Comparison of the effects of three different combinations of general anesthetics on the electroretinogram of dogs

The objective of this study is to compare the effects of three different anesthetic combinations on the electroretinogram in the same animals under similar laboratory conditions. Thiopental–isoflurane (TI), medetomidine–ketamine (MK), and xylazine–ketamine (XK) were used on each of 12 healthy miniature schnauzer dogs (MS) with a period of at least 3 weeks in between subsequent anesthesia protocols, using the Dog Standard Protocol. The scotopic ERGs consisted of scotopic low stimulus strength (S) responses designated S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5, at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 min after dark adaptation, respectively, and scotopic standard stimulus strength (S-ST) responses. The photopic ERGs consisted of a photopic single flash (P) response and 31 Hz flicker (P-FL) responses. For S-ST (2.5 cd s/m²), the amplitude of the a-wave using TI was significantly lower than that using MK (adjusted P = 0.05) and XK (adjusted P = 0.03), and the implicit time of the a-wave was significantly shorter than that using MK (adjusted P = 0.04). For P (2.5 cd s/m²), the amplitude of the b-wave using XK was significantly higher than that using MK (adjusted P = 0.01). The implicit times of the b-wave using TI was significantly longer and shorter than that of MK for S1, S2 and P-FL and for S4 and S-ST, respectively, and than that of XK for S2 and P-FL and for S5 and S-ST, respectively. The results of the present study showed that TI affected both the amplitude and the implicit time of the a-wave for S-ST and the implicit time of the b-wave relatively more so than was the case when using XK or MK. Therefore, it appears that either XK or MK could be advantageous to use rather than TI for clinical studies.     

Reversal of vascular 18F-FDG uptake with plasma high-density lipoprotein elevation by atherogenic risk reduction

Vascular 18F-FDG uptake marker represents inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions, but whether inflammation can be reversed by risk-modifying interventions has not, to our knowledge, been demonstrated. In this study, we evaluated the change of vascular 18F-FDG uptake in response to lifestyle intervention on serial PET/CT scans and further assessed how the findings relate to atherogenic risk reduction. METHODS: A total of 60 healthy adults underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT scans and atherogenic risk-factor assessment at baseline and again after 17.1 +/- 8.3 mo of practicing lifestyle modification. The PET/CT images were evaluated for the presence of vascular 18F-FDG lesions, and vessel-to-blood-pool 18F-FDG ratios were measured. Indices from summed ratios of positive lesions were compared and correlated to atherogenic risk factors. RESULTS: At follow-up, significant reductions in diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05), total cholesterol (P < 0.05), and low-density lipoprotein level (P < 0.05) and an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level (P < 0.0001) were demonstrated. On the initial PET/CT scan, 50 of 60 subjects showed 1 or more 18F-FDG-positive lesions (5.9 +/- 5.0/subject), leading to a total of 352 vascular sites. On follow-up, 18F-FDG-positive lesions were significantly reduced to 2.1 +/- 2.2 sites per subject (P < 0.0001) and a total of 124 sites (64.8% reduction). Follow-up 18F-FDG-positive rates were significantly reduced for the aorta and iliac arteries. In addition, significant reductions in the whole-body 18F-FDG index from 1.39 +/- 1.23 to 0.53 +/- 0.59 (P < 0.0001) and carotid 18F-FDG index from 0.08 +/- 0.16 to 0.03 +/- 0.06 (P = 0.01) were shown. The whole-body 18F-FDG index correlated with total cholesterol (P < 0.05) and HDL level (P < 0.05), and the magnitude of reduction in the 18F-FDG index closely correlated to the amount of increase in plasma HDL level (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that vascular 18F-FDG uptake is reversed in response to atherogenic risk reduction by lifestyle intervention and that the magnitude of improvement correlates to increases in plasma HDL levels. Thus, serial 18F-FDG PET/CT may be useful for monitoring improvements in the inflammatory component of atherosclerotic lesions in response to risk modification.     

Benign childhood epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BCECTS): early onset of seizures is associated with poorer response to initial treatment.

AIM: Benign childhood epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BCECTS) is the most common idiopathic partial epilepsy in children. Treatment attitudes remain a controversial issue. We examine features that could suggest refractoriness at onset. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 144 children with BCECTS diagnosed at the Division of Pediatric Neurology, Asan Medical Center, from March 1, 1995, to April 30, 2002 and treated with AEDs. The patients were subdivided into two groups according to the number of antiepileptic drugs used for effective seizure control. RESULTS: Of the 144 patients, 75 were male and 69 were female, with a mean age at seizure-onset of 7.2 +/- 2.3 years (range, 2.1-14.3 years); 119 children were taking one antiepileptic drug (AED) (Group A), and 25 were taking more than one (Group B). There were no significant group differences in female-to-male ratio, prescribed AEDs, number of seizures before the start of treatment, interval between seizure-onset and start of treatment, presence of secondarily generalized seizures, or presence of bilateral EEG abnormalities. The groups differed however, in mean age at seizure onset (7.6 +/- 2.2 years versus 5.1 +/- 1.9 years, p < 0.05) and percentage of patients with seizure-onset before 3 years (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: When treated with AEDs, children with BCECTS usually respond well. However, an earlier onset of seizures is associated with more frequent seizures and initial refractoriness to medical treatment.     

A new antisense oligonucleotide delivery system based on self-assembled ODN-PEG hybrid conjugate micelles.

The conjugate of antisense c-raf oligonucleotide (ODN) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was synthesized for intracellular ODN delivery. When combined with polyethylenimine (PEI), the ODN-PEG conjugate self-associated to form polyelectrolyte complex micelles in aqueous solution. The effective hydrodynamic diameter of the micelles was ca. 70 nm with a narrow size distribution. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that the cellular uptake of the micelles by A2780 cells was much higher than that of ODN alone. The micelles also showed a superior antiproliferative activity against ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.     

Cytokines and growth factors in keratinocytes and sweat glands in chronic venous leg ulcers. An immunohistochemical study

The role of growth factors and cytokines in the impaired healing of chronic leg ulcers remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine whether changes in the amount and location of cytokines and growth factors may be associated with impaired healing in chronic leg ulcers. Biopsies from leg ulcers of 21 patients and from normal skin of nine healthy volunteers were examined immunohistochemically for selected growth factors and cytokines. Greater staining intensity was found in keratinocytes at the edges of ulcers compared to normal skin, or skin adjacent to the ulcers. Staining at the ulcer edge was more intense in nonhealing ulcers for only vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor, whereas staining in the adjacent skin was more intense for all factors in the nonhealing phase. For all factors staining was cytoplasmic, suggesting production in these areas. This study shows up-regulation of the production of cytokines and growth factors in keratinocytes of chronic leg ulcers that is greater when the ulcers are nonhealing.     

Solitary Small Hepatic Angiosarcoma: Initial and Follow-up Imaging Findings

We report an uncommon case of solitary, small hepatic angiosarcoma that was initially considered as a hemangioma. We present the imaging findings, with an emphasis on the initial and follow-up CT and MR findings, as well as report on the more suggestive findings of angiosarcoma than those of a hemangioma.     

Poly(L-lysine)-g-poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) micelles for low cytotoxic biodegradable gene delivery carriers.

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-grafted poly(L-lysine) (PLL) (PLL-g-PLGA) was synthesized to demonstrate its micelle-forming property in an aqueous solution. The micelles were used as a gene delivery carrier. The hydrodynamic diameter of PLL-g-PLGA micelles in an aqueous solution was ca. 149 nm with a narrow size distribution. Critical micelle concentration (cmc) was 9.6 mg/l. The PLL-g-PLGA micelles could be used to produce compact nanoparticulate complexes with plasmid DNA, which could efficiently protect the complexed DNA from enzymatic degradation by DNase I. The micelle/DNA complexes had highly compacted structure sized between 200-300 nm with a positive surface charge value. The PLL-g-PLGA micelles exhibited much higher transfection efficiency with lower cytotoxicity than PLL. Here, we demonstrated that biodegradable and cationic PLL-g-PLGA micelles could be used as an effective DNA condensation carrier for gene delivery system.