Potential biobehavioral mechanisms of recurrent abdominal pain in children

To explain why otherwise healthy children experience recurrent episodes of abdominal pain (the recurrent abdominal pain syndrome, or RAP), it has been hypothesized that the child with RAP demonstrates: (1) a deficit in autonomic nervous system recovery to stress, and/or (2) an enhanced behavioral and subjective response to pain. To evaluate the validity of these assumptions, children with RAP (9–14 years) and hospital and healthy controls matched for age, sex, ethnicity and SES were exposed to a cold pressor stimulus (0 ± 1°C). Autonomic (peripheral vasomotor and heart rate), somatic (forearm EMG), subjective (pain intensity and distress), and behavioral (facial expression) responses were recorded during baseline, stressor and recovery periods. At all 4 levels of observation, the cold pressor stimulus resulted in significant autonomic, somatic, subjective and behavioral arousal. However, no significant differential response across the 3 groups was noted for any measure and, in particular, no recovery deficit in autonomic arousal was demonstrated. These findings do not support the assumption of a differential response to an acute laboratory induced stress in children with RAP compared to control children.     

砭石疗法治疗臀上皮神经损伤临床观察

目的:观察砭石疗法与药物法治疗臀上皮神经损伤的疗效差异,并探讨其机制.方法:将180例患者按完全随机原则分为两组.治疗组(90例)采用砭石疗法治疗,对照组(90例)采用药物法治疗,治疗2个疗程,治疗结束后4周判定疗效.结果:治疗组有效率为98.89%,对照组为72.22%,两组疗效差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论:砭石疗法治疗臀上皮神经损伤的治疗效果明显优于药物治疗.     

论《内外伤辨惑论》辨虚实本质及内外伤的相关性

[目的]探讨金元医家李东垣的奠基之作《内外伤辨惑论》的辨惑本质以及内伤与外感病的相关性。[方法]通过对《内外伤辨惑论》立论背景的研究,分析该论中主要的十三辨,进而思考辨惑的本质;同时联系李氏代表著作《脾胃论》中对解表药（风药）升发阳气作用机理的阐发,并与张仲景《伤寒论》等学术思想相比较,讨论外感风寒与内伤脾胃的对立与转化关系。[结果]发现《内外伤辨惑论》的辨惑实质并非在于病位之表里,而在于病证之虚实;从风药的作用机理以及表证、风药与脾胃的关系等分析,提出了内伤与外感病存在相关性。[结论]对《内外伤辨惑论》辨虚实本质的揭示及对解表药作用本质、内伤和外感相关性的认识,可以为临床辨证用药打开一些思路。     

The effect of hyperthermia on glucose transport in normal and thermal-tolerant Chinese hamster ovary cells

The effect of hyperthermia on glucose transport was studied in CHO cells to test the hypothesis that interference with membrane transport might be related to cell death at elevated temperatures. It was shown that passive diffusion of 2-deoxyglucose increases steadily over the temperature range 4-50 degrees C. Facilitated diffusion increases from 4 degrees C to 35 degrees C then exhibits a broad optimum before decreasing rapidly above 45 degrees C. The temperature dependence of glucose transport in thermally resistant cells was not however different from that of normal cells suggesting that this membrane transport process is not a critical target in cell killing by heat.     

Retrograde coronary sinus perfusion for myocardial protection during cardiopulmonary bypass

The pathophysiology of retrograde coronary sinus perfusion was studied in a vented, nonworking heart in vitro. The fraction of nutritional blood flow, estimated with the trapping index of radioactive microspheres (15 +/- 5 mu), is approximately one-fifth of total flow. The funoff is primarily through the thebesian system and venovenous channels, as is shown with Microfil injection studies. These results suggest that retrograde coronary sinus perfusion would be of marginal value in revascularizing a working heart but would be effective in protecting a hypothermic, nonworking myocardium. Canine experiments indicate that retrograde coronary sinus perfusion can provide efficient core cooling of the myocardium during cardiopulmonary bypass even in the presence of complete coronary artery occlusion. It is technically simple, delivers cardioplegic solutions to the myocardium without the risk of coronary ostial injury, and can be employed in the presence of severe aortic insufficiency and open aortic root. Retrograde coronary sinus perfusion therefore appears to be a valuable alternative mode of myocardial protection during cardiac operations.     

Catastrophic hemorrhage during redo sternotomy

This paper reviews the attitude of 131 surgeons to the performance of a second sternotomy incision and assesses 144 severe hemorrhages that occurred as the sternotomy was being done. Eighty-eight percent of the hemorrhages occurred in situations in which the pericardium had not been closed at the first operation. From these events and the present attitude of surgeons responding to our questionnaire, we offer advice on the management of second sternotomies and on the management of hemorrhage when it occurs.     

Early and Late Results in Pulmonary Atresia

The early and long-term results following surgical treatment of 24 infants with pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum were reviewed. Pulmonary valvotomy was the operation most often performed, and we came to realize that this was effective when the preoperative right ventricular angiogram had shown an open conus up to the atretic valve. By contrast, no infant without a patent conus survived pulmonary valvotomy. We suggest that this subgroup of patients (8 of the 24 in this series) should have a systemic-pulmonary shunt followed later by reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract.Diminutive right ventricles will grow and dilate if a reasonable passageway is formed from right ventricle to pulmonary artery. Thus the long-term results have been excellent when this has been carried out, with normal right ventricular pressures and appearance on angiography in 7 patients followed up to 13 years.     

Distribution of coronary blood flow during cardiopulmonary bypass in pigs

The distribution of coronary blood flow during cardiopulmonary bypass in pigs was estimated by the radioactive microsphere method. Total flows during bypass were inadequate or marginal under the conditions of the experiment. The endocardial side of the myocardium was markedly underperfused when the heart remained in ventricular fibrillation during bypass. Vasodilation (with dipyridamole) or perfusion with a pulsatile pump improved the gradient, although distribution still greatly favored the epicardial side. Only when the heart remained in normal sinus rhythm during bypass was the normal distribution maintained. The implications of these experiments for explaining the lesion of left ventricular hemorrhagic necrosis are discussed.     

Reoperation for coronary graft failure: clinical and angiographic results in 43 patients.

Reoperation because of early or late coronary graft failure was performed in 43 patients who were part of a group of 1,985 patients operated on for coronary artery disease and followed for up to 7 years. Considerable variation in the results was noted depending on whether the patients were symptomatic or not before reoperation. Of the symptomatic patients, 85% were asymptomatic late (30 months) after reoperation whereas of those patients reoperated on despite the apparent lack of symptoms, 71.5% remained free from angina later on. Moreover, patency rate was high (94.4% or 17/18 grafts) in the first group and much lower (38.4% or 5/13 grafts) in those reoperated on solely on the basis of an early angiogram showing malfunctioning grafts. Patency rate was higher when the graft was totally replaced (92.3% or 12/13 restudied) rather than repaired simply through interposition of a segment of vein (37.5% or 3/8). It is apparent that results of reoperation in symptomatic patients are identical to those of an initial revascularization. On the other hand, patients who are asymptomatic despite early evidence of malfunctioning grafts should be reoperated on only when optimal angiographic conditions are present, that is, a coronary artery that is a good size, severely narrowed, and supplying a large myocardial area.