Reference values for pulsed Doppler signals from the blood flow on both sides of the aortic valve

Pulsed Doppler signals were recorded in 215 healthy subjects,120 males and 95 females, between 1 and 65 years of age. Themeasurements were performed in the left ventricular outflowtract (LVOT) and in the ascending aorta (AAO). Amplitude spectrafrom the Doppler signals were stored in digital form togetherwith adjustment data for the instrument, the simultaneouslyregistered ECG and respiration signal. The maximum velocity(V_max, the maximum acceleration (A_max) and the width of thevelocity distribution around V_max (width) were derived fromthese spectra and used for the characterization of the signals.These parameters were computed without observer interactionusing a computer program. Effects of age, sex, body surfacearea, heart rate and respiration were studied. Reference rangeswere calculated. The following conclusions can be drawn: V_maxand A_max in the AAO decrease clearly with increasing age fromapproximately 100 to 60 cm s^-1 and from 2000 to 1000 cm s^-2(medians), respectively. The variation of the width in the AAOis greater for people over 45 years. V_max, A_maxand width inthe LVOT increase slightly with advancing age from approximately60 to 80 cm s^-1, 800 to 1000 cm s^-2 and 12 to 15 cm s^-1 (medians),respectively. These parameters of flow were either unrelatedor only weakly related to other physiological variables in thisstudy group.     

Congenital Nonspherocytic Hemolytic Anemia, Associated with Glutathione Deficiency of the Erythrocytes: Hematologic, Biochemical and Genetic Studies

1. A new biochemical defect of erythrocytes is described: glutathionedeficiency (reduced glutathione less than 10 per cent of the amount of reducedglutathione in normal erythrocytes).

2. The defect is associated with a clinical picture of congenital nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia which is fairly well compensated.

3. The results of a family study are consistent with an autosomal recessivepattern of inheritance.

4. Labeling with Na₂Cr⁵¹O₄ has a damaging effect on glutathione-deficienterythrocytes. The erythrocyte life span, as estimated by a serological method(Ashby), was markedly shortened (30 days instead of 100-120 days).

5. Red cell destruction could be increased by the administration of primaquine.

6. Secondary to the glutathione deficiency, low glyoxalase activity wasobserved. The glutathione-reducing capacity, glycolytic activity, and the ATPlevel of the abnormal red cells were found to be within the normal range.

7. On incubation of the glutathione-deficient erythrocytes in vitro withglycine-C¹⁴ and glutamine-C¹⁴, no formation of labeled glutathione could bedemonstrated.

Submitted on October 7, 1964 Accepted on June 29, 1965     

New Method of Atrial and Ventricular Capture Detection

Polarization as a result of the pacing stimulus has always been the main factor for complicating evoked response detection. Tri-phasic pulse schemes have been developed and used for a long time to solve the polarization issue and are used in commercial products today to enable evoked T-wave detection. For measurement of the evoked R wave in the ventricle and the evoked P wave in the atrium a further optimization step had to be taken. The results presented in this paper show that by individual optimization of the lead system in all cases the evoked P- or R wave could be detected. One aspect of the tri-phasic pulse scheme is the dynamic behavior of the polarization to a change in amplitude or pulse width of the pacing pulse. The time to rebalance the electrode tissue interface and the non-linear behavior of this system can lead to incorrect detections of evoked potentials. The response time of this phenomenon was investigated. A possibility to solve this problem is described with the introduction of a double pulse scheme where a test pulse is placed in front of the regular output pulse. Changes in this double pulse balanced system never lead to a loss of capture situation and the system is given time to re-balance before it can be decided which of the two pulses was responsible for a depolarization of the myocardium.     

Reference values for pulsed Doppler signals from the blood flow velocity on both sides of the pulmonary valve

Pulsed Doppler signals were recorded from the pulmonary arteryand the right ventricular outflow tract in 215 healthy subjects(120 males, 95 females; 1–65 years). Amplitude spectrafrom these Doppler signals were stored in digital form togetherwith adjustment data for the instrument and the simultaneouslyrecorded ECG. From these Doppler spectra the median of the maximalvelocity ( V_max), the maximal acceleration (A_max) and the dispersionof the velocity distribution around V_max (width) were calculated.These three median values were used to characterize the Dopplerspectra and to define normal values for bloodflow velocities.Thus, calculations were made without observer interaction usinga well-defined computer program. The effect of age, gender,body surface area and heart rate were studied. Reference rangeswere calculated. There is a slight decrease of the median value of V_max and A_maxin the pulmonary artery during lifetime from 80 to 70 cm s^–1and from 1200 to 800 cms^–2, respectively. On the otherhand, there is no correlation between age and V_max and A_maxin the right ventricular outflow tract. The width of the spectraincreases with age at both sites. No significant changes withage were seen with the other variables.     

Normal diastolic filling patterns of the left ventricle

Pulsed Doppler measurements on both sides of the mitral valveand M-mode left ventricular echocardiograms were performed in215 healthy subjects, 120 males and 95 females, between oneand 65 years old, in order to evaluate normal diastolic fillingpatterns of the left ventricle. The relation between the maximumblood velocity during early passive filling (Ewave) and duringatrial contraction (A wave) was computed from the Doppler spectraobtained proximal and distal to the mitral valve, resultingin the EA ratio. The influence on the EA ratio of age, gender,body surface area, blood pressure, heart rate, PR interval,respiration, wall thickness and basal wall mass of the leftventricle was investigated. The study showed that the EA ratio measured proximal to themitral valve (in the left atrium) was significantly smallerthan the EA ratio measured distal (in the left ventricle) andthat the only prominent relations with the EA ratio were thosewith age and heart rate. The EA ratio declines with age: proximalto the mitral valve from approximately (medians) 2.5 to 1 anddistal to it from 3.5 to 1.5. All other physiological variablesare weakly related or unrelated to the EA ratio in this groupof healthy subjects.     

Fumarase Activity in Human Ejaculate Relationship to Sperm-Motility or -Penetration of Zona-Free Hamster Eggs

Fumarase activity, sperm count, sperm motility and in vitro fertilizing ability of spermatozoa were determined in semen samples of 69 men attending an infertility clinic. There existed a significant correlation between sperm count and fumarase activity (r = 0.52). No significant relationship was observed between sperm motility or hamster egg fertilizing ability of the spermatozoa and fumarase activity. From these results it is concluded that fumarase activity in human ejaculates can probably not be used to define the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa.
Fumarase-Aktivität im menschlichen Ejakulat Beziehungen zwischen Spermatozoen-Motilität oder -Penetration in Zona-freie-Hamster-Eier

Zusammenfassung

An den Spermaproben von 69 Männern wurde die Fumarase-Aktivität, die Spermatozoendichte, die Spermatozoenmotilität und die in-vitro-Fertilisierungs-Fähigkeit von Spermatozoen untersucht. Dabei konnte eine signifikante Beziehung zwischen der Spermatozoendichte und der Fumarase-Aktivität (r = 0,52) festgestellt werden. Zwischen der Spermatozoenmotilität oder der Fertilisierungs-Fähigkeit menschlicher Spermatozoen für Hamster-Eier ließ sich dagegen keine Signifikanz zur Fumarase-Aktivität herstellen. Aus den Ergebnissen wird die Schlußfolgerung gezogen, daß die Fumarase-Aktivität im menschlichen Ejakulat im allgemeinen nicht für die Beurteilung der Fertilisierungs-Fähigkeit der Spermatozoen herangezogen werden kann.     

Pulsed Doppler Echocardiography in Patients with Aorto-pulmonary Connection

ABSTRACT. The pulsed Doppler principle enables us to study the bloodflow velocity at specific points in the heart and great vessels. In such aorto-pulmonary connections as patent dnctus arteriosus, aorto-pulmonary window and truncus arteriosus the bloodflow velocity patterns are typical of the malformation. Based on knowledge of these abnormal flow patterns the diagnoses of these malformations can be made.     

Reference values for pulsed Doppler signals from the blood flow on both sides of the aortic valve

Pulsed Doppler signals were recorded in 215 healthy subjects,120 males and 95 females, between 1 and 65 years of age. Themeasurements were performed in the left ventricular outflowtract (LVOT) and in the ascending aorta (AAO). Amplitude spectrafrom the Doppler signals were stored in digital form togetherwith adjustment data for the instrument, the simultaneouslyregistered ECG and respiration signal. The maximum velocity(V_max, the maximum acceleration (A_max) and the width of thevelocity distribution around V_max (width) were derived fromthese spectra and used for the characterization of the signals.These parameters were computed without observer interactionusing a computer program. Effects of age, sex, body surfacearea, heart rate and respiration were studied. Reference rangeswere calculated. The following conclusions can be drawn: V_maxand A_max in the AAO decrease clearly with increasing age fromapproximately 100 to 60 cm s^-1 and from 2000 to 1000 cm s^-2(medians), respectively. The variation of the width in the AAOis greater for people over 45 years. V_max, A_maxand width inthe LVOT increase slightly with advancing age from approximately60 to 80 cm s^-1, 800 to 1000 cm s^-2 and 12 to 15 cm s^-1 (medians),respectively. These parameters of flow were either unrelatedor only weakly related to other physiological variables in thisstudy group.