Evaluating the hip-flask defence using analytical data from ethanol and ethyl glucuronide. A comparison of two models.

AIM: Claimed intake of alcohol after a traffic incident, called the hip-flask defence, can be objectively assessed by different methods. One of them is the use of two consecutive ethanol concentrations in urine and the ratio between ethanol concentrations in urine and blood. Another one is the concentrations of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulphate (EtS) in blood and their ratio to ethanol. The experimental basis for both these models is from single dose studies only. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the kinetics of ethanol, EtG and EtS after ingestion of two repeated doses of ethanol and to investigate the usefulness of the different models for the assessment of the hip-flask defence. METHODS: Thirty-five subjects ingested a first dose of 0.51 g of ethanol per kilo body weight, and two hours later a second dose (the hip-flask drink) of 0.25, 0.51 or 0.85 g of ethanol per kilo body weight. Ten urine and 17 blood samples were collected and analysed for ethanol, EtG and EtS using fully validated methods. It was investigated if all subjects fulfilled the criteria for recent drinking, according to the two different models, when using the samples collected 180-240 minutes after start of first dose drinking. According to the first model, increase in urinary ethanol concentrations and a ratio UAC/BAC below 1.3 indicated recent drinking. According to the second model, increase in blood EtG concentrations and a ratio ethanol (g/kg)/EtG (mg/L) above 1 indicated recent drinking. RESULTS: All subjects in the high dose group fulfilled all criteria for recent drinking. One subject in the medium dose group and nine subjects in the low dose group failed to show increasing UAC and/or a UAC/BAC ratio below 1.3. One subject in the low dose group failed to show increasing concentrations of blood EtG, but all subjects showed a ratio ethanol/EtG above 1. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed, by the use of experimental data, that both two models used to investigate the hip-flask defence can be used, but only when the hip-flask dose is sufficiently high.

Accuracy and precision of 3 intraoral scanners and accuracy of conventional impressions: A novel in vivo analysis method.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a novel methodology using industrial scanners as a reference, and assess in vivo accuracy of 3 intraoral scanners (IOS) and conventional impressions. Further, to evaluate IOS precision in vivo. METHODS: Four reference-bodies were bonded to the buccal surfaces of upper premolars and incisors in five subjects. After three reference-scans, ATOS Core 80 (ATOS), subjects were scanned three times with three IOS systems: 3M True Definition (3M), CEREC Omnicam (OMNI) and Trios 3 (TRIOS). One conventional impression (IMPR) was taken, 3M Impregum Penta Soft, and poured models were digitized with laboratory scanner 3shape D1000 (D1000). Best-fit alignment of reference-bodies and 3D Compare Analysis was performed. Precision of ATOS and D1000 was assessed for quantitative evaluation and comparison. Accuracy of IOS and IMPR were analyzed using ATOS as reference. Precision of IOS was evaluated through intra-system comparison. RESULTS: Precision of ATOS reference scanner (mean 0.6 µm) and D1000 (mean 0.5 µm) was high. Pairwise multiple comparisons of reference-bodies located in different tooth positions displayed a statistically significant difference of accuracy between two scanner-groups: 3M and TRIOS, over OMNI (p value range 0.0001 to 0.0006). IMPR did not show any statistically significant difference to IOS. However, deviations of IOS and IMPR were within a similar magnitude. No statistical difference was found for IOS precision. CONCLUSION: The methodology can be used for assessing accuracy of IOS and IMPR in vivo in up to five units bilaterally from midline. 3M and TRIOS had a higher accuracy than OMNI. IMPR overlapped both groups. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Intraoral scanners can be used as a replacement for conventional impressions when restoring up to ten units without extended edentulous spans.

Shape and volume of craniofacial cavities in intentional skull deformations.

Intentional cranial deformations (ICD) have been observed worldwide but are especially prevalent in preColombian cultures. The purpose of this study was to assess the consequences of ICD on three cranial cavities (intracranial cavity, orbits, and maxillary sinuses) and on cranial vault thickness, in order to screen for morphological changes due to the external constraints exerted by the deformation device. We acquired CT-scans for 39 deformed and 19 control skulls. We studied the thickness of the skull vault using qualitative and quantitative methods. We computed the volumes of the orbits, of the maxillary sinuses, and of the intracranial cavity using haptic-aided semi-automatic segmentation. We finally defined 3D distances and angles within orbits and maxillary sinuses based on 27 anatomical landmarks and measured these features on the 58 skulls. Our results show specific bone thickness patterns in some types of ICD, with localized thinning in regions subjected to increased pressure and thickening in other regions. Our findings confirm that volumes of the cranial cavities are not affected by ICDs but that the shapes of the orbits and of the maxillary sinuses are modified in circumferential deformations. We conclude that ICDs can modify the shape of the cranial cavities and the thickness of their walls but conserve their volumes. These results provide new insights into the morphological effects associated with ICDs and call for similar investigations in subjects with deformational plagiocephalies and craniosynostoses.

[3H]noradrenaline efflux from platelets and synaptosomes of ethanol-treated rats.

Platelets have the ability to take up, store and release biogenic amines and have therefore been used as models for neurons in studies of neuropsychiatric disorders and hypertension. We have studied the spontaneous efflux of [3H]noradrenaline from platelets and synaptosomes of rats chronically treated with ethanol. Male control rats had a more rapid [3H]noradrenaline efflux both from synaptosomes and platelets than female control rats. Ethanol treatment increased efflux in female rats, again both in platelets and synaptosomes. These results suggest that a parallelism exists in noradrenaline release between synaptosomes and platelets, both basal and in situations which stimulate the release.

The relation between in vitro efflux of noradrenaline from platelets and vas deferens in man.

The efflux of isotope-labelled noradrenaline from platelets and vas deferens was compared in 29 healthy males. Platelets and a preparation of tissue from vas deferens were incubated with isotope-labelled noradrenaline until equilibrium in the uptake was obtained. The spontaneous efflux of noradrenaline in buffer was measured for 20 min. There was a significant positive correlation between the efflux of noradrenaline from platelets and vas deferens (r = 0.56, P less than 0.001).

Antigen-induced release of histamine from serosal mast cells, lung, and tracheal tissue: variation with tissue and rat strain in relation to serum IgE-antibody level.

Rats of the Brown Norway (BN)2, Fischer, PVG and Sprague Dawley (SD) strains were immunized intraperitoneally with graded doses of ovalbumin (OA) together with either alum or Silica gel. At specified times after immunization, in vitro histamine release from serosal mast cells and from chopped lung and tracheal tissue was determined after challenge with OA. The development of the capacity to respond in these tests seemed to vary within strain independently for mast cells, lung, and tracheal tissue with immunization dose of antigen and nature of adjuvant. These variations were not closely correlated to observed variations in serum levels of OA-IgE antibody or ratio OA-IgE to total IgE as determined by radioimmunoassay. Furthermore, variations between strains in response capacity did not correlate to inter strain variation in median serum OA-IgE antibody level. These results do not clearly conform to the possibility that one single class of IgE mediates anaphylactic reactivity of various tissues of the rat.

The non-specific enhancement of allergy. II. Precipitation of anaphylactic in vitro response capacity and serum IgE and IgG2a antibody synthesis in primed but non-responding rats by injection of alum.

PVG rats given injections of 1 microgram ovalbumin (OA) together with 10 mg Silica gel failed to provide serosal mast cells or lung tissue with the capacity to release histamine on in vitro challenge with the antigen. However, if such animals were injected i.p. with 100 mg of alum (without any further antigen addition) 3-9 weeks after the primary antigen injection, their mast cells and lung tissue showed a clear-cut capacity to respond in vitro, when examined 1 week after the alum injection. Injection of only 15 mg alum did not induce such a response capacity. The fading of the reactivity induced by an alum injection could be prevented by a repeated injection of the adjuvant alone. Pretreatment of the rats with cyclophosphamide (33 mg/kg) 2 days before the primary antigen injection did not affect the response capacity induced by a booster injection 3 weeks later. S.c. injection of alum also precipitated response capacity in animals primed by i.p. injection of antigen and Silica gel. The anaphylactic response capacity induced by injection(s) of alum was generally accompanied by increased levels of OA-IgE and especially OA-IgG2a antibody; however, a clear-cut correlation between either serosal mast cell or lung tissue response capacity and serum OA-IgE or IgG2a antibody titer could not be demonstrated. These data show that in primed animals, which do not express allergic response capacity, such a capacity can be induced by injecting adjuvant alone, even several weeks after the primary antigen injection.

Antigen-induced release of histamine from rat tissues in vitro: dissociation in development of serosal mast cell, lung tissue, and tracheal tissue response capacity.

We examined the temporal development and the fading in Sprague Dawley rats, actively sensitized to ovalbumin (OA), of the capacity of serosal mast cells, chopped lung tissue, and occasionally chopped tracheal tissue, to respond at antigen challenge in vitro with histamine release. Response capacity of both serosal mast cells and lung tissue developed within 2-3 weeks after injection of 1 microgram OA or more together with 100 mg of alum. Maximum response capacity was observed in cells and tissue from animals injected with 10 micrograms OA, part of the response capacity then remained until 3 months after immunization. Development of serosal mast cell reactivity was occasionally dissociated from that of lung tissue. When low amounts of alum (1 or 10 mg) were employed as adjuvant, lung tissue reactivity could be induced in the virtual absence of serosal mast cell response capacity. Silica gel was less efficient than alum as an adjuvant for induction of a primary response, but 'secondary' tissue responses could be induced when silica gel was used as an adjuvant. Pretreatment of the animals with cyclophosphamide before the booster injection enhanced and prolonged the response capacity of lung tissue. Animals injected with OA together with Freund's complete adjuvant did not provide responding serosal mast cells; response capacity of lung tissue varied with immunization dose of antigen. Antigen-induced histamine release from chopped tracheal tissue did not correlate to response capacity of lung tissue. Thus, the development in the rat of response capacity with respect to antigen-induced histamine release dissociates from serosal mast cells, lung tissue, and tracheal tissue.

Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase in psychiatric patients and normals. Effect of d-amphetamine and haloperidol.

Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity was estimated in groups of normals and of psychiatric patients, using a thin layer radiochromatographic method. The percentage of patients with schizophrenic and with depressive symptomatology was higher in the population with high enzyme activities. In addition, d-amphetamine given to normals caused an increase in the serum activity while haloperidol caused the opposite effect. The activity in serum is interpreted as a loss in the enzyme from the place it acts physiologically, with possible influence on the noradrenaline synthesis rate.

Serum dopamine beta-hydroxylase: assay and enzyme properties.

A method for the estimation of dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in human serum is described, based on a thin layer chromatographic separation of the substrate ([14C]tyramine) from the reaction product ([14C]octopamine). The basic properties of the human serum enzyme, investigated by this method are described.