Temperature-controlled radiofrequency catheter ablation of AV conduction: first clinical experience

A new technique for catheter ablation of atrioventricular (AV)conduction, using temperature-controlled radiofrequency energyand a bipolar asymmetrical electrode configuration, was appliedto 12 patients (mean age, 48 ± 15 years; range, 18–69years) with medically refractory atrioventricular nodal reentranttachycardia (AVNRT) or rapid atrial rhythms. The energy sourcewas a 500 kHz generator with automatic power regulation to apreselected temperature of 80 °C. A specially designed 7F bipolar asymmetric thermo-catheter was used for ablation inall cases. The endpoints of the procedure were: first-degreeAV block in patients with AVN R T and third-degree block inpatients with atrial fibrillation or flutter. Energy was appliedover a range of 1–14 times per patient. After a mean follow-upof 8±4 months, third- or first degree AV block persistedin eight patients. In comparison to constant-power radiofrequencyablation, where impedance rises are commonly observed, no impedancerise or coating of the electrode occurred during any of the97 energy applications in this study. Variable wall contactof the electrode was identified in 20 of 97 applications bya slow temperature rise or a drop in temperature and frequentpower adjustments. Thus, monitoring temperature and automaticpower regulation may help to reduce the total delivered energy.Temperature control during radiofrequency energy avoids coagulumformation and consequently the associated potential hazardsof constant-power application.     

Functional plasticity of microglia: a review

The present review summarizes recently acquired data in vivo, which support a role of CNS microglia as a source of defense cells in the CNS capable of carrying out certain immune functions autonomously. We have kept the following discussion restricted to microglial cells and have not included work on the immunological functions of astrocytes, which has been recently reviewed elsewhere (Fontana et al.: Immunological Reviews 137:3521-3527, 1987). Resting microglia are scattered uniformly throughout the CNS forming a network of potential immunoeffector cells, which can be activated by stimuli ranging from peripheral nerve injury over viral infections to direct mechanical brain trauma. The term "activated microglia" is used here to describe proliferating cells that demonstrate changes in their immunophenotype but have not undergone transformation into brain macrophages. Such a transformation can be stimulated by neuronal death but not by sublethal neuronal injury. Microglia may function as antigen-presenting cells and may thus represent the effector cell responsible for the recruitment of lymphocytes to the brain resulting in an inflammatory reaction. The recent developments in the understanding of microglial cell function may lead to a redefinition of the often cited "immune privilege" of the brain.     

Hypoxia,energy state and pulmonary vasomotor tone

Vasomotor responses to hypoxia constitute a fundamental adaptation to a commonly encountered stress. It has long been suspected that changes in cellular energetics may modulate both hypoxic systemic artery vasodilatation (HSV) and hypoxic pulmonary artery vasoconstriction (HPV). Although limitation of energy has been shown to underlie hypoxic relaxation in some smooth muscles, the response to hypoxia in vascular smooth muscle does not appear to be a simple function of energy stores, but instead may involve perturbations of ATP or energy delivery to mechanisms controlling muscle force, and/or changes associated with anaerobic metabolism. Recent work in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle has demonstrated that energy stores are maintained during hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, and that this is dependent on glucose availability and up-regulation of glycolysis. There is increasing evidence that glycolysis is preferentially coupled to a variety of membrane associated ATP dependent processes, including the Na(+) pump, Ca(2+)-ATPase, and possibly some protein kinases. These and other mechanisms may influence excitation-contraction coupling in both systemic and pulmonary arteries by effects on intracellular Ca(2+) and/or Ca(2+) sensitivity. Hypoxia has also been postulated to have major effects on other cytosolic second messenger systems including phosphatidylinositol pathways, cell redox state and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. This review examines the relationship between energy state, anaerobic respiration and hypoxic vasomotor tone, with a particular emphasis on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.     

Clinical applications of colour Doppler energy imaging in the female reproductive tract and pregnancy

This review describes the usefulness of colour Doppler energy (CDE) (or power Doppler) imaging to measure vascularization in the female reproductive tract. CDE imaging is characterized by an increased sensitivity to flow, and thus may be useful in low-flow states and when optimal Doppler angles cannot be obtained. In addition, longer segments of vessels and more individual vessels can be visualized with CDE imaging. The role of CDE imaging in the evaluation of stromal vasculature in normal and in polycystic ovaries is described, and the relationship between follicular vascularity and outcome following in-vitro fertilization are discussed, together with the findings obtained from the evaluation of thecal arteriole of corpus luteum in early pregnancy. The fundamental role of CDE imaging in differentiation among ovarian masses is also reviewed. We summarize the role of CDE imaging in pregnancy, and describe two new applications of three-dimensional power Doppler sonography and the use of ultrasound contrast media. In conclusion, CDE imaging can replace conventional colour Doppler when the information on the direction of flow is not useful. Moreover, the technique appears superior to others for describing microvascular architecture and determining the presence or absence of flow.     

Liminal therapy: A strategy for the complete and selective destruction of malignant tissue

The property of aerobic glycolysis commonly possessed by malignant cells points to a weakness in oxidative metabolism which has been equated in some tumours with partial uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. The suggestions are made, first, that this endogenous defect may account for spontaneous cell death , and, second, that its accentuation would inflict extensive tumour injury upon sensitive neoplasms. Certain drugs not in current use for the treatment of malignant disease are known to be able to interfere selectively with energy metabolism in sensitive tumours to such an extent that widespread necrotisation ensues. The drugs activate an endogenous destructive mechanism that appears to require oxygen. Liminal therapy, the maintenance of continuous destructive pressure on sensitive growths in such a manner that maximal anti-tumour activity in terms of interference with energy production is not achieved at any one time, and under conditions in which the oxygen supply is only partly depleted, is put forward as a possible means of achieving complete and selective tumour destruction .     

磁刺激用平面线圈结构的优化研究

文中建立了采用任意形状平面线圈磁刺激仪的RLC模型，给出了模型参数的计算方法。为了优化线圈，将磁刺激仪线圈的性能指标分为反映线圈输出性能的峰值磁能和反映线圈结构的几何变量。在磁刺激激活函数达到阈值条件下，调整平面螺旋线圈的结构并计算出依赖于线圈结构参数的输出性能值，从而，寻找最优的线圈几何参数。优化结果表明：线圈外半径是关键因素，给定阈值条件，选择合适的线圈外半径，可以大大降低线圈峰值磁能；另外，现在使用的圆环线圈并非最优，D形线圈优于圆环线圈。     

解偶联蛋白3基因启动子区-55(C>T)多态与中国人静息能量消耗及体脂含量与分布的关系

目的研究解偶联蛋白3基因(UCP3)启动子区-55(C>T)多态与中国人静息能量消耗、体脂参数的关系。方法在300名中国人(正常体重91人,超重/肥胖209人)中,用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性(polymerase chain reaction-restrictionfragment length polymorphisms ,PCR-RFLP)检测UCP3基因启动子区-55(C>T)变异,并测定其静息能量消耗、体脂含量及分布。结果UCP3基因启动子区-55(C>T)多态基因型频率与肥胖及肥胖类型均无相关。正常体重组TT基因型者静息能量消耗水平显著高于CT及CC基因型者(P<0·05) ;超重/肥胖组各基因型者间比较亦有同样趋势。在超重/肥胖组,TT基因型者FM/FFM值与CT及CC基因型者差异有显著意义(P<0·01)。结论UCP3基因启动子区-55(C>T)多态与中国人静息能量消耗相关,该变异可能通过对静息能量消耗的影响调节机体的能量代谢。     

Effect of Alkyl Groups of Latent Cationic Catalysts on Cure and Dynamic Mechanical Behaviors of Epoxy Resins

Summary: The latent thermal cationic initiators, benzyl‐2,5‐dimethylpyrazinium hexafluoroantimonate (BDPH) and benzyl‐2‐ethylpyrazinium hexafluoroantimonate (BEPH), were synthesized to investigate the effect of substituted alkyl groups on cure and dynamic mechanical behaviors of difunctional epoxy system. The cure temperature and activation energy of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/BDPH were higher than those of the DGEBA/BEPH, resulting from the steric hindrance of the substituted groups. The cross‐linking density of the DGEBA/BDPH was higher than that of the DGEBA/BEPH, whereas the T_g's of both specimens are similar. This may be explained by the free volume and the intermolecular hydrogen bonding induced by the hydrogen of the substituted methyl groups. Consequently, the position and number of the substituted groups of the latent thermal initiator were very important in the control of the latent thermal and dynamic mechanical behaviors of the epoxy resin.

Dynamic DSC curves of DGEBA cured by each initiator.     

Changes of energy metabolism,myosin light chain composition,lactate dehydrogenase isozyme pattern and fibre type distribution of denervated fast-twitch muscle from rabbit after low frequency stimulation

The influence of low frequency (8–10 Hz) electrical stimulation on denervated fast-twitch muscle from rabbit was investigated. Prolonged direct stimulation of denervated muscle resulted in higher oxidative enzyme activities. Furthermore, single fibre analyses for succinate dehydrogenase showed a more uniform distribution of activity in stimulated-denervated muscle when compared to normal muscle. As was also the case following stimulation of innervated muscle, glycolytic enzymes were decreased in activity and the LDH-isozyme pattern also shifted towards heart type. No change of the myosin light chain pattern could be observed after 56 days of stimulation.This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 138, and by grant NI 204-2-2. H. R. is grateful to Dr. Dirk Pette for his guidance and encouragement during this work, which was done in Dr. Pette's laboratory at the University of Konstanz     

高能重带电粒子束平均能量计算的一个简单公式

本文提出了一个计算高能重带电粒子束平衡能量的简单公式。在计算重带电粒子放射治疗剂量时，用此公式可获得与平均能量有关的物理量的解析表达式，用此公式计算了入射铝内10-MeV的质子束的平均能量，并与相应的实验数据作了比较，比较表明，本文提出的公式在相当大的能量范围内能够精确地预言重带电粒子的平均能量，此外，还计算了在水中在100-MeV、150-MeV和200-MeV的质子束的平均能量。