Progesterone and spread of spinal anesthesia for cesarean section: comparison between singleton and twin pregnancies

The spread of spinal anesthesia in parturients with singleton and those with twin pregnancies was compared in relation with progesterone levels in plasma and CSF. Twenty unpremedicated parturients with uncomplicated pregnancy scheduled for cesarean section were allocated to two groups: Group I = 10 singleton mothers and group II = 10 with twin pregnancy. Both groups received spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine 10 mg [2 ml of 0.5%]. Progesterone levels in CSF and plasma were estimated just before the procedure. A statistically significant difference in the cephalad spread of spinal anesthesia [group I up to T5 and group II up to T3] was found. The mechanisms of higher cephalad spread of spinal anesthesia in the twin group may be a decrease in CSF fluid volume due to shunting of blood from the compressed inferior vena cava to extradural venous plexus and increased nerve sensitivity to the local anesthetic because of increased concentrations of progesterone. The twin pregnancy group had heavier placentae and greater daily production of progesterone

Chronic obstructive airway disease: outcome after high abdominal surgery

Twenty four patients with severe obstructive airway disease who required elective high abdominal surgery were studied for the postoperative outcome. All of them had FEVI between 0.3 and 1 liter. The outcome of surgery was successful after their operations. Two patients only required postoperative artificial ventilation. The best predictors for the use of postoperative ventilation were the arterial PO2 whether the patient was dyspnoeic at rest

Nutrient enrichment and its effects on growth and metabolism of chlorella vulgaris and phormidium laminosum

In this study, the dry weight and chlorophyll a content of Chlorella vulgaris and Phormidium laminosum progressively increased with elevation of phosphate and nitrate doses supplemented to the culture media. The accumulation of total carbohydrates in both organisms were suppressed at all phosphate levels, but in Phormidium, it was stimulated under nitrate treatments. Both salts singly caused a drop in nitrate uptake which was associated by decrease in protein and total nitrogen contents. All phosphate levels stimulated the phosphorus absorption from the media and the phosphorus contents of both organisms while, the nitrate effect showed no constant trend. Irrespective of some fluctuations there was a clear trend for the mixture effects which are expressed by increase in dry weight, chlorophyll a, total carbohydrate accumulation, nitrate uptake, phosphorus uptake and contents in both algae. Total nitrogen and protein accumulation were adversely affected in most mixture treatments. Lowering the concentration of either phosphate or nitrate in both algal cultures below control levels suppressed the growth and inactivate the physiological processes. The N/P uptake ratios were generally decreased following limitation and/or enrichment with nitrate and phosphate