Subcostal echocardiography in patients with tense ascites can reveal an echo-free space anterior to the heart which could be mistaken for a loculated anterior pericardial effusion or a pericardial cyst. The ascitic nature of the space can be recognized by the contours of the space, its relationship to the liver, and to the distinctive midline appearance of the falciform ligament of the peritone...

Cyhalothrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, induces stress-like symptoms, increases c-fos immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and decreases innate immune responses in laboratory animals. Macrophages are key elements in cellular immune responses and operate at the tumor-host interface. This study investigated the relationship among cyhalothrin effects on Ehrlich tumor...

Presence of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)-like material was demonstrated by radioimmunoassay in ascitic fluid of 14 patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Immunoreactive ANF concentrations (M +/- SEM) were 2.4 +/- 0.5 fmol/ml in ascites, significantly lower (p less than 0.001) than the corresponding plasma concentrations of 15.5 +/- 2.6 fmol/ml. High performance gel permeation chromatography a...

Abdominal actinomycosis is a rare condition caused by actinomyces species found in the normal flora of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal and genital tract. All cases reported describe localized forms demonstrating masses, pseudotumors or abscess during surgery or radiology studies and there are no reports about spontaneous peritonitis caused by actinomycetes. We report a case in which this dise...

Eighteen patients with 21 serious infections were treated with ceftriaxone, 1 g intravenously every 12 h, for a mean duration of 8 days. Eighteen gram-negative and two gram-positive organisms were isolated. Sites of infection included blood (three patients), urinary tract (six patients), respiratory tract (seven patients), biliary tract (three patients), ascitic fluid (one patient), and skin (o...

Spontaneous perforation of extrahepatic biliary system is a rare and potentially fatal cause of acute abdomen. Clinical presentation is as biliary peritonitis. This condition is rarely suspected as a cause of peritonitis preoperatively and correct diagnosis is made during surgery. If suspected, diagnosis can be made by various imaging techniques like hepatobiliary scintigraphy, magnetic resonan...