Magnito-, electro- and echocardiography in detecting symptoms of the "hypertensive heart"

The study compared diagnostic potential of magnetocardiography (MCG), electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (echo-CG) in 18 patients with arterial hypertension (AH). 32 healthy males served as control. Elements of MCG from normal subjects have been analyzed morphologically in 36 points of precordial leads. Left ventricular hypertrophy was registered at echo-CG, MCG, ECG in 11 (61%), 16 (84%) and 7 (34%) of the AH patients, respectively. Left atrial hypertrophy was discovered primarily by echo-CG and MCG. Defects in ventricular repolarization were recorded by MCg in 7 (39%) patients basing on MCG, echo-CG and rarely ECG signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. MCG is recommended as an effective tool in diagnosis of "hypertensive heart".     

交通网络弹复度与易碎度的测算与分析

弹复性是系统在失效或被破坏之后能够恢复正常工作的能力.弹复性工程是当今国际上研究的热点.本文提出了基于节点对间的独立路径可靠度和交通网络的弹复度的定量测算方法,提出了反映节点和路段对交通网络影响大小的易碎性的概念和测算方法.论文还就弹复度和易碎度的几个相关性质提出了几个重要定理.针对我国的铁路网络,计算了所有节点城市和路段的弹复度和易碎度,并对弹复度和易碎度高的节点的分布规律进行了探讨,得出了一些有益的结论.     

Tyrosine-dependent and -independent mechanisms of STAT3 activation by the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) receptor are differentially utilized depending on G-CSF concentration

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSF-R) activates multiple STAT proteins. Although the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic region of the G-CSF-R is necessary and sufficient for activation of STAT1 and STAT5, activation of STAT3 requires the membrane distal region that contains four tyrosines. Although one of these (Y704) has previously been shown to be involved in STAT3 activation from a truncated G-CSF-R derived from a patient with severe chronic neutropenia (SCN), this tyrosine is not required for STAT3 activation by the full-length G-CSF-R. To investigate possible alternative mechanisms of STAT3 activation, we generated a series of Ba/F3 cell transfectants expressing the wild-type G-CSF-R or mutant receptors that either completely lack tyrosines or retain just one of the four cytoplasmic tyrosines of the G-CSF-R. We show that, at saturating G-CSF concentrations, STAT3 activation from the full-length G-CSF-R is efficiently mediated by the C-terminal domain in a manner independent of receptor tyrosines. In contrast, at low G-CSF concentrations, Y704 and Y744 of the G-CSF-R play a major role in STAT3 activation. Both tyrosine-dependent and -independent mechanisms of STAT3 activation are sensitive to the Jak2 inhibitor AG-490, follow similar kinetics, and lead to transactivation of a STAT3 reporter construct, indicating functional equivalence. STAT3 activation is also impaired, particularly at nonsaturating G-CSF concentrations, in bone marrow cells from mice expressing a truncated G-CSF-R (gcsfr-triangle up715). These findings suggest that G-CSF-induced STAT3 activation during basal granulopoiesis (low G-CSF) and "emergency" granulopoiesis (high G-CSF) are differentially controlled. In addition, the data establish the importance of the G-CSF-R C-terminus in STAT3 activation in primary cells, which has implications for understanding why truncated G-CSF-R derived from SCN patients are defective in maturation signaling.     

A novel application of the infrared coagulator in hair transplantation. Significant reduction of width of the donor site wound

BACKGROUND: The infrared coagulator, a by-product of laser technology, has been used in dermatology in a variety of settings. During hair transplantation sessions, we observed a significant reduction of the donor ellipse width while performing hemostasis with the infrared coagulator. OBJECTIVE: Quantitative assessment of the donor wound width after infrared coagulator use, and correlation to the number of previous transplant sessions and patients' age. METHODS: Twenty-four patients (22 men, two women) underwent hair transplantation. The infrared coagulator was utilized for hemostasis with a pulse duration of 2.5 seconds. RESULTS: The infrared coagulator produced an average donor area decrease of 42%, while achieving rapid hemostasis. No correlation was demonstrated to number of previous transplant sessions or patients' age. CONCLUSIONS: The infrared coagulator significantly decreases the donor wound width while providing hemostasis. Advantages include the potential of larger donor strip harvest, minimal tissue manipulation, and less traumatic closure.     

On vitamin B1 metabolism in avitaminosis and its correction with thiamine and taurine

The levels of phosphate esters and the activities of thiamine biotransformation enzymes in the blood and tissues of albino rats were studied during oxythiamine-induced B1 deficiency and after metabolic correction with thiamine and taurine. Among thiamine phosphates, the most informative indicators of thiamine deficiency were shown to be triphosphate esters and free thiamine diphosphate. The biosynthetic enzymes thiamine kinase and thiamine diphosphate kinase played a decisive role in maintaining the initial rate and in recovering the physiologically active forms of vitamin B1. The activation of hydrolytic enzymes of thiamine phosphate esters occurred by producing abundant free thiamine diphosphate and thiamine triphosphate. Within the first hours, taurine favoured the acceleration of phosphoester biosynthesis and, accumulating in the tissues, inhibited vitamin phosphorylation reactions.     

Expression of interleukin-6 in polymorphic reticulosis--immunohistochemical study of 5 cases

Peripheral T cell lymphoma encompasses lymphomas with a variety of histologic appearances and clinical patterns. Recently, it has been suggested that almost all of the histologic features described under the name of polymorphic reticulosis(PR), lethal midline granuloma, and midline malignant reticulosis can be included in those generally described for malignant lymphomas of peripheral T cell origin(PTCL). There have been few studies of pathogenesis or tissue damage mechanism in PR patients. The need for a precise mechanism for tissue damage has important therapeutic implications. Using immunohistochemical methods with polyclonal anti IL-6 antibody, the authors describe 5 cases of PR with clinically and pathologically typical PR demonstrating a high expression of IL-6. According to classification, 2 cases of grade 1 PR showed the highest expressions, and 2 cases of grade 2 PR with atypical lymphoid cells showed moderate activity, but one case progressed into frank lymphoma(grade 3) and lost IL-6 expression. This strongly implies that some cases of PR have a different mechanism of tissue damage from frank PTCL, despite the one disease spectrum. Further studies on more cases may help clarify the pathogenesis.