Chronic exercise-induced compartment pressure elevation measured with a miniaturized fluid pressure monitor. A laboratory and clinical study

Increased pressure within an osteofascial compartment may produce a compartment syndrome, one of the principal causes of circulatory compromise in acute traumatic and chronic exercise-induced elevated compartment pressure. Acute and chronic diagnostic quantitation of compartment pressures are a valuable adjunct to clinical diagnosis, particularly when used to evaluate the athlete with exercise-induced pain. This study evaluated a prototype hand-held, digital, fluid pressure monitor used for the measurement of compartment pressure in the exercising athlete. A laboratory water and mercury manometer study, in which 50 paired, single-blind measurements were taken, revealed that the digital monitor was accurate to +/- 0.8 mm Hg (SD) of actual pressure with no individual reading more than 1 mm Hg from the actual pressure when compared directly with a mercury and a water column. Laboratory study of bovine muscle placed within a pressure chamber revealed that the digital monitor, when assembled in the same manner as used for clinical measurement, was accurate to +/- 0.9 mm Hg. The needle manometer technique was also found to be accurate to +/- 3 mm Hg from actual pressure. Twenty-one paired measurements of the anterolateral and posterior compartments of the hindlimbs of eight anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits by both the needle manometer and digital monitor methods by two examiners demonstrated the digital monitor to be reproducible to +/- 1.0 mm Hg [Coefficient of variation (CV) less than 7%] and needle manometer method to +/- 3.4 mm Hg (CV less than 16%) with r = 0.94.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Distribution of ganglionic sympathetic neurons supplying the subcutaneous,perirenal and mesentery fat tissue depots in the pig

Previous morphological studies revealed that the adipose tissue is innervated by adrenergic nerve fibers. Furthermore, physiological studies showed that the metabolism of adipose tissue is controlled by the adrenergic component of the nervous system. However, nothing is known on the sources of innervation of different fat tissue depots. Therefore, we decided to study the distribution of ganglionic sympathetic neurons innervating adipose tissue in the pig by means of a retrograde tracing method. We used 9 male and 9 female pigs of approximately 50 kg body weight. The retrograde tracer, Fast Blue (FB), was injected into the subcutaneous, perirenal and mesentery fat tissue depots. Results of the present study showed that numerous centers of the sympathetic nervous system innervate adipose tissue in the pig. FB+ neurons projecting to the subcutaneous fat tissue were placed in the thoraco-lumbar region of the sympathetic chain ganglia (SChG). However, neurons supplying perirenal and mesentery fat tissue depots were found in both the SChG and prevertebral ganglia (PVG). We conclude that different adipose tissue depots (subcutaneous, perirenal and mesentery) have different sources of innervation and that there is no significant difference in the distribution of neurons innervating adipose tissue in male and female pigs.     

Metabolic Responses to Lead of Metallicolous and Nonmetallicolous Populations of Armeria maritima

Metabolic responses to Pb(NO₃)₂ (Pb) ions of excised leaves of metallicolous (MPs) and nonmetallicolous populations (NMPs) of Armeria maritima, cultivated on normal soil, were examined. Detached leaves were exposure to Pb for 24 h, and metabolic parameters were investigated. Pb decreased the photosynthesis (Pn) rate and photosystem II (PSII) activity, whereas the photochemical efficiency of PSII remained unchanged. In both populations, Pb ions caused increase in O₂ uptake of dark-treated leaves; however, respiration after Pn was not affected. Pb increased superoxide dismutase activity in MP leaves and malondialdehyde content in NMP leaves. Other metabolites after Pb treatment were increased (proline or H₂O₂) or decreased (malate). Ascorbate peroxidase activity and adenosine triphosphate content decreased more in MP than in NMP leaves. Our results indicate that A. maritima is well adapted to heavy metal-contaminated soils, and we discuss potential causes of the stimulation of respiration by Pb ions and possible reasons for the tolerance to oxidative stress of plants growing in a metal-rich habitat.     

Coronary computed tomographic angiography for prediction of procedural and intermediate outcome of bypass grafting to left anterior descending artery occlusion with failed visualization on conventional angiography

Conventional coronary angiography (CCA) has considerable limitations regarding visualization of distal vessel segments in chronic total occlusion. We assessed the ability of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to predict the success of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to the chronically occluded left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) incompletely visualized on CCA. Thirty symptomatic patients rejected for CABG on the basis of the CCA findings underwent preoperative CCTA before intended transmyocardial laser revascularization. The LAD was explored operatively in all patients, and CABG to the LAD was attempted if the distal vessel was suitable for anastomosis. The procedural outcome of CABG and the 6-month patency of the left internal mammary artery graft at follow-up CCTA were defined as the primary and secondary end point, respectively. The primary and secondary end points were achieved in 80% and 77% of patients, respectively. We found a significant correlation between the intraoperative and computed tomographic measurement of distal LAD diameter (R = 0.428, p = 0.037). On multivariate analysis, the maximum diameter of the distal LAD by CCTA (odds ratio 8.16, p = 0.043) was the only independent correlate of procedural success of CABG. A cutoff value of 1.5 mm for the mean distal LAD diameter predicted left internal mammary artery graft patency with 100% specificity and 83% sensitivity. Successful CABG resulted in significant improvements in angina class and left ventricular function in LAD segments at 6 months of follow-up. In conclusion, CCTA predicted both the procedural and the intermediate outcome of CABG to chronic LAD occlusion with failed visualization on CCA.     

The major cockroach allergen Bla g 4 binds tyramine and octopamine

Bla g 4 is a male cockroach specific protein and is one of the major allergens produced by Blattella germanica (German cockroach). This protein belongs to the lipocalin family that comprises a set of proteins that characteristically bind small hydrophobic molecules and play a role in a number of processes such as: retinoid and pheromone transport, prostaglandin synthesis and mammalian immune response. Using NMR and isothermal titration calorimetry we demonstrated that Bla g 4 binds tyramine and octopamine in solution. In addition, crystal structure analysis of the complex revealed details of tyramine binding. As tyramine and octopamine play important roles in invertebrates, and are counterparts to vertebrate adrenergic transmitters, we speculate that these molecules are physiological ligands for Bla g 4. The nature of binding these ligands to Bla g 4 sheds light on the possible biological function of the protein. In addition, we performed a large-scale analysis of Bla g 4 and Per a 4 (an allergen from American cockroach) homologs to get insights into the function of these proteins. This analysis together with a structural comparison of Blag 4 and Per a 4 suggests that these proteins may play different roles and most likely bind different ligands.     

Correlation of brain stem evoked response audiometry (BERA) with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS)

The diagnostic value of electric responses from the brain stem (BERA) in neurosurgical patients is still a matter for debate in the literature. Therefore in the study an attempt was made to determine the relationship between GCS scores and BERA recordings. Participants in the study were 64 patients with various types of brain damage. Evoked potentials from the brain stem were registered using the Hortmann BERAmodul apparatus. To facilitate the interpretation of results a special scale was developed for quantitative measurement of changes in BERA recordings. Abnormalities in BERA recordings were reflected in changes in GCS scores, and correlation between the two dimensions was found to be statistically significant. The relationship between BERA recordings and GOS scores was also significant: pathological changes in BERA recordings assessed as severe were associated with an unfavorable therapeutic outcome in the GOS. The presented findings indicate auditory evoked brain stem response (BERA) usefulness for objective evaluation of brain-damaged patients' clinical state.