Normal disposition of oxazepam in acute viral hepatitis and cirrhosis

Oxazepam (Serax) is a tranquilizer-sedative of the benzodiazepine group that is predominantly metabolized to a pharmacologically inactive glucuronide and subsequently excreted by way of the kidneys. We administered this drug as a single oral dose to seven patients with acute viral hepatitis, to six with cirrhosis, and to age-matched control subjects. Elimination half-life (T1/2) and the apparent oral plasma clearance for the drug in patients with hepatitis and cirrhosis were comparable to values obtained in age-matched controls (P greater than 0.05). In addition, the apparent volume of distribution of oxazepam, its plasma binding, blood/plasma ratio, and the rate of urinary excretion of oxazepam, predominantly as the glucuronide, were comparable (p greater than 0.05) in the two groups of patients with liver disease and their respective controls. Unlike many other sedatives, oxazepam is eliminated normally in patients with parenchymal liver disease an therefore, on pharmacokinetic grounds, seems to be an excellent sedative for use in such persons.

Changes in mouse blood pressure, tumor blood flow, and core and tumor temperatures following nembutal or urethane anesthesia

Female CBA and WHT mice with tumors transplanted into the right leg were immobilized in insulated capsules. Tumor blood flow, blood pressure, and core and tumor temperatures were monitored prior to and during anesthesia with either Nembutal or urethane. Nembutal caused a 5 degree C drop in both core and tumor temperatures in 20 minutes. Urethane induced a small fall in temperatures. Urethane initially caused a small drop in blood pressure followed by recovery; Nembutal caused a steady fall in blood pressure to 50% of resting value.

Cardiac pacemakers. Does radiation therapy affect performance?

Representative deman cardiac pacemakers were tested with several common radiation therapy devices and ancillary equipment. The experimental set-up essentially duplicated the dosimetric and electroconductive environment of the radiation therapy patient bearing a pacemaker. Observations of pulse width and interval confirmed that pacemaker output was generally not appreciably affected by the simulated treatments. Occasionally, changes were caused by ancillary equipment and start-up of treatment. We conclude that although interference hazards are sometimes seen, radiation therapy is not contraindicated in patients wearing pacemakers.

Variations of palatal dimensions in patients with Down's syndrome

Palatal dimensions (width, depth, and height) of 40 patients with Down's syndrome were compared to 44 control patients. The height was measured with a specially designed palatal-height gauge. The palatal dimensions of patients with Down's syndrome were narrower in width, shorter in depth, and lower in height.

Quantitative GLC determination of conjugated estrogens in raw materials and finished dosage forms

A GLC method is described for the quantitative analysis of conjugated estrogens. The procedure was used for the analysis of various estrogen mixtures obtained from formulations containing estrogen sodium sulfate salts. The method involves slurrying or dissolving a portion of the formulation pH 5.2 buffer, hydrolysis with sulfatase enzyme, extraction with ethylene dichloride, anf finally, GLC separation and quantitation of the corresponding trimethylsilyl ethers on a 2.5% diethylene glycol succinate column.

Massive osteolysis of the humerus with spontaneous recovery

An elderly woman presented with a pathological fracture of the right humerus. Progressive dissolution of the shaft of this bone took place over six months. No cause could be established and the patient refused biopsy. With only simple splintage for treatment the humeral shaft gradually reformed and re-ossified over a period of two years. The patient has been under review for four and a half years and no further pathology has come to light. The cause of the osteolysis remains obscure.

MASSIVE OSTEOLYSIS OF THE HUMERUS WITH SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY

An elderly woman presented with a pathological fracture of the right humerus. Progressive dissolution of the shaft of this bone took place over six months. No cause could be established and the patient refused biopsy. With only simple splintage for treatment the humeral shaft gradually reformed and re-ossified over a period of two years. The patient has been under review for four and a half years and no further pathology has come to light. The cause of the osteolysis remains obscure.

Oxygen consumption by acrylamide polymerization: a method for rapid screening of anticancer agents

We have developed a rapid and sensitive method to measure oxygen consumption of tumor cells by acrylamide polymerization. This method could be used as an in vitro screen for potential chemotherapeutic agents. Previous techniques have lacked either the sensitivity or the speed required for use as an effective clinical tool. This method was modified from a technique previously developed in our laboratory for measuring oxygen in blood. Standard anticancer agents were tested against Walker 256 ascites tumor. Ascites was harvested from 20 rats on each of 50 days, incubated briefly with drugs, and acrylamide polymerization time was measured hourly. Individual controls were established for each drug-treated group, and oxygen uptake measured after one hour of incubation. Actinomycin, cyclohexamide, and cytosine arabinoside inhibited tumor cell oxygen consumption by 80%, 40%, and 30%, respectively. These results correlated with the known in vivo effects of these drugs on Walker carcinosarcoma. Therefore, this sensitive method could potentially be used directly on tumor cells removed from biopsy material so that the testing of anticancer drugs could be completed on the day of biopsy.

Differences in occipital cortical synapses from environmentally enriched, impoverished, and standard colony rats

Initial and replication experiments were studied with littermate, S1, male rats 25-55 days of age placed in enriched (EC), standard colony (SC), and impoverished (IC) environments. Measurements of the length of postsynaptic thickenings were taken from asymmetrical axodendritic synapses in layer IV of the dorsal medial occipital cortex. This experiment differed from others of this nature, for animals from both experimental conditions were compared with the standard colony animals. The 8% (p less than 0.01) difference in postsynaptic thickening length between 675 synapses from EC and 680 synapses from IC was primarily due to the IC, as can be seen by comparing both with the SC. The number of synapses per unit area of neuropil was 15% (p less than 0.01) more in the IC than in the EC and this difference was primarily due to impoverishment. Both the original and the replication experiment verified this direction of change. Thus, environmental experience does significantly affect synaptic length and number, although the large magnitude previously reported by Mphillgaard et al. (1971) was not confirmed in the present experiments. The 7% cortical depth difference between the enriched and impoverished animals was seen to be attributed to both conditions when each was compared with the standard colony rats. The plasticity of synaptic dimensions is discussed in relation to our previous work and to work of others.

A method of evaluating treatment in general practice

Problems of evaluating health care arise partly from the amorphous nature of health itself. Using a method which allows a wide range of clinical information to be analysed in fine detail, the relative efficacy of antibiotics in the treatment of cough is explored, as well as some benzodiazepines, in the treatment of anxiety.Results are presented in terms of percentages of patients whose target symptoms were treated with the drug stated, and who returned or whose symptoms returned after an interval of time. The breadth of the system allows other paramedical factors to be evaluated in the increasingly important impact that the wider social malaise has on medical practice.