Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation of isolated rat aorta induced by caffeine.

Caffeine (10(-4)-10(-3) M) induced concentration-dependent relaxations of phenylephrine-precontracted rat aortic rings with endothelium. Endothelial denudation significantly, but only partially, attenuated caffeine-induced relaxation. Pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine, oxyhemoglobin, and methylene blue attenuated the relaxations to an extent similar to endothelial denudation.

[Efficacy of the standard regimen for initial treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: results of long-term followed-up].

In 1986, the regimen with isoniazid, rifampicin and streptomycin or ethambutol for 9 or 6 months was introduced as the standard therapy for the initial treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in Japan. Since then, several reports have been published on the relapse rate after such standard regimen, but follow-up observation was limited to relatively short period in these studies, except one study. Further, none of these studies reported overall efficacy rate of the treatment which was the most important index to evaluate the regimen.

Severe respiratory depression after epidural morphine in a patient with myotonic dystrophy.

We describe a patient with myotonic dystrophy who underwent cholecystectomy, and developed severe respiratory depression following epidural administration of morphine to provide postoperative analgesia. At preoperative assessment, he demonstrated near normal vital capacity and maximal voluntary ventilation, but the presence of chronic ventilatory failure with a resting value of PaCO2 51 mmHg. Anaesthesia was produced by a combination of epidural and light general anaesthesia without intravenous anaesthetics, narcotics or neuromuscular relaxants.

[Influence of bronchoscopic examinations on the statistics of tuberculosis incidence].

The frequency of the modes of bacteriological examinations other than direct sputum smear were observed for a total of 955 "smear-positive" pulmonary tuberculosis cases which were notified at 7 health centres in the Metropolitan and suburban areas during 1986-1990. Of them 21 cases (2.2%) were examined for the specimens obtained by bronchofiberscopic procedures, and in 4 cases (0.

[Drug-induced psychiatric disturbance by lidocaine].

Lidocaine is widely used as an antiarrhythmic agent. One of the side effects of lidocaine is disorientation. Measurement was made of the plasma level of lidocaine in twelve consecutive cases.