Correlation between various parameters derived from body surface maps and ejection fraction in patients with anterior myocardial infarction

DNA hybridization with oligonucleotide probes is a powerful technique to study population genetics and structures. The use of probes which recognize ubiquitously interspersed DNA sequences has a distinct advantage over other techniques (e.g. the analysis of patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphism) in that many independent loci can be detected simultaneously. In this communication, we investigated the use of a trinucleotide repetitive DNA oligonucleotide, poly(GTG)5, in Southern blot analysis of Salmonella serotypes and Shigella species. The strains in this study were isolated over several years from widely disparate geographic locations and can therefore be considered to represent the structure of part of the natural populations of these organisms. In most of the Salmonella serotypes, the poly(GTG)5-associated profile (GTG profile) phenotypes appeared to be clonally stable; in cases where only one isolate of a serotype was tested, the GTG profile was distinct from the others. On the other hand, when GTG profile analysis was applied to Shigella strains, each of the 12 isolates, belonging to the four Shigella species, produced a unique pattern phenotype of both the chromosome and plasmid DNA.     

Frequency and degree of milk removal and the short-term control of human milk synthesis

The effect of the temporal spacing and degree of milk removal by either expression or breastfeed on short-term (hour to hour) rates of milk synthesis was investigated. For four expressing mothers (three of whom had given birth prematurely), the relationship between milk produced at an expression and the time since the last expression showed that proportionally less milk is produced after intervals of 6-18 h than after intervals of less than 6 h (P < 0.0002). For five breastfeeding and four expressing mothers (three of whom had given birth prematurely), rates of milk synthesis (ranging from 0 to 56 ml/h) were linear between breastfeeds and expressions (intervals ranging from < 1 h to 6 h). Changes in rate of milk synthesis were not directly associated with the frequency of breastfeeds but rather with the degree of emptying of the breast (P < 0.05). These results indicate the importance of degree, rather than frequency, of breast emptying in the short-term control of human milk synthesis.     

Correlation between quantitative angiographic lesion severity and myocardial contrast intensity during a continuous infusion of perfluorocarbon-containing microbubbles

The purpose of this study was to determine whether quantitative measurements of myocardial videointensity (MVI) during continuous intravenous infusions of microbubbles could detect differences in coronary artery stenosis severity during dobutamine stress echocardiography. Coronary artery stenoses were created in seven dogs by progressively tightening a snare around the coronary artery. Intravenous infusions of perfluorocarbon microbubbles were given during dobutamine stress. The initial rate of myocardial contrast enhancement (slope), peak myocardial contrast (peak MVI) at the longest pulsing interval, and the product (slope * peak MVI) were compared as ratios in the stenosed versus adjacent normal perfusion beds. Twenty-two coronary stenoses were compared (range 16% to 80% in diameter). There was a strong correlation between both slope ratios and slope * peak MVI ratios and percent stenosis (r = -0.89 for both, p<0.001). The rate of contrast replenishment during a continuous infusion of microbubbles can be used to determine both the presence and severity of coronary stenoses during stress echocardiography.     

Nutrition of premature infants with human milk and Milupa Meb

In 45 prematures and small for date-infants weighing more than 1750 g a special formula (Meb) was compared with pooled human milk. Weight gain during feeding human milk occurred more slow that during feeding special formula. This may be due to the different protein- and mineral-intake, while the amounts of calories were similar. Differences of blood-glucose, total bilirubin, beta-cholesterol and of one protein-fraction (alpha-2-globulin) could be statistically as certained. No difference resulted in hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hematocrit, total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, beta-lipoproteins, transferrin, and protein-electrophoresis. All parameters together suggest, that this special formula for low-birth-weight infants can be used in nutrition of these newborns.     

Investigation into the role of cyclooxygenase products in the bradykinin response on isolated human myometrium and umbilical artery

The aim of this study was to investigate the response to bradykinin (BK) on human myometrium and umbilical artery with respect to cyclo-oxygenase (CO) products. Dose/concentration response curves to BK were performed +/-2.79 microM indomethacin. On human myometrium the response to BK (0.001-50 nmol) was biphasic and consisted of a dose-related increase in myometrial tension which was followed by a period of inhibition of myogenic activity. In tissues from P donors the presence of indomethacin had no significant effect on the excitatory response, but the inhibitory component of the response was reduced. In tissues from NP donors indomethacin significantly enhanced the BK effect at higher doses and the inhibitory component of the response was reduced. On the HUA cumulative addition of BK (1-1000 nM) resulted in dose dependent constriction with desensitisation at the highest dose (EC50 = 38 nM). The presence of indomethacin had no significant effect on BK response on HUA. These findings suggest that CO products contribute significantly to response to BK on the human myometrium but not on HUA and that different CO products are produced by P and NP tissue.     

Relationship between vascular endothelial growth factors and advanced glycation end products in the human vitreous

The relation between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and advanced glycation end product (AGE) is considered a primary factor in the development of diabetic retinopathy. Regarding the relation between VEGF in the vitreous body and pentosidine, an AGE, we compared a diabetic (DM) group (7 eyes) with a nondiabetic (nonDM) group (7 eyes), and investigated the correlation between VEGF and pentosidine by calculating the correlation coefficient. Levels of both VEGF and pentosidine were significantly higher in the DM group (p < 0.01, p < 0.05), and a positive correlation was observed between the levels of VEGF and pentosidine (r = 0.770, p < 0.001). Since it is clear that there is a relation between VEGF and pentosidine in the vitreous body, we speculated that AGE is related to the secretion of cytokine in patients with diabetic retinopathy, and that it affects the development and progression of the disease.     

Carl Ludwig Schleich and the introduction of infiltration anesthesia into clinical practice

Peptostreptococcus is an anaerobic gram-positive coccus that is encountered in dental and sinus infections, pelvic infections in women, osteomyelitis, arthritis, skin and soft-tissues infections, conjunctivitis and bacteraemia [1,2]. We report here, what is to our knowledge, the first cases of spondylitis with discitis caused by Peptostreptococcus.     

Effect of P-450 inducers on biliary excretion of glutathione and its hydrolysis products. Correlation between hepatic gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity and the proportion of glutathione hydrolysis products in bile

This study was designed to determine if a relationship exists between hepatic gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) activity and the biliary excretion of glutathione (GSH) and its hydrolysis products. Rats were pretreated with the following microsomal enzyme inducers: pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN), dexamethasone (DEX), 3-methylcholanthrene, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), phenobarbital (PB), ethanol (ETOH), trans-stilbene oxide (TSO), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), isosafrole (ISF), clofibrate, and benzo(a)pyrene. Hepatic gamma-GT activity was quantitated spectrophotometrically; bile and liver samples were analyzed by HPLC for reduced and oxidized GSH and their hydrolysis products (cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and cysteinylglycine disulfide). Administration of the inducers had only minor effects on hepatic GSH concentration, as BHA was the only agent to increase GSH concentration. However, these inducers had a pronounced effect on the biliary excretion of total thiol-derived sulfur as PCN, PB, and ISF produced an increase, whereas TCDD, ETOH, and TSO caused a decrease. The relative amount of the GSH hydrolysis products in bile was highly dependent on gamma-GT activity. For example, hepatic gamma-GT activity was increased by PCN, DEX, BHA, TSO, and ISF. They also increased the GSH hydrolysis products to total thiol-derived sulfur ratio in bile. In conclusion, the ratio of GSH hydrolysis products to total thiol-derived sulfur excreted in rat bile reflects the hepatic gamma-GT activity.     

Pharmacokinetics and penetration of danofloxacin from the blood into the milk of ewes

The mechanisms by which the weaver gene (Reeves et al., 1989; Patil et al., 1995) inhibits neurite extension and/or induces death of the granule neurons in homozygous weaver mouse cerebellum are not presently understood. Here we show that BAPTA-AM and ethanol, which either reduce cytosolic levels of free calcium or prevent calcium entry, promote neurite outgrowth of the weaver neurons similar to the L-type calcium channel blocker verapamil (Liesi and Wright, 1996). Importantly, BAPTA-AM, ethanol, and verapamil not only restore neurite outgrowth of the weaver neurons but adjust their depolarized resting membrane potentials to the levels of normal neurons. These results indicate that calcium-dependent mechanisms mediate the action of the weaver gene and that the weaver neurons can be normalized by blocking this calcium effect. We further report that BAPTA-AM and verapamil also have a neuroprotective effect on normal neurons exposed to high concentrations of ethanol. We suggest that verapamil should be evaluated as a drug for treatment of alcohol-induced brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders.     

Correlation of antigen specific IgG and IgG(T) responses with Anoplocephala perfoliata infection intensity in the horse

There is increasing interest in the application of serological methods to macro-parasite infections to indicate infection intensity, which in turn is related to pathogenicity. Colic is the single most important cause of mortality in horses and there is evidence that a proportion of colic cases are associated with infection with the intestinal cestode Anoplocephala perfoliata. In order to develop better tools to investigate this association, the correlation between antigen-specific equine IgG and IgG(T) and infection intensity of A. perfoliata was investigated. Affinity purification of a 12/13 kDa protein doublet from crude excretory/secretory (E/S) products, and its use in enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) is described. Its use in the immunodiagnosis of equine cestodosis and the correlation of anti-12/13 kDa IgG and IgG(T) with parasite burden is investigated using sera from 94 horses of known tapeworm infection intensity. The anti-12/ 13 kDa IgG and IgG(T) ELISAs gave correlation coefficients with infection intensity of 0.56 and 0.63 respectively. Linear regression analysis also indicated that anti-12/ 13 kDa IgG(T) was the best predictor of infection intensity. The decay of anti-12/13 kDa IgG(T) in horses following the elimination of A. perfoliata is demonstrated for four horses. Specificity of the anti-12/13 kDa IgG(T) ELISA is investigated with sera from 33 A. perfoliata negative horses with other helminth infections. Immunoblotting studies demonstrate no cross-reactivity between A. perfoliata 12/13 kDa antigen and the protein antigens of other helminths. It is concluded that assay of anti-12/13 kDa IgG(T) provides a useful tool for the assessment of A perfoliata infection intensity for clinical diagnosis and for epidemiological studies.     

Temperature changes in a model of the rabbit's body under extreme cooling taking into account the effect of Arrhenius' law on the intensity of heat production

A device automatically regulating the intensity of heating when simulating the metabolism level in the rabbit heat-physical model, was compared with the similar results obtained in live rabbits. The results coinciding quite well, the findings suggest that the model's behaviour is quite adequate in experiments with profound cooling.     

The influence of coffee with milk and tea with milk on the bioavailability of tetracycline

BACKGROUND: At the initial stages of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), several studies reported on the feasibility of coronary artery incision and dilatation leading to the extension of the PTCA technique. HYPOTHESIS: This study was designed to determine the immediate and chronic results of cutting balloon (CB) angioplasty. METHODS: This procedure was performed on 127 lesions in 110 patients (male 83%, age 61.8 +/- 9.3 years). RESULTS: The overall procedural success rates for the CB were 93.7% (119 lesions) and 92.7% (102 patients), while solitary CB without pre- and/or postdilatation was 76.4% (91 lesions). There was one major in-hospital complication (Q-wave myocardial infarction, 0.9%), but there were no deaths or emergency coronary artery bypass graftings. Significant angiographic dissections (> or = grade C) occurred in four patients, and coronary perforation occurred in one. The successfully treated CB group (95 lesions) was matched with the successful conventional angioplasty group (PTCA group) for chronic result assessment in regard to reference vessel size and lesion characteristics. In the CB group, postprocedural minimal luminal diameters were significantly larger and the percentage of stenosis at the stenotic site was significantly lower compared with the PTCA group. Restenosis occurred in 22 lesions (23.1%). This showed a significantly lower restenosis rate compared with the PTCA group (42.1%). In addition, the restenosis rate of the CB without inclusion of the pre- and/or postdilatation-treated lesions was 19.7%. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Cutting balloon angioplasty procedures can be performed with high success rates with few major inhospital events. (2) The restenosis rate in the CB group was significantly lower compared with the PTCA group.     

Sensitization to human leukocyte antigen before and after the introduction of erythropoietin

A hydrophobic, redox-active component with a molecular mass of 538 Da was isolated from lyophilized membranes of Methanosarcina mazei G?1 by extraction with isooctane. After purification on a high-performance liquid chromatography column, the chemical structure was analyzed by mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance studies. The component was called methanophenazine and represents a 2-hydroxyphenazine derivative which is connected via an ether bridge to a polyisoprenoid side chain. Since methanophenazine was almost insoluble in aqueous buffers, water-soluble phenazine derivatives were tested for their ability to interact with membrane-bound enzymes involved in electron transport and energy conservation. The purified F42OH2 dehydrogenase from M. mazei G?1 showed highest activity with 2-hydroxyphenazine and 2-bromophenazine as electron acceptors when F420H2 was added. Phenazine-1-carboxylic acid and phenazine proved to be less effective. The Km values for 2-hydroxyphenazine and phenazine were 35 and 250 microM, respectively. 2-Hydroxyphenazine was also reduced by molecular hydrogen catalyzed by an F420-nonreactive hydrogenase which is present in washed membrane preparations. Furthermore, the membrane-bound heterodisulfide reductase was able to use reduced 2-hydroxyphenazine as an electron donor for the reduction of CoB-S-S-CoM. Considering all these results, it is reasonable to assume that methanophenazine plays an important role in vivo in membrane-bound electron transport of M. mazei G?1.     

Correlation between the structure and heat treatment of powder particles

Conclusions It was established that nickel (carbonyl), iron, copper, titanium, and zinc powders scatter light according to laws similar to the laws of diffuse scattering.Nearly all the curves of light scattering in suspensions of the powders investigated exhibit inward troughs in angle ranges from 70 to 110°. This is ascribed to the effect of a Rayleigh component of scattering, which is linked with the presence in powders of particles with sizes smaller than the light wavelength.It was found that a correlation exists between the conditions of heat treatment of powders and the light-scattering and reflecting characteristics of the latter.Differences in light scattering by powders are interpreted as a manifestation of differences in the surface condition of the powder particles. In particular, it is claimed that, the closer the character of light scattering and reflection corresponds to the laws of diffuse scattering and reflection, the rougher is the particle surface relief.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 8 (80), pp. 21–26, August, 1969.     

Correlation between magnetic properties and the hardness of powder steels

Density and carbon content are studied for their effect on strength (hardness) and magnetic (coercive force, saturation magnetization) properties of powder steels ZhGr1 and ZhGr1D3. It is shown that the hardness of articles made of these steels may be determined indirectly by measuring two magnetic characteristics.Physicotechnical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Izhevsk. Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, Nos. 1–2, pp. 67–69, January–February, 1994.     

Correlation between the structure and heat treatment of powder particles

Conclusions It has been established that nickel (carbonyl), copper, iron, titanium, and zinc powders reflect light according to laws close to those of diffuse reflection; the intensity of reflection from annealed powders is greater than that from unannealed powders.In an optical investigation of zinc powder (at an angle of incidence of 60° to a plane specimen), reflection of a mixed type is observed. The maximum found in the region of an observation angle of 60° indicates the existence of a mirror component in the reflected light energy.A parallel study of the defectiveness of powders based on measuring the broadening of x-ray diffraction lines demonstrated that the two types of defectiveness (surface and volume) can change either in conformity with or independently of each other.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 10 (82), pp. 12–16, October, 1969.     

Correlation between the level of polyploidy and hypertrophy and degree of human atrial cardiomyocyte damage in certain congenital and acquired heart pathologies

Cardiomyocytes of right auricle of human heart were obtained during open heart surgery from 5 patients (aged from 3.6 to 6 years) with congenital heart diseases (atrial septal defect and tetralogy of Fallot, group I), from 6 patients (aged from 20 to 49 years) with mitral valve disease (group II) and from 5 patients (aged from 40 to 54 years) with ischemic heart disease (group III). Ploidy and area of cells were measured in isolated myocytes after the Feulgen staining. The degree of ultrastructural changes in myocytes was evaluated by means of scoring system (0 to 3). The hearts of group I patients contain 55 to 82% of cells with 2c DNA, 18 to 41% of cells with 4c DNA and 0 to 4% of cells with 8c DNA. In the hearts of group II patients the level of cell ploidy is high: the share of 2c-cells varies from 1 to 24%, that of 4c-cells--from 1 to 55%, that of 8c-cells--from 13 to 57%, that of 16c-cells--from 1 to 39%, the share of cells with 32c and more DNA--from 3 to 47%. The ploidy of myocytes of group III patients is not high: 2c-cells make 35 to 55%, 4c-cells--39 to 55%, 8c-cells--5 to 15%. The average cell areas in group II are 4 times larger than in group I, and twice as large as in group III. In most cases, cells of all ploidy levels are larger in patients with higher average cell sizes. In all patients with increased ploidy levels, cells grow in size, but the rate of this growth is lower than that of cell DNA content. In all patients the myocytes with different degrees of organelle damage are observed. In patients of groups I and III there is a direct correlation between the extent of myocyte ploidy and hypertrophy, on the one hand, and the degree of cell degeneration, on the other hand. In contrast, in group II patients an inverse relation between ploidy and extent of degenerative changes of cells is evident.