The electrophysiological effects of dicentrine on the conduction system of rabbit heart.

1. The electrophysiological effects of dicentrine, an aporphine alkaloid isolated from the root of Lindera megaphylla, were examined in the Langendorff perfused rabbit heart and rabbit isolated cardiac cells. 2. Standard electrophysiological characters were measured in the Langendorff perfused rabbit heart (control study) and after 5 min exposure to 1, 3 and 9 microM of dicentrine and during the subsequent recovery phase sequentially (n = 7). The same study protocols were performed in 0.5 to 4.5 microM quinidine (n = 7), 18 to 162 microM procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide (n = 7) for comparison. 3. The results showed that the spontaneously beating heart rate and the sinoatrial (SA) and atrioventricular nodal (AH) conduction time were not significantly affected by dicentrine but were significantly suppressed by the higher doses of quinidine (4.5 microM) and procainamide (162 microM). 4. The His-Purkinje conduction time was significantly increased by the higher dose of dicentrine, quinidine and procainamide. 5. The ventricular repolarization time and its effective refractory period were significantly increased by the higher dose of dicentrine and the other agents. 6. The effective refractory period of the atrium, AV node and His-Purkinje system were also significantly increased by dicentrine and the other agents. 7. A voltage clamp study revealed that the prolongation of atrial action potential duration by dicentrine (9 microM) was associated with a significant inhibition of the transient potassium outward current. As well as inhibition of the transient outward current, a significant inhibition of the sodium inward current by dicentrine was found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

石刻雕塑作业劳动卫生学调查及实验研究

测定了石雕作业粉尘浓度，几何平均浓度为８２．３５～３．６７ｍｇ／ｍ３。工人职业性健康检查结果，接尘工人的咽部充血、咳嗽、咯痰检出率高于对照组；肺功能低下的检出率也高于对照组。该厂自１９７２年以来发生尘肺患者１７例，其病情发展和晋期缓慢，发病工龄长。动物实验研究表明，石雕粉尘有轻微的致纤维化作用。     

A case-control study of the effect of environmental sanitation on diarrhoea morbidity in Malawi.

A case-control design has been applied in the evaluation of improved environmental sanitation on diarrhoeal diseases in rural Malawi. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using such an approach to evaluate two levels of water supply and sanitation service quickly and at moderate cost. Sample sizes would need to be increased substantially to evaluate multiple levels of service or to investigate interactions between water supply and sanitation. The results indicate that children living in families who use good quality water supplies and latrines experience 20% less diarrhoea as reported to the health clinics during the warm, rainy season.     

经皮椎体成形术治疗脊柱疾病

目的评价经皮椎体成形术治疗脊柱疾病的临床应用价值.方法 56例多发骨髓瘤、溶骨性脊柱转移瘤、骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折患者应用经皮椎体成形术后,分24 h、3个月两阶段评估患者疼痛、术后X线片检查结果、椎体高度等指标.结果术后止痛效果良好,尤以骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折患者的止痛效果最好.无严重并发症. 结论经皮椎体成形术对骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折等脊柱疾病的止痛、稳固椎体等效果明显,可以谨慎开展.     

Localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow using new stimulator for the inching test.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the TenElectrodes, a new stimulator for inching test, in the diagnosis and localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). METHODS: Sixty-two ulnar nerves in 40 control subjects and 24 ulnar nerves in 23 patients with typical symptoms and signs of UNE were studied. The inching test of ulnar motor nerve using TenElectrodes was done along 8 cm across the elbow in the extended position. RESULTS: In the inching test of the control group, the mean segmental latency difference was 0.19+/-0.08 ms. Maximal latency difference over a 1 cm segment did not exceed 0.40 ms in any of the controls but exceeded 0.5 ms or more in all clinical UNE patients. In all UNE patients, the lesion sites were identified by the inching test using TenElectrodes: the retroepicondylar groove (54.2%), the humeroulnar arcade (29.2%), and dual compression (16.6%). CONCLUSIONS: TenElectrodes is a useful stimulator for the inching test in the diagnosis of UNE. The precise localization of compression was possible in all patients with UNE and the most common site was the retroepicondylar groove.     

Pharmacological evidence, using in vivo dialysis, that substances additional to ascorbic acid, uric acid and homovanillic acid contribute to the voltammetric signals obtained in unrestrained rats from chronically implanted carbon paste electrodes

In vivo voltammetry at chronically implanted carbon paste electrodes in unrestrained rats is a particularly useful technique for evaluating neurochemical changes during spontaneous behaviour, or behaviour under experimental control. A 3 peak signal is observed in the striatum; most recently the consensus view has attributed these peaks to ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in ascending order of oxidation potential. We have used a pharmacological approach, combined with in vivo dialysis, to further elucidate the nature of the contributing species. Allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, and thus of uric acid production, has previously been reported to abolish peak 2. We now report, using dialysis, that it selectively depletes UA in the extracellular fluid (ECF). Pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, reduces peak 3 transiently (max. 60%) as expected, however it results in a more sustained reduction in ECF HVA (max. 100%). It also increases peak 1 (max. 75%) and decreases peak 2 (max. 40%), although changes in ECF AA and UA measured by dialysis and HPLC are minimal. Pargyline does however reduce ECF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid by 65%. We conclude that, using linear sweep voltammetry at chronically implanted paste electrodes: (a) one or more substances in addition to AA can contribute to peak 1; dopamine can do so in some situations; (b) 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, as well as UA, contributes to peak 2; its contribution is about one third that of the latter; and (c) one or more substances in addition to HVA can contribute to peak 3. 3-Methoxytyramine can do so. Since this is another methylated metabolite of dopamine, this does not prevent the use of peak 3 as an index of dopamine metabolism, and may extend its usefulness to situations where monoamine oxidase is inhibited.     

Mitigation of hearing loss from semi-circular canal transection in pseudomonas otitis media with ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone irrigation.

HYPOTHESIS: Irrigation of the mastoid with a quinolone antibiotic-steroid solution may mitigate hearing loss caused by iatrogenic semicircular canal injury in the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) otitis media (OM). BACKGROUND: Studies have shown the cochlea to be more vulnerable to semicircular canal transection (SCT)-related hearing loss in the presence of PA OM. Prophylactic systemic antibiotics and steroids may decrease this hearing loss, but SCT is usually not planned. The aim of this study was to determine if irrigation with ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone (cipro-dex) could improve hearing outcomes following SCT in PA OM. METHODS: PA OM was induced in 28 animals. After three to five days, unilateral SCT was performed in each animal, with sham SCT on the contralateral ear. At surgery, half of the animals (n = 14) underwent irrigation of the both mastoid bullae with cipro-dex; the second group of animals (n = 14) underwent irrigation of the bullae with sterile saline. Auditory thresholds were obtained immediately prior to SCT and 7-10 days after SCT. RESULTS: SCT ears treated with cipro-dex showed a mean click threshold improvement of 4.6 dB from pre-transection to 7-10 days post-transection, whereas thresholds in the SCT ears treated with saline worsened by 7.5 dB (p = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Irrigation of the guinea pig bulla with cipro-dex following SCT in the setting of PA OM appears safe and may yield beneficial effects on hearing.