Functional brain imaging and neuropsychological testing in Lyme disease.

Differentiating neuropsychiatric Lyme disease from a primary psychiatric disorder can be a daunting task. This article describes how functional brain imaging and neuropsychological testing can be particularly valuable in helping to make diagnostic distinctions. In addition to a review of the relevance of functional imaging to neuropsychiatry in general, recent findings are presented regarding the use of single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) imaging in Lyme disease.

Use of a continuous alfentanil infusion for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in the treatment of renal calculi.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is the most widely used treatment for renal calculi. Newer second generation lithotripters are being produced, which are considered to be less painful than their prototypes. Thus, the trend in anesthesia for ESWL is away from general endotracheal and regional anesthesia and toward less involved and more easily monitored techniques such as intravenous analgesia (IVA).

Evaluation of 31P NMR spectroscopy as an indicator of chemically induced hepatic toxicity in the rat: comparison with serum enzyme levels and pathology.

The progression of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage, determined by 31P NMR spectroscopy, was compared with selected serum enzyme and histological changes in rats. ATP levels declined as early as 8 h post-CCl4 administration, with partial recovery observed at 168 h. The results show that ATP reduction correlates with necrosis.

Substance P receptor-mediated secretion of respiratory glycoconjugate from feline airways in vitro.

The effect of substance P (SP) and other tachykinins on respiratory glycoconjugate (RGC) release was studied in a feline tracheal organ culture system. SP in concentrations of 10(-5) and 10(-6) M stimulated an increase in RGC release of 35 +/- 8% and 18.5 +/- 5%, respectively.