This study was performed to compare the myocardial uptake of Tc-99m-furifosmin (Q12) versus Tc-99m-sestamibi (MIBI) in correlation to the whole-body uptake under resting conditions.
21 patients with ...coronary artery disease and no rest ischemia were examined. A whole-body scan was performed 60 min. p.i. under resting conditions. A quantification of the uptake (whole-body, heart and right lung) was done by ROI technique.
The heart-to-lung ratio of Q12 (1.56 +/- 0.191) was significantly lower as compared to MIBI (1.94 +/- 0.197; p < 0.01). In contrast, the heart-to-whole-body ratios (Q12 versus MIBI: 0.027 +/- 0.012 versus 0.026 +/- 0.004; p < 0.76) did not differ. The lung-to-whole-body ratio (Q12 versus MIBI: 0.018 +/- 0.009 versus 0.013 +/- 0.002; p < 0.17) were different, but did not reach significance.
These data show that under resting conditions the total myocardial uptake of Q12 does not differ significantly from that of MIBI. However, the pulmonary uptake of Q12 is slightly higher, resulting in a significant lower heart-to-lung ratio. These findings imply a lower image quality of Q12 compared to MIBI.
An analysis of dopant diffusion and defects in SiGe-channel Quantum Well (QW) with Laser annealing using an atomistic KMC approach are shown. Thin SiGe layer with high Ge content for SiGe-channel QW ...has an impact on implantation damage and Boron-Transient Enhanced Diffusion (TED) suppression, and defect evolution. KMC shows that As-pocket in SiGe-channel pFET shows enhanced diffusion toward SiGe-channel and higher As concentration in SiGe-channel. The difference of pocket diffusion is one of possible reason for the higher Vth mismatch for SiGe-channel with As pocket than for Si-channel.
Atrophic disease of the vulvar epithelium can be treated with steroids, but carcinoma of the vulva cannot be influenced with any hormone therapy. Seventy-one vulvar specimens were tested for estrogen ...receptor (ER) content by means of immunohistochemistry. Slight ER staining was found in nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium in 17 of 22 cases. A weak ER reaction in the basal and parabasal layers was found in only 2 of 17 specimens of keratinizing squamous epithelium. However, no ER was found in any neoplastic tissue of the vulva or the adjacent stroma. The loss of ER in neoplastic cells could explain the clinical experience that antihormonal treatment of vulvar carcinomas produces no appreciable improvement.
To determine the effect of beta blockade with propranolol on myocardial oxygen demands and postoperative arrhythmias in patients having coronary bypass operations, 50 patients with chronic stable ...angina undergoing operation were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either propranolol (60 mg every 6 hours) or a placebo. Drug administration began 24 to 48 hours prior to operation and continued through the operative period and for one month after operation. There were no deaths. Two perioperative myocardial infarctions occurred, both in patients receiving a placebo. Myocardial oxygen demand as measured by the rate-pressure product (heart rate X mean arterial pressure) was significantly reduced during induction of anesthesia (7,658 +/- 451 versus 5,786 +/- 340; p less than 0.002) and during sternotomy (8,400 +/- 550 versus 6,756 +/- 384; p less than 0.02) in propranolol-treated patients. In the first two postoperative days, nitroprusside was required for control of hypertension of 10 patients in the placebo group but in only 3 patients given propranolol (p less than 0.05). Postoperatively, 15 of the 26 patients who received a placebo had 45 episodes of arrhythmia. Seven of the 24 propranolol-treated patients had 17 episodes (p less than 0.04). We conclude that propranolol given perioperatively in doses large enough to induce beta blockade significantly reduces myocardial oxygen demands in the vulnerable period during induction of anesthesia and sternotomy, reduces the need for antihypertensive therapy in the immediate postoperative period, and causes a marked reduction in the incidence and frequency of both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias in the postoperative period.
We investigated if established psychophysical measures of enhanced experimental sensitization in chronic musculoskeletal pain can be reduced by adjuvant treatment with a N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor ...antagonist, amantadine sulfate, and whether a reduction in sensitization might be accompanied by a concurrent improvement in clinical pain. Sensitization was evaluated by an experimental tonic heat model of short-term sensitization with concurrent subjective and behavioral psychophysical scaling. Twenty-six patients with chronic back pain were included in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and received daily dosages of either placebo or 100 mg of amantadine sulfate during a 1-wk treatment. Participants completed quantitative sensory testing of pain thresholds and experimental sensitization before and after treatment and clinical pain ratings before, during, and after treatment. Experimental sensitization and clinical pain were reduced in patients receiving verum. Initially, experimental sensitization was enhanced in patients, with early sensitization at nonpainful intensities of contact heat and enhanced sensitization at painful intensities, as shown previously. After 1 wk of treatment, experimental sensitization was reduced with amantadine sulfate but not with placebo. We conclude that adjuvant chronic pain treatment with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists might be beneficial for chronic pain if enhanced sensitization is involved and that the quantitative sensory test of temporal summation may be used to verify this.
Clinical characteristics and angiographic ventricular volume data were obtained in 25 infants aged 1 to 66 days who presented with coarctation of the aorta, ventricular septal defect and congestive ...heart failure to determine if left ventricular volume loading was present and if there were hemodynamic or volumetric variables that were predictive of operative mortality in this group.
Pulmonary to systemic flow ratio averaged 2.8 ±0.8 and right ventricular/left ventricular peak pressure ratio was 0.96 ± 0.12. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume averaged 116 ± 49% of normal and was less than the investigators' lower limit of normal in 5 (20%) of 25 patients. In contrast, right ventricular end-diastolic volume, measured in eight patients, averaged 173 ± 47% of normal and was greater than the investigators' upper limit of normal in seven (88%) of eight. Left ventricular ejection fraction averaged 0.47 ± 0.17 and was below normal (<0.55) in 14 (58%) of 24 patients. Preoperative volume and ejection fraction data did not differ in infants with coarctation plus ventricular septal defect and a similar group of 19 infants with isolated coarctation. Abnormal left ventricular operative volume distensibility was inferred by normal or decreased left ventricular end-diastolic volume and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (>12 mm Hg) in 12 (55%) of 24 patients.
Early plus late mortality was related to left ventricular size: 3 of 5 patients with a small left ventricular end-diastolic volume died, compared with only 4 of 20 with a normal or increased volume (p < 0.05). Low left ventricular ejection fraction was not related to mortality; 2 of 14 patients with a low versus 3 of 10 with a normal ejection fraction died (p = NS). Repeat catheterization was carried out between 1.4 and 28 months after coarctation repair in 14 patients. Two patients with an initial small left ventricle had normal left ventricular size and five of seven patients with a prior low left ventricular ejection fraction had a normal ejection fraction. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume averaged 124 ± 60% of normal and left ventricular ejection fraction averaged 0.63 ± 0.11 (p < 0.01 versus preoperative value) for all 14 patients.
Despite a marked increase in pulmonary to systemic flow ratio, left ventricular end-diastolic volume remains normal or small in the majority of infants with coarctation and a large ventricular septal defect. Normal or low left ventricular end-diastolic volume in these patients in combination with increased right ventricular end-diastolic volume suggests a prominent atrial left to right shunt, which may partially be related to decreased left ventricular compliance. Abnormalities of left ventricular pump function are common in these patients but are primarily related to afterload mismatch or irreversible contractile function depression, or both.
PDF
