3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) increases the sensitivity of the contractile apparatus to calcium ions in both malignant hyperthermia-susceptible and normal skeletal muscle fibres.

Context And Objectives: The present study was designed to investigate whether 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy') increases the sensitivity of the contractile apparatus to calcium in muscle fibres from malignant hyperthermia-susceptible and malignant hyperthermia-negative pigs, whether it causes calcium ion release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and whether it inhibits calcium reuptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Design: Experimental study, using a model of porcine saponin-skinned fibres.

Results: Administration of MDMA in concentrations of 1, 2 and 4 mmol l(-1)l did not result in relevant force transients in skinned muscle fibres of malignant hyperthermia-susceptible or malignant hyperthermia-negative pigs.

Direct cardiac effects of dobutamine, dopamine, epinephrine, and levosimendan in isolated septic rat hearts.

In septic patients, myocardial depression-the so-called septic cardiomyopathy-needing inotropic support is common. The aim of this study was to compare the dose-responsive electrophysiological and mechanical properties concerning metabolic effects of clinically available inotropic agents in an isolated septic rat heart model. After 20 h of incubation, both sham-operated and septic (cecal ligation and single puncture) hearts from male Wistar rats (n = 64) were isolated and received dobutamine, dopamine, epinephrine, or levosimendan at concentrations of 10 to 10 M.

Differential effects of bupivacaine and ropivacaine enantiomers on intracellular Ca2+ regulation in murine skeletal muscle fibers.

Background: Increased intracellular Ca concentrations are considered to be a major pathomechanism in local anesthetic myotoxicity. Racemic bupivacaine and S-ropivacaine cause Ca release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle fibers and simultaneously inhibit Ca reuptake. Examining the optical isomers of both agents, the authors investigated stereoselective effects on muscular Ca regulation to get a closer insight in subcellular mechanisms of local anesthetic myotoxicity.

[Improving communication between ambulatory and inpatient care. A pilot project].

Medical care of our population has made dramatic progress during recent decades. However, problems arose from an increasing specialization and subspecialization on the one hand and from the complexity of care structures on the other hand. In light of scarce financial resources and of increasing demands regarding quality by both recipients and payers of medical care the analysis of diagnostic and treatment processes gained considerable attention.

[Diagnosis and therapy of alcohol-withdrawal symptoms in the elderly: a case report].

The incidence and prevalence of alcoholism in the elderly population are tendentially underestimated. There are some reasons for this fact. The pathway to the diagnosis of alcoholism may be considerably compromised in the often comorbid or multimorbid patient.