Structured gastroenterological intervention and improved outcome for patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms following pelvic radiotherapy.

Purpose: Fifty percent of patients develop chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms following pelvic radiotherapy that adversely affect quality of life. Fewer than 20 % are referred to a gastroenterologist. We aimed to determine if structured gastroenterological evaluation is of benefit to this patient group.

Cyclic nucleotide-gated channel block by hydrolysis-resistant tetracaine derivatives.

To meet a pressing need for better cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel antagonists, we have increased the biological stability of tetracaine-based blockers by synthesizing amide and thioamide linkage substitutions of tetracaine (1) and a higher affinity octyl tail derivative (5). We report the apparent K(D) values, the mechanism of block, and the in vitro hydrolysis rates for these compounds. The ester linkage substitutions did not adversely affect CNG channel block; unexpectedly, thioamide substitution in 1 (compound 8) improved block significantly.

Swan-Ganz catheter-induced pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm: a case of complete resolution without intervention.

Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm is a well-recognized and potentially lethal complication of pulmonary artery catheterization. A surgical or interventional radiologic approach has been advocated as the treatment of first choice. A pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm developed in 70-year-old woman after the insertion of a Swan-Ganz catheter for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Unprecedented oxylipins from the marine green alga Acrosiphonia coalita.

The Oregon marine chlorophyte Acrosiphonia coalita produces an assortment of oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids, or oxylipins. The smallest of these was a 10-carbon conjugated trienal 1 with antimicrobial properties. Related to 1 were three novel branched-chain conjugated trienals 4, 5, and 9 in which the aldehyde was present as a branch on a 17-carbon fatty acid chain.

The importance of activity and pretreatment in the prevention of suxamethonium myalgias.

We have studied the effectiveness of pretreatment with atracurium 0.05 mg kg-1 and placebo before administration of suxamethonium, in the prevention of postoperative myalgia in inpatients having surgery in which rapid postoperative mobilization was possible (vaginal hysterectomy). On the second day after operation, the patients pretreated with atracurium had significantly fewer postoperative myalgias than those receiving placebo (P < 0.

Post-cholecystectomy pulmonary function following interpleural bupivacaine and intramuscular pethidine.

Twenty-four patients who were to undergo cholecystectomy were randomised into two groups, one to receive postoperative analgesia with interpleural bupivacaine, 20 ml of a 0.5% solution with adrenaline 5 micrograms/ml, and the other to receive intramuscular pethidine, 1 mg/kg. Preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function, postoperative pain scores, and days from operation to hospital discharge were recorded and statistically compared.

Aplysia sea hare assimilation of secondary metabolites from brown seaweed,Stypopodium zonale.

JuvenileAplysia dactylomela were found feeding in abundance on the tropical brown algaStypopodium zonale, a seaweed previously shown to contain numerous unique terpene-quinone natural products. Lipid extracts of these herbivorous mollusks were shown by TLC and HPLC-NMR analyses to contain appreciable quantities of twoS. zonale metabolites as well as one new but closely related compound.