Effects of parents' exposure to genotoxic agents on the degree of maturity of the newborn

The maturity of full-term newborns was studied by immunological, biochemical, and ecogenetic methods. The study yielded basic immunochemical and ecogenetic evidence. It shows that chronic intrauterine hypoxia and unfavourable ecogenetic factors apparently influence concurrently and result in severe fetal immaturity.     

Ambulatory blood pressure measurement in type-II diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy

The aim of our study was to access the 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (BP) in diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy (AN). Twenty-two NIDDM patients without hypertension, being treated with sulfonylureas, were studied. The 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure recordings were performed using portable non-invasive automatic system. Autonomic neuropathy was assessed by standard cardiovascular reflex tests. There were ten patients with and 12 without AN, matched for age, body mass index, duration of diabetes and glycemic control. Mean BP increased at night in four of the subjects with AN and decreased in the remaining 18 patients. The group of subjects with nocturnal increases in BP had more severe autonomic nerve dysfunction compared with those with decreases in nocturnal BP. No significant difference between clinical and ambulatory day-time measurements was found. In three patients with AN after 5 weeks intensified therapy. 24-hr BP did not show any significant difference.     

Sexual differences in the development of a hyperthermic reaction in rats after the administration of Freund's complete adjuvant

Application of Freund's complete adjuvant containing killed and dried Mycobacterium butyricum led to a two-phase hyperthermic response in white rats, much more obvious in female than in male rats. The difference seems to be due to a more obvious increase of the tumour necrosis alpha-factor, progesterone, and thyrotropic hormone in the blood of female rats, as well as to prevalence of pyretic activity over the pyretic one in them.     

The use of bi-directional cava-pulmonary anastomosis in the treatment of severe congenital heart defects

Two-directional cava-pulmonary anastomosis was done in 35 patients with a inborn heart failure, ageing from 10 months to 11 years. In 29 patients the significant improvement of their state was noted. The level of arterial blood saturation with an oxygen have rised up to (90.1 +/- 2)% at average. Of 7 patients with the syndrome of right ventriculus hypoplasia one have died, of 27 patients with the single venticular heart-3.     

W64R mutation in beta-3-adrenergic receptor gene and weight in a large population sample

Radiofrequency ablation is successful in most supraventricular tachyarrhythmias and the first results in percutaneous applications in atrial fibrillation have been published. At present, all the surgical techniques for the treatment of atrial fibrillation use extensive atrial incisions. A case report is presented of a 67 year old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation and rheumatic mitral and tricuspid valve disease. At surgery, pulmonary vein isolation was performed using a continuous linear ablation around the pulmonary veins, instead of using extensive atrial incisions. Concommitantly, a mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve annuloplasty were performed. Five months after surgery, the patient remains with a stable sinus rhythm surgery and in functional class I (NYHA).     

Effect of carbohydrate restriction on lipoprotein abnormalities in maturity-onset diabetes mellitus

Hyperlipoproteinemia occurs commonly in diabetics and may contribute to early atherosclerosis in these patients. The effect of dietary carbohydrate restriction on lipid abnormalities has been examined in 42 newly diagnosed maturity-onset diabetics, in whom plasma lipoproteins were measured before treatment was started and at regular intervals during ten months of dietary therapy. Twenty-four patients (57%) had abnormal lipids when diabetes was first diagnosed. Nine were classed as Type II and 15 as Type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. Plasma lipids reverted to normal in half these patients after dietary treatment for one month. Only 8 diabetics (19%) showed persistent lipid abnormality after ten months' treatment: all had been unable to diet satisfactorily as judged by persisting obesity and hyperglycemia. The common lipoprotein abnormalities of maturity-onset diabetes can usually be returned to normal by the simplest possible carbohydrate-restricted diet, if patients adhere to this. Specialized and complex diets or lipid-lowering drugs are unncessary in the majority of patients.