Evaluation of Temporary Atrial Pacing Leads

Thirty-five patients were randomized to receive either the Medtronic 6500 or one of two braided multifilament temporary pacing leads in the atrium following open heart surgery. Sensing performance was judged by amplitude, slew rate, and the proportion of patients with an adequate sensing threshold. Pacing performance was assessed with measures of impedance, threshold voltage, current, and energy. The Medtronic 6500 demonstrated superior sensing and lower energy consumption compared to braided multifilament leads. This type of lead may offer advantages when using atrial synchronous temporary pacing systems.     

Detoxification Mechanism in the Rat Extraorbital Lacrimal Gland: Conjugation of Brefeldin A to Glutathione

In this work the existence of a glutathione based detoxification system in rat lacrimal glands is reported. We showed that brefeldin A, a drug used as a tool for the study of intracellular trafficking mechanisms, was inactivated by metabolization and converted into two derivatives. We purified them by high performance liquid chromatography and determined, by mass spectroscopy, that they correspond to glutathione and cysteine derivatives of BFA. The determination of the respective amounts of these derivatives in the medium and the tissue in different experimental conditions, revealed that glutathione-BFA is formed in the tissue, excreted from the cells, cleaved by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and finally converted to cysteine-BFA.     

Variability of the intestinal immunoglobulin E response of rats to infection with Trichinella spiralis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus or Nippostrongylus brasiliensis

Total intestinal IgE level increased in rats infected with Trichinella spiralis or Heligmosomoides polygyrus (peak levels of 2.6 microg and 3.7 microg, respectively), but not in rats infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Intestinal implantation of young adult N. brasiliensis did not stimulate an intestinal immunoglobulin (Ig)E response, suggesting that mucosal penetration may be required for local intestinal IgE responses in rats. During a T. spiralis infection, total IgE levels in the intestinal lumen were consistently higher in LEWIS and LOU rats (rat strains that eliminate T. spiralis worms earlier in the infection) than in PVG, AO and WKA/H strain rats. There was no correlation in either the total level of serum IgE and IgA, or of intestinal IgA with differences between strains in the rate of worm elimination from the gut. Furthermore, the intestinal IgE immunoprecipitated from LEWIS rats 12 days after infection reacted with T. spiralis adult worm metabolic antigens, while intestinal IgE from PVG rats only became reactive with adult worm metabolic antigens from 14 days after infection. These data emphasize the significance of the intestinal IgE response and its unique features by comparison with serum IgE and IgA or intestinal IgA.     

HYPNOSIS FOR MINOR SURGICAL PROCEDURES

Hypnosis has a limited place as a form of anaesthesia for minorsurgical procedures. In a series of forty cases, no patienthad previously been hypnotized or conditioned in any way, anda sufficient depth of trance was obtained in thirty-eight cases.The advantages and disadvantages of hypnosis are discussed.     

Superiority of the T and N integer score (TANIS) staging system for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

An alternative to the TNM classification system has been proposed for patients with head and neck cancer. The T and N integer score (TANIS) system adds the integer values of T and N classifications. The TNM and TANIS staging systems were retrospectively evaluated for 186 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (tongue and floor of mouth). The TANIS system was found to better separate the patients into prognostic groups and allowed a more accurate prediction of disease-free survival. (OTOLARYNGOL HEAD NECK SURG 1995;112:691-4.)