The Body's Response to Health Care Provider Communication: The Impact of Dominant Versus Facilitative Styles

Participant responses were compared for cancer genetic counselor provision of information provided in a dominant versus facilitative communication style. Participants watched two different segments of genetic counseling while heart rate (HR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were assessed. Communication style was determined by coding with the Roter interaction analysis system. Results supported a consistent contrast effect across measures, which was not moderated by trait emotional control. Individuals presented with the dominant style first exhibited a reduced HR for the facilitative segment as compared with participants who saw the facilitative style first. When viewing the dominant style first, participants rated the subsequent facilitative counselor as more friendly, submissive, and receptive and were more satisfied. An explanation for the findings is supported by positive and negative evaluative processes literature.     

Immune protection against HSV-2 in B-cell-deficient mice

The role of antibody in protection of the vaginal mucosa and sensory ganglia against HSV-2 infection was examined using HSV- immune, B-cell-deficient muMT mice. Significantly higher virus titers were detected in the vaginal mucosae of immune muMT mice compared to immune C57BL/6J mice 24 h after HSV-2 rechallenge. However, virus was rapidly cleared in immune muMT mice, and the infection was resolved with only a 2-day delay. Passive transfer of immune serum to immune muMT mice prior to rechallenge resulted in HSV-specific vaginal IgG levels comparable to those of immune C57BL/6J mice. Although transferred antibody failed to prevent reinfection of the majority of recipients, vaginal virus titers at 24 h and clearance kinetics were similar to those of immune C57BL/6J controls. Following vaginal rechallenge, HSV-2 did not spread to the sensory ganglia of immune C57BL/6J mice nor was the rechallenge virus detected in the ganglia of the majority of immune muMT mice. However, protection was severely compromised by T-cell depletion of immune C57BL/6J mice. These results suggest that HSV-specific antibody limits, but does not prevent, infection of the genital epithelia. Further, prevention of virus spread to the sensory ganglia in immune animals requires vigorous T-cell immune responses.     

Myocardial pre-synaptic sympathetic function correlates with glucose uptake in the failing human heart

Purpose We have previously shown that the myocardium of patients with heart failure (HF) is insulin resistant. Chronic β-adrenergic stimulation has been implicated in insulin resistance in cultured cardiomyocytes in vitro, where sustained noradrenaline stimulation inhibited insulin-modulated glucose uptake. As the failing heart is characterized by increased sympathetic drive, we hypothesized that there is a correlation between pre-synaptic sympathetic function and insulin sensitivity in the myocardium of patients with HF. Methods Eight patients (aged 67 ± 7 years) with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction 44 ± 10%) underwent function and viability assessment with cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Myocardial glucose utilization (MGU) was measured using positron emission tomography (PET) with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Pre-synaptic noradrenaline re-uptake was measured by calculating [¹¹C]meta-hydroxy-ephedrine (HED) volume of distribution (V _d) with PET. Two groups of healthy volunteers served as controls for the FDG (n = 8, aged 52 ± 4 years, p < 0.01 vs patients) and HED (n = 8, aged 40 ± 6 years, p < 0.01 vs patients) data. Results MGU in patients was reduced in both normal remote (0.44 ± 0.14 μmol·min⁻¹·g⁻¹) and dysfunctional (0.49 ± 0.14 μmol·min⁻¹·g⁻¹) segments compared with controls (0.61 ± 0.7 μmol·min⁻¹·g⁻¹; p < 0.001 vs both). HED V _d was reduced in dysfunctional segments of patients (38.9 ± 21.2 ml·g⁻¹) compared with normal segments (52.2 ± 19.6 ml·g⁻¹) and compared with controls (62.7 ± 11.3 ml·g⁻¹). In patients, regional MGU was correlated with HED V _d. Conclusion The results of this study provide novel evidence of a correlation between cardiac sympathetic function and insulin sensitivity, which may represent one of the mechanisms contributing to insulin resistance in failing human hearts.     

Normal and stenotic renal arteries: experimental balloon-expandable intraluminal stenting

Elastic recoil of the vessel wall is a common cause of failure of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in renal arteries. To oppose such recoil, balloon-expandable metal stents were implanted in artificially stenotic renal arteries in pigs and normal renal arteries in dogs and pigs. The stents were then examined angiographically and histologically at regular intervals. All stents were completely covered with endothelialized neointima in 3 weeks. There was no difference in intimal thickness between the stenotic and nonstenotic renal arteries. A large stent diameter and a large open or nonmetal surface may cause less intimal hyperplasia, but nonturbulent, fast arterial flow is probably the most important factor in ensuring long-term patency of the vessel.     

Myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma: sonographic assessment

The depth of myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma was evaluated using real-time sonography (US) in 20 patients with histologically proved adenocarcinoma of the endometrium. In 14 of 20 (70%) cases, US-based estimation of the depth of myometrial invasion was within 10% of the actual measurement in the gross specimen. The US-based estimation of tumor invasion was low in seven patients, high in four patients, and agreed with pathologic findings (+/- 5%) in nine patients. In four patients with polypoid intraluminal extension of tumor, a deeply invasive tumor was suspected on US but was not found on pathologic examination. In 12 superficially invasive tumors, the continuity of the demarcating subendometrial halo was intact in nine and incomplete in three. In six patients with deeply invasive tumors, this zone was partially disrupted in four, totally disrupted in one, and intact in one. Errors of estimation of the depth of myometrial invasion on US most frequently occurred when a tumor had a significant intraluminal polypoid extension. Demonstration of a subendometrial halo usually indicated superficial invasion, whereas the absence of a halo was frequently associated with deep invasion.     

Paramagnetic macrocyclic complexes as contrast agents for MR imaging: proton nuclear relaxation rate enhancement in aqueous solution and in rat tissues

Paramagnetic macrocyclic chelates show promise as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast agents due to stability and relaxivity comparable to those of DTPA-type chelates. For the three copper and manganese macrocyclic complexes studied in aqueous solution, T1 and T2 relaxivities ranged from 0.14 to 5.88 mM-1sec-1 at 6.25 MHz. In rats, the intravenous administration of 16 mumol/kg of Mn(cyclam) caused the liver T1 relaxation rate to double at 15 minutes after injection. T1 measurements by pulsed MR imaging and manganese analyses on excised tissue showed that both relaxation rate (1/T1) and manganese content of liver and kidney increase linearly with the dosage of Mn(cyclam). The linear relationship between 1/T1 and manganese content can be considered an "in tissue" relaxivity plot for the agent. The resulting relaxivity is 54 mM-1sec-1 in liver, compared with 3.1 mM-1sec-1 in aqueous solution. Although this work is preliminary, the implication for medical MR imaging applications is that macrocyclic contrast agents can be effective at approximately one-tenth the current typical dose used for gadolinium DTPA.     

Courtship stimulates aromatase activity in preoptic area of brain in male ring doves

Aromatase activity was quantified in vitro in different regions of the basal forebrain of male ring doves at various times after the initiation of courtship. By 24 h after the introduction of a female dove into the cage of a male, there was a significant, nearly two-fold, increase in aromatase activity which was confined to the ventromedial preoptic area (VM-POA) where enzyme activity was concentrated. This increase in aromatase activity, which was sustained through day 5 of courtship, presumably serves to activate nest-oriented behavior.     

Low prevalence of patellar tendon abnormality and low incidence of patellar tendinopathy in female collegiate volleyball players

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of patellar tendinopathy has been reported to be as high as 50% in elite male volleyball (VB) players; however, the rate of injury in female collegiate VB athletes is unknown. The purpose of this study was to 1) identify the prevalence of ultrasonographic evidence of patellar tendon abnormality at the start of the preseason in female collegiate VB players; 2) report the incidence of tendinopathy during the season; and 3) determine if the preseason presence of tendon abnormality is associated with onset of disease. One hundred and six female collegiate VB players had both patellar tendons imaged. Incidence of patellar tendinopathy was tracked during the course of the 4-month season. Twenty-two athletes presented with ultrasonographic evidence of patellar tendon abnormality in at least one knee at the start of the preseason. The incidence of time-loss patellar tendinopathy was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.85) per 1000 athletic exposures. This study was unable to determine if preseason presence of tendon abnormality was associated with a greater risk of tendinopathy due to power. The prevalence of tendon abnormality in the preseason and the incidence of patellar tendinopathy in female collegiate VB players are lower than that observed in other populations.