Laterality of cross-modal spatial processing

This study examined the laterality of spatial-form perception in normal adults using a cross-modal matching paradigm involving visual and tactile processing. Randomly generated eight-point and 12-point Vanderplas and Garvin (1959) patterns were used as the stimuli. In a visual-to-tactile task, a lateralized visual pattern was followed immediately by a haptic task requiring subjects to discriminate which of two simultaneously felt shapes matched the visual pattern. In a tactile-to-visual task, subjects decided which of two simultaneously felt shapes matched a lateralized visual pattern presented after haptic manipulation. There were no main effects for laterality or for sex differences. Matching accuracy was better in the visual-to-tactile task and for less complex stimuli. A visual field by feeling hand interaction showed best recognition accuracy when visual-feeling hand combinations on the same side of the body were used in the two matching tasks. These data reflect a stimulus-response compatibility explanation of spatial-form perception that is consistent with a behavioral and not a cerebral asymmetry model.     

The presence of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the ovarian follicles and corpora lutea of pregnant swine.

Steroid hormones play an essential role in the ovarian cyclicity control and the progress of pregnancy. One of the crucial enzymes in the steroidogenesis is 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Delta5-Delta4 isomerase (3betaHSD). The aim of the present study was to localize both 3betaHSD mRNA and protein in the ovary of pregnant swine. The immunolocalization of 3betaHSD was performed on paraplast sections of follicles and corpora lutea obtained on various days of gestation: 10, 18, 32, 50, 71 and 90 POST COITUM (p.c.). The obtained results were compared with those concerning follicular and luteal development in the ovaries of the cycling pig. Differences in 3betaHSD distribution between the ovarian follicles of cycling and pregnant pigs were concerned mainly in the pattern of immunostaining of the theca interna cells. In the porcine ovaries obtained on various days of pregnancy, some follicles exhibited positive immunostaining in most theca interna cells, while in other follicles this enzyme was expressed only in a relatively small percentage of theca interna cells. In the corpora lutea of the estrous cycle and pregnancy changes in the pattern of immunostaining were observed. At early and mid pregnancy (up to 71 day p.c.) 3betaHSD was observed in the large luteal cells while on day 71 p.c. the enzyme was present exclusively in the small luteal cells. The expression of 3betaHSD mRNA was detected by the use of RT-PCR technique in all investigated samples isolated at different stages of pregnancy.     

In vitro and clinical feasibility study with an over-the-wire delivery system for pulsed dye laser angioplasty.

The suitability of a pulsed dye laser (504 nm) in experimental and clinical angioplasty was investigated. In an experimental study, the ablation thresholds were 3 J/cm2 +/- 8 (mean +/- standard deviation) for fibrofatty plaque and 25 J/cm2 for calcified tissues under saline. At a radiant exposure of 10 J/cm2 the etch rates were 1.7 microns per pulse +/- 0.3 for media, 2.8 microns/pulse +/- 0.4 for normal intima, and 3.9 microns/pulse +/- 1.1 for fibrofatty plaque (P less than .05). Pressure wave effects with a separation of tissue layers were predominantly localized at the internal elastic lamina. Thermal injury with vacuolations extended 15 microns +/- 6 into adjacent tissue. For clinical study, laser-assisted balloon angioplasty was performed in 10 patients (64 years +/- 14) with occlusions of peripheral arteries using a 9-F multifiber ring catheter. Lesion length ranged from 2 to 12 cm (mean, 7 cm). Laser angioplasty with an 80 mJ/pulse decreased the mean stenosis from 100% to 58% +/- 12% (P less than .005). The ankle-brachial index rose from a median of 0.48 to 0.88 (P less than .001). In 33% of patients, there were subintimal dissections after laser angioplasty. After a mean follow-up of 10.2 months, the overall clinical success was 70% with a primary patency of 78%. The over-the-wire approach with a pulsed dye laser may constitute a safe and feasible tool in laser angioplasty.     

Risikoanalyse und präoperative Prophylaxemaßnahmen

Zusammenfassung Probleml?sungsstrategien zu perioperativen Prophylaxema?nahmen umfassen mehr Studienarten als Tierexperimente und kontrollierte klinische Studien. Dabei verhelfen Methoden der kognitiven Psychologie und künstlichen Intelligenz zu neuen Verfahren, um kontroverse Standpunkte in der klinischen Versorgung zu formalisieren. Der Weg vom Tierexperiment zur klinischen Indikation, mag mühevoll und beschwerlich sein, aber die Strategie hat sich bei der perioperativen Antihistaminikaprophylaxe als eine neue Form der Prophylaxe schon bew?hrt. Gerade wurde im Refresher Course der ASA, der amerikanischen Gesellschaft für An?sthesie und Intensivmedizin, diese Prophylaxe für alle US-An?sthesisten empfohlen. Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Lo 199/16-2).     

FM sonography in diffuse liver disease: prospective assessment and blinded analysis

FM sonography - a signal-processing technique that uses frequency and phase information as well as amplitude data - shows promise in evaluation of patients with diffuse liver disease. In a prospective blinded review of 37 patients with biopsy-proved liver disease and 42 healthy volunteers, FM sonography was clearly superior to traditional amplitude-based (AM) sonography in distinguishing healthy from diseased subjects. Statistically significant differences were seen in accuracy (FM, 98.7%; AM, 84.8%), sensitivity (FM, 97.3%; AM, 70.3%), and negative predictive value (FM, 97.7%; AM, 78.8%). Our data also suggest that current FM sonographic techniques cannot differentiate among histologic findings associated with different hepatic parenchymal abnormalities. It is unclear, therefore, whether FM imaging can reduce the numbers of patients who require biopsy for diagnosis or the frequency of biopsy procedures in patients with known disease.     

用于筛选天然产物中脲酶抑制剂的脲酶活性测试方法的建立

抑制幽门螺杆菌产生的脲酶具有治疗胃炎和消化性溃疡的作用。用酚红指示剂和Ｂｅｒｔｈｅｌｏｔ试剂在９６孔培养板上检测重组脲酶活性，其灵敏度指标酚红法每ｍｇ酶蛋白引起的每分钟吸光度变化。△Ａ为６．９，而Ｂｅｒｔｈｅｌｏｔ法每ｍｇ酶蛋白引起的每分钟吸光度比值变化△Ａ为３１３。结果表明用Ｂｅｒｔｈｅｌｏｔ试剂检测重组脲酶活性适宜在９６孔培养板上大规模筛选天然产物中的脲酶抑制剂。     

Identification of non-amplifying CYP21 genes when using PCR-based diagnosis of 21-hydroxylase deficiency in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) affected pedigrees

Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is among the most common inborn errors of metabolism in man. Characterization of mutations in the 21- hydroxylase gene (CYP21) has permitted genetic diagnosis, facilitated by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The most common mutation is conversion of an A or C at nt656 to a G in the second intron causing aberrant splicing of mRNA. Homozygosity for nt656G is associated with profoundly deficient adrenal cortisol and aldosterone synthesis, secondary hypersecretion of adrenal androgens, and a severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) characterized by ambiguous genitalia and/or sodium wasting in newborns. During the course of genetic analysis of CYP21 mutations in CAH families, we and others have noticed a number of relatives genotyped as nt656G homozygotes, yet showing no clinical signs of disease. A number of lines of evidence have led us to propose that the putative asymptomatic nt656G/G individuals are incorrectly typed due to dropout of one haplotype during PCR amplification of CYP21. For prenatal diagnosis, we recommend that microsatellite typing be used as a supplement to CYP21 genotyping in order to resolve ambiguities at nt656.