Articles: human.
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The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has recently decided to embark on an international partnership with the developing cancer programs on the Island of Ireland (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) in an attempt to further improve the quality and range of cancer services available for patients. This Transatlantic Partnership called the All Ireland-NCI Cancer Consortium offers exciting opportunities in cancer treatment, education and research as the cancer-caring communities from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland prepare to join with the U. S. ⋯ Finally, it is hoped that the Conference will be a marker of a very special interaction on the Island of Ireland focused on the overall development of cancer services for patients. It will also signal the start of an important partnership between the NCI and those involved in cancer care and research in Ireland. This tripartite cooperative agreement is a most exciting venture and it will hopefully be an example of how an effort focused on a human problem common to all societies can generate a spirit of cooperation and help to eliminate strife.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 1999
Transfer of lidocaine across the dual perfused human placental cotyledon.
Factors affecting lidocaine transfer across the normal term human placenta were studied using the dual perfused isolated single cotyledon. Experiments were performed using perfusates which provided equal protein binding in both the maternal and fetal circuits as well as perfusates that approached the actual in vivo maternal/fetal protein binding gradient. Additional experiments were performed to investigate the effects of increasing maternal lidocaine concentration (5, 10, 40, 80 microg/mL) on maternal to fetal (M-->F) lidocaine transfer across the human placenta. ⋯ When protein binding was similar in the two circuits, M-->F transfer ratios (lidocaine transfer/antipyrine transfer) were significantly lower than the transfer ratios seen in the F-->M direction (0.59+/-0.04 versus 0.84+/-0.06, P<0.05). Transfer ratios (M-->F: 0.83+/-0.06, F-->M: 0.96+/-0.06) were not reduced when the physiological maternal/fetal protein binding gradient was present. Lidocaine transfer was not diminished by increasing maternal concentrations and, in contrast to bupivacaine, was not significantly affected by its binding.
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For many people cardiac arrest is a natural ending of a long and productive life. A substantial number of humans, however, are struck by this event too early in life with tragic consequences including financial problems for both family and society. A recent review of in-hospital cardiac arrests found a wide variation in the reported survival to discharge ranging from 0% to 28.9% with a mean of 14%1. ⋯ Bystander CPR is an important link in "the chain of survival" before more advanced interventions will be available at the scene. 4 CPR training programmes for lay people have been organised in many countries with millions of people trained in basic CPR. It is important to continue this education of lay people since at the moment early bystander CPR, besides defibrillation, is probably the single most important intervention. The concept of early activation of the emergency medical System, early basic life support (BLS), including precordial compression and artificial ventilation, early defibrillation, and early advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), could achieve 25-40% survival rates.3 These concepts for emergency cardiac care have been supported by the American Heart Association5 as well as the European Resuscitation Counil.6 Advanced cardiac life support protocols combine pharmacological and mechanical interventions to restore spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and is based on four components: early defibrillation, administration of drugs, ventilation (oxygenation), and circulatory support.
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Current review of pain · Jan 1999
Direct Evidence of Nociceptive Input to Human Anterior Cingulate Gyrus and Parasylvian Cortex.
Many lines of evidence implicate the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, Brodmann's area 24) and parasylvian cortex in pain perception. Clinical studies demonstrate alterations in pain and temperature sensation after lesions of these structures. Imaging studies reveal increased blood flow in ACC and parasylvian cortex, both ipsilateral and contralateral to painful stimuli. ⋯ However, these studies incorporate multiple assumptions and therefore do not establish the presence of nociceptive inputs to ACC and parasylvian cortex. We review our recent reports of intracranial potentials evoked by painful stimuli. These studies provide direct evidence of nociceptive inputs to the human ACC and parasylvian cortex.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 1999
A proposed mechanism of bupivacaine-induced contraction of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells.
This in vitro study using ring preparations of human umbilical vessels and cultured human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells was designed to determine: (a) the mechanism of bupivacaine-induced contraction of ring preparations, and (b) whether similar concentrations of bupivacaine release Cal(2+) in cultured smooth muscle cells. Isometric tension was recorded from ring preparations of human umbilical veins and arteries in an isolated tissue chamber. Separate fluorescence and electrophysiology studies were done with cultured human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells. ⋯ Bupivacaine also increased intracellular Cal(2+) in patterns consistent with tonic or phasic tension responses seen in isometric recordings. In addition, the membrane-resting potential was depolarized by bupivacaine. Since similar concentrations of bupivacaine caused both contraction and a rise in intracellular Ca(2+), the bupivacaine-evoked contraction was the result of increased cell Cal(2+) and the source of this Ca(2+) was the extracellular space.