-being, war must be abolished. The author contends that an understanding of behaviour through Psychology can be helpful in that aim. Aggression is considered the principal psychological cause of war. It is worth while to differentiate between aggression as an instrument for attaining a special end, and as pure hostility. Only in the first form, it is held here, does it play an important role in war. Psychogists must deal also with a wide range of states of mind that can be "served" by aggression: feelings of inferiority or insecurity, fear, greed, projections, compensations, rationalizations, etc. Scientific approach is not the only one Physiology brings to war prevention. It is equally important the wide dissemination of its conclusions among the general public. Information on the dynamics that prompt people to decide war would make it easier to control. This applies not only to political or military leaders, but also to civil populations. Concerning those two possible contributions of psychologists, scientific and educative, it is suggested the extensive use of psychodramatic techniques. Their richness lie in the lifelike experiences they convey to the participants, and particular aptitude to promote changes of attitudes. Investigation and information on the psychological processes related to war should be undertaken by international organizations of social scientists, acting simultaneously in several countries. Some of the initial steps they could further: 1) that prevention of war be a current subject matter in psychological courses; 2) that the World Health Organization take interest in this subject; 3) that psychologists participate in international political and economical bodies in order to clarify the psychological factors leading to war.     

Improved clinical effectiveness with a collagen vascular hemostasis device for shortened immobilization time following diagnostic angiography and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

This study prospectively compared immobilization time followed by use of a vascular hemostasis device (VasoSeal) versus manual compression to achieve hemostasis at the arterial puncture after angiography and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The trial shows that use of a vascular hemostasis device results in earlier mobilization, even in highly anticoagulated PTCA patients compared with manual compression, with no statistically significant complications.     

Relationship between nifedipine sensitivity of aortae and blood pressure of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. We have previously described an increased sensitivity to inhibition by nifedipine of noradrenaline-induced contractures of blood vessels in hypertension. In this study we have investigated whether changes in blood pressure (BP) change the sensitivity to nifedipine and K+ of aortic rings from normotensive (Wistar-Kyoto rats, WKY) and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). 2. SHRSP were treated with: hydralazine plus hydrochlorothiazide; captopril plus hydrochlorothiazide; hydralazine plus guanethidine; or captopril alone. WKY rats were treated with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and NaCl. Treatment commenced from 5 weeks of age and continued until 13-15 weeks. 3. The SHRSP treatments produced similar reductions in BP, and the BP of all the treated groups were significantly lower than the mean BP of untreated SHRSP (201.0 +/- 7.7 mmHg). The mean BP of the treated WKY rats (134.2 +/- 7.6 mmHg) was significantly higher than the mean BP of the untreated WKY rats (86.8 +/- 7.4 mmHg). 4. An area-under-curve (AUC) analysis of the inhibitory effects of nifedipine on responses of aortae to noradrenaline showed no differences between treated and untreated SHRSP groups (overall mean 40.6 +/- 1.9% and 43.4 +/- 3.4% inhibition of control AUC, respectively), or between DOCA-salt treated WKY and untreated WKY groups (58.8 +/- 5.9 and 64.8 +/- 2.3, respectively). Noradrenaline-induced contractures of aortae from all SHRSP groups were significantly more sensitive to inhibition by nifedipine than aortae from both WKY groups. 5. The molar concentration of agonist required to evoke 50% of the maximum response (EC50) values for potassium chloride (KCl) were significantly increased in the aortae of all treated SHRSP groups in comparison to those from untreated SHRSP (treated SHRSP groups, 15.53 +/- 0.68 mmol/L vs untreated SHRSP group, 11.36 +/- 1.10 mmol/L). The EC50 values for KCl for the aortae from the DOCA-treated WKY rats were significantly less than those from aortae of the untreated WKY (11.80 +/- 0.80 and 17.08 +/- 1.50 mmol/L, respectively). 6. We conclude that reduction (in SHRSP) or increase (in WKY) of the BP has no effect on the sensitivity of aortic smooth muscle to the inhibitory effects of nifedipine on responses to noradrenaline, suggesting that alterations in voltage-dependent Ca2+ mechanisms may be a primary phenomenon in the SHRSP. In contrast, the fact that sensitivity to KCl changes in the treated SHRSP and WKY aortae suggests such sensitivity is secondary to the BP and thus a separate phenomenon from voltage-dependent Ca2+ mechanisms.     

Locus heterogeneity in autosomal dominant congenital external ophthalmoplegia (CFEOM)

An autopsy case of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma of a centenarial male is described. He complained of abdominal pain in his left side 1 month before his death. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a large mass in the left abdominal cavity. At autopsy, a circumscribed mass, 15 cm in diameter, was found in the left-upper abdominal cavity, and seemed to be derived from the retroperitoneum in an exophytic manner. Histologically, spindle cells with slight eosinophilic cytoplasm and blunt-ended nuclei showed interwoven fascicular growth, and mitotic figures were easily encountered. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were labeled by alpha-smooth muscle actin and vimentin. To our knowledge, this case of leiomyosarcoma has presented in the oldest patient ever reported. The rarity of soft tissue sarcomas in the extremely elderly is also discussed.     

Assessment of childhood phobias

Childhood phobias can be successfully treated using a variety of behavioral strategies, provided there has been a psychometrically sound assessment. Measures are also important for the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the testing of hypotheses generated by new ideas and theories of children's phobias. This paper outlines broad-based assessment procedures used in the evaluation of children's phobias, including the behavioral or problem-focused interview, the diagnostic interview, self-report inventories, caregiver completed instruments, behavioral observations, self-monitoring and physiological assessment. Reflecting recent theoretical and clinical advances in the study of childhood internalizing disorders, we also explore laboratory-based measures and family assessment measures. Particular attention is given to psychometric issues and developmental sensitivity in our discussion of these assessment procedures.     

Pigmentation of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with oil-extracted astaxanthin from the langostilla (Pleuroncodes planipes)

The purpose of this contribution is to inform about the activities of the local ethics commission established at one of our largest teaching (University) hospitals. In 1995 the following priorities were recognized: studying international ethical standards of research involving human subjects and strictly adhering to them; bilingual administrative agenda in Czech and English; enforcing the patients' rights in health care and emphasizing them in education of medics and other students of health related disciplines; stimulating effective communication between doctors, other health care workers and lay persons in the commission as well as between the members of the commission and authors of research projects applying for ethical evaluation. Since 1993 the commission has been revising and storing in the archives more than 600 research projects. In 1996, 181 new research projects were reviewed, which is 35% more than in 1995. Approval was granted in 154 cases (85.08%), 3 cases (1.66%) were rejected, 15 cases (8.29%) approved on condition of complying with the recommendations of the commission, 6 cases (3.31%) recommended for another commission, and in 3 cases reviewing the project was postponed for lack of necessary data. The members of the commission agree that the future activities should lead to forming a broader group of consultants of the commission and other professional and lay people interested in clinical ethics. According to their meaning, legislation concerning ethical commissions in the Czech Republic, including material and financial support and administrative help, is urgently needed.