A lower-lobe-seeking pulmonary artery catheter

The Grollman pulmonary artery catheter was modified by turning the pigtail downward to facilitate lower lobar catheterization with the femoral approach. The advantage of this tip configuration was obvious in the 30 cases in which it was attempted. The superiority of this catheter in traversing the tricuspid valve and in entering the right or left pulmonary artery with equal ease was also noted.     

Hepatic micrometastases in the rat: ferrite-enhanced MR imaging

A rat tumor model was used to evaluate the ability of ferrite-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to demonstrate hepatic metastases smaller than 1 cm. Twenty-eight rat livers were inoculated with 5 X 10(5) mammary carcinoma cells and imaged with a 0.6-T MR system. Non-enhanced and ferrite-enhanced images were analyzed and correlated with autopsy findings for each rat. Lesion detection rates correlated closely with cancer-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratios. Ferrite-enhanced MR imaging demonstrated significantly more lesions than non-enhanced imaging (P less than .05) and decreased the threshold size for lesion detectability (less than 2 mm). Ferrite also enabled more accurate measurements of the lesions (r = .96).     

Effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on human platelets

The effect of pure synthetic PAF (1-0-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphorylcholine) was studied in human platelets. PAF (0.2--2.0 micrograms/ml) produced a dose-dependent aggregation in human platelet- rich plasma (PRP) or platelet suspension obtained by gel-filtration (GFP). In addition, PAF (0.8 microgram/ml) induced secretion of 14C- serotonin (45% +/- 10%; mean +/- SD, n = 9) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) (12.89 +/- 3.81 micrograms/10(9) platelets; n = 9) in PRP. Similar results were obtained in GFP. Aggregation and release of 14C-serotonin and PF4 were inhibited by the metabolic inhibitors 2-deoxyglucose (16.7 mM) and antimycin-A (8.3 micrograms/ml), by the membrane-active drugs mepacrine (10 microM) and chlorpromazine (0.025 mM), by PGI2 (5.34 nM), which elevates intracellular c-AMP, by indomethacin (10 microM) or aspirin (100 microM). The ADP scavengers, creatine phosphate and creatine phosphokinase (CP/CPK), inhibited the second wave of aggregation but not secretion. These data suggest that the major effect of PAF on human platelets is mediated through the cyclo-oxygenase pathway and not through a third pathway.     

家族性肥厚型心肌病心肌肌钙蛋白T2基因突变特点:14例分析

目的:对14例家族性肥厚型心肌病患者第2～16号外显子进行扫描,试图发现在这一范围上有无基因突变位点。方法:选择2002-01/2006-12苏州大学附属第一人民医院心内科门诊及住院的肥厚型心肌病患者14例,年龄16～62岁。均符合WHO/ISFC1996年肥厚型心肌病诊断标准;汉族;无血缘关系;每例患者家族中至少两人发病;均对检测项目知情同意。对受试对象的聚合酶链反应扩增产物进行单链构象多态性分析,于肌钙蛋白T2基因第2～16外显子范围内寻找突变位点,并了解基因型明确的肥厚型心肌病患者的临床特点。之前,均已对该14例先证者的β-肌球蛋白重链基因3～26号外显子进行突变基因筛查,未见异常。结果:14例临床确诊的家族性肥厚型心肌病患者肌钙蛋白T2基因第2～16外显子,除10例患者106位密码子存在ATC-ATT多态性外,未发现基因位点的异常。结论:在中国汉族人群家族性肥厚型心肌病患者未发现肌钙蛋白T2基因突变类型。     

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis in South India

Background A study of five cases of linear IgA dermatosis (LABD) in a referral hospital in South India is presented. Methods A dermatologic examination, skin biopsy, and direct immunofluorescence were carried out on all patients. Patients were then followed up. Results All five cases showed linear IgA deposits at the dermo-epidermal junction. One case in addition showed IgG and C3 deposits. All cases responded to treatment with dapsone. The treatment duration varied from 14 to 16 months and the fifth patient is still on treatment after 37 months. Conclusions Linear IgA bullous dermatosis is a self-limiting bullous disorder. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of LABD from India.