ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: As clinics that treat patients with osteoporosis do not usually have central dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bone density is often measured with radial DXA. However, no long-term evidence exists for radius bone density outcomes following treatment with once-weekly teriparatide in actual medical treatment. METHODS: We evaluated changes in bone density at 6-, 12-, and 18-month intervals using radial DXA in patients treated with once-weekly teriparatide for more than 6 months. RESULTS: A significant increase in bone mineral density (BMD) was observed at the 1/3 and 1/10 radius sites 12 months after the initiation of once-weekly teriparatide. We also observed that the rate of change in BMD was greater at the distal 1/10 radius than at the 1/3 radius. CONCLUSIONS: Considering these points, the effect of once-weekly teriparatide therapy can be observed at the radius. In clinics that do not have central DXA, but instead have radial DXA, these findings can help to evaluate the effect of once-weekly teriparatide treatment on osteoporosis.
ABSTRACT
The Hyperbaric Treatment Center (HTC) at the University of Hawaii, has evaluated and treated over 1100 divers for dysbaric disease from 1983 to 2001. We describe some epidemiological parameters and compare trends between local residents and tourist divers in this article. Data obtained from this review were analyzed for age, gender, type of injury and resident status. While trends in Hawaii have mirrored national figures, we did determine that there were some significant differences between resident and tourist divers' patterns of injury over this period of time.
Subject(s)
Diving/injuries , Age Distribution , Decompression Sickness/epidemiology , Embolism, Air/epidemiology , Female , Hawaii/epidemiology , Humans , Male , Residence Characteristics , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by macrocephaly, deterioration of motor function with ataxia, spasticity and mental decline. It has been revealed that the mutations in the gene, KIAA0027, were responsible for MLC and the gene was renamed subsequently 'MLC1'. A 41-year-old Japanese male with MLC, in whom a homozygous missense mutation, TCG to TTG at codon 93 resulting in S93L, was detected in the MLC1 gene, was described. MRI revealed marked cerebral atrophy and enlargement of the ventricular system. The subject's motor function had severely deteriorated, while his cognitive function had maintained at the level of a 2-year-old for the past 10 years. The mutation in the MLC1 gene of the patient is considered to be a common mutation responsible for MLC in Japanese patients because the same mutation had been detected in two other Japanese patients with MLC.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Cysts/genetics , Dementia, Vascular/genetics , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Molecular Biology/methods , Adult , Brain Diseases/genetics , Central Nervous System Cysts/pathology , Cerebrovascular Disorders/genetics , Cerebrovascular Disorders/pathology , DNA Mutational Analysis , Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System/genetics , Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System/pathology , Humans , Leucine/genetics , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Mutation , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Serine/geneticsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To examine the inotropic and chronotropic effects of xenon (Xe) and nitrous oxide (N2O) compared with nitrogen (N2) on isolated rat hearts. The differences between Xe and N2O were also compared. METHODS: The effects of Xe, N2O and N2 on coronary perfusion pressure (CPP), heart rate, left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and double product (DP) were examined in isolated rat hearts perfused at constant flow (10 mL x min(-1)). Following stabilization and baseline measurement with 95% O2 (plus 5% CO2), the heart was exposed to buffer equilibrated with one of three test gases; 50% N2 with 45% O2 (Group N2: n=9), 50% Xe with 45% O2 (Group Xe: n=9), or 50% N2O with 45% O2 (Group N2O: n=9) for 30 min. Measurements were performed in the last minute of exposure to the test gases. RESULTS: Gas exposure in all three groups decreased O2 delivery (-50%), CPP (-11%), LVDP (-30%) and DP (-44%) compared with baseline values (P <0.001). However, there were no differences among the groups. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that cardiac contractility was decreased by the effects of reduced O2 delivery, but both Xe and N2O did not cause further cardiac depressant effects compared to N2 in this experimental model.
