Correspondence between the time course of cerebral vasospasm and the level of cerebral dopamine-beta-hydroxylase in rabbits.

The aim of the study was to explore whether the biphasic time course of the vasospastic response following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage is associated with any concomitant changes in the amount of cerebral dopamine beta-hydroxylase in the noradrenergic central nervous system. A single-hemorrhage animal model was used. Rabbits were sacrificed from day 1 to day 8 after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Abdominal actinomycosis presenting as a small-bowel obstruction.

A 48-year-old female, presented as a case of acute abdomen with a small-bowel obstruction and a palpable hypogastric mass, was urgently operated. Laparotomy revealed a tumor mass of unknown origin that included a loop of the small bowel by compressing it. Resection of the tumor including a portion of the large and small bowel was performed, and pathohistological examination revealed actinomycosis.

Abscess formation within cerebellar metastatic carcinoma--report of two cases and review of the literature.

Background: The occurrence of an abscess in conjunction with a tumor in the brain is very rare. Only presumptions exist about their origin and manner of dissemination. Preoperative discrimination between a brain tumor with cystic degeneration and a brain abscess within a tumor may be difficult or even impossible.

The influence of noradrenergic blockade on vasospasm and the quantity of cerebral dopamine beta-hydroxylase following subarachnoid haemorrhage in rabbits.

Background: The aim of this study of experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and exclusion of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in rabbits was to find out if changes in the central noradrenergic areas of the hypothalamus and brain stem could be ascertained, in parallel with measurement of the intensity of chronic cerebral vasospasm in the basilar arteries.

Methods: Histologic specimens were prepared by perfusion fixation on day 8 after the SAH. The spastic effect of experimentally induced SAH in New Zealand rabbits was investigated: firstly, using our previously developed method for measuring the corrugation coefficient (CC) of the vessel intima on precisely defined locations of the basilar artery (BA) with the aid of computer image analysis; and secondly, by immunohistochemical assessment of the concentration and localization of dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), using anti-DBH, at precisely defined sites of the hypothalamus and brain stem of the same rabbit.

Attenuation of cerebral vasospasm in rabbits using clonidine hydrochloride, a central adrenergic agonist.

The aim of this study was to assess, firstly, if exclusion of central noradrenergic areas in the hypothalamus and brain stem with the central sympathetic blocker clonidine hydrochloride could prevent the development of chronic vasospasm following experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage in rabbits and, secondly, if, parallel with the effect on cerebral arteries, changes in dopamine beta-hydroxylase concentration in the hypothalamus and brain stem could also be detected. Experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage, in concentrations of 1 ml of autologous arterial blood/1 kg of body weight was carried out on 18 New Zealand rabbits. Histological specimens were obtained by the method of perfusion fixation after the rabbits were sacrificed on day 8 after subarachnoid haemorrhage.