Rapid monitoring of changes in water diffusion coefficients during reversible ischemia in cat and rat brain

Changes in the diffusion constant of water during reversible brain ischemia and cardiac arrest were monitored with a 10-s time resolution. Results (five cats, three rats) indicate that these changes are reversible and that the bulk of the changes are not caused by temperature or motion related to brain pulsations and blood flow. The rapid time course of the changes corresponds to the known time course for changes in energy state, signal transduction, and ionic homeostasis.     

Ectopic cervico-mediastinal thymoma confirmed by flow cytometric analysis of tumor-derived lymphocytes

Ectopic cervical or cervico-mediastinal thymomas are very rare and most of them are asymptomatic, except for the presence of a cervical mass. We present the case of a 71-year-old man with an ectopic cervico-mediastinal thymoma threatening superior vena cava syndrome. He had a slight headache and presented with venous dilatation on the chest wall. A computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance, imaging of the chest demonstrated a mass extending from the right neck to the hilum, that indented the trachea and compressed and displaced the brachiocephalic veins anteriorly. Under a right hemicollar incision and median sternotomy, the mass was resected en bloc together with the thymus. The resected specimen was an encapsulated mass measuring 11×7×4 cm. The pathological diagnosis was type AB, non-invasive thymoma, confirmed by 3-color flow, cytometry of tumor-derived lymphocytes. Flow cytometry using biopsy material may contribute to the preoperative diagnosis of ectopic thymoma.     

A review of the effects of external pressure on skin blood flow

The human foot is a complex mechanical structure consisting of bones, ligaments and joints. They act together to provide a robust system capable of absorbing and dissipating the intermitted pressure that is subjected to its plantar surface during walking to prevent soft tissue breakdown. Current studies suggest that plantar foot pressure may lead to soft tissue breakdown (e.g. neuropathic ulceration) and hence research has so far concentrated on investigating the mechanical effects of plantar foot pressure on the foot’s integrity. This has been possible through the widely available pressure and force platforms as well as in-shoe pressure systems. However, to understand how plantar foot pressure causes soft tissue breakdown it is vital to investigate both the physiological–mechanical interactions between the skin and plantar foot pressure. This review suggests that with the current advances in technology, the physiological response of skin blood flow to mechanical plantar foot pressure should be investigated and correlated further, both during static and dynamic loading, by developing a new system capable of either measuring both variables simultaneously or by synchronising two systems in real time.     

老年糖尿病患者冠状动脉血流储备变化的初步观察

目的　应用彩色多普勒超声仪检测冠状动脉血流储备 (coronaryflowreserve ,CFR) ,初步观察老年糖尿病患者中CFR的变化。方法　 2 5例老年糖尿病患者及 2 5例健康志愿者作对照组 ,比较两组的空腹血糖 (FBG)、早餐后 2h血糖 (P2hBG)、糖化血红蛋白A1c (HbA1c)、总胆固醇 (TC)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇 (LDL C)及甘油三酯(TG)、内皮素 1(ET 1)、静息状态时患者冠状动脉的基础血流速度 (bFV)、潘生丁注射后的最大冠脉血流速度(mFV)及CFR。结果　糖尿病组的FBG、P2hBG、TG及ET 1水平显著高于对照组 [分别为 :(9 1± 3 3)mmol/L与 (5 3± 0 7)mmol/L ;(15 8± 5 0 )mmol/L与 (8 5± 2 4 )mmol/L ;(2 96± 0 5 6 )与 (1 6 9± 0 82 )mmol/L及(15 3 80± 13 5 0 )ng/L与 (76 2 3± 10 78)ng/L ,均P <0 0 1],糖尿病组静息时的基础冠脉血流速度 (bFV)及TC、LDL C水平与对照组比较 ,差异均无显著性意义 (均P >0 0 5 ) ,而潘生丁注射后mFV及CFR (CFR =mFV/bFV)较对照组明显下降 [分别为 (5 8 1± 7 9)cm/s与 (73 5± 9 8)cm/s及 2 31± 0 4 9与 3 5 8± 0 4 6 ,P均 <0 0 1]。结论　老年糖尿病患者冠状动脉血流储备明显下降。     

Balloon occlusion of the internal carotid artery in 40 cases of giant intracavernous aneurysm: technical aspects,cerebral monitoring,and results

Summary We have studied the results of carotid occlusion in the treatment of giant intracavernous carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms in 40 patients. Clinical, angiographic, Doppler and cerebral blood flow (CBF) criteria for tolerance of occlusion are discussed. The patients had headaches (47.5%), cranial nerve compression (87.5%), decreased visual acuity (20%), ruptured aneurysm (15%) and 5% were asymptomatic. Balloon occlusion tests were performed under light sedation anaesthesia: a successful test required perfect clinical tolerance and adequate angiographic collateral circulation in arterial, parenchymatous, and venous phases. Additional criteria include xenon 133 CBF measurements, and transcranial Doppler sonography of the middle cerebral artery. According to these criteria, 5 patients did not tolerate test occlusion and required an extra-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass. Mean follow-up was 4.7 years. All patients were radiologically cured of their ancurysm, and in 35 the symptoms resolved, although 3 had persistent ocular motor nerve palsies, and in 4 visual defects were unchanged. Complications were 1 permanent and 3 transient neurological deficits. Balloon occlusion of the ICA is an effective, reliable form of treatment for intracavernous giant aneurysm and should replace surgical ligation of the cervical carotid artery. With CBF or Doppler monitoring, the risk of neurological deficit is diminished. EC-IC bypass prior to ICA occlusion is indicated if test occlusion is not tolerated.     

Scopolamine abolishes cerebral blood flow response to somatosensory stimulation in anesthetized cats: PET study

The effect of the cholinergic blocker, scopolamine on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to vibrotactile stimulation of a fore paw was studied using high-resolution positron emission tomography and H₂¹⁵O in 5 pentobarbital-anesthetized cats. Before scopolamine injection, the CBF response to the stimulation was found in the contralateral somatosensory cortex (mean ratio (contralateral/ipsilateral) control: stimulated1.02 ± 0.02: 1.17 ± 0.05; P < 0.01). After intravenous injection of scopolamine (0.35 mg/kg), the CBF response was abolished. However, the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlu) response to the same stimulation was unchanged after scopolamine injection in the same cats. We concluded that scopolamine abolishes the CBF response but not neuronal response to stimulation. We suggest that cholinergic mechanisms may play an important role for mediating CBF coupling to neuronal activity during physiological stimulation.     

Continuous flow synthesis of peptides using a polyacrylamide gel resin (Expansin™)

The continuous flow syntheses of endothelin 1, proendothelin 2. ATP binding site of the CDC2 kinase 3, and fragment 18-30 of an actin 4, have been performed by using a polyacrylamide gel resin Expansin? (about 0.6 mmol NH₂/g) with the glycolamidic ester handle as labile anchorage. In addition, we report here a method of air oxidation which reduces the formation of side-products related to the formation of intermolecular disulfide bridges.     

肝脏螺旋CT动态增强扫描时肝动脉期肝实质一过性异常强化的研究

目的　研究肝脏螺旋CT动态增强扫描时肝动脉期肝实质一过性异常强化 (transienthepaticabnormalenhancement,THAE)的表现特征 ,探讨其产生原因及临床意义。方法　 1999年 1月至2 0 0 1年 9月 92 6例患者因各种原因接受了肝脏或上腹部螺旋CT扫描。CT扫描常规先作全肝或上腹部螺旋CT平扫 ;注射对比剂开始后 2 5～ 3 0s行肝动脉期扫描 ,65～ 70s行门静脉期扫描 ;对部分病例还行病灶局部延迟扫描 ,延迟时间为 3、5及 10～ 15min。肝动脉期共检出 82例 (男 72例 ,女 10例 ;年龄 2 6～ 78岁 )具有THAE ,着重对其在平扫和增强各期图像上的表现、与肝内或肝外病灶的关系以及门静脉系统情况做详细观察和记录。结果　 82例 (8 9% )共有 12 2处肝动脉期THAE ,其中 110处(90 2 % )平扫未显示THAE区域密度异常 ,12处 (9 8% )呈稍低密度 ;所有 12 2处THAE在肝动脉期都为均匀的高密度影 ;在门静脉期 ,10 9处 (89 3 % )转为等密度而不能分辨 ,余 13处 (10 7% )为均匀稍高密度影 (其中 10处作了延迟扫描 ,均转为等密度 )。 83处 (68 0 % )THAE呈边缘光滑的楔形或扇形 ,2 9处呈不规则形 (2 3 8% ) ,余为其他形状。THAE紧贴肝内肿瘤或其他病灶的有 46处 (3 7 7% ) ,邻近肝外肿瘤或其他病灶 2 0处 (16 4% ) ,余 5 6处 (45     

Local cerebral blood flow measured by stable xenon CT during fentanyl-diazepam anesthesia

We assessed the local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) in 40 patients under fentanyl-diazepam anesthesia. The measurement of LCBF was made using 50%–70% stable xenon with 20 min of inhalation interval and a shuttle method for computed tomography imaging. All patients were anesthetized with 5.95±1.76 μg·kg⁻¹ fentanyl and 0.22±0.07 mg·kg⁻¹ diazepam under mechanical ventilation during CBF measurement. The values and distribution of LCBF on non-affected hemisphere appeared to be unaltered by fentanyldiazepam anesthesia. We also assessed the cerebral carbon dioxide reactivity in 6 patients. The cerebral carbon dioxide reactivity, expressed as percentage change in LCBF per unit change in arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure, was 5.39±1.07, and there were no significant differences of reactivity among regions studied. In conclusion, we showed reference values of LCBF and carbon dioxide reactivity, measured by stable xenon-enhanced computed tomography, in patients under fentanyl-diazepam anesthesia. Carbon dioxide reactivity was preserved in all regions including gray matter, white matter, and basal ganglia.