Inadvertent Detection of 60-Hz Alternating Current by an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

LEE, S.W., et al. : Inadvertent Detection of 60-Hz Alternating Current by an Implantable Cardioverter De-fibrillator. A patient with an ICD received therapies from his ICD while exercising in an indoor swimming pool. Interrogation of the ICD revealed inappropriate detection of 60-Hz alternating current artifact and delivery of ICD therapies.     

The effect of solvent/detergent-treated plasma on red cells stored in vitro

BACKGROUND: The potential use of solvent/detergent-treated plasma (S/D plasma) in transfusion practice raises concerns about the cytolytic effects that any residual solvent and detergent in the virally inactivated blood component might have on units of red cells in vitro, if the two components are mixed during preparation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: S/D plasma was mixed with variously processed units of stored red cells, in vitro, to evaluate the effect the residual solvent and detergent would have on cell membrane integrity. A paired protocol design was used in which half-units of red cells were exposed to S/D plasma (test), and the matched half-units were exposed to either the supernatant additive solution from the original red cell unit or standard fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) (control). After incubation for up to 5 days, the units were evaluated for evidence of hemolysis or changes in other red cell storage assays. RESULTS: This study showed that, for fresh additive solution red cells (AS-1), the 5-day storage plasma hemoglobin levels were comparable in the red cells exposed to S/D plasma (21 mg/dL) and in the paired half-units stored in the original AS-1 supernatant (31 mg/dL) (p > 0.05). Similar findings were recorded for stored AS-1 red cells (S/D plasma; 111 mg/dL vs. AS-1 supernatant, 147 mg/dL; p > 0.05); stored CPDA-1 red cells (S/D plasma, 133 mg/dL vs. FFP, 103 mg/dL; p > 0.05); frozen red cells (S/D plasma, 28 mg/dL vs. FFP, 18 mg/dL; p > 0.017); and stored irradiated AS-1 red cells (S/D plasma, 608 mg/dL vs. AS-1 supernatant, 726 mg/dL; p > 0.05). Comparable results were found for other assays, including levels of plasma potassium, osmotic fragility, and red cell antigen titer. CONCLUSION: These data show that S/D plasma does not induce red cell lysis even after 5 days of in vitro storage. These results are consistent with previous findings by this laboratory that platelets are not harmed by storage in S/D plasma. Red cells resuspended in S/D plasma and stored for up to 5 days maintain in vitro storage characteristics that are acceptable for the use of the cells in clinical transfusion practice.     

自身免疫性肝炎大鼠模型外周血淋巴细胞亚群变化与褪黑素的影响

目的:观察褪黑素对自身免疫性肝炎大鼠模型外周血淋巴细胞亚群的影响方法:实验于2004-10/2006-10在解放军第一二三医院南京军区肝病中心实验室完成。①实验材料:Wistar大鼠,雄性,3月龄,体质量(230±20)g,购自上海斯莱克实验动物有限责任公司。褪黑素:美国Sigma公司产品,临用前以无水乙醇溶解,再加生理盐水配制,使乙醇浓度为0.1%,置4℃冰箱保存备用。②实验方法:采用弗氏完全佐剂加肝细胞特异性脂蛋白法制作大鼠自身免疫性肝炎模型。将建模成功大鼠随机分为模型对照组、褪黑素注射组及猪促肝细胞生长素注射组,每组20只。褪黑素注射组褪黑素2mg/kg腹腔注射,1次/d,猪促肝细胞生长素注射组2mg/kg猪促肝细胞生长素腹腔注射,1次/d,模型对照组与正常对照组均用含0.01%乙醇的生理盐水腹腔注射。③实验评估:60d后检测各组大鼠外周血淋巴细胞亚群浓度。结果:①CD4 细胞≤39.5只,均为褪黑素注射组动物,肝炎组织活动性指数≤8分。22只CD4 细胞>39.5%动物中,4只肝炎组织活动性指数≤8分,其中2只为褪黑素注射组动物,2只为模型对照组动物。18只肝炎组织活动性指数>8分,均为模型对照组动物。②18只CD4 细胞≤39.5%褪黑素注射组动物中,17只肝纤维化指数≤4分,1只肝纤维化指数4分;22只动物CD4 细胞>39.5%,2只肝纤维化指数≤4分,为模型对照组动物,20只肝纤维化指数>4分,褪黑素注射组2只,模型对照组18只。③CD4 细胞≤39.5%,肝组织血管病变均为1级,>39.5%时,2级以上血管病变为90.9%。18只CD4 细胞≤39.5%褪黑素注射动物血管病变为1级。22只CD4 细胞百分比>39.5%,2只血管病变为1级,为模型对照动物,17只血管病变为2级,褪黑素注射组2只,模型对照组15只。3只血管病变为3级,为模型对照动物。④CD4 细胞≤39.5%时,83.3%血管内皮细胞生长因子表达呈弱阳性,CD4 细胞>39.5%时,81.8%血管内皮细胞生长因子表达呈强阳性,提示CD4 细胞与血管内皮细胞生长因子表达有关。⑤模型对照组外周血CD4 细胞数和CD4 /CD8 比值均明显高于其他组(P<0.05),CD8 细胞与其他组无明显差异(P>0.05)。褪黑素注射动物与猪促肝细胞生长素注射动物相比,无明显差异(P>0.05)。结论:褪黑素对自身免疫性肝炎模型大鼠外周血CD4 细胞有较强的抑制作用。     

Therapeutic action and underlying mechanisms of a combination of two pentacyclic triterpenes, α- and β-amyrin,in a mouse model of colitis

Background and purpose:

α- and β-amyrin are pentacyclic triterpenes found in plants and are known to exhibit pronounced anti-inflammatory effects. Here, we evaluated the effects of a 1:1 mixture of α- and β-amyrin (α,β-amyrin) on an experimental model of colitis in mice.

Experimental approach:

Colitis was induced in Swiss male mice by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) and followed up to 72 h; animals were treated systemically with α,β-amyrin, dexamethasone or vehicle. Macro- and microscopic damage, myeloperoxidase activity and cytokine levels were assessed in colons. Histological sections were immunostained for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor, phospho-p65 nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and phospho-cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB)

Key results:

TNBS-induced colitis was associated with tissue damage, neutrophil infiltration and time-dependent increase of inflammatory mediators. Treatment with α,β-amyrin (3 mg·kg⁻¹, i.p.) or dexamethasone (1 mg·kg⁻¹, s.c.) consistently improved tissue damage scores and abolished polymorphonuclear cell infiltration. α,β-Amyrin, like dexamethasone, significantly diminished interleukin (IL)-1β levels and partially restored IL-10 levels in colon tissues 72 h after colitis induction, but only α,β-amyrin reduced vascular endothelial growth factor expression by immunohistochemistry. The colonic expression of COX-2 at 24 h and that of phospho-NF-κB and phospho-CREB (peaking at 6 h) after colitis induction were consistently inhibited by both α,β-amyrin and dexamethasone.

Conclusions and implications:

Systemic administration of α,β-amyrin exerted a marked and rapid inhibition of TNBS-induced colitis, related to the local suppression of inflammatory cytokines and COX-2 levels, possibly via inhibition of NF-κB and CREB-signalling pathways. Taken together, our data suggest a potential use of α,β-amyrin to control inflammatory responses in bowel disease.     

Femoral Vasodilation to Cromakalim is Blocked by U37883A,a Non-sulphonylurea that Selectively Inhibits KATP Channels

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of U37883A, a non-sulphonylurea inhibitor of K_ATP channels, in the femoral vascular bed of the anaesthetized dog. Administration of U37883A, 4-morpholinecarboxamidine-N-1-adamentyl-N-cyclohexyl hydrochloride (2·5 mg kg^?1, i.v.), significantly inhibited the femoral vasodilator response to intra-femoral arterial injection of cromakalim, an activator of K_ATP channels. In contrast, U37883A had no effect on the femoral vasodilator responses to nitroglycerin, isoprenaline, 5-HT, or 5-carboxamidotryptamine, suggesting this agent is a novel and selective inhibitor of hindlimb vasodilation induced by K_ATP-channel activation. Since U37883A did not significantly alter baseline femoral blood flow and femoral vascular resistance, the present data suggest that K_ATP channels do not contribute, in large measure, to regulating the canine femoral vascular bed under resting conditions in-vivo.     

Multi-institutional phase 2 study of TLK286 (TELCYTA™, a glutathione S-transferase P1-1 activated glutathione analog prodrug) in patients with platinum and paclitaxel refractory or resistant ovarian cancer

The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of TLK286 (TELCYTA(TM)), a glutathione analog prodrug, in patients with platinum and paclitaxel refractory or resistant ovarian carcinoma. Thirty-six patients with measurable disease were enrolled. TLK286 was administered at 1000 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks. The endpoints were objective response rate assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and survival. Adverse events were graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. Thirty-four platinum refractory or resistant patients (94%) were evaluable for objective tumor response. Five patients (15%) had objective tumor responses, including one durable complete response (CR) of greater than 3 years and continuing. The disease stabilization rate was 50%, including one CR (3%), four partial responses (12%), and 12 durable disease stabilizations (35%). Responses were accompanied by improvement in clinical symptoms and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) and decline in CA125 levels. Median survival was 423 days with survival of 60% at 1 year and 40% at 18 months. TLK286 was well tolerated in this population. TLK286 is an active agent in chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer. Further studies of TLK286 in platinum and paclitaxel refractory or resistant ovarian cancer are in progress.     

Blood carbonic anhydrase activity in anemia,with a note on polycythemia vera

Measurements of blood carbonic anhydrase activity were made in patients witha variety of blood dyscrasias, using a new method. In patients with anemia dueto loss of blood, infection and uremia, and in most of those with anemia associatedwith liver disease and leukemia, a constant relation was found between bloodcarbonic anhydrase activity and the hematocrit; the same holds in polycythemiavera. In patients with pernicious anemia, and in some with "refractory" anemia,and anemias associated with hepatic disease and with myelogenous leukemia,blood carbonic anhydrase activity was in or near the normal range in spite oflowered hematocrit values. The possible relation between these differencesamong anemias and the tolerance of patients with various anemias to exercise isdiscussed.