Dexmedetomidine Produces Similar Alterations in the Determinants of Left Ventricular Afterload in Conscious Dogs before and after the Development of Pacing-induced Cardiomyopathy

Background: The authors tested the hypothesis that intravenous dexmedetomidine produces alterations in left ventricular (LV) afterload that are deleterious to cardiac performance in conscious dogs with pacing-induced cardiomyopathy.

Methods: Dogs (n = 8) were fitted with instruments for long-term measurement of LV and aortic blood pressure, aortic blood flow, and subendocardial segment length and received dexmedetomidine (1.25, 2.5, and 5 [micro sign]g/kg) in a cumulative manner before and after 19 +/- 3 (mean +/- SEM) days of rapid LV pacing. LV afterload was measured with aortic input impedance [Zin ([Greek small letter omega]) and quantified with a three-element Windkessel model. Hemodynamics and Zin ([Greek small letter omega]) were assessed under control conditions and 5 and 60 min after administration of each dose.

Results: Dexmedetomidine caused early and late decreases in heart rate, the maximum rate of increase of LV pressure, mean aortic blood flow, and stroke volume in dogs before and after pacing. Dexmedetomidine caused similar early increases in total arterial resistance and decreases in total arterial compliance in dogs before and after pacing. Early dexmedetomidine-induced increases in resistance and decreases in compliance caused similar reductions in mean aortic blood flow in cardiomyopathic compared with healthy dogs. Resistance and compliance returned to control values, and characteristic aortic impedance decreased late after dexmedetomidine in healthy dogs. In contrast, resistance remained elevated late after dexmedetomidine in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.     

Transposition of the great arteries and isolated origin of the sinus node artery

We report the cases of 2 newborns who underwent at 7 days of age an arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries with a rare coronary anomaly: the left and right coronary arteries originated with a single ostium from sinus 1 and the sinus node artery had an isolated origin from sinus 2. The sinus node artery was reimplanted into the new aorta in both patients. Both babies were discharged in sinus rhythm. Preserving the vascularization of the sinus node may avoid the occurrence of postoperative atrial rhythm disturbances.     

垂体腺瘤的CT诊断(附60例分析)

分析了60例垂体腺瘤的CT表现。1例垂体微腺瘤缺乏特异性征象,59例大腺瘤大多数表现典型,诊断依据为肿瘤位置和蝶鞍改变。垂体腺瘤的形态学表现无特异性。应加强对垂体瘤卒中和侵袭征象的认识。对成人鞍区肿瘤的鉴别诊断进行了简短讨论。     

A monitoring,feedback, and triggering system for reproducible breath-hold MR imaging

A technique is described that provides improved reproducibility of breath-holding for MR image acquisition by monitoring the superior-inferior (S/I) position of the diaphragm. The method incorporates detection of the level of inspiration using an MR signal, rapid display to the patient of diaphragm position to enable breath-hold adjustment, and triggering of image data acquisition once appropriate position is attained. The response time of the system is short, approximately 10 ms. Studies in six volunteers using this method demonstrate a considerable decrease in the S/I range of diaphragm position over 10 consecutive periods of suspended respiration. The mean range is 1.3 mm with the system, while it is 8.3 mm without using it is expected that this method will be of assistance in many abdominal and cardiothoracic studies that use breath-hold techniques.     

The human desmin gene: A specific regulatory programme in skeletal muscle both in vitro and in transgenic mice

Desmin synthesis is restricted to cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles. In several familial myopathies involving fibre disorganization, filamentous aggregation of desmin has been characterized. During the development of the mouse embryo, desmin is one of the first muscle proteins detected in both the heart and the somites. To identify the DNA sequences involved in the regulation of desmin gene expression a 4.5 kb 5′-flanking region of the human desmin gene has been isolated. Different mutants were used to characterize specific enhancers in vitro and in vivo. The results obtained with transgenic mice provide evidence that the 1 kb cis-regulatory sequences, functional in skeletal muscle cells in vitro, confer specific developmental control for skeletal muscles. Furthermore, distinct programmes for cardiac and skeletal muscle-specific expression of the desmin gene are revealed.     

Nd:YAG激光虹膜透切术治疗闭角型青光眼的临床观察研究

Nd:YAG激光虹膜透切术治疗闭角型青光眼406只眼。单脉冲激光能量为3～6mJ,平均总能量为186mJ。一次虹膜透切成功者占80.0％,二次治疗成功者为17.2％,需三次治疗者仅为2.8％。治疗后随访0.5～1.0年,眼压平均下降0.78kPa(5.87mmHg)。视力有明显提高达55.5％,保持原来视力不变者为41.0％,视力微有减退者为3.5％。治疗效果显著,无严重并发症。     

A Psychosociocultural Perspective, Part 2

Building on the foundation of understanding and comprehensive assessment of battered women, this article addresses service planning and intervention. Strategies are approached within the framework of a Crisis Paradigm developed from field research with battered women and their families. They include mechanisms such as support groups which link crisis service to the long-term needs of battered women, and systematic approaches to removing the obstacles which keep women victimized. An Assessment and Service Planning Guide (ASPG) is proposed for inclusion in routine health care of abused women. The article concludes with strategies for preventing violence at interpersonal and societal levels.     

Rapid chemical kinetic techniques for investigations of neurotransmitter receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes

Xenopus laevis oocytes have been used extensively during the past decade to express and study neurotransmitter receptors of various origins and subunit composition and also to express and study receptors altered by site-specific mutations. Interpretations of the effects of structural differences on receptor mechanisms were, however, hampered by a lack of rapid chemical reaction techniques suitable for use with oocytes. Here we describe flow and photolysis techniques, with 2-ms and 100-μs time resolution, respectively, for studying neurotransmitter receptors in giant (≈20-μm diameter) patches of oocyte membranes, using muscle and neuronal acetylcholine receptors as examples. With these techniques, we find that the muscle receptor in BC₃H1 cells and the same receptor expressed in oocytes have comparable kinetic properties. This finding is in contrast to previous studies and raises questions regarding the interpretations of the many studies of receptors expressed in oocytes in which an insufficient time resolution was available. The results obtained indicate that the rapid reaction techniques described here, in conjunction with the oocyte expression system, will be useful in answering many outstanding questions regarding the structure and function of diverse neurotransmitter receptors.     

肺肿瘤细胞雌激素、孕激素和凝集素受体的组化研究

用酶联亲合组化法对46例肺肿瘤细胞进行了雌激素受体(ER)和孕激素受体(PR)检测。同时测定14例肺瘤肿患者血清雌二醇(E_2)浓度。结果表明:肺肿瘤 ER 阳性率为36.9%,PR 阳性率为13.0%。阳性率与性别、病理类型及血浆 E_2浓度无关。认为肺癌的发生发展可能与雌激素有依赖关系,提示内分泌疗法可能会成为原发肺肿瘤的一种治疗手段。另用 ABC 法对上述46例肺肿瘤中的29例进行了花生凝集素受体(PNA-R)和麦胚凝集素受体(WGA-R)的检测,PNA-R 在腺癌大都为顶浆型分布,鳞癌和透明细胞癌则多为胞膜型分布。结果提示 PNA-R 是肺癌分化过程中的一种标志,对肺癌分型、预后判断有一定协助作用。同时将29例肺肿瘤 PNA-R 与 ER 状况作对比研究,探讨了二者之间的相关性及可能的发生机制。