Constructing robust selves after brain injury: positive identity work among members of a female self-help group

Despite common experiences of identity damage, decline, and deterioration, many brain injury survivors succeed in reconstructing robust identities in the wake of injury. Yet, while this accomplishment greatly benefits survivors’ quality of life, little is known about how positive identity work might be facilitated or enhanced in therapeutic institutions. Drawing on data from a women’s self-help group, we argue that an egalitarian, reflective, strength-focused, and gender-segregated environment can provide female ABI (acquired brain injury) survivors with a fertile scene for identity enhancement and offer unique opportunities for collective identity development. Sociolinguistic interactional analysis revealed four types of positive identity work undertaken within the group: constructing competent selves; tempering the threat of loss and impairment; resisting infantilisation and delegitimisation; and asserting a collective gender identity. This identity work was facilitated by specific programme attributes and activities and contributed to the global project of decentring disability and destigmatising impairments and losses. We call for increased attention to identity issues in brain injury rehabilitation and argue that gender-segregated programming can provide a unique space for female survivors to construct empowering individual and collective identities after injury.     

Exercise intensity, training, diet, and lactate concentration in muscle and blood

With some, but not all, types and intensities of exercise, lactate accumulates in the blood and in the muscles engaged in the exercise. A great deal of attention has been directed towards attempting to understand the dynamics of lactate production and removal at the onset of exercise, during exercise, and during the recovery process following exercise. It has been hoped that an unravelling of these events would provide a key to understanding cellular metabolism and its regulation during exercise. The purpose of this introductory paper to a symposium on lactate is to present a brief overview of some of the conditions that influence the rate and magnitude of lactate accumulation during exercise. It is pointed out that many conditions influence the rate and magnitude of the accumulation of lactate in blood and muscles. Included are diet, state of physical fitness, and the type and duration of the exercise. We have cautioned against trying to evaluate the state of oxygen delivery to muscle and the state of tissue oxygenation from the appearance of lactate in blood. We have pointed out the positive aspects of lactate production based on how it augments the cellular supply of ATP, thereby allowing for high intensity exercise, and also the negative aspects that develop as a result the reduction in pH which adversely influences many cellular processes essential for muscular activity.     

The correction of cerebrovascular insufficiency by transluminal dilatation: a preliminary report

Transluminal angioplasty is being extensively utilized to dilate arteriosclerotic lesions. However, this technique has not been widely used for the treatment of cerebrovascular insufficiency. This report describes the application of transluminal angioplasty to relieve cerebral ischemia secondary to extracranial arterial stenosis. A total of 10 patients presented with symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Bilateral upper extremity pressures were measured prior to the performance of arteriography on all patients. Significant stenoses were found in the subclavian artery (9) and in the innominate artery (1). Dilating catheters were passed retrograde through surgically exposed brachial and common carotid arteries. Transluminal angioplasty under fluoroscopic control was attempted. Anatomic correction of all lesions was achieved without hemorrhagic or embolic complications. The mean increase in brachial systolic pressure was 38.2 mm Hg postdilatation. Initial symptomatic relief was total in seven patients, partial in two, and absent in one. It is believed that associated small vessel brain stem disease accounted for the less than total relief of symptoms of these three patients. Average follow-up for all patients was 13 months with one recurrent subclavian artery stenosis occurring at three months postangioplasty. Preliminary results suggest that some patients with cerebral ischemia secondary to extracranial arterial stenosis can be treated safely by transluminal angioplasty.     

Effect of adding dopexamine to intraoperative volume expansion in patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery

Editor— The conclusion reached by Stone and colleagues¹is correct as far as it goes, but is misleading when consideringthe question they sought to answer: does the addition of dopexamineto intraoperative volume expansion confer added benefit? Theconclusion reached was that they were unable to demonstratesuch a benefit. This is not surprising given the study design,and should not be interpreted as meaning that a benefit doesnot exist. It is possible that the authors     

In vitro and in vivo evaluations of a hydrophilic 64Cu-bis(thiosemicarbazonato)-glucose conjugate for hypoxia imaging

A water-soluble glucose conjugate of the hypoxia tracer 64Cu-diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone) (64Cu-ATSM) was synthesized and radiolabeled (64Cu-ATSE/A-G). Here we report our initial biological experiments with 64Cu-ATSE/A-G and compare the results with those obtained for 64Cu-ATSM and 18F-FDG. METHODS: The uptake of 64Cu-ATSE/A-G and 64Cu-ATSM into HeLa cells in vitro was investigated at a range of dissolved oxygen concentrations representing normoxia, hypoxia, and anoxia. Small-animal PET with 64Cu-ATSE/A-G was performed in male BDIX rats implanted with P22 syngeneic carcinosarcomas. Images of 64Cu-ATSM and 18F-FDG were obtained in the same model for comparison. RESULTS: 64CuATSE/A-G showed oxygen concentration-dependent uptake in vitro and, under anoxic conditions, showed slightly lower levels of cellular uptake than 64Cu-ATSM; uptake levels under hypoxic conditions were also lower. Whereas the normoxic uptake of 64Cu-ATSM increased linearly over time, 64Cu-ATSE/A-G uptake remained at low levels over the entire time course. In the PET study, 64CuATSE/A-G showed good tumor uptake and a biodistribution pattern substantially different from that of each of the controls. In marked contrast to the findings for 64Cu-ATSM, renal clearance and accumulation in the bladder were observed. 64Cu-ATSE/A-G did not display the characteristic brain and heart uptake of 18F-FDG. CONCLUSION: The in vitro cell uptake studies demonstrated that 64Cu-ATSE/A-G retained hypoxia selectivity and had improved characteristics when compared with 64Cu-ATSM. The in vivo PET results indicated a difference in the excretion pathways, with a shift from primarily hepatointestinal for 64Cu-ATSM to partially renal with 64Cu-ATSE/A-G. This finding is consistent with the hydrophilic nature of the glucose conjugate. A comparison with 18F-FDG PET results revealed that 64Cu-ATSE/A-G was not a surrogate for glucose metabolism. We have demonstrated that our method for the modification of Cu-bis(thiosemicarbazonato) complexes allows their biodistribution to be modified without negating their hypoxia selectivity or tumor uptake properties.     

Incidence of Deep Venous Thrombosis Associated with Femoral Venous Catheterization

Objective : To determine in adult medical patients the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) resulting from femora] venous catheterization (FVC).
Methods : A prospective, observational study was performed at a 420-bed community teaching hospital. Hep-arin-coated 7-Fr 20-cm femoral venous catheters were inserted unilaterally into a femoral vein. Each contra-lateral leg served as a control site. Age, gender, number of FVC days. DVT risk factors, administration of DVT prophylaxis, and DVT formation and site were tabulated for each patient. Venous duplex sonography was performed bilaterally on each patient within 7 days of femoral venous catheter removal.
Results : Catheters were placed in 29 men and 13 women. Femoral DVT was identified by venous duplex sonography in 11 (26.2%) of the FVC legs and none (0%) in the control legs. Posterior tibial and popliteal DVT was identified in both the FVC and control legs of 1 patient. DVT formation at the site of FVC insertion was highly significant (p = 0.005). There were no statistically significant associations with age (p = 0.42), gender (p = 0.73), number of DVT risk factors (p = 0.17), number of FVC days (p = 0.89), or DVT prophylaxis (p — 099).
Conclusion : Placement of femoral catheters for central venous access is associated with a significant incidence of femoral DVT as detected by venous duplex sonography criteria at the site of femoral venous catheter placement. Physicians must be aware of this risk when choosing this vascular access route for adult medical patients. Further studies to assess the relative risk for DVT and its clinical sequelae when using the femoral vs other central venous catheter routes are indicated.     

SCARB2 mutations in progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) without renal failure

Objective

Mutations in SCARB2 were recently described as causing action myoclonus renal failure syndrome (AMRF). We hypothesized that mutations in SCARB2 might account for unsolved cases of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) without renal impairment, especially those resembling Unverricht‐Lundborg disease (ULD). Additionally, we searched for mutations in the PRICKLE1 gene, newly recognized as a cause of PME mimicking ULD.

Methods

We reviewed cases of PME referred for diagnosis over two decades in which a molecular diagnosis had not been reached. Patients were classified according to age of onset, clinical pattern, and associated neurological signs into “ULD‐like” and “not ULD‐like.” After exclusion of mutations in cystatin B (CSTB), DNA was examined for sequence variation in SCARB2 and PRICKLE1.

Results

Of 71 cases evaluated, 41 were “ULD‐like” and five had SCARB2 mutations. None of 30 “not ULD‐like” cases were positive. The five patients with SCARB2 mutations had onset between 14 and 26 years of age, with no evidence of renal failure during 5.5 to 15 years of follow‐up; four were followed until death. One living patient had slight proteinuria. A subset of 25 cases were sequenced for PRICKLE1 and no mutations were found.

Interpretation

Mutations in SCARB2 are an important cause of hitherto unsolved cases of PME resembling ULD at onset. SCARB2 should be evaluated even in the absence of renal involvement. Onset is in teenage or young adult life. Molecular diagnosis is important for counseling the patient and family, particularly as the prognosis is worse than classical ULD. Ann Neurol 2009;66:532–536