Rare earth oxides as carbon oxidation catalysts

The behavior of a number of rare earth oxides as catalysts for the oxidation of graphite in air has been investigated by the methods of thermal analysis. Of the oxides studied, only CeO₂ showed significant activity in accelerating the gasification of graphite by oxygen between 500 and 1000°C. Cerium salts, which decompose to a finely dispersed oxide phase at low temperatures, e.g. Ce (III) nitrate and ammonium Ce (IV) nitrate, were found to be very active catalysts. The catalytic effect may be due to a redox process involving the cyclic conversion of the oxide from the Ce (IV) to the Ce (III) oxidation state, or the oxide particles may provide sites for the dissociative chemisorption of oxygen.     

Metronidazole resistant trichomoniasis successfully treated with paromomycin

Thoracic infection by anaerobes are uncommon diseases and often presents difficulty in diagnosis. We report a case of thoracic infection due to Fusobacterium Nucleatum. A 60-year old man presented a lesion infiltrating from the lung to the thoracic wall. Fusobacterium Nucleatum was isolated on pus collected. Treatment by penicillin, metronidazole combined with surgical drainage was highly effective.     

Measuring hospital performance: are we asking the right questions?

The aim of this randomized cross-over trial was to evaluate the dose effect and systemic absorption of epinephrine nebulized at 2 and 5 mg in comparison with salbutamol (5 mg). Thirteen asthmatic patients (29 +/- 15 years, 4 men and 9 women) were randomly assigned to receive one nebulization of each of the three treatment regimens at 24 h interval. The evaluation concerned forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), heart rate, respiratory rate and arterial pressure. All measurements were done at baseline, every 15 minutes during the first hour, and hourly thereafter until return to baseline FEV1. Serum potassium was measured at baseline (T0) and sixty minutes after (T60). Plasma levels of epinephrine were measured at T0, T20, T60. Fifteen minutes after the beginning of nebulization FEV1 improved significantly over baseline in the three groups. These changes were similar in the three groups until T45, while FEV1 improvement was significantly greater in A5 and S groups than A2 group (+640 +/- 470 ml, +721 +/- 349 ml, +406 +/- 306 ml in A5, S and A2 groups respectively, p < 0.01). Bronchodilation lasted significantly longer with salbutamol than with epinephrine (p < 0.05). No side effects were recorded in spite of substantial and dose-dependent systemic absorption of epinephrine. CONCLUSION: Increasing epinephrine doses produces greater bronchodilation without additional side effects. However this bronchodilation lasts shorter than with salbutamol.     

Morphological variations of the human gastric mucosa after omeprazole treatment: a scanning electron microscopic study

The effects of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive function in 48 healthy volunteers were assessed using event-related potentials (ERP) and the Attention Index included in the Wechsler Memory Scale, revised edition (WMS-R). The study was conducted over 1 week, using a double-blind design. Four drugs, carbamazepine (CBZ), phenytoin (PHT), valproate (VPA) and zonisamide (ZNS) were tested. Using an auditory oddball task, ERP measurements were made under two conditions with different tone intensities: Condition 1 used 70 db SPL; and Condition 2 used 30 db SPL. Results showed that CBZ prolonged target N1 and P3 latencies in Condition 1, and reduced frequent N1 amplitude in Condition 2, which suggests that CBZ may cause a change in sensory memory and prolong stimulus evaluation time. It is suggested that under a low stimulus intensity level, the sensory function itself was affected. Phenytoin was found to prolong target N1 latency in Condition 2, which also indicates a change in the sensory memory function. However, VPA did not significantly affect ERP components, except for the shortened frequent N1 latency, which could not be explained due to the limited information. It was found that ZNS augmented P3 amplitude in Condition 2, and reduced scores on the Attention Index. It is suggested that the augmentation of P3 amplitude was caused by the reduction of processing negativity as a result of the detrimental effect of ZNS on subjects' attention. However, the apparent difference between the ERP and behavioral indices suggests that caution should be exercised in assessing the results obtained only from ERP measurements.     

Insanity and adultery: forensic implications of a divorce case

Legal responsibility for acts presumes that a person's behavior is rationally intentional and under voluntary control. Automatism, a type of insanity defense, contends that the person's conscious, voluntary control of behavior has been impaired by a mental disorder. In a recent case in South Carolina, automatism was offered as a defense to adultery, an at-fault grounds to divorce. On appeal, the State Supreme Court recognized the novel application of mental impairment defenses in domestic litigation and remanded the case for rehearing. Implications of the ruling for clinical and forensic practice in family court are discussed.