Intracerebral temperature monitoring in severely head injured patients

Summary In a series of 6 severely head injured patients, intraventricular as well as rectal, bladder and jugular vein temperature is recorded. The relationship between these temperatures in different conditions is evaluated. Intracerebral temperature is 0.5±0.2 °C (mean ± SD) higher than bladder temperature except in conditions such as brain death. It is concluded that rectal temperature is not representative and therefore not a good alternative to the measurement of brain temperature. More data on human intracerebral temperature are mandatory as well as prospective studies correlating intracerebral temperature with final outcome in head injury.     

高温对热区部队战士激素调节的影响

选择某电子对抗团战士和某坦克旅战士共64人,分别在高温、高湿等因素作用下连续作业1h(摩托小时),观察战士体内激素及电解质的变化情况。结果表明:两部队战士的心钠素、皮质醇、醛固酮水平作业前后有非常显著性以上的差异;血清K~+、Ca~(2+)浓度降低,Na~+浓度升高。以上结果表明:高温环境对战士体内激素水平影响显著,机体出现应激性改变。     

Temperature-controlled radiofrequency catheter ablation of AV conduction: first clinical experience

A new technique for catheter ablation of atrioventricular (AV)conduction, using temperature-controlled radiofrequency energyand a bipolar asymmetrical electrode configuration, was appliedto 12 patients (mean age, 48 ± 15 years; range, 18–69years) with medically refractory atrioventricular nodal reentranttachycardia (AVNRT) or rapid atrial rhythms. The energy sourcewas a 500 kHz generator with automatic power regulation to apreselected temperature of 80 °C. A specially designed 7F bipolar asymmetric thermo-catheter was used for ablation inall cases. The endpoints of the procedure were: first-degreeAV block in patients with AVN R T and third-degree block inpatients with atrial fibrillation or flutter. Energy was appliedover a range of 1–14 times per patient. After a mean follow-upof 8±4 months, third- or first degree AV block persistedin eight patients. In comparison to constant-power radiofrequencyablation, where impedance rises are commonly observed, no impedancerise or coating of the electrode occurred during any of the97 energy applications in this study. Variable wall contactof the electrode was identified in 20 of 97 applications bya slow temperature rise or a drop in temperature and frequentpower adjustments. Thus, monitoring temperature and automaticpower regulation may help to reduce the total delivered energy.Temperature control during radiofrequency energy avoids coagulumformation and consequently the associated potential hazardsof constant-power application.     

Changes in hemodynamics and the temperature regime in the mother-placenta-fetus system under the influence of some drugs

Translated fromBuylleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 115, No. 1, pp. 21–23, January, 1993     

Real-time nested multiplex PCR for the detection of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 and varicella zoster virus

One hundred forty-nine specimens were tested in a LightCycler nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (LCnmPCR) for Herpes simplex virus (HSV)1, HSV2, and VZV. Eighty-one were from genitourinary medicine (GUM) patients and the other 68 specimens were from other patients with skin lesions. The results were compared to a conventional multiplex nested PCR (nmPCR) using agarose gel electrophoresis. Twenty-five specimens were positive in both assays for HSV1 and 29 were positive for VZV. For HSV2 there were 27 positive in the LCnmPCR and 26 positive in the nmPCR assay. The melting temperatures (Tms) of each target were different with a mean of 84.75 degrees C for HSV1, 88.57 degrees C for HSV2, and 83.62 degrees C for VZV. The melting curves of positive specimens directly overlaid the melting curves of the positive controls in the assay. The LCnmPCR assay is a convenient alternative to conventional PCR using agarose gel electrophoresis. It improves specimen turnaround time by eliminating the need for gel electrophoresis, transillumination, and gel photography. It also shows increased sensitivity for HSV2 over our standard assay. This LCnmPCR reduces further the possibility of amplicon contamination with nested PCR protocols.     

Effects of estrus cycle on thermoregulatory responses during exercise in rats

Summary In female rats, rectal temperature (T _re), tail vasomotor response, oxygen uptake , and carbon dioxide production were measured in proestrus and estrus stages during treadmill running at two different speeds at an ambient temperature (T _a) of 24° C. Experiments were performed at 2.00–6.00 a.m., when the difference inT _re was greatest between the two stages;T _re at rest in the estrus stage was 0.54° C higher than in the proestrus stage. In a mild warm environment, thresholdT _re for a rise in tail skin temperature (T _tail) was also higher in the estrus stage than in the proestrus stage. In contrast, no difference was seen in the thresholdT _re and steady stateT _re at the end of exercise between proestrus and estrus stages. These values were higher at the higher work intensity. was also similar between the two stages, except in the second 5 min after the beginning of exercise, when was greater andT _re rose more steeply in the proestrus stage. These data indicate that deep body temperature during exercise is regulated at a certain level depending on the work intensity and is not influenced by the estrus cycle.This study was supported in part by a Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan (Grant No. 62480114)     

Prediction of mean skin temperature in warm environments

Summary The data collected by the authors in four experimental series have been analysed together with data from the literature, to study the relationship between mean skin temperature and climatic parameters, subject metabolic rate and clothing insulation. The subjects involved in the various studies were young male subjects, unacclimatized to heat. The range of conditions examined involved mean skin temperatures between 33‡ C and 38‡ C, air temperatures (T_a) between 23‡ C and 50‡ C, ambient water vapour pressures (P_a) between 1 and 4.8 kPa, air velocities (V_a) between 0.2 and 0.9 m · s⁻¹, metabolic rates (M) between 50 and 270 W · m⁻², and Clo values between 0.1 and 0.6. In 95% of the data, mean radiant temperature was within ±3‡ C of air temperature. Based on 190 data averaged over individual values, the following equation was derived by a multiple linear regression technique: ˉT_sk=30.0+0.138T_a+0.254P_a−0.57V_a+1.28 · 10⁻³ M−0.553 Clo. This equation was used to predict mean skin temperature from 629 individual data. The difference between observed and predicted values was within ±0.6‡ C in 70% of the cases and within ±1‡ C in 90% of the cases. It is concluded that the proposed formula may be used to predict mean skin temperature with satisfactory accuracy in nude to lightly clad subjects exposed to warm ambient conditions with no significant radiant heat load.     

Intraperitoneal injection of cholecystokinin elicits sleep in rabbits

Cholecystokinin (CCK) reduces food intake and promotes non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS) in rats. The purpose of present experiments was to determine if CCK is somnogenic in rabbits; another species in which CCK suppresses feeding. White New Zealand rabbits were treated intracerebroventricularly (ICV; 0.05, 0.5 and 2 μg) or intraperitoneally (IP; 2.5, 10 and 40 μg/kg) with CCK or saline, and sleep-wake activity and brain temperature (T_br) were recorded for 6 h. Injections of 10 and 40 μg/kg CCK IP elicited a decrease in wakefulness and an increase in NREMS during the first hour postinjection. The hypnogenic effects were accompanied by a decrease in T_br. After the IP injection of a lower dose (2.5 μg/kg) a slight, nonsignificant increase in NREMS during the first hour postinjection was followed by a decrease in NREMS. ICV injections of CCK had relatively small inhibitory effects on sleep. We conclude that circulating, hormone CCK might be a hypnogenic signal with a peripheral site of action.     

Pattern of spatial distribution inDrosophila melanogaster

The effect of temperature and sex on spatial distribution ofDrosophila melanogaster adults was studied in a specially designed apparatus. It was observed that individuals tend to aggregate in sections of the sphere independently of sex and temperature. Nevertheless, decrease in temperature increase aggregation. The mobility of both males and females indicates a megative geotactic tendency.     

Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor in the brain suppresses rabbit sleep

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a cytokine that possesses many biological activities, including enhancement of non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS). The role of endogenous TNF in the regulation of spontaneous sleep is unknown. If TNF is involved in sleep regulation, then reduction of endogenous TNF should suppress spontaneous sleep. A soluble TNF-binding protein I (TNF-BP I) and a synthetic fragment of TNF-BP I, TNF-R-(159–178), that contains the biologically active region of TNF-BP I, were used. These substances bind TNF and possess TNF-inhibitory activity; their effects on rabbit sleep after intracerebroventricular injection were determined across a 6-h recording period. Two doses of TNF-BP I (0.05 g and 0.5 g) were administered; the higher dose of TNF-BP I significantly decreased NREMS. Four doses of TNF-R-(159–178) (0.25 g, 2.5 g, 25 g and 50 g) were used. The 25 g and 50 g doses significantly suppressed NREMS. The highest dose (50 g) also decreased REM sleep. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that endogenous brain TNF is involved in the regulation of normal sleep.