Protective effect of the KIR2DS1 gene in atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease of complex etiology including affected humoral and cellular immune responses. The role of NK cells in development of this disease has been recently postulated, but is still poorly documented. The current study was undertaken to determine the impact of genes for the most polymorphic NK cell receptors, known as killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), on the development of AD.     

The possibility of respiratory distress syndrome prevention of premature born children

Pregnant women and premature born children were classified into four groups. In each group there were thirty of them. The first group included the pregnant women with premature rupture of membranes and amniotic fluid effluxed for 72 hours before the delivery. The second group included the pregnant women with amniotic fluid effluxing less then 72 hours before the delivery. The third group included the pregnant women who were given corticosteroids. The forth group was a control group formed by those pregnant women (and their premature born children) whose amniotic fluid did not efflux long and those who weren't given corticosteroids during pregnancy. In all groups of pregnant women we observed: median age of pregnant women, the duration of pregnancy and mode of delivery (vaginal or cesarean section). In groups of premature born children we also observed: newborn birth weight, Apgar score in the first minute after delivery, Apgar score in the fifth minute after delivery, pH of the blood of umbilical cord, L/S ratio of amniotic fluid (lecithin-sphingomyelin ratio), RDS (neonatologist valuation in any degree of RDS developed et newborn child). Symptoms of RDS include tachypnoea, chest wall retraction and cyanosis and a zground glass' appearance of the chest on X-ray. Histopatological examinations of placentas compared the frequency of inflammatory or noninflammatory changes, also in all groups. No significant difference was found among groups of pregnant women for the following factors: the age of pregnant women, the duration of pregnancy and mode of delivery. No significant difference was found among the groups of children for the following factors: newborn birth weight, Apgar score in the fifth minute after delivery, blood pH of umbilical cord, L/S ratio of amniotic fluid. Significant difference was found among groups for the following factors: Apgar score in the first minute after delivery, the frequency of RDS and hystology of placentas. The prevention of premature delivery is the most important. All the pregnant women with symptoms of the premature delivery must be transported to the centers with the well developed unites of intensive neonatal care ("transport in utero").     

Posterior cricoarytenoid activity in normal adults during involuntary and voluntary hyperventilation

The effect of isocapnic hypoxia and hyperoxic hypercapnia on the electrical activity of the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle was determined in eight normal adult humans by use of standard rebreathing techniques and was compared with PCA activity during voluntary hyperventilation performed under isocapnic and hypocapnic conditions. PCA activity was recorded with intramuscular hooked-wire electrodes implanted through a fiberoptic nasopharyngoscope. During quiet breathing in all subjects, the PCA was phasically active on inspiration and tonically active throughout the respiratory cycle. At comparable increments in respiratory output, hypercapnia, hypoxia, and voluntary hyperventilation appeared to be associated with similar increases in phasic or tonic PCA activity. During quiet breathing, the onset of phasic PCA activity usually occurred before inspiratory airflow and extended beyond the start of expiratory airflow. The duration of phasic PCA preactivation and postinspiratory phasic PCA activity remained unchanged during progressive hypercapnia and progressive hypoxia. The results, in combination with recent findings for vocal cord adductors, suggest that vocal cord position throughout the respiratory cycle during hyperpnea is actively controlled by simultaneously acting and antagonistic intrinsic laryngeal muscles.     

Arytenoideus muscle activity in normal adult humans during wakefulness and sleep

The respiratory-related activity of the arytenoideus (AR) muscle, a vocal cord adductor, was investigated in 10 healthy adults during wakefulness and sleep. AR activity was measured with intramuscular hooked-wire electrodes implanted by means of a fiber-optic nasopharyngoscope. Correct placement of the electrodes was confirmed by discharge patterns during voluntary maneuvers. The AR usually exhibited respiratory-related activity during quiet breathing in all awake subjects. Tonic activity was frequently present throughout the respiratory cycle. The pattern of phasic discharge during wakefulness exhibited considerable intrasubject variability both in timing and level of activity. Phasic activity usually began in midinspiration and terminated in mid- to late expiration. Periods of biphasic discharge were observed in four subjects. Phasic discharge primarily confined to expiration was also commonly observed. During quiet breathing in wakefulness, the level of phasic AR activity appeared to be directly related to the time of expiration. The AR was electrically silent in the six subjects who achieved stable periods of non-rapid-eye-movement sleep. Rapid-eye-movement sleep was observed in three subjects and was associated with sporadic paroxysmal bursts of AR activity. The results during wakefulness indicate that vocal cord adduction in expiration is an active phenomenon and suggest that the larynx may have an active role in braking exhalation.     

Application of tomographic methods in the diagnosis of pathological changes of the jaw

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of specific diagnostic methods used for diagnosis of oral pathologies. The sample consisted of 198 patients (98 man and 100 women) with formulated diagnosis, confirmed postoperatively by histopathological verification. In 74.7% of subjects only X-ray diagnostic examination was used. Both X-ray and computed tomography (CT) examinations were used in 18.7% of subjects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) wasn't performed in any subject. In 6.6% of subjects neither X-ray nor CT was performed. The study reported on statistically significant differences in the distribution of specific diagnostic methods according to age groups (p = 0.026). Also, there was statistically significant differences in the distribution of diagnostic methods according to diagnostic groups (p = 0.053). In the group of 37 subjects, in whom both X-ray and computed tomography were used, the majority had carcinomas, followed by fractures and inflammatory cysts.     

Distribution of craniofacial variables in south Dalmatian and middle Croatian populations

The objective of the present work was to determine some relevant craniofacial parameters, particularly in relation to sex, for the study of the distribution of basic head and face types, and to investigate craniofacial and morphological differences between two population samples. The study sample comprised 100 subjects of both sex aged 18 to 30 from South Dalmatia and 200 subjects from Middle Croatia. Eight basic craniofacial variables were measured to obtain head, forehead and face indexes. The data indicate that average values of all variables can be used as standard craniofacial parameters for the examined population groups. All the craniofacial variables are considerably higher in men than in women (p < 0.05). In the South Dalmatian population mesocephalia (48.0%) and leptoprosopia (82.0%) prevail, while in the Middle Croatian population the brachycephalia (62.0%), and euriprosopia (73.5%) are present to a greater degree. The most significant craniofacial and morphological differences between the examined study samples are head width (Eu-Eu), face width (Zy-Zy), and forehead height (Tr-N). They were found to be statistically significant in the examined Middle Croatian population (p < 0.05). The presented measurements are highly relevant to orthodontic diagnostics and therapy.     

Ultrasonographic estimation of fetal weight--residents accuracy

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the accuracy of gynecology and obstetrics residents when performing ultrasonographic estimation of fetal weight. The total of 400 ultrasonographic estimations of fetal weight and corresponding neonatal weight were collected and divided into 3 groups according to physicians' experience (junior and senior residents, staff physicians). The accuracy of fetal weight estimation correlated positively with the level of physicians'experience. The proportional difference between ultrasound estimation and actual birth weight varied from 8.45% to 6.88% (junior residents 8.45%, senior residents 6.95%, staff physicians 6.88%). The proportion of ultrasonograhic estimates that fell within 10% of birth weight varied from 59.09% to 79.21% (junior residents 59.09%, senior residents 78.44%, staff physicians 79.21%). Senior residents reach a highly acceptable accuracy in ultrasonographic estimation of fetal weight which is comparable to staff physicians.     

Respiratory-related pharyngeal constrictor muscle activity in decerebrate cats

Kuna, Samuel T., and Christi R. Vanoye.Respiratory-related pharyngeal constrictor muscle activity indecerebrate cats. J. Appl. Physiol.83(5): 1588-1594, 1997.Respiratory-related activity of thehyopharyngeus (middle pharyngeal constrictor) and thyropharyngeus(inferior pharyngeal constrictor) muscles was determined indecerebrate, tracheotomized adult cats and compared with theelectromyographic activity of the thyroarytenoid, a vocal cordadductor. During quiet breathing, the hyopharyngeus and usually thethyroarytenoid exhibited phasic activity during expiration and tonicactivity throughout the respiratory cycle. Respiratory-related thyropharyngeus activity was absent under these conditions. Progressive hyperoxic hypercapnia and progressive isocapnic hypoxia increased phasic expiratory activity in both pharyngeal constrictor (PC) musclesbut tended to suppress thyroarytenoid activity. Passively inducedhypocapnia and the central apnea that followed the cessation of themechanical hyperventilation were associated with tonic activation ofthe hyopharyngeus and thyroarytenoid but no recruitment inthyropharyngeus activity. The expiratory phase of a sigh and progressive pneumothorax were associated with an increase in phasic thyroarytenoid activity but no change in phasic PC activity. The results indicate that a variety of stimuli modulate respiratory-related PC activity, suggesting that the PC muscles may have a role in theregulation of upper airway patency during respiration.

     

Response of genioglossus muscle activity to nasal airway occlusion in normal sleeping adults

To determine the combined effect of increased subatmospheric upper airway pressure and withdrawal of phasic volume feedback from the lung on genioglossus muscle activity, the response of this muscle to intermittent nasal airway occlusion was studied in 12 normal adult males during sleep. Nasal occlusion at end expiration was achieved by inflating balloon-tipped catheters located within the portals of a nose mask. No seal was placed over the mouth. During nose breathing in non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep, nasal airway occlusion resulted in multiple respiratory efforts before arousal. Mouth breathing was not initiated until arousal. Phasic inspiratory genioglossus activity was present in eight subjects during NREM sleep. In these subjects, comparison of peak genioglossus inspiratory activity on the first three occluded efforts to the value just before occlusion showed an increase of 4.7, 16.1, and 28.0%, respectively. The relative increases in peak genioglossus activity were very similar to respective increases in peak diaphragm activity. Arousal was associated with a large burst in genioglossus activity. During airway occlusion in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, mouth breathing could occur without a change in sleep state. In general, genioglossus responses to airway occlusion in REM sleep were similar in pattern to those in NREM sleep. A relatively small reflex activation of upper airway muscles associated with a sudden increase in subatmospheric pressure in the potentially collapsible segment of the upper airway may help compromise upper airway patency during sleep.