Victor Eisenmenger (1864-1932): The man behind the syndrome.

Although much has been written about the cardiovascular abnormalities present in Eisenmenger's syndrome, little has been recorded previously in the medical literature about Victor Eisenmenger, the Austrian doctor whose name is attached eponymously to this disorder. Archival material together with information provided by his descendants and relatives has been gathered to make available further details of his life, family, schooling, medical training and accomplishments. An examination of Eisenmenger's book about his observations and experiences while serving from 1895 to 1914 as personal physician to Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, also sheds light on Eisenmenger's personality, abilities and interests.

Harry Goldblatt (1891-1977): Pathologist and Medical Researcher.

Harry Goldblatt (1891-1977) was an American pathologist whose research and experiments on renovascular hypertension were an important contribution to understanding and treating this disease. His life and his legacy are discussed in this paper.

A comparative assessment of cigarette smoke aerosols using an in vitro air-liquid interface cytotoxicity test.

This study describes the evaluation of a modified air-liquid interface BALB/c 3T3 cytotoxicity method for the assessment of smoke aerosols in vitro. The functionality and applicability of this modified protocol was assessed by comparing the cytotoxicity profiles from eight different cigarettes. Three reference cigarettes, 1R5F, 3R4F and CORESTA Monitor 7 were used to put the data into perspective and five bespoke experimental products were manufactured, ensuring a balanced and controlled study. Manufactured cigarettes were matched for key variables such as nicotine delivery, puff number, pressure drop, ventilation, carbon monoxide, nicotine free dry particulate matter and blend, but significantly modified for vapor phase delivery, via the addition of two different types and quantities of adsorptive carbon. Specifically manufacturing products ensures comparisons can be made in a consistent manner and allows the research to ask targeted questions, without confounding product variables. The results demonstrate vapor-phase associated cytotoxic effects and clear differences between the products tested and their cytotoxic profiles. This study has further characterized the in vitro vapor phase biological response relationship and confirmed that the biological response is directly proportional to the amount of available vapor phase toxicants in cigarette smoke, when using a Vitrocell® VC 10 exposure system. This study further supports and strengthens the use of aerosol based exposure options for the appropriate analysis of cigarette smoke induced responses in vitro and may be especially beneficial when comparing aerosols generated from alternative tobacco aerosol products.

An experimental method to study emissions from heated tobacco between 100-200°C.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoke emissions are mainly produced by distillation, pyrolysis and combustion reactions when the tobacco is burnt. Some studies have shown that heating tobacco to temperatures below pyrolysis and combustion temperatures has the potential to reduce or eliminate some toxicants found in cigarette smoke. In this study, we designed a bench-top tube furnace that heats tobacco between 100-200°C and systematically studied the effects of heating temperatures on selected gas phase and aerosol phase compounds using an ISO machine-smoking protocol. RESULTS: Among a list of target chemical compounds, seven toxicants (nicotine, carbon monoxide, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, formaldehyde, NNN and NNK) were quantifiable but not at all temperatures examined. The levels of the compounds generally displayed an increasing trend with increasing temperatures. The observed carbon monoxide and aldehydes represented the initial thermal breakdown products from the tobacco constituents. Water was the largest measured component in the total aerosol phase collected and appeared to be mainly released by evaporation; nicotine release characteristics were consistent with bond breaking and evaporation. Quantifiable levels of NNK and NNN were thought to be the result of evaporative transfer from the tobacco blend. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the practical utility of this tool to study low-temperature toxicant formation and emission from heated tobacco. Between 100 to 200°C, nicotine and some cigarette smoke compounds were released as a result of evaporative transfer or initial thermal decomposition from the tobacco blend.

Dr. William Rimmer (1816-1879): Physician and Artist.

William Rimmer was an American sculptor, painter, and gifted teacher of art anatomy whose works are still found in art museums and galleries. In addition to reviewing his career as an artist, this paper examines some of the details about his medical training and fifteen years as a country doctor. It has been said that Rimmer's personal and professional life may have been in part shaped by his belief in his family story that his father was heir to the French throne, a story that recent mitochondrial DNA analysis studies have shown to be unlikely.

Reduction of aldehydes and hydrogen cyanide yields in mainstream cigarette smoke using an amine functionalised ion exchange resin.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is a well recognized cause of diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease. Of the more than 5000 identified species in cigarette smoke, at least 150 have toxicological activity. For example, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde have been assigned as Group 1 and Group 2B carcinogens by IARC, and hydrogen cyanide has been identified as a respiratory and cardiovascular toxicant. Active carbon has been shown to be an effective material for the physical adsorption of many of the smoke volatile species. However, physical adsorption of acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and also hydrogen cyanide from smoke is less effective using carbon. Alternative methods for the removal of these species from cigarette smoke are therefore of interest. A macroporous, polystyrene based ion-exchange resin (Diaion®CR20) with surface amine group functionality has been investigated for its ability to react with aldehydes and HCN in an aerosol stream, and thus selectively reduce the yields of these compounds (in particular formaldehyde) in mainstream cigarette smoke. RESULTS: Resin surface chemistry was characterized using vapour sorption, XPS, TOF-SIMS and 15N NMR. Diaion®CR20 was found to have structural characteristics indicating weak physisorption properties, but sufficient surface functionalities to selectively remove aldehydes and HCN from cigarette smoke. Using 60 mg of Diaion®CR20 in a cigarette cavity filter gave reductions in smoke formaldehyde greater than 50% (estimated to be equivalent to >80% of the formaldehyde present in the smoke vapour phase) independent of a range of flow rates. Substantial removal of HCN (>80%) and acetaldehyde (>60%) was also observed. The performance of Diaion®CR20 was found to be consistent over a test period of 6 months. The overall adsorption for the majority of smoke compounds measured appeared to follow a pseudo-first order approximation to second order kinetics. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that Diaion®CR20 is a highly selective and efficient adsorbent for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and HCN in cigarette smoke. The reductions for these compounds were greater than those achieved using an active carbon. The results also demonstrate that chemisorption can be an effective mechanism for the removal of certain vapour phase toxicants from cigarette smoke.

Leonard Craske (1878-1950): from medical student to sculptor.

Leonard Craske (1878-1950), born and raised in London, England, spent two years as a medical student at St Thomas' Hospital Medical School. Following this, he worked as an actor and studied drawing and sculpting. After emigrating to the USA and settling in Boston, he became an accomplished sculptor, creating the well-known Fishermen's Memorial in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the work for which he is best remembered.