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Reperfusion of ischemic intestine results in acute liver dysfunction characterized by hepatocellular enzyme release into plasma, reduction in bile flow rate, and neutrophil sequestration within the liver. The pathophysiology underlying this acute hepatic injury is unknown. This study was undertaken to determine whether oxidants are associated with the hepatic injury and to determine the relative value of several indirect methods of assessing oxidant exposure in vivo. Rats were subjected to a standardized intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Hepatic tissue was assayed for lipid peroxidation products and oxidized and reduced glutathione. There was no change in hepatic tissue total glutathione following intestinal ischemia--reperfusion injury. Oxidized glutathione (GSSG) increased significantly following 30 and 60 min of reperfusion. There was no increase in any of the products of lipid peroxidation associated with this injury. An increase in GSSG within hepatic tissue during intestinal reperfusion suggests exposure of hepatocytes to an oxidant stress. The lack of a significant increase in products of lipid peroxidation suggests that the oxidant stress is of insufficient magnitude to result in irreversible injury to hepatocyte cell membranes. These data also suggest that the measurement of tissue GSSG may be a more sensitive indicator of oxidant stress than measurement of products of lipid peroxidation.

Rorschach' s test is one of the main tools available for clinical assessment. Specific indicators pointed out its ability to detect the presence of suicidal ideation and behaviour. Our aim is to provide evidence that will stress the importance of the test in the diagnostic and psychotherapeutic pathway. Our study was single blind and was conducted on four patients with suicidal behaviour. Rorschach' s test was administered in the month following the suicidal attempt. We used Klopfer' s procedure to seal the protocols and thus for each patient the psychogram was compiled. Our results show how suicidal behaviour can occur in consequence of "The defeat of reason" in which the occurrence of a highly stressful event cannot be brought back to reality's rationality and pushes the subject to react in an aberrant way; An impulsive gesture in patients with psychotic or borderline personality structure; An attempt to "escape from the cage" in which the subject is brought, due to a situation which is objectively difficult because of an emotional movement that is scarcely controlled.