Relation between the aortic pressure and the cardiac cycle in different neurovegetative conditions in the conscious dog

The relation between mean aortic pressure (mAoP) and the duration of cardiac cycle (C) has been studied in resting conscious dogs in normal condition (n), after vagal blockade (vb), after sympathetic blockade (sb), and after combined blockade of the two systems (sb+vb). The relation has been found to be negative in all conditions. The different conditions are clearly differentiated by the slope of the relation between mAoP/C (= kPa/s = mW/ml) and C. The hypothesis is put forward that the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic activities on the heart and the vessels produces the best compromise between the pump function of the heart and the afterload, in relation to the actual behavioural situation, in conscious animals.     

Computational Models in Electroencephalography

Brain Topography - Computational models lie at the intersection of basic neuroscience and healthcare applications because they allow researchers to test hypotheses in silico and predict the outcome...     

High-frequency vibration training increases muscle power in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: To test whether training on a high-frequency (28Hz) vibrating platform improves muscle power and bone characteristics in postmenopausal women. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with 6-month follow-up. SETTING: Outpatient clinic in a general hospital in Italy. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-nine postmenopausal women (intervention group, n=14; matched controls, n=15). INTERVENTION: Participants stood on a ground-based oscillating platform for three 2-minute sessions for a total of 6 minutes per training session, twice weekly for 6 months. The controls did not receive any training. Both groups were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Muscle power, calculated from ground reaction forces produced by landing after jumping as high as possible on a forceplate, cortical bone density, and biomarkers of bone turnover. RESULTS: Over 6 months, muscle power improved by about 5% in women who received the intervention, and it remained unchanged in controls (P=.004). Muscle force remained stable in both the intervention and control groups. No significant changes were observed in bone characteristics. CONCLUSION: Reflex muscular contractions induced by vibration training improve muscle power in postmenopausal women.     

Rapid absorption and clinical effectiveness of intragastric mefloquine in the treatment of cerebral malaria in African children

To obviate the lack of injectable quinine in a hospital in rural Burundi, mefloquine, only available as an oral formulation, was administered (25 mg/kg bodyweight) as a single dose by nasogastric tube to four small children with cerebral malaria. All patients recovered uneventfully after a mean coma duration of 20.5 h. Mefloquine was rapidly absorbed and therapeutic serum concentrations were achieved within a few hours in all subjects, with parasite reduction ratios after 48 h within the expected range for drug-sensitive parasites. These findings suggest that intragastric mefloquine deserves consideration whenever parenteral drugs are not available for the treatment of cerebral malaria.