Improving Prenatal Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta

Background

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between fetal echocardiographic measurements and the need for intervention (primary coarctation repair, staged coarctation repair, or catheter intervention) in prenatally diagnosed coarctation of the aorta.

SPARC, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein containing the follistatin module, is expressed by astrocytes in synaptic enriched regions of the adult brain

Although extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins play important roles in neural development, their levels are generally believed to decrease in the adult brain. Immunohistochemical analysis indicates that the anti-adhesive ECM glycoprotein SPARC/osteonectin, which contains a follistatin ‘module’, is expressed in the adult rabbit nervous system. In the cerebellum, SPARC is present in Bergmann glia, with a strong signal along their radial fibres. SPARC, while enriched in membrane fractions, is not a transmembrane protein. In the hippocampus, colocalization of SPARC is observed in cells which express the astrocytic marker GFAP. The expression of SPARC by a subset of astrocytes, particularly in synaptic enriched areas, suggests a continuing role for the ECM in the adult brain.     

Laparoscopic hysterectomy

Summary Thirty-three patients were selected for laparoscopic hysterectomy and operated on in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine of Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital. Surgical techniques included blunt dissection with scissors and bipolar coagulation to achieve hemostasis. A case was considered successful when all the uterine vessels were treated by laparoscopy. Twenty-four cases were completed laparoscopically (72.7%). None of these patients had postoperative bleeding; 22 had an uneventful postoperative recovery. Nine procedures were converted to laparotomy (27.3%), five because of a difficult or unsatisfactory hemostasis. We conclude that in selected cases, a total hysterectomy can be performed safely by experienced laparoscopists. Further technological progress is necessary to make this procedure more acceptable. Its value as compared to the others will have to be demonstrated.     

Metabolic myocardial viability assessment with iodine 123-16-iodo-3-methylhexadecanoic acid in recent myocardial infarction: Comparison with thallium-201 and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose

The best test presently available to ascertain residual viability within an infarct-related area involves the use of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to detect the persistence of some cellular metabolism. Rest reinjection of thallium-201 is a less accurate alternative but is easy to perform. Iodinated fatty acids, which are used with standard gamma cameras, are proposed as markers of cellular metabolism. This study was performed to assess the value of 16-iodo-3-methyl-hexadecanoic acid (MIHA) as a marker of the residual cellular metabolism by comparison with FDG in patients with a recent myocardial infarction, and to evaluate its contribution compared with the²⁰¹Tl stress-redistribution-reinjection technique. Stress-redistribution-reinjection²⁰¹T1 imaging, rest MIHA imaging and glucoseloaded FDG imaging were performed in 22 patients with recent myocardial infarction. Out of the 628 myocardial segments obtained from the left ventricular analysis, 400 were hypoperfused (relative uptake <0.75 of maximum uptake on stress²⁰¹T1 imaging), 177 of which were severely hypoperfused (relative uptake <0.50). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for predicting metabolic myocardial viability with FDG were derived from the results in respect of (a)²⁰¹T1 activity during exercise, redistribution and reinjection and (b) MIHA up-take, using the two FDG thresholds most commonly considered to define metabolic viability (0.50 and 0.60). Analysis of the 400 hypoperfused segments demonstrated that²⁰¹T1 reinjection was the most accurate test in predicting the presence of myocardial viability (area under the ROI curves=0.85 and 0.86 at the 0.50 and 0.60 FDG thresholds, respectively;P<0.05 vs other tests). The global predictive values of MIHA and²⁰¹T1 reinjection were, respectively, 0.87 and 0.89 at the 0.50 FDG threshold (NS), and 0.82 and 0.87 at the 0.60 FDG threshold (NS). When only the 177 severely hypoperfused segments were considered,²⁰¹T1 reinjection remained the most accurate test (accuracy 0.84 at the 0.50 FDG threshold and 0.82 at the 0.60 FDG threshold), while the accuracy of MIHA decreased significantly (0.78 at the 0.50 FDG threshold and 0.73 at the 0.60 FDG threshold,P<0.05 vs²⁰¹T1 reinjection). In all circumstances, MIHA was less specific than²⁰¹T1 reinjection for the detection of metabolic viability. In conclusion, in patients with recent myocardial infarction, MIHA accurately detects the persistence of metabolic viability, but is not superior to²⁰¹T1.     

Characteristics of apathy in Parkinson's disease.

The objective of this study was to use the Lille Apathy Rating Scale to assess apathy in a large population of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and identify several different apathy profiles. One hundred fifty-nine patients with probable PD and 58 healthy controls participated in the study. Apathy was assessed using the Lille Apathy Rating Scale. Motor, cognitive, and depressive symptoms were rated on standardized scales. Data were analyzed using linear regression and multivariate analyses of variance. Thirty-two percent of the PD patients were classified as apathetic. Apathy was more frequent in patients with dementia. The four apathy dimensions contributed differently to the overall severity of the apathetic condition. Action initiation and intellectual curiosity had a marked influence. Linear regression analysis revealed that the apathy level was mainly determined by cognitive impairment, not associated with the severity of motor symptoms, and only associated with the apathy subcomponent of the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Apathy is highly prevalent in PD patients. Apathy profiles vary according to the clinical presentation of PD. The high prevalence of apathy in PD suggests the involvement of frontal-subcortical circuits. Although the neurochemical substrate of apathy remains poorly characterized, the strong link between apathy and cognitive impairment observed in several studies suggests the participation of nondopaminergic circuits.     

Respiratory Depression by Tramadol in the Cat: Involvement of Opioid Receptors

Background: Tramadol hydrochloride (tramadol) is a synthetic opioid analgesic with a relatively weak affinity at opioid receptors. At analgesic doses, tramadol seems to cause little or no respiratory depression in humans, although there are some conflicting data. The aim of this study was to examine whether tramadol causes dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the ventilatory carbon dioxide response curve and whether these are reversible or can be prevented by naloxone.

Methods: Experiments were performed in cats under [alpha]-chloralose-urethane anesthesia. The effects of tramadol and naloxone were studied by applying square-wave changes in end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide (Petco2; 7.5-11 mmHg) and by analyzing the dynamic ventilatory responses using a two-compartment model with a fast peripheral and a slow central component, characterized by a time constant, carbon dioxide sensitivity, time delay, and a single offset (apneic threshold).

Results: In five animals 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg tramadol (intravenous) increased the apneic threshold (control: 28.3 +/- 4.8 mmHg [mean +/- SD]; after 4 mg/kg: 36.7 +/- 7.1 mmHg;P < 0.05) and decreased the total carbon dioxide sensitivity (control: 109.3 +/- 41.3 ml [middle dot] min-1 [middle dot] mmHg-1) by 31, 59, and 68%, respectively, caused by proportional equal reductions in sensitivities of the peripheral and central chemoreflex loops. Naloxone (0.1 mg/kg, intravenous) completely reversed these effects. In five other cats, 4 mg/kg tramadol caused an approximately 70% ventilatory depression at a fixed Pet co2 of 45 mmHg that was already achieved after 15 min. A third group of five animals received the same dose of tramadol after pretreatment with naloxone. At a fixed Petco2 of 45 mmHg, naloxone prevented more than 50% of the expected ventilatory depression in these animals.     

CMSS-VEPs: Contrast modulated steady state visual evoked potentials: Its neuronal origin and clinical use

CMSS-VEPs are presented as a sensitive, non-invasive functional investigation technique of the visual function, applicable in clinical practice. New improvements of the technique are presented. The underlying neuronal mechanisms are discussed. The clinical use is illustrated in a case of optic neuritis.     

Comparison of mathematically determined blood lactate and heart rate “threshold” points and relationship with performance

Summary The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between threshold points for heart rate ( ) and blood lactate (Th_1a) as determined by two objective mathematical models. The models used were the mono-segmental exponential (EXP) model of Hughson et al. and the log-log (LOG) model of Beaver et al. Inter-correlations of these threshold points and correlations with performance were also studied. Seventeen elite runners (mean, SD = 27.5, 6.5 years; 1.73, 0.05 m; 63.8, 7.3 kg; and maximum oxygen consumption of 67.8, 3.7 ml · kg^–1 · min^–1) performed two maximal multistage running field tests on a 183.9-m indoor track with inclined turns. The initial speed of 9 km · h^–1 (2.5 m · s^–1) was increased by 0.5 km · h^–1 (0.14 m · s^–1) every lap for thef _c test and by 1 km · h^–1 (0.28 m · s^–1) every 4 min for the la test. After fitting the la or thef _c data to the two mathematical models, the threshold speed was assessed in the LOG model from the intersection of the two linear segments (LOG-1a; LOG-f _c) and in the EXP model from a tangent point (TI-1a; TI-f _c). Th_1a and speeds computed with the two models were significantly different (P<0.001) and poorly correlated (LOG-1a vs LOG-f _c:r=0.36, TI-1a vs TI-f _c:r=0.13). In general, were less well correlated with performance than Th_1a. With two different objective mathematical models, this study has shown significant differences and poor correlations between Th_1a and . Thus thef _c inflection point with Conconi's protocol is a poor indicator of the la breakpoint with a conventional multistage protocol and a weaker indicator of running performance.