“
“In contrast to the numerous reports on the pharmacological effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the pharmacological activity of another substituent of Cannabis sativa, cannabichromene (CBC) remains comparatively unknown.

In the present study, we investigated whether CBC elicits cannabinoid activity in the tetrad assay, which consists of the following four endpoints: hypomotility, antinociception, catalepsy, and hypothermia. Because cannabinoids are well documented to possess anti-inflammatory properties, we examined CBC, THC, and combination of both phytocannabinoids in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) paw edema assay. CBC elicited activity in the tetrad that was not blocked by the CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant. Moreover,

a behaviorally inactive dose of THC augmented the effects of CBC in the tetrad that was associated with an increase in THC brain concentrations. Both CBC and THC elicited dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effects PCI-32765 in vitro in the LPS-induced paw edema model. The CB2 receptor, SR144528 blocked the anti-edematous actions of THC, but not those produced by CBC. Isobolographic analysis revealed that the anti-edematous effects of these cannabinoids in combination were additive. Although CBC produced pharmacological effects, unlike GDC 0032 research buy THC, its underlying mechanism of action did not involve CB1 or CB2 receptors. In addition, there was evidence of a possible pharmacokinetic component in which CBC dose-dependently increased THC brain levels following an iv. injection of 0.3 mg/kg THC. In conclusion, CBC produced a subset of behavioral activity in the tetrad assay and reduced LPS-induced paw edema through a noncannabinoid receptor mechanism of action. These effects were augmented when CBC and THC were co-administered. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: To determine the frequency of preoperative computed tomography

(CT) in the evaluation of patients suspected of having appendicitis at one institution during the past 10 years and to determine whether changes in CT utilization were associated with changes in the negative appendectomy rate.

Materials and Methods: this website Institutional review board approval was obtained, and a waiver of informed consent was granted for this HIPAA-compliant study. A surgical database search yielded medical record numbers of 925 patients (526 [56.9%] men and 399 [43.1%] women; mean age, 38 years (range, 18-95 years]) who underwent urgent appendectomy between January 1998 and September 2007. Patients who were younger than 18 years of age at the time of surgery were excluded. CT, pathology, and surgery reports were reviewed. By using logistic regression, changes in the proportion of patients undergoing CT and in the proportion of patients undergoing each year appendectomy in which the appendix was healthy were evaluated. Subgroup analyses based on patient age (<= 45 years or >45 years) and sex also were performed.

Results: Prior to urgent appendectomy, 18.