Physiological pharmacokinetics of solutes in the isolated perfused rat hindlimb: Characterization of the physiology with changing perfusate flow,protein content,and temperature using statistical moment analysis

Distribution of Evans Blue (EB), sucrose, and water into the isolated perfused rat hindlimb was studied under various conditions using the multiple indicator dilution (MID) technique. Statistical moment analyses of the outflow profiles for the EB, sucrose, and water were used to define the vascular, extravascular, and total water spaces, respectively. The varied perfusion conditions included albumin content (2, 4.7, and 7%), temperature (25, 37, and 42 C), perfusate flow rate (2, 4, 8, and 12 ml/min) and the presence/absence of red blood cells. The range of studies undertaken were chosen to represent the variety of conditions used in the preparation of both isolated animal and human limbs, the latter being particularly important in cytotoxic therapy for recurrent malignant melanoma. The distribution volumes of EB, sucrose, and water were dependent on the flow rate and the albumin content of perfusate. The normalized variances (CV ² ) of the markers were of the following order: sucrose (2.18) > water (1.58) > EB (0.68), indicating that some disequilibrium occurs during the capillary exchange of water and sucrose. It is suggested that a Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 2% BSA is a suitable perfusate for most studies of the isolated rat hindlimb perfusion. The effect of albumin concentration manifests itself only at higher flows.We acknowledge the support of the National Heart Foundation (Queensland) and the Mayne Bequest Foundation. This study was conducted while the investigator (Z.Y. Wu) was in receipt of a WHO Research Training Grant. Professor M. S. Roberts also acknowledges the support of the Queensland and Northern New South Wales Lions Kidney & Medical Research Foundation.     

The ensemble-averaged impedance cardiogram: An evaluation of scoring methods and interrater reliability

The interrater reliability and concurrent validity of two methods of scoring the ensemble-averaged impedance cardiogram were evaluated. Impedance cardiographic and electrocardiographic signals were recorded from 40 undergraduate men and women during a baseline rest period and a vocal mental arithmetic task period. Recordings were scored by four raters using a conventional method, involving ensemble averaging after careful editing of beat-to-beat waveforms, and a streamlined method, involving ensemble averaging without beat-to-beat editing. Intraclass correlations for interrater reliability exceeded .92, whereas intraclass correlations for concurrent validity exceeded .97, indicating excellent agreement between raters and scoring methods for all cardiac measures. The streamlined method was significantly faster than the conventional method. The results indicate that variations in beat-to-beat editing do not constitute a serious source of error in the ensemble-averaged impedance cardiogram and support the interrater reliability and concurrent validity of the two scoring methods.     

Determination of functional kidney volume by single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Functional parenchymal kidney volume was determined by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) using a rotating gamma camera in phantom experiments and in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The results from the patient examinations were corrected according to the phantom studies and were thereafter set in relation to renal haemodynamics, blood pressure, and urinary albumin excretion. Functional parenchymal kidney volume was significantly greater in diabetic patients compared to that of 11 healthy controls (P < 0.003). Urinary albumin excretion was increased and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) per renal parenchymal volume significantly less in patients with a duration of diabetic disease of more than 15 years compared to patients with shorter duration of disease (P < 0.03 and P < 0.05 respectively). Diabetic patients with a GFR of more than 120 ml/min had greater renal parenchymal volume than patients with lower GFR (P < 0.02). Patients with increased GFR, renal plasma flow (RPF), renal blood flow, or filtration fraction had significantly greater functional parenchymal volume than the healthy subjects (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). We conclude that by application of SPECT for DMSA we were able to show that IDDM patients have greater renal parenchymal volumes than healthy subjects. GFR/kidney volume was increased in IDDM patients with a duration of disease of < 15 years compared to patients with long-standing diabetes. The SPECT technique seems suitable for prospective long-term follow-up studies of functional kidney volume in IDDM patients.     

Changes in the volume and histology of retractile testes in prepubertal boys

Testicular development was studied in prepubertal boys with retractile testes. Testicular volume, the diameter of the seminiferous tubules and the number of spermatogonia in the tubules were decreased in cases of unilateral retractile testis, when compared with values for the contralateral normally descended testis. On the other hand, in patients with a unilateral retractile testis and contralateral inguinal testis, there was no difference in the developmental parameters between the two testes. These results suggest that the retractile testis has developmental failures characteristic of a cryptorchid testis and therefore requires orchiopexy.     

螺旋CT多层面容积重建在腰椎峡部裂中的应用研究

目的:探讨螺旋CT多层面容积重建对腰惟峡部裂的诊断价值。方法:选取行腰椎螺旋CT检查的50例腰痛患者资料,根据椎弓有无峡部裂分成峡部裂组(25例,有峡部裂)和对照组(25例,无峡部裂),所得数据资料行t检验。结果:峡部裂主要发生在L5(18例,占72%),腰椎峡部裂常导致腰椎前滑脱(24例,占96%)。峡部裂组椎管矢状径明显大于对照组椎管矢状径,之间有显著性差异(P<0.01),峡部裂组峡部高小于对照组峡部高,之间有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论:螺旋CT扫描MPVR重建图像可以从骨性和软组织两个方面为临床提供更多影像学信息。     

阻塞性肺病呼气末肺残气量的CT评价

目的:探讨呼气末高分辨率CT(HRCT)对阻塞性肺病(OLD)患者的肺残气量的评估价值.方法:对有肺功能检测结果的13名健康志愿者与14例OLD患者行吸气与呼气末HRCT扫描,测量吸气与呼气状态下肺CT值,并目测呼气末HRCT扫描时肺残气量的范围.结果:所有的OLD与8名健康志愿者都有肺内空气残余,但OLD的范围明显增大.OLD患者在吸气与呼气时肺CT值变化及残气量分数与健康者明显不同,且与肺功能密切相关(P＜0.01).结论:呼气末HRCT可用于评估OLD患者肺残气量并可诊断这类疾病.肺CT值的测量与肺残气量的评估是两种有价值的分析方法.     

Quantification of tissue plasma volume in the rat by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging enhanced with a macromolecular contrast medium (MMCM), albumin-Gd-DTPA, was used to estimate the plasma volume in vivo in the myocardium, lung, liver, and skeletal muscle of 10 normal rats. The plasma volumes of the same tissues in a parallel group of six rats were estimated in vitro by a conventional radioisotopic technique (¹¹¹In-transferrin). Plasma volumes of myocardium, lung, liver, and skeletal muscle estimated by the MR technique (μl plas. ia cc-¹ of tissue) were 101,109,163, and 11.0, respectively, while plasma volumes measured by the In-transferrin radioisotope technique (mg plasma g-¹ of tissue) were 78.6, 215,143, and 11-2, respectively. Assuming a ratio of densities of aerated lung to blood of 0.45 and of other tissues to blood of 1.0, correlation between the methods was excellent (R² = 0.99) indicating that MR imaging enhanced with MMCM permits reliable in vivo estimation of tissue plasma volume in the rat.     

Conjunctival oxygen tension is influenced by plasma and blood volume, and flow through the external carotid artery

An investigation of the feasibility and validity of measurement of the conjunctival oxygen tension as a monitor of peripheral circulation, blood and extracellular fluid volume and cerebral circulation was carried out in 7 healthy volunteers and 5 unconscious critical care patients with proven total cerebral infarction. The healthy volunteers were subjected to changes in hydration achieved by the administration of furosemide and subsequent rehydration by administration of normal saline. Conjunctival oxygen tension was found to be a sensitive indicator of changes in the degree of hydration presumably by its ability to detect changes in peripheral circulation depending upon circulating blood and extracellular fluid volume. A drawback is that other stimuli of the sympatho-adrenergic system such as temperature and pain, interfere with measurement in the conscious volunteer. In patients with presumed total brain infarction the conjunctival PO₂ cannot be used as a reliable monitor of cerebral blood flow because of varying perfusion of the palpebral conjunctiva from the external carotid artery in the occasional patient.     

The influence of molsidomine on myocardial ischemia and ventricular dynamics an in-vivo study in anesthetized dogs by means of computer tomography

Summary In six anesthetized dogs with myocardium partially damaged by ischemia (LAD occlusion), the effect of an i.v. bolus injection of 0.05 mg molsidomine/kg body weight followed by a 6-h i.v. infusion of 0.5 g molsidomine/kg/min on the volume of myocardial ischemia, the relative remaining blood flow in the ischemic area, and the dynamics of the left ventricle were examined by means of computer tomography.The extent of the ischemic volume in the group treated with molsidomine was by far lower than in the control group; this difference was significant if one takes into account the individual heart size. The relative remaining blood flow in the ischemic region was not influenced by molsidomine. The reduction of preload and afterload resulted in corresponding changes in left ventricular areas, segments of these areas, the long axis, thickness of myocardium, ejection fraction and stroke volume. Aortic pressure was lowered insignificantly, heart rate remained nearly unchanged. Plasma analyses of molsidomine, SIN 1 and SIN 1C show that the applied dosage was sufficient to reach a constant concentration over the whole period of observation in the dog.Corvaton^®, Cassella-Riedel Pharma GmbH, Frankfurt/M.     

Measurement of airway resistance in anesthetized and paralyzed subjects: Proposal for evaluation of K1 values

The effects of lung volume and respiratory airflow on airway resistance were studied in five anesthetized and paralyzed patients. Airway resistance measured during the inspiratory phase with intermittent constant airflow inflatoins decreased in inverse correlationship to increases in lung volume. Airway resistance measured during the expiratory phase with an airway interruption technique, on the other hand, increased with a linear relationship to the expiratory airflow as expressed by a function of Y = K₁ + K₂X. K₁, calculated from the values of airway resistance corresponding to three different airflows, was unaffected by intentional expiratory resistance loading. Thus, simultaneously with the measurement of airway resistance by this method, expiratory gas sampling with a Douglas bag can be done if necessary. Since the K₂ value of the endotracheal tube used in this study (Portex^® I.D. 8mm, length 26cm) was quite high (5.0cmH₂O·1^–2·sec²), depending on the airflow, the presence of the endotracheal tube strongly affected the measurement of airway resistance during general anesthesia. K₁ measured by the above method, however, may be considered as the best way to evaluate the lower airway resistance independent of either lung volume or expiratory airflow.(Sakai T, Yoshida H, Yano H et al.: Measurement of airway resistance in anesthetized and paralyzed subjects: proposal for evaluation of K₁ values. J Anesth 2: 139–145, 1988)