Maximal dynamic expiratory pressures with fast and slow inspirations

Maximal dynamic expiratory pressures are higher when forced expiration is preceded by a fast inspiration to total lung capacity (TLC) than when preceded by a slow inspiration and a few seconds pause at TLC. We hypothesized that these pressure differences are due to the stretch-shorten cycle (SSC), which refers to enhancement of muscle force when a concentric muscle contraction is immediately preceded by an eccentric contraction. Seven volunteers [36 (2) years; mean (SEM)] performed maximal forced expirations against minimal resistance with fast (F) or slow (S) maneuvers. F maneuvers consisted of a fast inspiration to TLC followed immediately by a fast expiration, whereas S consisted of a slow inspiration to TLC and a 4- to 5-s pause at TLC prior to forced expiration. We measured esophageal pressure (P _es), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and the EMG activity of the transversus abdominis (Tr) by means of intramuscular fine-wire electrodes. The subjects performed several runs of each maneuver in a random order, and runs with the greatest expiratory P _es were analyzed. In comparison with S, F yielded greater P _es [182 (15) versus 167 (15) cmH₂O; P=0.003)] but similar PEFR [9.8 (0.7) versus 9.6 (0.7) l/s, P>0.05] and EMG activity of the Tr during forced expiration [221 (31) versus 208 (34) a.u., P>0.05]. Further analysis revealed significant EMG activity of Tr during end-inspiration (eccentric contraction) with F maneuvers only [73 (22) versus 32 (17) a.u., P<0.05]. We conclude that the ability of expiratory muscles to generate greater P _es with F maneuvers is related to the sequence of an eccentric contraction, which is followed immediately by concentric contraction in a manner analogous to SSC described in skeletal muscles. Electronic Publication     

Genetic load caused by variation in the amount of rDNA in a wasp

Extensive variation in the size of the short (heterochromatic) arm of chromosome 14 was found in the wasp Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) albitarse. Ten different variants were differentiated by size and C-banding pattern. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that ribosomal DNA in this species is clustered in the darkly C-banded parts of the heterochromatic short arm of chromosome 14. On this basis, we got an indirect estimate of the amount of rDNA from the area of these dark C-bands. The significant absence in males of the three chromosome variants with lower amounts of rDNA indicates that these three variants are lethal in this sex, and suggests the existence of a threshold marking the minimum amount of rDNA which is tolerable in haploidy. This implies about 4% genetic load in the population caused by variation in rDNA amount. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

脐带血清对骨髓粒—巨噬细胞集落形成的影响

在骨髓细胞半固体琼脂培养体系中，研究脐带血清（ＣＢｓ）对骨髓粒—巨噬细胞集落形成单位（ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ）的影响，单纯应用ＣＢｓ培养可使骨髓ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ（ｘ±ｓ为２６．０３７５±１０．２３２７）显著的高于正常成人外周血清（ＰＢｓ）组（ｘ±ｓ为１１．５９１７±３．６０４７；Ｐ＜０．００１）。ＣＢｓ加粒－巨噬细胞刺激因子，ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ组ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ（ｘ±ｓ为１１９．０７９２±３５．０９９１）是单纯ＣＢｓ组的４．５７倍；而ＰＢｓ加ＧＭＣ－ＳＦ组（ｘ±ｓ为９７．１２５±２６．７５５９）是单纯ＰＢｓ组的８．３８倍。有白细胞介素－６（ＩＬ－６）存在的ＣＢｓ组，ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ（ｘ±ｓ为３１．９３３３±１０．９１４４）明显的高于单纯ＣＢｓ组（Ｐ＜０．０２）。提示ＣＢｓ中含有较高水平的内源性ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ。     

Noninvasive,automatic 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in normotensive subjects

Summary The reliability of noninvasive, automatic blood pressure monitoring is not yet clearly established. A 24-h ambulatory blood pressure profile was obtained in 9 healthy, normotensive subjects with an automatic, noninvasive device. The blood pressure profile showed the typical circadian pattern with lower systolic and diastolic values during sleep, although pulse pressure was fairly constant (about 40 mm Hg). The systolic blood pressure rose steeply in the early morning hours — before waking up. The results were compared with simultaneous hourly readings using the auscultatory method. There were no statistically significant differences between the automatic and auscultatory readings, 13 of the 18 mean values at. different time points being within 2 mm Hg of each other. All the auscultatory means fell within the 95% confidence limits of those measured hourly by the automatic method. Although the automatic method seemed to be reliable compared with the auscultatory method, its sensitivity to motion artifacts is a disadvantage in a truly ambulatory setting.     

血液灌流对硫线磷和硫酸阿托品的吸附作用

Objective To study on adsorption effect of cadusafos and atropine sulfate by hemoperfusion.Method Hemoperfusions were performed for sheep blood samples with cadusafos and atropineby through imitated extracorporeal closed circulating perfusion apparatus.Residual cadusafos was determined by gas chromatography and residual atropine was determined by high performance liquid chromatography.Result Dose of adsorption agent was 0.5,1.0 and 1.5 g,respectively.Two hours after hemoperfusion with membrane coated activated charcoal,clearance rate of cadusafos in 3 groups all exceeded 90%.and clearance rate of atropine sulfate was 61.9%,84.9%,88.9%,respectively.One and a half hours after hemoperfusion with HA230 absorption resin,clearance rate of eadusafos in 3 groups all exceeded 90%,and clearance rate of atropine sulfate was 88.0%,97.2%,98.4%,respectively.Three hours after hemoperfusion with membrane coated activated charcoal,The concentration ratio of cadusafos and atropine sulfate in blood promoted to 10.1 times,and the ratio was 6.7 times after hemoperfusion with HA230 absorption resin.Conclusion It suggested that cadusafos were mostly removed from blood after 1.5～2.0hours hemoperfusion with membrane activated charcoal or HA230 absorption resin.The concentration ratio of cadusafos and atropine sulfate in blood will increased after hemoperfusion.     

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the placenta is not elevated in pre-eclamptic patients despite its elevation in peripheral blood

PROBLEM: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is present in human placental and uterine cells at the early and late stages of gestation and promotes the regulation of trophoblast growth and invasion. We evaluated whether TNF-alpha levels in the placenta and blood of pre-eclamptic women differed from those with normal pregnancies. METHOD OF STUDY: The subjects were 39 pregnant women carrying single fetuses (21 normal-pregnant and 18 pre-eclamptic patients). Their average gestational age at entry was 38-39 weeks. Peripheral blood was collected before the onset of labor and separated serum was stored at -20 degrees C. A tissue segment of the placenta was cut and frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after delivery at -80 degrees C. The frozen placental tissue was added to phosphate-buffered saline. The tissue was fully homogenized and centrifuged. Separated supernatant was stored at -80 degrees C. TNF-alpha levels in separated serum and TNF-alpha and total protein (TP) levels in separated supernatant were measured. The presence of TNF-alpha in the placenta was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in five pre-eclamptic and five normal-pregnant patients. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha levels were higher in pre-eclampsia than in normal pregnancies. However, TNF-alpha/TP levels in the placenta did not differ significantly between the two groups. As for TNF-alpha immunostaining of trophoblastic cells in the placenta, it was weak in three and moderate in two of the normal pregnancies, while it was absent in two, weak in one, and moderate in two in the pre-eclampsia group. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated no significant increase in TNF-alpha/TP levels in the placenta in pre-eclampsia despite a significant increase in serum TNF-alpha levels. There was no strong immunostaining for TNF-alpha detected by immunohistochemistry in the pre-eclampsia group. These findings suggest that TNF-alpha in the placenta is not a key cytokine to interfere with normal trophoblast invasion into the myometrium in pre-eclampsia, and that sources other than the placenta may contribute to the elevated levels of TNF-alpha found in the circulation of pre-eclamptic patients.     

优化原理与小动脉血流量─管径关系

作者假设血液为符合幂定律的非牛顿流体，对小动脉血管系统进行了详细的优化分析。导出了血流量与管径立方成正比的结论以及壁面切变率与管径无关的推论。此结果既包含了前人对于牛顿血流的研究成果，又能克服后者的不足，而与近期的生理测定一致。     

高血压急诊患者降压前后脑电图变化及临床意义

目的:观察高血压急诊快速降血压对大脑功能的影响情况。方法:监测56例病人含服 降压药前后的脑电活动和血压情况,并对所获资料进行分析。结果:2 h内收缩压(SBP)下降>5.33 kPa (40 mmHg)或舒张压(DBP)下降>4.00 kPa(30 mmHg)时,脑电图异常程度增加,θ及δ频段功率值明 显升高(P<0.01)。结论:降压急骤,可能会造成大脑功能损害     

Contribution of adrenomedullin to homeostatic response to cold stress in rat model

Acute stress known to stimulate sympathetic activity as well as the hypothalamo-pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, produces a significant increase in adrenomedullin (ADM) levels in the pituitary gland, plasma and adrenal glands, all of which are key components of HPA axis, suggesting a regulatory or protective role for ADM in countering HPA activation following a variety of physiological and psychological stressors. This study was conducted to assess a rat model for in depth investigation of biochemical mechanisms and consequences of cold stress. Four groups of Sprague–Dawley rats were observed for their serum total protein, glucose, trigliceride and cholesterol levels as well as their blood pressures after housing at room temperature, administration of ADM (1.0 nm/kg), exposing to cold stress (8 °C for 48 h) and exposing to ADM injection in addition to cold stress. The results suggest that application of ADM in addition to cold stress may act via receptors on different end-organs and causes altered metabolic regulation taking partial or total occupation of ADM receptors, stimulated in response to cold application induced physiologic ADM release before pharmacological ADM administration.