Adv Exp Med Biol
-
Buprenorphine is relatively resistant to reversal by naloxone. We tested the effect of various doses and infusion schemes of naloxone on buprenorphine-induced respiratory depression and compared the data with naloxone-reversal of morphine and alfentanil-induced respiratory depression. ⋯ However, reversal was short-lived. The bell-shaped reversal curve may be related to the existence of two mu-opioid receptor subtypes, one mediating the agonist effects of opioids at low dose, the other mediating antagonistic effects at high dose.
-
This paper reviews the rapidly expanding literature on the ecological effects of cyanobacterial toxins. The study employs a qualitative meta-analysis from the literature examining results from a large number of independent studies and extracts general patterns from the literature or signals contradictions. The meta-analysis is set up by putting together two large tables--embodying a large and representative part of the literature (see Appendix A). ⋯ The paper concludes by summarizing the risks for birds, fish, macroinvertebrates and zooplankton. Although acute (lethal) effects are mentioned in the literature, mass mortalities of--especially--fish are more likely to be the result of multiple stress factors that co-occur during cyanobacterial blooms. Bivalves appear remarkably resistant, whilst the harmful effects of cyanobacteria on zooplankton vary widely and the specific contribution of toxins is hard to evaluate.
-
Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in American women. It was the second most common cancer in the world in 2002, with more than 1 million new cases. Despite advances in early detection and the understanding of the molecular bases of breast cancer biology, about 30% of patients with early-stage breast cancer have recurrent disease. ⋯ Treatment resistance is most commonly seen in such patients. They initially may have a response to different agents, but the responses are not sustained, and, in general, the rates of response to subsequent agents are lower. Table 1 summarizes metastatic breast cancer response rates to single-agent systemic therapy.
-
The myocardium is well protected against chronic hypoxia. In chronic hypoxia stroke volume falls both at rest and on exercise. The fall in stroke volume is associated with reduction in left ventricular dimensions and filling pressure. ⋯ The relative importance of different mechanisms which reduce stroke volume probably depends whether hemodynamics are measured at rest or on exercise. Intervention with sildenafil to ameliorate hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is associated with both an increase in exercise capacity and stroke volume in hypoxia. Whether these have a causal association remains to be demonstrated.