Arcuate ligament vascular compression syndrome in infants and children.

Background: Arcuate ligament vascular compression syndrome has not been described previously in the pediatric or pediatric surgical literature. However, it is mentioned in the literature of vascular and general surgery and in journals of radiology and orthopedics. In this review, the intraoperative pathological anatomy and the principles of treatment for 8 children will be presented.

An open clinical trial of naltrexone for amphetamine dependence: compliance and tolerability.

The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of naltrexone as a potential pharmacotherapy for amphetamine dependence. The study design was an open-label clinical trial with 20 amphetamine-dependent patients receiving 12 weeks of treatment comprised of naltrexone (50 mg) along with relapse prevention therapy. Patients were assessed weekly for adverse events and compliance to medication.

Ethyl sulfate: a metabolite of ethanol in humans and a potential biomarker of acute alcohol intake.

This study identified ethyl sulfate (EtS) in human urine and compared the excretion characteristics of EtS with that of ethanol and ethyl glucuronide (EtG). Urine samples were collected from healthy subjects after a single ethanol dose, and also selected from routine clinical samples. Simultaneous analysis of EtS and EtG was performed by direct electrospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the negative ion mode, with selected-ion monitoring of the pseudomolecular ions at m/z 125 for EtS (M(w) 126 g/mol) and m/z 221 for EtG (M(w) 222 g/mol).

Prehistoric peyote use: alkaloid analysis and radiocarbon dating of archaeological specimens of Lophophora from Texas.

Two archaeological specimens of peyote buttons, i.e. dried tops of the cactus Lophophora williamsii (Lem.

Application of direct urine LC-MS-MS analysis for screening of novel substances in drug abusers.

A newly developed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method was used to study 3000 human urine samples from 3 different populations for 23 analytes covering phenylethylamines, benzylpiperazine, and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics. Direct injection of urine and LC-MS-MS with rapid chromatography and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization was used in the screening step. The cutoff levels were chosen to be at the limit of detection for most analytes to identify as many positive samples as possible.

Pheochromocytoma in childhood: implication for further diagnostic procedures.

Unlabelled: We report on our experience with two patients with pheochromocytoma. One patient underwent surgery of pheochromocytoma at the age of 30 y; 18 y later, medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) was detected in his son. Subsequently, multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2A was diagnosed by genetic examination in both father and son.

Study of innervation, sensory neuropeptides, and serotonin in murine contact allergic skin.

Density of nerve fibers, axonal growth, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P, and serotonin immunoreactivity as well as concentration were all determined in a murine model of contact allergy. Female Balb/c mice were sensitized on the back with oxazolone and 6 days later challenged with the same antigen on the dorsal surface of the ears, while control mice received the vehicle only. Then, 24 hr postchallenge, one ear was processed for immunohistochemical staining, while the other was frozen and processed for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or radioimmunoassay (RIA).

Adaptation at synaptic connections to layer 2/3 pyramidal cells in rat visual cortex.

Neocortical synapses express differential dynamic properties. When activated at high frequencies, the amplitudes of the subsequent postsynaptic responses may increase or decrease, depending on the stimulation frequency and on the properties of that particular synapse. Changes in the synaptic dynamics can dramatically affect the communication between nerve cells.

Marijuana impairs growth in mid-gestation fetuses.

Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) is the most commonly used illicit drug by pregnant women, but information is limited about the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on fetal development. The present study evaluated the influence of early maternal marijuana use on fetal growth. Women electing voluntary saline-induced abortions were recruited at a mid-gestational stage of pregnancy (weeks 17-22), and detailed drug use and medical histories were obtained.

Invariant computations in local cortical networks with balanced excitation and inhibition.

Cortical computations critically involve local neuronal circuits. The computations are often invariant across a cortical area yet are carried out by networks that can vary widely within an area according to its functional architecture. Here we demonstrate a mechanism by which orientation selectivity is computed invariantly in cat primary visual cortex across an orientation preference map that provides a wide diversity of local circuits.

Determination of urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol glucuronide by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

5-Hydroxytryptophol glucuronide (GTOL) is the major excretion form of 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL), a minor serotonin metabolite under normal conditions. Because the concentration of 5-HTOL is markedly increased following consumption of alcohol, measurement of 5-HTOL is used as a sensitive biomarker for detection of recent alcohol intake. This study describes the development and evaluation of a liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-MS) procedure for direct quantification of GTOL in human urine.

Determination of perhexiline and hydroxyperhexiline in plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method for the quantitative determination of perhexiline and its main hydroxylated metabolites in human plasma, based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), was developed. The method used protein precipitation with acetonitrile followed by dilution with water and subsequent direct injection of the extract into the LC-MS system. Hexadiline was used as internal standard and the intra-assay coefficients of variation were View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A comparison of two intensities of psychosocial intervention for alcohol dependent patients treated with acamprosate.

Aims: To compare two levels of psychosocial intervention in combination with acamprosate medication for the treatment of alcohol dependence.

Methods: Patients (n = 70) were prescribed acamprosate and randomized to Minimal Psychosocial Intervention (MPI) or Extended Psychosocial Intervention (EPI). MPI patients met a psychiatrist for 20-30 min sessions on four occasions during a 6 month period.

5-hydroxytryptophol as a marker for recent alcohol intake.

Aims: To review the mechanism behind the alcohol-induced shift in serotonin metabolism, and the use of urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL) as a biochemical marker of acute alcohol consumption.

Background: The serotonin metabolite 5-HTOL is a normal, minor constituent of urine and is excreted mainly in conjugated form with glucuronic acid. The formation of 5-HTOL increases dramatically after alcohol intake, due to a metabolic interaction, and the elevated urinary excretion remains for some time (>5-15 hours depending on dose) after ethanol has been eliminated.

Multicomponent screening for drugs of abuse: direct analysis of urine by LC-MS-MS.

By allowing for direct injection of urine, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) with atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization has proven to be useful for analysis of drugs of abuse in human urine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this technique by direct screening for 23 different substances (phenylethylamines, hypnotics, and N-benzylpiperazine) in urine samples. It was possible to achieve lower detection limits compared with commercial immunochemical methods.

Pharmacokinetics of dexamphetamine in acute stroke.

Pharmacokinetics of dexamphetamine was studied in 26 patients with cerebral infarct, aged 37 to 84 years. Capsules were administered orally twice daily (at 8 am and 12 am) in three doses (2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg) for 5 consecutive days (day 1 to day 5).

Comparison of the protective efficacy of neurotrophins and antioxidants for vibration-induced trauma.

Background: Patients undergoing temporal bone surgery or subjects working with vibrating tools may develop vibration-induced hearing loss (VHL). The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or the neurotrophic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), on VHL in an animal model.

Methods: Trauma to the cochlea was created with a vibrating probe placed on the bone of the external ear canal.

Use of morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine in blood for the evaluation of possible risk factors for sudden death in 192 heroin users.

Aims: To detect risk factors for sudden death from heroin injection.

Design: Evaluation of data from forensic investigations of all fatal cases of suspected heroin death in a metropolitan area. Only cases with detectable morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) in blood were included in order to select heroin intoxication cases.

Direct screening of urine for MDMA and MDA by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

There is a limit in the number of substances detected by commercially available reagents. It is therefore important to have other, complementary techniques. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) may offer one possibility.

Direct quantification of ethyl glucuronide in clinical urine samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Ethyl glucuronide is a minor metabolite of ethanol, and its presence in urine can be used as a laboratory test to detect recent alcohol intake, even for some time after the ethanol is no longer measurable. A simple analytical procedure was developed based on direct injection of urine diluted with a deuterated internal standard into an electrospray liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric (LC-MS) system. A novel LC system using a porous graphite column (Hypercarb) enabled an isocratic elution with retention times of 5-6 minutes.

Comparison of time-delayed feedback schemes for spatiotemporal control of chaos in a reaction-diffusion system with global coupling.

Time-delayed feedback control for stabilizing time periodic spatial patterns is investigated in a generic reaction-diffusion system with global coupling. We focus on the case of low-dimensional chaos where unstable patterns admit only a single unstable mode. Spatial degrees of freedom are taken into account to define different control schemes.

Growth hormone replacement therapy induces codeine clearance.

Background: The increasing clinical use of growth hormone (GH) has raised questions about other than growth-related metabolic effects of this treatment. GH regulates the expression of several hepatic drug metabolising enzymes in the rat, but it is not known whether GH treatment alters the expression of such liver enzymes in man. We have investigated the effects of GH on codeine clearance and two enzymes of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family, CYP3A and CYP2D6, and UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UDPGT).

Comparison of urinary excretion characteristics of ethanol and ethyl glucuronide.

This study compared the urinary excretion characteristics of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) with that of ethanol, with focus on the effect of water-induced diuresis. Six healthy volunteers ingested an ethanol dose of 0.5 g/kg (range 25.