The Membrane Lipid Cholesterol Modulates Anesthetic Actions on a Human Brain Ion Channel

Background: Molecular theories of general anesthesia often are divided into two categories: (l) Anesthetics may bind specifically to proteins, such as ionic channels, and alter their function directly, and (2) anesthetics may alter the functions of integral membrane proteins indirectly through modification of the physical properties of the membrane. Recent studies have provided evidence that anesthetics can bind to proteins and modify their function directly, bringing into question the role of the membrane in anesthetic interactions. To reexamine the role of membrane lipids in anesthetic interactions, an experimental approach was used in which the membrane lipid composition could be systematically altered and the impact on anesthetic interactions with potential targets examined.

Methods: Sodium channels from human brain cortex were incorporated into planar lipid bilayers with increasing cholesterol content. The anesthetic suppression of these channels by pentobarbital was quantitatively examined by single channel measurements under voltage-clamp conditions.

Results: Changes in cholesterol content had no effect on measured channel properties in the absence of anesthetic. In the presence of pentobarbital, however, cholesterol inhibited anesthetic suppression of channel ionic currents, with 1.9% (weight/weight, corresponding to 3.5 mol%) cholesterol decreasing anesthetic suppression of sodium channels by half.     

X-Ray Study of the Cat Hindlimb During Treadmill Locomotion

With pulsed X-ray cinematography we have analysed the angular excursions of the distal hindlimb joints (proximal interphalangeal, PIP; metatarsophalangeal, MTP; ankle) in cats walking on a treadmill. These distal joints transmit the body weight and the dynamic forces onto the ground. We have included the knee and hip joints in the analysis to relate the angular excursions of the proximal and distal joints and to verify the data previously obtained with external markers on the kinematics of the proximal joints. At the beginning of the stance phase the PIP joints flexed rapidly, the MTP joints extended slowly and the ankle and knee yielded under body weight. Whereas the PIP joints maintained a rather constant angular position of −75° throughout the stance phase, extension continued in the MTP joints from −230° at touch-down to −270° at the end of the stance phase. Around 50 ms before lift-off the MTP joints flexed rapidly. Early (−30 ms) after lift-off this flexion changed into a slow extension. The PIP joints extended swiftly at the stance-swing transition and moderately at the end of the swing phase. During the middle part of the swing phase they flexed slowly. Small rotatory movements around the long axis of the foot took place in the last 100 ms of the swing phase. The results of this study on the distal joints are discussed in relation to the placing of the paw, to the translation of forward propulsion into a MTP movement and to the lifting of the paw (conventionally described as toe curling). They show a differentiated mechanical interaction between the different distal limb joints during these different phases, which must be known in detail to interpret the corresponding electromyographic data and to understand how the hip is moved forward over the MTP joints which serve as the final pivot during stance.     

Estimates of disease incidence in women based on antenatal or neonatal seroprevalence data: HIV in new york city

Piecewise constant incidence models were developed to estimate the force of infection in women from age-and time-specific antenatal or neonatal seroprevalence data. Differential inclusion of infected women in sero-surveys compared to uninfected women was taken into account, with respect to both changes in inclusion rate following infection, and changes in relative inclusion rate over calendar time. These models were applied to anonymous HIV seroprevalence data collected from neonates born to black and Hispanic women in New York City 1988-1992, with incidence and fertility parameters estimated by maximum likelihood. Estimates of inclusion rate parameters accorded well with what is known about the natural history of HIV. The data could not distinguish between additive and multiplicative combination of the effects of age and time on incidence. Incidence was strongly dependent on age with the highest incidence in women aged 20-34 years. There was strong evidence that incidence had been falling in Hispanic women since 1982-1984. The results illustrate the extent to which trends in incidence over time may be confounded by changes in the relative inclusion rate of infected and uninfected women.     

Transplacental IgG Subclass Concentrations in Pregnancies at Risk of Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn

The relationship of haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) to the transplacental passage of the four IgG subclasses was assessed at varous gestational ages by comparing the maternal and fetal IgG subclass concentrations in 34 pregnancies at risk of HDN with those in 30 pregnancies not at risk. Higher maternal and fetal IgG1 levels were attained in pregnancies at risk of HDN than in pregnancies not at risk. In contrast, a slight decrease in maternal IgG2 and IgG4 levels occurred in pregnancies at risk of HDN, as compared with a slight rise in maternal IgG2 and IgG4 levels in pregnancies not at risk of HDN. Changes in fetal IgG2 and 4 concentrations in either type of pregnancy were very similar, showing only slight increases between the 19th and 34th week of gestation. A slight decrease in maternal IgG3 occurred in both types of pregnancy. In contrast, higher and fairly steady levels of fetal IgG3 were observed in fetuses not at risk of HDN throughout gestation, when compared with those in 'at risk' pregnancies. However, the statistical reliability of these results is not clear since only small numbers of samples were tested and because wide variations in IgG concentrations were observed. The IgG subclass concentrations in 50 paired maternal and cord blood samples were also measured and revealed that IgG1 levels were substantially higher in cord rather than maternal blood; cord and maternal IgG2, 3 and 4 levels, on the other hand, were fairly similar.     

Effect of a patellar realignment brace on patellofemoral relationships: Evaluation with kinematic MR imaging

The effect of a newly developed patellar realignment brace was evaluated in 21 patellofemoral joints (19 patients) with patellar subluxation (13 joints with lateral subluxation and eight with medial subluxation) by using active-movement, loaded kinematic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sixteen patellofemoral joints (76%) demonstrated a qualitative correction of or improvement in patellar subluxation (ie, centralization of the patella or a decrease in the displacement of the patella) after application of the brace. Four of the five “failures” occurred in patellofemoral joints that had patella alta and/or dysplastic bone anatomy. These results indicate that the patellar realignment brace was able to counteract patellar subluxation in the majority of patellofemoral joints studied, as shown by active-movement, loaded kinematic MR imaging. This brace appears to be useful for conservative treatment of patients with patellofemoral joint pain secondary to patellar malalignment and maltracking.     

Evaluation of the influence of the aqueous phase bioconstituent environment on the F-19 T1 of perfluorocarbon blood substitute emulsions

Oxygen-sensitive F-19 magnetic resonance imaging of perfluorocarbon compounds requires that fluorocarbon T1 changes correlate with the local Po₂ and not with the composition of the surrounding aqueous phase. The influence of various bioconstituents and paramagnetic ions within the aqueous phase on the F-19 fluorocarbon phase T1 for PFC emulsions was evaluated at 0.14 and 0.66 T. T1 was measured for FC-43, perflubron, and a fluorinated surfactant. Controlled variables introduced in the aqueous phase included annex solution constituents, blood, pH changes, and Gd-DTPA. For a constant Po₂, the F-19 T1s were independent of the emulsion constituents, blood concentration, and pH. For FC-43 and perflubron, F-19 T1 was independent of the Gd-DTPA concentration, while the aqueous phase T1 decreased by more than an order of magnitude. XMO-10 (smallest emulsion particle size) showed a slight decrease in F-19 T1 with increasing Gd-DTPA concentration at 0.66 T.     

High-resolution loading tests in the study of genetic heterogeneity in gangliosidosis fibroblasts

Summary GM₁- and GM₂-gangliosides were isolated from brain and radio-labelled. The labelled moieties were localized by hydrolysis with lysosomal enzymes, followed by thin-layer chromatography of the products. High-resolution loading tests with labelled gangliosides were developed and found to differentiate infantile and juvenile forms of GM₁- and GM₂-gangliosidoses as well as the identification of B, O and AB types of GM₂-gangliosidosis.     

Precise and limited decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis

Summary Fifty-eight consecutive patients with lumbosacral nerve root entrapment due to spinal stenosis were treated with modified microsurgical decompression. Only the clinically relevant sides and levels were decompressed while the spinous processes, the interspinous ligaments, the medial portion of ligamentum flavum and the functionally important parts of the facet joints were preserved. The reviewers rated recovery as good or excellent in 71% of patients while patient self-assessment indicated 76% good or excellent outcome. These data suggest that microsurgical decompression of spondyloarthritic changes can effectively relieve the signs and symptoms of nerve root compression and that with careful evaluation of all available data the number of nerve roots requiring decomperession is often fewer than what is suggested by diagnositic images alone.