Quantitative MRI of the brain in children with sickle cell disease reveals abnormalities unseen by conventional MRI

Conventional MRI (cMRI) has shown that brain abnormalities without clinical stroke can manifest in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). We used quantitative MRI (qMRI) and psychometric testing to determine whether brain abnormalities can also be present in patients with SCD who appear normal on cMRI. Patients 4 years of age and older with no clinical evidence of stroke were stratified by cMRI as normal (n = 17) or abnormal (n = 13). Spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) of gray and white matter structures was measured by the precise and accurate inversion recovery (PAIR) qMRI method. Patient cognitive ability was assessed with a standard psychometric instrument (WISC-III or WISC-R). In all 30 patients with SCD, qMRI T1 was lower than in 24 age- and race-matched controls, in cortical gray matter (P < .0006) and caudate (P < .0009), as well as in the ratio of gray-to-white matter T1 (P < .008). In the 17 patients who were shown to be normal by cMRI, qMRI T1 was still lower than in controls, in both cortical gray matter (P < .02) and caudate (P < .004). Histograms of voxel T1 show that the proportion of voxels with T1 values intermediate between gray and white matter (ie, consistent with encephalomalacia) was 9% higher than controls in patients shown to be normal by cMRI (P < .05) and 15% higher than controls in patients shown to be abnormal by cMRI (P < .0005). The full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) of all patients with SCD was 75, compared to the FSIQ of 88 in a historical control group of patient siblings (P < .001). The FSIQ of patients shown to be normal by cMRI was 79, significantly lower than the FSIQ of patient siblings (P < .04). The FSIQ of 71 in patients shown to be abnormal by cMRI was significantly lower than both the patient siblings (P < .005) and the patients shown to be normal by cMRI (P < .04). Patients shown to be abnormal by cMRI scored lower than patients shown to be normal by cMRI, specifically on the subtests of vocabulary (P = .003) and information (P = .03). Cognitive impairment is thus significant, even in patients with SCD who were shown to be normal by cMRI, suggesting that cMRI may be insensitive to subtle neurologic damage that can be detected by qMRI. Because cognitive impairment can occur in children normal by cMRI, our findings imply that prophylactic therapy may be needed earlier in the course of SCD to mitigate neurologic damage.     

Quantification of tissue plasma volume in the rat by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging enhanced with a macromolecular contrast medium (MMCM), albumin-Gd-DTPA, was used to estimate the plasma volume in vivo in the myocardium, lung, liver, and skeletal muscle of 10 normal rats. The plasma volumes of the same tissues in a parallel group of six rats were estimated in vitro by a conventional radioisotopic technique (¹¹¹In-transferrin). Plasma volumes of myocardium, lung, liver, and skeletal muscle estimated by the MR technique (μl plas. ia cc-¹ of tissue) were 101,109,163, and 11.0, respectively, while plasma volumes measured by the In-transferrin radioisotope technique (mg plasma g-¹ of tissue) were 78.6, 215,143, and 11-2, respectively. Assuming a ratio of densities of aerated lung to blood of 0.45 and of other tissues to blood of 1.0, correlation between the methods was excellent (R² = 0.99) indicating that MR imaging enhanced with MMCM permits reliable in vivo estimation of tissue plasma volume in the rat.     

Measurement of airway resistance in anesthetized and paralyzed subjects: Proposal for evaluation of K1 values

The effects of lung volume and respiratory airflow on airway resistance were studied in five anesthetized and paralyzed patients. Airway resistance measured during the inspiratory phase with intermittent constant airflow inflatoins decreased in inverse correlationship to increases in lung volume. Airway resistance measured during the expiratory phase with an airway interruption technique, on the other hand, increased with a linear relationship to the expiratory airflow as expressed by a function of Y = K₁ + K₂X. K₁, calculated from the values of airway resistance corresponding to three different airflows, was unaffected by intentional expiratory resistance loading. Thus, simultaneously with the measurement of airway resistance by this method, expiratory gas sampling with a Douglas bag can be done if necessary. Since the K₂ value of the endotracheal tube used in this study (Portex^® I.D. 8mm, length 26cm) was quite high (5.0cmH₂O·1^–2·sec²), depending on the airflow, the presence of the endotracheal tube strongly affected the measurement of airway resistance during general anesthesia. K₁ measured by the above method, however, may be considered as the best way to evaluate the lower airway resistance independent of either lung volume or expiratory airflow.(Sakai T, Yoshida H, Yano H et al.: Measurement of airway resistance in anesthetized and paralyzed subjects: proposal for evaluation of K₁ values. J Anesth 2: 139–145, 1988)     

基于贝叶斯多变量联合模型的体检人群脑卒中发病风险因素的纵向研究

背景 脑卒中是目前影响人类健康的主要公共卫生问题之一;健康体检纵向数据累积了大量的健康信息,由于缺失数据多、样本量小等诸多问题,导致其利用率低、重要信息未能得到充分挖掘,进而对常见慢性病的有效防控等工作带来一定困难。目的 基于贝叶斯多变量联合模型,探讨体检人群脑卒中发病风险因素,为慢性病风险因素分析提供新的方法。方法 本研究使用空军军医大学西京医院健康医学中心2008—2015年的体检资料。随访情况：以首次发生脑卒中为结局事件,发生结局事件立即停止随访;若未发生,到2015年体检信息收集完成后结束随访;体检间隔时间为1年。依据随访过程中是否发生脑卒中分为脑卒中组和非脑卒中组。纵向观察变量包括总胆固醇（TC）、三酰甘油（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）、体质指数（BMI）和收缩压（SBP）。采用多因素Cox回归模型分析基线情况对脑卒中结局事件的影响;采用贝叶斯多变量联合模型,分析随访过程中TC、TG、LDL-C、HDL-C、BMI和SBP的纵向变化轨迹对脑卒中发病的影响。结果 本研究共纳入234例研究对象,1 581条纵向随访记录,平均随访时间为...     

Blood volume and right heart haemodynamics in abrupt hypotension following sublingual isosorbide dinitrate in acute myocardial infarction

Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were measured in 43 patientswith acute myocardial infarction and a systolic blood pressure120 mmHg during sublingual administration of 5 mg of isosorbidedinitrate. In 25 of them right heart haemodynamics were alsomeasured. Severe (25%) hypotension developed in 12 patients(Group 1, systolic blood pressure 158 ± 28 to 78 ±17 mmHg, mean ± SD) but not in the remaining 31 (Group2) and was accompanied by a fall in heart rate (82 ±20 to 70 ± 22beats min^-1, P<0.05), in cardiac output(4.3 ± 0.3 to 3.2 ± 0.4l mm^-1, P<0.02, n =5) and in systemic vascular resistances (2326 ± 463 to1532 ± 442 dynes sec^-1 cm^-5, P<0.02) not present inGroup 2. The reduction in right (Group 1,8 ± 3 to 3 ±1, vs. Group 2,10 ± 3 to 6± 3 mmHg, V <0.005)and in left ventricular filling pressures (Group 1,15 ±4 to 8 ± 2, vs. Group 2,18 ± 6 to 13 ±5 mmHg, P<0.001) was more remarkable in Group 1. In thisgroup there was also a high incidence of anterior infarction(9/12, 75%). Blood volume measured in 30 patients was lowerin Group 1 but differences were not significant. A second doseof 5 mg of isosorbide dinitrate 36–48 h later producedneither symptomatic hypotension (Group 1, 147 ± 29 to129 ± 24 mmHg) nor a fall in cardiac output in any patient,whereas changes infilling pressures were comparable to thoseof the first dose. Thus, severe isosorbide dinitrate-induced hypotension in myocardialinfarction is limited to the acute phase and seems more prevalentin anterior infarction but can not be clearly predicted fromresting haemodynamic or blood volume measurements, at leastin non-hypotensive patients. Moreover, it appears to be causedby an excessive ventricular emptying due to a striking venousand arterial vasodilation, probably during a stage of a particularlydepressed ventricular compliance.     

转FL、GM-CSF基因的人骨髓基质细胞促进脐血CD34+细胞体外扩增

研究转FL、GM-CSF基因的基质细胞对脐血CD34+细胞的扩增效应.将转FL、GM-CSF基因的入骨髓基质细胞系与脐血CD34+细胞共培养,观察细胞总数、CD34+细胞数、CFU-GM的变化情况.培养到第4周时,第(4)组(SCF+IL-3+IL-6+GM-CSF+FL)和第(8)组(HFCL/hGM-CSF+HFCL/hFL+SCF+IL-3+IL-6)的细胞总数增加到最大,分别扩增了717±24.47和709±63.63,第1周,第(5)组(HFCL+SCF+IL-3+IL-6)扩增了10.5±2.08倍,较第(8)组减少(P＜0.05).第1周时,CD34+细胞总数第(4)组和第(8)组分别扩增了8.44倍和11.5倍(P＜0.05),CD34+细胞百分率第(7)组(FCL/hFL+SCF+IL-3+II,-6)为50.2%,第(6)组(HFCL/hGM-CSF+SCF+IL-3+IL-6)为28.95%(P＜0.01).第2周,各组CFU-GM增加显著,以第(4)组和第(8)组增加最为明显,以后随扩增时间延长,造血细胞集落数、集落体积逐渐减少.表明转FL、GM-CSF基因的基质细胞,能有效的协同其他细胞因子对脐血CD34+细胞产生明显的扩增作用,能显著改变基质细胞造血功能.     

Effects of chemical mediators of anaphylaxis on ciliary function

We assessed the effects of selected chemical mediators of anaphylaxis on CBF in vitro. Ciliated epithelial cells were obtained from the trachea of conscious sheep with a cytology brush and suspended in a perfusion chamber containing KH. Ciliary activity was viewed microscopically and recorded on videotape for subsequent slow-motion analysis of CBF. Prostaglandin E1 (10(-8) M to 10(-6) M), prostaglandin E2 (10(-10) M to 10(-6) M), and leukotriene-C4 (10(-8) M) increased CBF between 7% and 33%. Histamine caused ciliostimulation only at the relatively high concentrations above 10(-5) M (7% increase in CBF), whereas prostaglandin F2 alpha (10(-10) M and 10(-6) M) was without effect. In no preparation was ciliary discoordination observed. These findings indicate that several chemical mediators of anaphylaxis stimulate CBF and that the previously described impairment of mucociliary transport in stable allergic asthma or antigen-induced bronchoconstriction is probably not caused by a primary alteration of ciliary function.     

Kubicek每搏心输出量计算公式的三维有限元仿真研究

我们从 Kubicek模型三维有限元仿真的角度对 Kubicek每搏心输出量计算公式的临床应用价值进行了研究。在计算机仿真研究中 ,我们对比了模型仿真结果、具体采用 Kubicek每搏心输出量计算公式所得结果以及所设模型的理论计算结果。仿真结果表明 :模型中阻抗改变与主动脉中血液容积改变之间存在着近似的线性关系 ,证明了 Kubicek每搏心输出量计算公式具有一定的临床应用价值 ,同时也为心阻抗血流图基础理论提供了新的研究途径。     

Airway responses to antigen challenge in allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma

The density dependence of the maximum expiratory flow-volume curve, functional residual capacity (FRC), and specific airway conductance (SGaw) were determined before and during bronchial provocation with ragweed extract in 27 subjects with ragweed hypersensitivity and a history of either bronchial asthma (16 subjects) or allergic rhinitis (11 subjects). Mean baseline SGaw was significantly lower while mean volume of isoflow (Visov) and FrC were significantly higher in subjects with bronchial asthma. During antigen challenge, 10 of 16 subjects with bronchial asthma (63%) and five of 11 subjects with allergic rhinitis (45%) showed a greater than 35% decrease in SGaw ("reactors"): mean relative decreases in SGaw from baseline were 46% and 53%, respectively. The remaining subjects showed a less than 35% decrease in SGaw ("nonreactors") with mean relative decreases of 9% (allergic asthma) and 6% (allergic rhinitis). Mean Visov increased in all subjects with bronchial asthma and in eight of 11 subjects with allergic rhinitis. A significant increase in FRC (6%) was seen only in the "reactors" with bronchial asthma. Following antigen challenge, the beta adrenergic agonist, isoetharine, increased SGaw and decreased Visov. We conclude that in asymptomatic subjects with ragweed hypersensitivity, (1) central and peripheral airway function is more abnormal in subjects with bronchial asthma than in subjects with allergic rhinitis, (2) subjects of both groups show quantitatively and qualitatively comparable airway responses during antigen challenge with a decrease in SGaw or an increase in Visov, possibly representing increase in central and/or peripheral airflow resistance, respectively, (3) Visov may be a more sensitive indicator of airway response to antigen challenge than SGaw, and (4) the bronchodilator effects of a beta adrenergic agonist on antigen-induced bronchospasm are similar in both groups.     

Hormone changes induced by 37.5-h head-down tilt (−6°) in humans

Endocrine regulation of hormones and electrolytes during 37.5 h of –6° head down tilt (HDT) was studied in 13 men. The acute effects of simulated weightlessness are today well documented, but no study has been made concerning the hormone changes between 12 h and 2 days of HDT. Plasma volume showed a maximal increase of 9.23 (SEM 1.97) % after 6.5 h (P<0.01) and had returned to prestudy levels after 13.5 h of HDT. From 1.5 h to 4 h of HDT, C-terminus and N-terminus atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentrations in plasma were increased by about 50% (P<0.01) and thereafter declined to pre-HDT levels. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was decreased by 47% (P<0.05) after 4 h of HDT; PRA increased after 23.5 h to 60%; noradrenaline concentration decreased immediately and remained low up to 37.5 h. Diuresis and natriuresis were evident during the 1st day of HDT, resulting in a marked increase in the urinary Na⁺. These results showed that the initial hormone (ANP, PRA) changes during HDT did not last more than 13.5 h and that after 24 h a new state would seem to have been established to adapt the body to hypovolaemia.