An attempt was made to analyse the pecking behaviour in pigeons induced by apomorphine. The pecking was completely suppressed by tranquillizers, barbiturates and cortisone. It was intensified by histamine, nicotine, lobeline, testosterone, progesterone and sodium taurocholate. None of the drugs tested could induce in pigeons pecking typical of apomorphine. Apomorphine induced pecking in other birds too. It was concluded that the pecking phenomenon after apomorphine is similar to the natural feeding movements performed by pigeons while eating grains and possibly it is the function of a specialized area in the limbic system of the brain which is stimulated by apomorphine.
Although anticholinesterase drugs are generally the first line of treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG), there is still no objective way to determine optimal dosage. Recent studies using analytical methods have provided data on the pharmacokinetics of pyridostigmine. However, the relationship between plasma levels of pyridostigmine and the time course of the therapeutic effect has not been objectively determined. The aim of the present study was to examine this relationship by measuring plasma pyridostigmine levels concurrently with five clinicophysiological parameters of neuromuscular function.
PATIENTSSeven female and three male patients between the ages of 20 and 68 years (E = 37 2 14.2) with histories of MG of from 0.5 to 12 years' duration (sr = 4.4 2 3.7)were studied. Five had mildly generalized, and the other five had moderately severe MG. The last pyridostigmine dose was taken by each patient at least 12 hr before the study.
Aim:The aim of this article is to provide a view of amyloidosis and discuss implications for the anesthetic management of patients with this condition.Material and Method:Urine samples from patients with plasma cell dyscrasias were obtained from a urine bank that gathers urine samples from patients who gave research use consent for specimens that would otherwise be considered waste.Results:Patients with amyloidosis may present to the anesthesiologist for procedures relating to diagnosis, surgery relating to the underlying condition (e.g., bronchial laser and organ transplant), or for incidental surgery. The condition carries a significant risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality.Conclusion:The term amyloid was coined by Virchow in the mid 19th century, meaning “starch like.” Amyloidosis is a disease complex, in which there is an abnormal deposition of extracellular hyaline material with particular staining characteristics and which contains protein fibrils embedded in a relatively amorphous ground substance. There are numerous clinical manifestations, the onset is insidious, and the diagnosis may not be made in a patient undergoing anesthesia and surgery for an apparently straightforward problem. Unexpected complications such as heart or kidney failure may arise, either before operation or in the postoperative period. Bullous lesions of the skin or oral mucosa and extensive areas of purpura are but two of the ways, in which amyloidosis may first present. The disease spectrum may be inherited or acquired, localized or systemic, and life threatening or an incidental finding.
In 10 patients with myasthenia gravis, we studied the relationship between plasma pyridostigmine levels and five measures of neuromuscular function (NMF) following single oral doses of 60 to 120 mg. The NMF measures were percent decrement of the evoked muscle compound potential, maximum force, force-time integral, vital capacity, and outstretched-arm time. The combined mean improvement was most significant 2 hours after pyridostigmine ingestion and coincided with the peak plasma pyridostigmine levels in eight patients. In seven patients, there was a positive correlation between plasma pyridostigmine levels and the mean percent improvement.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.