The gut contents of about 1700 lizards from the Madeiran Archipelago and die Salvage Islands were examined. The diet, which shows habitat and geographical variation, consists of a variety of invertebrates and a good amount of plant matter. The degree of herbivory is correlated widi lizard sex and size and widi tail autotomy. The amount of food and specialization in the diet were also correlated. Comparisons are made between die sex‐size classes widiin die populations.
This study was undertaken to examine the possible clinical advantages of using muscle relaxant with intravenous regional anaesthesia, (IVRA). Forty unpremedicated adult patients undergoing hand surgery were randomly allocated to receive either 40 ml 0.5% lidocaine or 40 ml 0.5% lidocaine with 2 mg of atracurium. The atracurium group of patients had a significantly greater degree of muscle relaxation, easier reduction of fractures, and better operative conditions (P < 0.01). Less pain was also reported during surgery (P < 0.025), and 5 and 15 min after release of the tourniquet (P < 0.01). Clinically, there was no difference in the speed of onset of block between the two groups. It is concluded that the addition of atracurium to lidocaine improves the operating condition during IVRA with less pain during and after surgery.
Viper's venom is a source of biopharmaceutical compounds, hence the need to assess the effect of this animal extract on human blood. Here, we studied the blood coagulation disorders and hemolytic activities of the venom of M. bornmulleri viper. The pro-coagulant and anticoagulant effects are analyzed with venom concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 0.0031 mg/mL. Thus, the PT is way above the normal value indicating an anticoagulant activity whereas for the aPTT, the high concentration of the venom showed an anticoagulant activity, but a pro-coagulant effect was occurred when the venom concentration decreases to 0.05 and/or 0.025 mg/mL. Hemolytic tests, performed in suspension (30% RBCs) and on blood agar plate (5% RBCs), show that an increased concentration of the venom going until 1.6 mg cannot produce a hemolytic effect, even in the presence of Ca 2+ (hemolysis < 0.5%). Also, on the blood agar plate no hemolytic area appeared even with 0.04 mg of the lyophilized venom. Otherwise, the venom was able to induce a low hemolytic activity (hemolysis = 1.3 %) by acting on L-α-PC used as substrate. In this case, the destruction of erythrocytes increased proportionally to the added amount of phospholipids which are hydrolyzed to fatty acids and lysophospholipids (two toxic substances for RBCs), probably due to the presence of PLA2 in the venom and which are known by their ability to hydrolyze lecithin
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