[Analgesia after thoracotomy: French practice].

Objective: To estimate qualitatively and quantitatively analgesic methods used after thoracotomy.

Methods: Postal questionnaire addressed to all French public (34 academic institutions, 37 public hospitals) and private hospitals (60), which routinely perform pulmonary surgery.

Results: Analysis of the questionnaires related only to those coming from academic institutions (rate of response of 85%) and from private hospitals (60%).

Temporal cascade of plasma level surges in ACTH, corticosterone, and cytokines in endotoxin-challenged rats.

The present study was designed to investigate the coupling mechanisms linking the immune and the neuroendocrine corticotropic systems in an integrated defense response triggered by an infectious aggression. The experimental paradigm used consisted of the exploration in individual conscious rats of the temporal pattern of increased plasma concentrations of the two stress hormones, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (Cort), and of three cytokines known as ACTH stimulators, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1 beta, and IL-6, after intra-arterial infusions of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) given at three doses, 5 micrograms/kg (LPS-5), 25 micrograms/kg (LPS-25), and 1 mg/kg (LPS-1,000). Blood samples were taken 30 min and immediately before LPS injection (t0) and at 15, 30, 60, 120, 300, and 480 min post-LPS.

Prostacyclin and thromboxanes in carrageenan-induced pleurisy in the rat.

The cellular origin and kinetics of TXB2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha in carrageenan-induced pleurisy has been studied. Maximum levels of these prostanoids occurred 1 hour after induction of pleurisy. Mononuclear cells initially present in the pleural cavity synthesized TXB2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha from (14C) arachidonic acid.

Study of the evolution of acute phase reactants and of thromboxane and prostacyclin during calcium pyrophosphate-induced pleurisy in the rat.

By using a clearly defined model of acute inflammation in rats, CaPP-induced pleurisy, we compared the evolution of four APR levels (Hp, HpX, alpha 2M, SAP) at a local and peripheral site. At the same time we studied thromboxane and prostacyclin concentrations in pleural exudate. The levels of APR have shown a progressive increase up to 24 h.

Post-natal development of brown adipose tissue in the rat bred at 23 degrees C or 28 degrees C.

In view to study the effects of thermal environment on the development and the thermogenic activity of interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT), young rats born at 23 degrees C or 28 degrees C were sacrificed at 1, 3, 7, 11, 14 or 21 days after birth. The rate of increase in animal weight was quite the same at both temperatures up to the 14th day. The development of BAT and its contents in lipids, in water and in noradrenaline indicate that the energetic activity of the tissue is greatly stimulated in rats kept at 23 degrees C up to the 11th day.

[Effect of breeding temperature on the growth and composition of brown fat in the newborn rat].

The weight and the lipid, water and norepinephrine contents of the interscapular brown adipose tissue from 1, 3, 7, 11, 14 and 21 day aged rats were measured. The animals were maintained at an ambiant temperature of 16 degrees, 23 degrees or 28 degrees C from birth. It is concluded that nonshivering thermogenesis is not necessary after 3 days of age in animals kept at 28 degrees C and after 11 days of age in the ones kept at 23 degrees C.

[Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. About two observations (author's transl)].

After a reminder of clinical symptoms and development of the V.-K.-H.

Variations of rat brown adipose tissue composition during cold acclimatization.

The modifications in weight and composition (lipids, proteins, water) of rat interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) were studied along the six first weeks of cold exposure and acclimatization. The variations of noreponephrine content was also investigated. During the first day of cold exposure, the major part of tissue lipids was released.

[Variations of triglycerides and of plasma free fatty acids in the rat as a function of the duration of cold maintenance].

During the first day of rat exposure to cold (4 degrees C), there was a rapid and regular decrease in plasmatic triglyceride levels and an increase in the free fatty acid ones. These levels remained constant for one week then, untill the third week, they changed slowly and reached the typical levels found in cold acclimated animals. After six weeks of cold exposure, triglycerides were 2.