Nitrous oxide "analgesia": resemblance to opiate action

Nitrous oxide produced a dose-related "analgesia" in mice (median effective dose, 55 percent). The analgesia was evaluated by means of a phenylquinone writhing test. Narcotic antagonists or chronic morphinization reduced nitrous oxide analgesia. Either nitrous oxide releases an endogenous analgesic or narcotic antagonists have analgesic antagonist properties heretofore unappreciated.     

Alteration by phosphatidyl serine of tension responses and 45Ca distribution in aortic smooth muscle

The effects of phosphatidyl serine (PS) on 45Ca distribution, 45Ca movements and contractions were examined in rabbit aortic smooth muscle. Contractile responses to submaximal concentrations of norepinephrine and histamine were potentiated by prior exposure to PS, but equivalent responses to potassium were unaffected. Addition of PS to the incubation solution decreased 45Ca uptake; exposure of aortic strips to PS during washout of either 45Ca or promethium (147Pm) resulted in maintained increases in efflux. These PS-induced alterations in net loss of 45Ca or 147Pm can be attributed to a decreased membrane reuptake and/or rebinding. However, the presence of PS during the washout significantly reduced the increases in 45Ca efflux rate elicited with either 0.05 mM concentrations of Ca++ or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. Thus, in rabbit aortic smooth muscle, exogenous PS can alter the availability and/or exchangeability of a membrane-bound Ca++ fraction. By specifically increasing the affinity for Ca++ at relevant membrane sites or stores. PS may enhance the ability of vascular smooth muscle to respond to stimulatory agents that mobilize Ca++ from these sites and, in this manner, potentiate contractile responses.     

Locally recurrent carcinoma of the breast. Results of radiation therapy

Local and regional recurrences are frequent problems in breast cancer management. Radiation therapy is effective in producing long term remission. This study evaluates the results of radiation therapy of 215 patients with recurrent disease limited to the chest wall and/or regional lymph node areas. The local results showed complete control in 67% of cases (mean and median durations 32 months and 22 months, respectively), partial control in 24% of cases (mean and median 11 and 8 months, respectively) and no control in the remaining 9%. The radiation dose recommended for the treatment of recurrent mammary carcinoma is 5000 rads in 5 weeks for relatively small lesions. Supplementary local doses of 500-1000 rads in 1 week may be given to bulky lesions as necessary for residual disease. Although local relapse indicates a poor prognosis, it is by no means totally hopeless. Of 215 patients treated 44 (21%) survived 5 years and 10 (5%) survived 10 years following radiation therapy of recurrent disease. There were seven patients, or 3%, who were free of cancer at 5 to 15 years. Radiation therapy was valuable in controlling local lesions, and thus, in improving quality of survival, even in those patients who eventually died of metastatic disease.     

Constancy and uniqueness in a large population of small interneurons

The anatomy of 61 of the smallest interneurons in the brain of the locust shows the same tendency toward uniqueness, contancy of neuropil abortizations, and frequency of occurrence of supernumerary cells as does that of 17 large interneurons; the size and number of neurons thus have no obligatory relation to the concept of the unique identifiable neuron.     

Formalin treatment for intractable hemorrhagic cystitis: a review of the literature with 16 additional cases

Acute, exsanguinating hemorrhagic cystitis secondary to cyclophosphamide therapy, radiation therapy, or an infiltrating bladder tumor may be managed successfully with intravesical Formalin therapy. The indications for its use, the technique, success rates, and complications are discussed. This treatment was effective in 14 of 16 patients in the present series and 79 of 90 cases reported in the literature. Dilutions of 4% or less were as effective as a 10% dilution and were associated with far fewer complications. The early use of Formalin in the treatment of intractable hemorrhagic cystitis is recommended.     

Methane coupling at low temperatures on Ru(0001) and Ru(11¯20) catalysts

The conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons on single crystal Ru catalysts has been investigated using combined elevated-pressure kinetic measurements/surface science studies. The reaction consists of activation of methane on Ru(0001) and Ru(11¯20) surfaces to produce carbonaceous intermediates at temperatures between 350 and 700 K and rehydrogenation of these species to ethane and propane at 370 K. It is found that under the reaction conditions employed, the maximum yield in ethane/propane production occurs at 500 K on both surfaces. Influence of the hydrogenation temperature on the production of ethane and propane is also examined. On Ru(0001), the yields of ethane and propane maximize at = 400 K, whereas no maximum yield was observed on Ru(11 0) in the 300–500 K temperature range. Under optimum reaction conditions, hydrocarbon products consist of 16% ethane and 2% propane. High-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS) has been used to identify various forms of hydrocarbonaceous intermediates following methane decomposition. An effort is made to relate the hydrocarbon intermediates identified by HREELS to the gas phase products observed in the elevated pressure experiments.