Effects of aspirated and swallowed water in mongrel dogs subjected to fresh-water drowning

The effects of aspiration or aspiration-cum-swallowing were studied in two groups of anesthetized dogs. Group I animals were subjected to aspiration (20 mlg/kg) whereas that of group II to aspiration (20 ml/kg) cum-swallowing (20 ml/kg) of fresh water. Aspiration produced decrease in plasma sodium and chloride whereas potassium, hemoglobin and haematocrit increased. These changes were transient and the values came back towards preaspiration level in the surviving animals. In animals subjected to aspiration-cum-swallowing, there was no initial increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit and both these values decreased significantly. The pattern of electrolyte changes was essentially similar to the aspiration group. All the animals in the two groups showed an immediate onset of significant asphyxia and acidosis that persisted throughout the period of observation. It is concluded that aspiration of 20 ml of fresh water per kg body weight produces only transient changes in hemoglobin, hematocrit and electrolyte balance, whereas the changes in arterial gas and pH are significant and persistent. It is further concluded that the swallowed water modifies the aspiration induced changes in fresh water drowning.

Effect of degree and duration of protein energy malnutrition on peripheral nerves in children

Nerve conduction studies were conducted in 67 children to assess the effect of malnutrition on the peripheral nervous system. Significant reduction in nerve conduction velocities was demonstrated in severe protein energy malnutrition and ongoing long-term malnutrition.

Modulation of vagus escape phenomenon by afferent vagal stimulation

The present study was conducted on healthy adult mongrel dogs under chloralose urethane anaesthesia. After bilateral midcervical vagotomy, peripheral end of either vagus was stimulated continuously. This stimulation produced cardiac asystole followed by escape beats. Initially, the heart rate and arterial pressure were low, but both increased progressively and reached a steady-state level in 1-3 min while stimulation of peripheral vagus continued. During this plateau of vagus escape, stimulation of the central end of either vagus produced elevation of arterial pressure and cardio-acceleration. This modulation of vagus escape phenomenon by afferent vagal stimulation was reproducible.

Earlobe reconstruction with a preauricular flap

We describe a one-stage technique for reconstructing earlobe deformities of congenital and acquired origin, using preauricular flaps.

Therapeutic antagonism between anticholinergics and neuroleptics: possible involvement of cholinergic mechanisms in schizophrenia

We have answered technical criticisms of our work in which anticholinergic agents were added to ongoing neuroleptic treatment in an ABA' research design. The suggested analysis of variance for repeated measures of the three periods is inappropriate because of the expected carryover effects from continuous neuroleptic treatment. The multivariate analysis of various parameters seems unsuitable because homogeneity of covariance cannot be ensured due to the heterogeneity of schizophrenia and the diverse factors represented in the psychopathology measures. We have summarized the results of recent parametric and nonparametric analyses of combined data from our three studies to show that the significant effects clearly pointed to therapeutic antagonism between anticholinergic agents and neuroleptics. We suggest that cholinergic neurons may be part of some crucial discriminative control mechanisms in the brain organization that are ineffective in schizophrenia and lead to a relative overactivity of the opposing catecholaminergic neurons in the midbrain-limbic circuitry which promote repetition of behaviors in goal-directed activity.