Complete intestinal lavage in the complex treatment of incompetence of large intestine anastomoses

The work gives substantiation of using complete intestinal lavage for certain indications in the complex treatment of incompetent colonic anastomoses. The method was efficiently used in 6 patients.     

Effect of exogenous thyroxin on renal ion-regulating and acid-secreting functions in white rats

Experimental hyperthyreosis was stimulated by intraventricular injections of sodium solithyroxin (T4) suspension on 1% starch gel during 10 days at a dose of 10 microg/100 g of body mass (n = 15) or 20 microg/100 g of body mass (n = 15). Renal function was tested by 5 % water loading after 24 hrs. since the last T4 injection. Urine and blood plasma samples were analyzed for creatinine; in addition, urine was analyzed for sodium and potassium ions of titrated acids, ammonium cations, and pH. Thyroxin was found to decrease creatinine clearance and expedite renal excretion of sodium and potassium ions irrespective of the amount of exogenous T4; at the same time, exaggerated excretion of titrated acids and ammonium cations correlated with T4 dose.     

The Effects of Stages of the Estrous Cycle on Pain Thresholds in Female White Rats

The effects of stages in the estrous cycle on electrical pain thresholds were studied in white rats in conditions of chronic measurement. On recording day 3, females in the diestrus and estrus stages showed sharp increases in shudder and paw-shuffling thresholds. Females in proestrus and metestrus showed no change in thresholds as compared with those in the first days of recording. Starting from day 7, there were progressive decreases in electrical pain thresholds regardless of the stage of the estrous cycle. Data for all animals showed that regular measurement of pain thresholds induces a smooth two-fold increase in body resistance from day 1 to day 7. This was followed by a sharp drop on day 8, with parallel decreases in body resistance and electrical pain thresholds. Thus, chronic measurement of electrical pain thresholds and body resistance changed in a complex fashion, and threshold values depended on the stage of the estrous cycle.     

Recent advances in diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension in chronic lung disease

Pulmonary hypertension with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance is a common cardiovascular complication associated with increased morbidity and mortality in preterm infants with chronic lung disease. Injury to the developing pulmonary circulation results in structural and functional abnormalities of the pulmonary vasculature. Animal studies have demonstrated that disruption of angiogenesis may contribute to the failure of normal alveolarisation in chronic lung disease. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid are lower in infants with chronic lung disease compared to preterm controls. Supplemental oxygen is commonly used to prevent and treat pulmonary hypertension, although optimal arterial oxygen saturation levels remain uncertain. Other vasodilators such as inhaled nitric oxide appear promising, but as yet have not been evaluated in the form of randomised controlled trials. Further studies are required to investigate the long-term effectiveness of pulmonary vasodilator therapy.     

Relationship of Quality of Life with Disability Grade in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder

Background:

There is paucity of information on the relationship of quality of life (QOL) in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and dysthymic disorder (DD) with disability grade in India.

Aim:

To assess the relation of QOL with disability level in OCD and DD.

Materials and Methods:

This hospital based study was conducted in a medical institution in Davanagere, Karnataka, India. Data was collected by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM IV TR) criteria, WHO QOL BREF and IDEAS. Relationship between disability grade and QOL was assessed by independent sample t test.

Results:

Mild disabled OCD patients had a significantly better QOL in the Q1 domain i.e. perception on quality of life as compared to moderately disabled patients (P < 0.05), while in other domains of QOL, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). But, QOL score in physical domain showed significant difference across disability grades (56.00, SD = 6.89; 48.50, SD = 12.28) in DD, but not in other domains.

Conclusion:

Perception of QOL is better in those with mild disability in OCD, but in DD, physical domain of QOL score is more in mild disability compared to moderate disability.     

False-positive results in ELISA-based anti FVIII antibody assay may occur with lupus anticoagulant and phospholipid antibodies

Summary. The evaluation of a prolonged aPTT often includes Lupus Anticoagulant, Antiphospholipid Antibodies, and Factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors. We have noticed that patient samples positive for lupus antibody (LA) are frequently also positive for FVIII IgG antibodies in an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indicating the need for follow‐up testing with a more labour‐intensive functional assay for FVIII inhibition. This study evaluates the potential for a FVIII IgG ELISA to yield false‐positive results in patient samples positive for LA or other antiphospholipid antibodies. A total of 289 residual de‐identified patient samples positive for LA (n = 143), anti‐cardiolipin IgG (n = 84), or beta2‐glycoprotein antibody (n = 62) were tested for FVIII IgG using a commercial ELISA. Samples with positive FVIII IgG ELISA results were further tested for FVIII activity using a clot‐based FVIII inhibitor assay. The FVIII IgG ELISA yielded positive results in 39 (13%) of the samples tested, including 13/143 (13%) LA‐positive, 15/85 (18%) aCL IgG‐positive and 6/62 (10%) β2‐glycoprotein IgG‐positive samples. The clot‐based FVIII inhibitor assay yielded negative results in all 39 FVIII IgG‐positive specimens tested, indicating discrepancy with the FVIII IgG ELISA results. Patient specimens positive for LA, aCL IgG, or β2‐glycoprotein IgG may yield false‐positive results for FVIII antibodies. Caution is warranted in interpreting FVIII antibody results in these cases.     

Cell effects of xenon <Emphasis Type="Italic">n vitro</Emphasis> under hypothermal conditions

The effects of Xe on cell viability and redox balance in the culture of Wistar rat thymocytes were studied in vitro during 24-h storage under hypothermic conditions. The results indicate that after bubbling of cell suspensions (5×10⁶ cell/ml, 4 ml medium), the weight of Xe in flasks was 15–43 mg, whereas in cell-free medium no weight increment due to gas accumulation in the system was detected. The content of Xe in cell suspension slightly decreased over 24-h culturing at ambient temperature (by 10% of initial level). Xenon significantly improved cell survival during thermal exposure of all modes. The maximum cytoprotective effect of Xe was observed under rigorous thermal conditions associated with significant cell death without chemical protectors (3°C, −35°C). The effect of Xe was less pronounced at mild temperatures (23–37°C) or in the presence of chemical protectors (−35°C with dimethylsulfoxide). The mechanisms of the effect of the inert gas are determined by its antioxidant or prooxidant action. The capacity of Xe to improve cell survival under hypothermic conditions can be used for the development of new methods for transportation and storage of cell material. __________ Translated from Kletochnye Tehnologii v Biologii i Medicine, No. 2, pp. 74–77, April, 2007     

Research on the Grinding Energy Density in a Jet Mill

Raw materials are used in many industrial technologies. The raw material frequently has to be prepared as an intermediate with an appropriate particle size distribution, which requires the use of grinding. In grinding processes, energy consumption is a very important profitability criterion for the applied particular size reduction technology. The paper describes the comminution process that takes place in the jet mill using a modified form of the thermodynamic theory of grinding. In this theory, new material characteristics have been added: the surface and volumetric density of grinding energy. The thermodynamic theory is a combination of the classical Kick’s theory and the modified form of Rittinger’s theory. The tested physical magnitudes are a measure of the energy consumption of the grinding process. They describe the energy that must be provided in the grinding process to overcome interactions between particles related to the volume and surface of the material. Knowledge of these magnitudes is necessary to model thermomechanical phenomena in the solid state. The paper presents the results of research on comminution in a jet mill, on the basis of which the values of the tested material magnitudes were determined. It is graphically shown how the values of the tested magnitudes depend on the grain size of the ground samples.