Therapeutic potential of potassium channel openers in peripheral vascular disease and asthma

Potassium channel opener's (KCOs) were originally thought of as nonselective smooth muscle relaxants. However, recent investigations in animal models of both peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and asthma have revealed interesting effects of these drugs at unexpectedly low doses. Hemodynamically, KCOs are interesting in PVD since they have little effect on blood supply to normally perfused skeletal muscle, but enhance perfusion to chronically ligated ischemic tissue. In animal PVD models, SDZ PCO-400 and cromakalim have been shown to improve recovery of muscle energy stores from ischemia or to preserve performance under conditions of ischemic contracture. Beneficial effects in rat PVD models were manifest at doses below those affecting systemic blood pressure and may be attributable to a selective dilatation of collateral vessels. With regard to the airways, the apparent efficacy of KCOs as antiasthmatic drugs seems not to be attributable solely to their bronchodilator activity. Although KCOs elicit no antiinflammatory effect in animal models, studies with SDZ PCO-400 in guinea pigs sensitized to antigen or treated with immune complexes have revealed that expression of airway hyperreactivity is significantly inhibited at drug doses exhibiting only modest bronchodilator activity. At least part of this action can be attributed to inhibition at the level of neural innervation of the airways, possibly through attenuation of nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) transmission. Thus, based on results generated in animal models of asthma and PVD, clinical evaluation of the KCOs in these indications would seem warranted, with the hope that (due to their selective actions) beneficial therapeutic effects can be achieved at doses devoid of unwanted systemic actions.     

Water content of hearts perfused with crystalloid and nutrient solutions

One hundred and twenty excised rabbits hearts were subjected to 1 h of continuous pulsatile coronary perfusion with acellular fluids in a Lindbergh-Rockefeller Institution organ perfusion apparatus. Perfusions were carried out at 26°C and 15°C. At the end of 1 h of perfusion, samples of the left ventricular myocardium were packed into nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tubes and the water peak area and linewidth of the water signal were determined by the steady-state NMR spectroscopy. Seventeen different perfusates were employed. Four hearts were perfused and one control heart was processed in an identical way, with each set of experiments. Results were expressed as the mean percentage increase in total myocardial water in perfused hearts, as compared to unperfused hearts. At 26°C these ranged from 9.31 (s.e. 0.66) to 35.89 (s.e. 4.09). At 15°C the range was from 13.26 (s.e. 1.03) to 39.14 (s.e. 2.06). At 26°C, the mean linewidth (Hz) in control myocardiums was 11.60 (s.e. 0.40), in perfused hearts 7.34 (s.e. 0.33); at 15°C it was 12.15 (s.e. 0.29) in control hearts, and 7.84 (s.e. 0.37) in perfused ones. Hearts perfused with lactated Ringer's solution showed the greatest interstitial water accumulation. Linewidth narrowing indicated an accumulation of “unstructured” presumably extracellular water. In edematous hearts, interstitial spaces were widely dilated. The described technique can serve as a rapid screening method for assessing myocardial edema produced by perfusion.     

2型糖尿病小鼠小脑代谢物的~1H NMR研究

目的:通过离体的高分辨核磁共振氢谱(1H NMR)技术研究2型糖尿病db/db小鼠小脑的代谢变化。方法:采用8只15周龄2型糖尿病模型db/db小鼠为实验组,11只15周龄野生正常小鼠为对照组,对其小脑组织进行离体的1H NMR检测分析。结果:实验组与对照组相比小脑的代谢模式明显不同,甘氨酸(Gly)、天冬氨酸(Asp)、谷氨酸(Glu)、γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)、N-乙酰天门冬氨酸(NAA)、丙氨酸(Ala)等代谢物浓度明显下降,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01);谷氨酰胺(Gln)、牛磺酸(Tau)、乳酸(Lac)等代谢物水平显著上升,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论:代谢组学结果说明2型糖尿病模型db/db小鼠小脑中糖代谢、氨基酸代谢出现了紊乱,这为进一步认识糖尿病脑病的发病机制提供了线索。     

Biofeedback benefits only patients with outlet dysfunction, not patients with isolated slow transit constipation

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Biofeedback is reported to be as effective for slow transit constipation as for pelvic floor dyssynergia and no more effective than education. We aimed to test the hypothesis that biofeedback benefits only patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia, describe the physiologic mechanism of treatment, and identify predictors of success. METHODS: Fifty-two patients (49 women; average age, 35 years), all with delayed whole gut transit, included 34 with pelvic floor dyssynergia, 12 with slow transit only, and 6 who met only 1 of 2 criteria for pelvic floor dyssynergia. All received 5 weekly biofeedback sessions directed at increasing rectal pressure and relaxing pelvic floor muscles during straining plus practice defecating a balloon. Patients were retested by questionnaire; symptom diary; balloon defecation; transit study at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months; and anorectal manometry at 1 and 6 months. RESULTS: At 6 months, greater improvements were seen in pelvic floor dyssynergia compared with slow transit only; 71% versus 8% reported satisfaction ( P = .001), and 76% versus 8% reported >/=3 bowel movements per week ( P < .001). Improvements were maintained at 24 months of follow-up. Biofeedback eliminated dyssynergia in 91% and enabled 85% to defecate the balloon. Satisfaction was correlated with improved ability to defecate the balloon (rho = .73; P < .001), reductions in dyssynergia (rho = .69; P < .001), and increased rectal pressure during straining (rho = .36; P < .01). Success was predicted by pelvic floor dyssynergia, milder constipation, and less frequent abdominal pain at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Biofeedback is an effective treatment for pelvic floor dyssynergia but not slow transit constipation.     

A Kinetic Investigation of the Initialization of Catalyzed Chain Growth of Styrene: The Reaction of Cp*2ZrCl2 with Dibenzylmagnesium

The system Cp*₂ZrCl₂ and dibenzyl magnesium in toluene, which is a model system for initialization in the catalyzed chain growth (CCG) of styrene using a bifunctional organometallic chain transfer agent, is studied via time‐resolved NMR spectroscopy. Based on these data, a mechanism of initialization is proposed. The experimental concentration profiles of the individual species can successfully be modeled to the proposed kinetic scheme. Refined kinetic coefficients of high significance can be obtained by applying analytical methods using pseudo‐first‐order rate approximations. It is found that the adduct of the Zr catalyst and the Mg compound only slowly transforms via a ligand exchange reaction, yielding the alkylated Zr species. The temperature dependence of these reactions indicates a high reaction barrier of this type of rearrangement, which constitutes the core reaction of CCG in terms of molecular‐weight control.

     

Investigation of Historical Hard Rubber Ornaments of Charles Goodyear

Charles Goodyear discovered the vulcanization process of natural rubber in the middle of the 19th century. In this paper, original ornaments produced by Charles Goodyear are investigated. Additionally, for comparison, a sample is produced according to Goodyear's patent (US 3633) as reference. Contrary to expectation, it is found that Charles Goodyear did not prepare the ornaments using the formulation of his patent, thus he excluded the white lead. Due to this, another reference sample is produced like the other but without white lead. It is proven that by artificial aging, natural rubber samples can get properties similar to the 150 years old rubber sample.

     

Block Copolymer Micelles with an Intermediate Star‐/Flower‐Like Structure Studied by 1H NMR Relaxometry

¹H NMR relaxation is used to study the self‐assembly of a double thermoresponsive diblock copolymer in dilute aqueous solution. Above the first transition temperature, at which aggregation into micellar structures is observed, the trimethylsilyl (TMS)‐labeled end group attached to the shell‐forming block shows a biphasic T₂ relaxation. The slow contribution reflects the TMS groups located at the periphery of the hydrophilic shell, in agreement with a star‐like micelle. The fast T₂ contribution corresponds to the TMS groups, which fold back toward the hydrophobic core, reflecting a flower‐like micelle. These results confirm the formation of block copolymer micelles of an intermediate nature (i.e., of partial flower‐like and star‐like character), in which a part of the TMS end groups folds back to the core due to hydrophobic interactions.

     

A New Insight into the Mechanism of 1,3‐Dienes Cationic Polymerization III: Polymerization of 1,3‐Pentadiene with CF3COOD/TiCl4 Initiating System: Chain‐Ends Structure and Kinetics

A novel method for the investigation of the chain‐end structure of poly(1,3‐pentadiene)s synthesized using the CF₃COOD/TiCl₄ initiating system is developed. It is shown for the first time that the content of trans‐1,2‐structures in the first monomer unit is considerably higher than the content of trans‐1,4‐structures, whereas the content of trans‐1,4‐units is substantially higher than trans‐1,2‐units for the polymer chain as a whole. Another important observation is that chain transfer to monomer is significant even at the earlier stages of the 1,3‐pentadiene polymerization (after 1 s of reaction). The very low functionality at the ω‐end (F_n (Cl) < 0.15) confirms the intensive chain transfer to monomer. This method is also applied for the estimation of the concentration of active species and the rate constant for propagation (k _p) for the cationic polymerization of 1,3‐pentadiene using the CF₃COOD/TiCl₄ initiating system: rate constants for propagation, k _p, of 1.5 × 10³ and 3.3 × 10³ L mol^?1 min^?1 are determined for 1,3‐pentadiene polymerization at 20 and –78 °C, respectively.