Cardiac troponins following repeated administration of an iron chelator--salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (SIH)--in rabbits

Both cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) are considered to be reliable biomarkers with sufficient sensitivity and specificity for cardiac injury in the majority of laboratory animals. The aim of our study was to compare the diagnostic performance of cTnT and cTnI in three groups of rabbits: 1) control (saline 1 ml/kg i.v.); 2) Salicylaldehyde Isonicotinoyl Hydrazone--SIH (50 mg/kg, once weekly, i.p.; partially dissolved in 10% Cremophor solution); 3) 10% Cremophor solution in water (2 ml/kg i.v.). The drugs were given once a week, 10 administrations. The concentration of cTnT was measured using Elecsys Troponin T STAT Immunoassay (Roche). The concentration of cTnI was measured using AxSYM Troponin I (Abbott). The linear regression model was applied to see if there is a dependence between cTnT and cTnI. The coefficient of determination was not acceptable in all groups. The highest value of R2 was found in the control group (R2 = 0.424). We may conclude that in rabbits meaningful dependence between cTnT and cTnI was not found. According to our long-term experiences cTnT seems to be more suitable cardiomarker in rabbits in comparison with cTnI where the data are characterized by the large scatter.     

The Personality Assessment Inventory in individuals with traumatic brain injury.

This study examined the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in 95 individuals who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants were recruited from a rehabilitation hospital (n=60) and a military hospital (n=35); despite differences in demographics and injury characteristics groups did not differ on any of the clinical scales and were thus combined. In the combined group, the highest mean clinical scale elevations were on Somatic Complaints, Depression, and Borderline Features and the most common configural profiles, based on cluster analysis, were Cluster 1 (no prominent elevations), Cluster 6 (social isolation and confused thinking), and Cluster 2 (depression and withdrawal). Factor analysis indicated a robust three-factor solution that accounted for 74.86 percent of the variance and was similar to findings from the psychiatric and non-psychiatric populations in the standardization sample. The above findings are compared with the previous literature on psychopathology in TBI, particularly in regards to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), as well as previous psychometric research on the PAI.     

A comparison of 2 extrafine hydrofluoroalkane-134a-beclomethasone formulations on methacholine hyperresponsiveness.

BACKGROUND: Small airways inflammation is a recognized pathologic component of asthma, and it is postulated that the observed airway-wall remodeling in small airways could be due to uncontrolled inflammation in airways that are not penetrated by conventional inhaled corticosteroids. Thus, extrafine particle formulations of inhaled corticosteroids are of clinical interest. OBJECTIVE: To compare 2 extrafine solution hydrofluoroalkane-134a formulations of beclomethasone dipropionate (Beclate and Qvar). METHODS: Fifteen asthmatic patients (mean +/- SEM forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], 2.62 +/- 0.21 L; provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% decrease in FEV1 [PC20], 1.06 +/- 0.58) were randomized to completion in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover manner to receive Beclate or Qvar at doses of 100 or 400 microg/d for 2 weeks, with a 1-week washout period before each randomized treatment. Methacholine hyperresponsiveness was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: The 2 formulations were equivalent in terms of predefined equivalence limits of +/- 1 doubling dilution for PC20 at both doses: -0.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.77 to 0.27) doubling dilution difference between the 100-microg doses and a 0.26 (95% CI, -0.29 to 0.82) doubling dilution difference between the 400-microg doses for the difference between Beclate and Qvar, respectively. Both formulations, at either dose, produced a statistically significant (P < .05) reduction in mean exhaled nitric oxide levels: 400 microg/d of Beclate, 14.1 ppb (95% CI, 5.6 to 22.6 ppb); and 400 microg/d of Qvar, 14.2 ppb (95% CI, 6.0 to 22.4 ppb). The higher doses produced a statistically significant (P < .05) reduction in early morning urinary cortisol-creatinine ratio (geometric mean fold suppression: Beclate, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.16 to 1.89]; and Qvar, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.12 to 1.79]). Both formulations significantly improved peak expiratory flow, FEV1, and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity at the higher doses (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Beclate and Qvar were equivalent for all primary and secondary outcome measures.     

Determination of body heat storage in clothing: calorimetry versus thermometry

Two methods of estimating body heat storage were compared under differing conditions of clothing, training, and acclimation to heat. Six male subjects underwent 8 weeks of physical training [60–80% of maximal aerobic power ( ) for 30–45 min · day–, 3–4 days · week^–1 at < 25 °C dry bulb (db)] followed by 6 consecutive days of heat acclimation (45–55% for 60 min · day^–1 at 40°C db, 30% relative humidity)]. Nine other male subjects underwent corresponding periods of control observation followed by heat acclimation. Before and after each treatment, subjects walked continuously on a treadmill (1.34 m · s^–1, 2% grade) in a climatic chamber (40°C db, 30% relative humidity) for an average of 118 min (range 92–120 min) when wearing normal light combat clothing and for an average of 50 min (range 32–68 min) when wearing protective clothing resistant to nuclear, biological, and chemical agents. The heat storage was determined calorimetrically (by the balance of heat gains and losses) and thermometrically [by the conventional equations, using one or two set(s) of relative weightings for the rectal temperature (T _re) to mean skin temperature _sk of 4:1 and 4:1, 2:1 and 4:1, or 2:1 and 9:1 in thermoneutral and hot environments, respectively]. _sk was calculated from 12-site measurements, weighted according to the regional distribution of body surface area and the first eigenvectors of principal component analysis. There were only minor differences (< 5%) between the heat storage values calculated by given weighting factors forT _re and _sk, whether the individual coefficients were derived from estimates of regional surface area or principal component methodologies. When wearing normal clothing, no significant differences were found between the two estimates of heat storage (calorimetry vs thermometry with an invariant relative weighting of 4:1) in any experimental condition, with one specific exception: when wearing protective clothing, thermometry underestimated the heat storage by 24–31%. This underestimation was attenuated by using two sets of relative weightings of 2: 1 and 4: 1 or 2: 1 and 9: 1. The results suggest that when subjects wearing protective clothing are transferred from thermoneutral to hot environments, the accuracy of thermometric estimates of heat storage can be improved by using two sets of weighting factors forT _re and _sk     

Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection amongst intravenous drug users in rural communities

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection amongst a group of intravenous drug users (IVDUs) resident in West Suffolk (East Anglia, England) was investigated and compared with the prevalence of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In addition, both the level of HCV persistence, as defined by detection of viral RNA, and the HCV genotypes present in this population were determined. It was found that HCV antibodies were present in 59% of those tested; by comparison 22% had antibodies to HBV and 1% antibodies to HIV. HCV RNA was found in 44% of those with HCV antibody. HCV genotype 1 was the most prevalent within this population although both genotypes 2 and 3 were also represented. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.